My Guster Field Trip

I wish I had some great "I flew to Europe to see them story," but while the distance is shorter I think my story is pretty cool. I spent my 25th birthday at a Chicago Guster concert. I think it may actually have been my best birthday ever.

I'm always on the look out for nearby Guster shows. Of course when I saw that they would be playing in Chicago on my birthday it was a no brainer. I would have to go on my own, but it would be so worth it. I ordered my tickets, booked my train trip, and made reservations at the Hostel in the Loop.

It was my first experience with Amtrak, and it wasn't a bad one. We had a few slow moments, but we still made it into Chicago on time. They were able to check me into the hostel early. One weird thing was the assigned your bed and I ended up on the top bunk. This comes into play later.

I walked around the neighborhood and ended up getting stuck in the rain. My one pair of shoes (remember I'm staying in a hostel) were sandals with leather straps. I didn't think much of it at the time, but this would come back to haunt me later. I got ready for the show, and walked to the Block Party where the concert was held. I was ready with bubbles and ping pong balls in my purse. No one was really up by the stage, so I easily made my way to the front. Soon other fans began to congregate, and we all quickly became friends.

The concert was awesome. They played Either Way and I was all kinds of happy. I was close enough to the stage I could basically touch Ryan and Adam…all was good in the world. Plus I made some really great friends.

I made my way back to the hostel, and of course all my roommates were asleep. Trying to get into the top bunk in the dark isn't as easy as it looks. My legs were barely long enough to maneuver the "ladder" plus it is dark AND I am trying not to wake everyone up.

I woke up the next morning to gashes and cuts on my feet from the sandals. My roommates were all up and ready, so I was able to take a nice long shower to clean them up. I tried putting my shoes back on and it just hurt. I made my way to the red line and to the Belmont stop. I stopped at the first store I found. Amazingly, I found a pair of amazing flip flops for $5. I switched them out, and went about my shopping. After a great day of shopping, I met up with my new found friends from the concert for drinks…and even met someone special.

Seriously, it wins the best birthday award by a long shot.

Things you would learn about me on a road trip

Road trips are always interesting. They are also moments where the crazy we keep on the inside boils over a little.What would we learn about you on a road trip?

Well for me…

I sing when I drive
Radio…no radio…I sing and drive. Basically being in a quiet car makes me and the fids nervous. It all started when I was learning how to drive. Being in a silent car made me a nervous wreck. I’m convinced the only reason I passed the test is because the test proctor talked to me the whole time. Now it is just habit, and for some reason my singing calms down the birds on road trips.

I’d rather drive than be a passenger
Maybe I’m just a control freak, but I cannot stand being a passenger for too long. Although, with my Blackberry and the ability to maybe catch a movie on my laptop will change this. Wow….aside from the Ohio trip with the fids I have not been on a good road trip in years. Basically, I get motion sickness so I can’t read or write on a moving vehicle. Falling asleep just makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I hate my hair
It isn’t straight, but it isn’t totally curly. Really it falls somewhere in between. I work hard to hide this and make it look low maintenance, but it is all a lie. If I do not have access to a hair dryer and a flat iron I get real cranky fast.

I love reading road signs
That is how my parents knew I could read. We were driving down the road and I read a billboard to them. Yeah creepy. However, when I was on tour my friend Rob and I made a sort of a game out of it, and it kept us entertained for hours.

I’m not a hugger
Maybe I was from Connecticut in a former life, but I am not a fan of hugging unless you are on my “ok to hug” lost. OK…there is not a list, but sometimes I think there should be. I like my personal space and would rather not be snuck up on.

I will never forget Saint Malo, France

The summer I turned 16, I went on a trip to France. I of course was looking forward to Paris, Mount St Michel, Nice, our day trip to Monaco, and the other big stops. I wasn't not looking forward to the other places, I just wasn't familiar with them.

There isn't any big touristy trap in Saint Malo. I know some of my classmates were annoyed we stayed there. They came to France to see the big ticket items. This was just a waste to them. However, I discovered I really liked this walled city on the English Channel. There was history there. I wish I could go back now with a better camera to capture some of the great shots I remember.