The Art Of People

Friday, June 27 – Washington, DC
Bhutan, NASA, and Texas are gathered together to celebrate and showcase their ... cultures? A Bhutanese man describes the art of archery to the crowd over loudspeaker, but when I ask what his art is, he says it’s his family. He turns the question on me and hands me the mic. In the spotlight to the DC crowd, I answer.

Finding God In America

Thursday, June 26 - Washington, DC
Gary Rosenthal’s art is Judaica (art used for Jewish rituals). We make mizzuzot. Jeremy is fired up. Arranging and melting glass, I may have found God.

On U street, an open mic. Jahbu Ourinde believes God gave us all a gift. “There is nothing better than sharing those gifts.” Based on the reaction’s from the crowd, the long list of people hoping to speak or sing or play, and the range of emotions I felt, I think he may be right.

From Whence We Came

Wednesday, June 25 - Alexandria, Virginia to Washington, DC
The Torpedo Factory may be one of the best public art spaces in the country. Over 160 artists paint, sculpt, shred, pound, blow, and bend their creations to life as the public observes, buys from, and asks questions. We participate in carving glass with Alison Sigethy before she embarks on a 3000-mile kayak adventure through Arctic Canada. Susan Makara’s textured paintings of stacked stones seem to jump from the canvas like flying fish from the sea.

We maneuver around the DC monuments. They stand tall to remind us from where we came. We drive to discover what we have become.

Miles traveled today: 12
Total miles traveled: 3380

George's Dream Come True

Tuesday, June 24 - South Hill, Virginia to Alexandria, Virginia
Amazing how you get used to a smell overnight but the rashes last for days. There’s a model train collection at the visitor center. For George Bombardier’s sake, we film. He would have freaked out.

Good deed for the day: we save a turtle.


Jeremy’s friend Bess is waiting in anticipation as we nearly drive right by her.

Miles traveled today: 183
Total miles traveled: 3368

"Andy, It's Carla. She Wants To Know If We Want Company. I Said Yes."

Monday, June 23 - Winston-Salem, North Carolina to South Hill, Virginia
Jeremy picks me up from the Greensboro Airport in the kart. On Route 49, it looks like a prayer circle on the side of the road. Naturally, we stop. 80 people are WALKING across the country! The Great Walk II is about preserving the environment and celebrating the mix of black, Asian, Native American, and white cultures. They’re doing it drug free.


Virgilina (literally on the border between Virginia and North Carolina) is not much more than a stoop to sit on, and the accents are the thickest I’ve heard. A rough older man denies having an art but finally admits to keeping one Hell of a tomato garden and a traveler to boot.

It’s raining after dinner in South Hill, so we opt for the cheapest motel we can find. The smell of smoke and bad decisions hits us like a brick wall. Our phone rings. Its Carla from next door asking Jeremy if we want some company. Yes! She stumbles to the bed and lights a cigarette. Jeremy turns on the camera. We can only have company if the camera is off, and with that she leaves.

Miles traveled today: 152
Total miles traveled: 3185

Hanging With The Grand-Rents

June 20-June 22 - Bermuda Village, North Carolina


Grandmom and Pop Pop Rose remind me why I blocked out my childhood. Pop Pop shows me his woodwork and we stave off a geese attack.

Alone Time

Friday, June 20 - Charlotte, North Carolina to Winston-Salem, North Carolina
I have to be in a wedding this week so I catch a flight. Jeremy drives the kart ... alone ... in fear. Hits up Davidson in search of college girls. Remembers it's summer break. Chats with Randy Hill instead about the art of motorcycles. Arrives at his grandparents retirement community. Blogging ceases until my return.



Miles traveled today: 85
Total miles traveled: 3033

I'm A Medium For Kurt Cobain

Thursday, June 19 - Clemson, South Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina
Jeremy sees a candy-apple red, 1957 Chevy Belair driving in the opposite direction — the EXACT make and model of dear Christine! A yelp and a hard left sends our GPS unit flying into the street to get run over by dear Christine herself (“Oh, sweet irony”). We couldn’t even catch up with the Chevy for a photo so we laid the GPS to rest somewhere in North Carolina.

Ric Standridge finds inspiration in the Beatles, Kiss, the Rolling Stones. He always turns the music up. To participate, we crank Nirvana and put the paint to canvas. Ric and I cap ours with the simple phrase, "Art in USA?" Judging from the outcome on his, Jeremy has creepy dreams.


Couch Surfing hosts Lee Knight and Dana are having a baby. Jeremy is fascinated by the two lesbians and their pregnancy. He bombards them with questions as we share cookies and soy milk.

Miles traveled today: 146
Total miles traveled: 2948

Don't Mess With Campus Safety

Wednesday, June 18 - Atlanta, Georgia to Clemson, South Carolina
Daniel Stein speaks on the physicality of theater and the key ingredients that make up a great performance (a la a great cup of coffee) at the WordBRIDGE Playwright’s Laboratory. Jeremy sees old friends and sings Wicked with Erin Lovelace.

Campus Safety yells (yells) at us to get off the road. “But it’s fully registe—“ Nope. Won’t fly with the University po po. Our third (hardly official) traffic stop and the only one we can’t talk our way out of.

“The University actively promotes campus security by providing services to prevent criminal activities, enhance personal safety and protect property.”

Miles traveled today: 132
Total miles traveled: 2802

Two Hands Are Better Than One

Tuesday, June 17 - Atlanta, Georgia
Angus Galloway used to feel seasick drawing with only one hand. Now he draws with both hands at the same time to cure the queasiness. One side of the page reflects the other but the goal is only to look at one side. An unintentional reflection of the intentional, it seems. We participate. I cheat by looking at both sides.


Little Five Points has tattoo artists, graffiti art on every wall, thrift stores on the other side of those walls.

We celebrate Jackie’s birthday. By “we” I mean “me.” Jeremy has a migraine.

When Biscuits Fly

Monday, June 16 - Atlanta, Georgia
Andy blogs ...


Eli Banks serves signature chicken breakfast sausage at The Flying Biscuit (an Atlanta staple for southern comfort food) but dedicates his time to sketch comedy at the Twinhead Theatre.

An artist is painting a t-shirt in Piedmont Park. He uses the park as both studio and home.

Video Blog #2

Edited by Lyman Smith for Eagle Ridge Media.

West to East, Officially

Sunday, June 15 - Birmingham, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia
Driving. To Atlanta.

Jackie and Jacque have Rocky Mountain fresh Coors Light and flip cup waiting for us.

Miles traveled today: 167
Total miles traveled: 2670

g2 Pawn to d7 Lanky Jew

Saturday, June 14 - Birmingham, Alabama
Matt’s home is equipped with a set of gymnastic rings. Andy and I are equipped with huge guns after working out on them.

Big chess with little people.

City Stages, Birmingham’s annual music festival, is only $25 for a day pass. Diana Ross, The Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, The Roots, Jurassic Five, The Wailers. Line dancing, swing dancing, Marine’s challenging citizens to a pull up contest (which we destroyed ... well, Matt destroyed).

In our possession: Ben Harper’s entire encore on film. Shhh, we’ll ask for the rights later.

Sweet Tea, Cornbread, and A Generous Helping of Southern Hospitality

Friday, June 13 - Meridian, Mississippi to Birmingham, Alabama
The tent sheltered us from the rain but nothing solves the morning heat issue like McDonald’s breakfast inside Wal-Mart for three hours.

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, WVUA television is doing a story about fuel prices at the gas station where we’re filling up. They wanna talk.


City Cafe insists we stay for fried chicken, oakra, cornbread, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet tea, and the home cookin’ service to match. They won’t even accept a tip.

The Flamingo Room handed us key lime cake with cream cheese icing and pink lemonade just before our interview.

Jean Ignatz is painting portraits and telling us that art doesn’t have to be precious: you can always begin again.

Matt, Matt’s mother, and Carolina are waiting for us in the hilliest city yet, Birmingham, Alabama. Andy gets out and walks alongside the kart to expedite the uphill portions.

Miles traveled today: 153
Total miles traveled: 2503

Santos Saves Salamanders Swiftly

Thursday, June 12 - New Orleans, Louisiana to Meridian, Mississippi
Our turn signals don’t work. The passenger taillight is out. It’s raining intermittently. Thank goodness for Santos Auto Repair.

Santos didn’t tell us that the engine would start smoking and stall out while we were driving the Lake Pontchartrain bridge, however. Thank goodness for the man who blew the gas out of the fuel pump to find out that it’s been in backwards for who knows how long.


Wal-Mart. A funny company. They allow us to camp on their parking lot grass patch. Andy buys a ground tarp. He’ll return it in the morning. Funny.

Miles traveled today: 252
Total miles traveled: 2350

Stupid Rain

Wednesday, June 11 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Oh, look, rain. All morning. We’re not leaving.

Andy lifts weights. Well, he’s sweating when he returns 30 minutes after claiming he’s going to lift weights.