This past week I went to visit Ashley in Texas, specifically the Dallas area. Unlike most normal people who might have flown, however, we chose to drive so she could have her car for the rest of the summer (she had been doing work for a Professor at Colgate this summer). I live in Eastern Pennsylvania, and a direct drive from here would take about 21 or so hours. She wanted to show me her old hometown of Reston, Virginia, so we actually went a little bit out of our way, but it was worth it for both of us. Most people I told about the planned trip all summer told me I was crazy, but in reality the drive was extremely fun. We split it up into two and a half days (last Monday morning through Wednesday afternoon) and switched off driving every 2-3 hours so we didn't get too tired.
The first day was the prettiest drive, taking us through the Blue Ridge Mountains (accompanied by the song of the same name by Fleet Foxes) and the larger Appalachian Mountains of which the Blue Ridge are only a part (sadly Copland's Appalachian Spring was messed up on my iPod) of Western Virginia and West Virginia (it is important to note the difference). Unfortunately, as was the case with most of the views worth seeing on the trip, I totally forgot to actually use the camera I brought with me. All this means is that I will be more prepared next summer when we do it all over again...
The second day was also very nice, taking us through Kentucky (much to the delight of my horse-obsessed girlfriend) and Tennessee. We drove through Nashville too briefly for me to even remember what it looked like, but I do remember the area was beautiful, which is not exactly what I expected from Tennessee. Driving basically across the state, we saw its varied landscape, from its mountains and rolling hills to the increasing flatness toward Memphis. Memphis is a city I'd very much like to return to, having driven around it briefly. I think the musical atmosphere there was calling my name. Making another mental note for next summer. Crossed the Mississippi (and, in so doing, called up a host of Huckleberry Finn references) and found our way into Arkansas, at which point just about everything interesting about the landscape ceased to exist. We stayed there for the night and finished the last leg of the drive Wednesday, arriving in Plano at 4 or so.
I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting from Texas, but northern Texas anyway resembled Florida (minus palm trees) more than it did the Wild West that I was expecting. The DFW metroplex was a sprawling mass of shopping centers, restaurants, three- and four-lane (on each side) highways and tollways complete with bustling access roads (a new concept for me) and 70 mph speed limits. It was like the Orlando area minus the tourism and horrible traffic. I was particularly surprised by the variety of restaurants there, far exceeding our own chain-heavy array in the Valley here. Nevertheless, culture shock was minimal, and I begin to wonder if there is any part of the US that still feels like the frontier.
I really enjoyed meeting Ashley's parents, who were both very nice and welcoming the entire time I was there. Her dad introduced me to Chimay, which according to Michael Jackson (the beer expert, not the pop star and pedophile) is the best beer in the world. Made by Trappist monks in Belgium, it is served in a wine bottle and has many qualities characteristic of wine, including alcohol content. It was certainly the best beer I had ever tasted, as might be expected. We ate well on the trip, and I would heavily recommend Texas de Brazil to anyone interested in trying a variety of delicious meats. It is a chain, so it may be in your area. This was particularly fun for me, since Ashley is a notoriously picky eater and very stubborn about trying new foods, so watching her try 15 or so different kinds of meat and some interesting items from the salad bar was well worth it.
Among the other highlights of the trip were the Dallas Arboretum, which was extremely beautiful and not at all crowded, seeing Despicable Me with Ashley and Inception with her and her friends, and buying her 4 inch heels so that she can do ballroom dance with me this coming semester (we're normally 13" apart). We also went to Six Flags Over Texas, which I later learned was the original Six Flags (the name deriving from the six nations who have owned Texas over its history (Spain, France, Mexico, Texas Republic, Confederacy, United States). The best part of that trip was that just as we were leaving, we got caught in a torrential downpour which we ran through to get to the car. Flash flooding ensued. Except it barely rained at all back at Ashley's house. Pssh, Texas weather.
I also went out to the barn to watch her ride, and I played with her two dogs (whippets named Gable and Jewel) which are both things that I would not have seen myself doing 6 months ago, so I suppose she's getting me to try new things too. Gable liked me, but Jewel seems to have a mistrust of men and she avoided me when she could and always looked very nervous, which was sad because she was my favorite.
I could go on but the main point is that I had an amazing week, experienced new things, saw new places, and fell even more in love. I'm already looking forward to going back next summer.
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