Initial hobo stage

After 9 months of "planning" we have finally embarked on our adventure. We would both like to thank all the family and friends who gave us a great sendoff fueled by beer, BBQ, and Clint Dempsey's dazzling footwork, but now that Jesse and I have taken our vows of poverty, the van is packed and we are officially on the road.

It took a while to get out of Goochland so with an eagerness to get on the road we just started throwing things in the van and told ourselves that we will organize later. After stopping in Roanoke to eat Paul and Aris's deceptively delicious vegan chili, we spent the first night in Blacksburg, VA, and although we had a great time with great friends, the magnitude of our journey ahead hasn't quite set in for either of us. I fantasize about the first time we will see the muddy banks of the Mississippi and I can only imagine that is when the trip will feel real.

We spent the morning outfitting the interior of the van with shelves and organizing our things, and after observing Jesse's handy-work Sven is starting to feel like home. We plan to make it to the New River Gorge today and will try our hands at some of the best mountain biking in the Great Smoky Mountains today or tomorrow, so as we will soon leave familiar surroundings we are preparing ourselves for the adventures ahead.

Check back in a day or two, and I will have pictures of Sven's inner-workings and one of the deepest pie pans in 'merica.

-Matt & Jesse