It has been two weeks since my trip concluded and yes I had to start school right away, but I have also spent this time reflecting on and digesting my trip.

There are several aspects to the trip that I might have to break down into different posts: the trip itself, the university visits, the spiritual trip, etc.

The trip itself was mind blowing. Sitting in our cozy, provincial little corner in New England we don’t know or we forget how great, literally this country is. I was constantly in awe of the endless fields, the huge rivers, one after the other, the interminable trains, the thousands of eighteen wheelers, the miles and miles and miles of roads. The singular beauty of each state. The fact that I could visit eleven universities that offer a PhD in Spanish Literature is awesome.

But that is mostly geographic. More importantly was all the people I met. Everybody was genuinely nice, polite and friendly. Even people that might have been a little defensive or insecure quickly warmed up when I told them of my trip. One of the better examples was in Texas when I walked into a lunch place. I asked if I could have lunch and if we were on such and such road. A couple of tough cowboys in the back of the room asked where I was headin’. When I answered Arkansas, hundreds of miles away, their tone quickly changed and they became very helpful. Later that night at a bar near Texarkana another tough old cowboy asked threateningly “You ain’t from ’round here are you?” Minutes later he was buying me drinks!

That is not to say I did not have any bad encounters. Unfortunately both in Nashville (if I had to listen to bad country music all the time I might turn into a sourpuss too). One with a rude parking valet at a hotel and the other one with a rude (he might have been stoned, or drunk, or both), motel receptionist.

But those two were the exceptions, I had great conversations, and met interesting people pretty much everywhere I stopped and met someone: gas stations, welcome centers, universities, hotels, motels, shops, everywhere. Those people are the real find of the trip.

Altercations: 1 with a parking valet at a Nashville hotel.
Animals: See full report on flora and fauna.
Gas tank fills: 32
Total miles: 4.745
Average Miles per Gallon: 59 (max 68, min 43)
Longest one day ride: 500 (Texarkana to Nashville)
Shortest one day ride: 15 (Durham to Chapel Hill)
Average daily ride: 279 miles
Average price per fill up: $10
Cheapest gas (premium, I pamper Rocinante): $3.43, in Boston.
Most expensive gas: Westport CT, $4.99
Total money spent on gas: $325
Total fuel gallons used: 83.89
Tickets (parking): 2 University of Alabama – they forgive the first one. NYC, for street cleaning.
Tickets (speeding): 0 thanks Rocinante
States visited: CT, NY, NJ, Del, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, AL, MI, LA, TX, Ark, Tenn, 15
Air filters: 2 Mississippi, Massachusetts
Oil change: 1 Houston
Lost: 3 bandanas (Houston), 1 toothbrush (New Orleans)

After another great breakfast with Mark, this time at the Popover Café, it was time for my departure. Not without first realizing that it was street cleaning day and that I had a $65 ticket waiting for me. I guess one ticket in 5000 miles is ok, I should not complain.

It was a beautiful day, so I enjoyed driving up Riverside drive up to the Bronx. From there the pleasant Merritt parkway all the way to New Haven. Once in Massachusetts it was back roads all the way home. A little bit like Dory in Finding Nemo, I was surprised every time I saw a Massachusetts license plate! In Framingham, at Paramount HD I stopped to say hi and for a final air filter change. The guys were great and after buying the filter, they replaced it for free. Thanks guys!

Finally after a mere four hours, 209 miles from NY I was home.

After a fabulous breakfast at The White Spot, a culinary mecca in Charlottesville. I headed to the Spanish Dept. My first contact was with Zac, a supercool grad student who gave me the “scoop” on UVA. After that I went to see Prof. Andrew Anderson. One would think that after visiting 11 universities I would have become more comfortable talking to these emminences grisses, but no, I choke up, blabber, stutter, and mumble like a kid in the headmaster’s office. Despite the fact that he was really nice, understanding and patient, considering I just walked into his office in what we used to denominate in the business world a “cold call”.

The campus is really head and shoulders. The students super nice, an undergrad basically walked me to the Student Center, way out of her way. And Charlottesville is a village, but a really cool village.

From there I backtracked to the legendary Blue Ridge Mountains, to the historical Shenandoha National Park, to the epic Skyline drive, basically a road that runs over 100 miles on the crest of the mountains in the park. Breathtaking is a literal description of the ride. Throw in three deer conspiring against me by crossing the road in front of me and it becomes double breathtaking. It took me three hours to cover the 100 miles. Rocinante and  I where thrilled and loved this end of college visits treat.

From there it took an hour to DC, where due to rush hour traffic it took another hour to do a quarter of the ring road. Then it was a straight blast to Mark Miller’s Upper West Side apartment, where in his classic hospitable style I had a huge and delicious Greek salad waiting for me. Mark, you are the man!

Chickens: My cousin’s and a bunch in Tennessee.

Deer: A mom and a baby who almost killed me and another one.

Grasshopper: On my leg at a road stop.