Southward Bound!

So as you all know, my adventure to New Orleans got postponed due to some car troubles. Well, car has been fixed and anxious to hit the road! And being the awesome car owner I happen to be, I will comply and hit the road tomorrow.

Now some of you may think that three extra days of downtime won't change travel plans too much...and you would be wrong. Very wrong. My adventure to New Orleans went from a straight shot down south, to an epic 2-3 (+) week journey. But before I get into those details, the three days of downtime also allowed me to visit (and feed!) my very pregnant, super adorable, proud owner of a new home (woohoo!), friend Aimee.

As well as hang out with these crazy fools. (And I say that in the most endearing, loving, caring way.)

Yesterday I spent the whole day (and night) in my pajamas, in bed, watching Gossip Girl (2 seasons of it...I may have a problem). It was the perfect day of laid back relaxation before hitting the road again (you don't really get a lot of lazy days on the road). And today has been occupied planning my super awesome Southern adventure and an evening photography date (which means tons of pictures in the next post!!). Clearly, three extra days in Kalamazoo turned out to be exactly what I needed.

And now, for my super awesome southern adventure...after a bit of backtracking, of course.

Sunday night, when my brakes decided to stop working, I took a deep breath and did what I do best; I grabbed a beer and started plotting out the details of my next adventure (New Orleans, yea!). In the midst of this plotting, I decided to text my friend Andrew because I haven't talked to him in awhile and wanted to guilt trip him for not staying in touch. As we texted back and forth, I realized that the little hick town he lives in is directly on my route to New Orleans...Coincidence?

I don't believe in coincidences. And because I don't believe in them, I invited myself over to Andrew's for the weekend. He accepted after I bribed him with Arcadia and Bell's IPA. Apparently, the little hick town he lives in lacks good beer...can't say I'm surprised.

And because I couldn't resist sharing, I will grace you with three of my favorite pictures which Andrew happens to be a part of...(I'm still deciding how I feel about that).

So the first stop on my southern adventure is Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, home of University of Illinois, 40,000 college students, the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival, and a local bar (#1 on my attractions list), The Blind Pig.

My second stop will be Louisville, Kentucky! I plan to spend 2-3 nights there Couchsurfing and checking out the local music scene.

Third stop, Nashville, Tennessee! I will spend a week there, staying in a hostel. And if I really dig the city, I'll stay a bit longer and Couchsurf. I can't wait for Nashville!

Fourth stop will be Birmingham, Alabama! I will spend 2 night there Couchsurfing and probably resting a bit before hitting the road for NOLA.

And lastly New Orleans! I'm not sure where I'll be staying yet, since I'm not sure when I'll get there. But I do intend to stay for Mardi Gras (!!!!).

My intention for this adventure is to build community, meet people, explore the music scenes, and completely immerse myself in the experience. Couchsurfing and staying in hostels is a great way to do that, and I'm really looking forward to doing something different. Exploring the Southwest was really great; it was filled with lots of outdoor activities, camping, mountains, ocean, canyons, deserts, and lots of quiet...I'm ready for something different; surrounding myself with people, exploring cities, nightlife, live music, good brews, and a little more of the urban lifestyle. Who knows, maybe I'll find a place to grow some roots for awhile :-)

I hit the road tomorrow and I'll try to update as much as I can with stories and pictures! Stay tuned!