Matt's Nationwide Drive Thread

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: evident
man, this is the coolest thing i've read. i wish i was doing this

You can join me if you want!

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
753 miles exactly today. Drove out west to hike the cascade waterfalls - GORGEOUS. had a lot of fun. Found a leaf that had a face in it. I'll post pictures of it on my blog.

Bought some new hiking boots today - they are very nice and feel really comfortable, for once. Also, picked up a scale so I can watch my weight while I'm on the trip.

Going to go write on the blog now. Tomorrow I hike some more but then tomorrow night I'm heading to Knoxville. No idea what I'm doing when I get there - I should be there around 9 or 10PM... if anyone is going to be up that late still and wants to say hi at a bar? Or if anyone could give me a suggestion on a place to go?

Thanks. I'm having an amazing time.

I'd take you out to a bar tonight, but my schedule has got me occupied until late tonight. If you're still here tomorrow we could meet up after 5pm. You might want to check out the Old City or Bailey's out west, though at 9 or 10pm on a Thursday with all the college kiddies gone home for the summer...Knoxville is going to be fairly tame.

Are you up for a drink tomorrow (Wednesday) night?

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: akshatp

Originally posted by: mjuszczak

Originally posted by: AmpedSilence
Stop by in Philly, we'll have a beer and food at Kildare's in King of Prussia!

Edit: I've always been jealous of this type of trip and wanted to do one. Unfortunately, I have too many debts to do it now

I too have a lot of credit card debt. But I will never be happy if I don't do this.

If you've got money saved as you said in your OP, how come you aren't paying down your debt? Just curious.

Debt = 1.9% for life
Money saved = 3.0% interest

True that I don't have as much saved as I do debt - about 50% saved vs. total debt - but for now, I'm paying double my minimums and letting the rest earn interest because I enjoy having the cash.

The debt isn't going up - that stopped a long time ago.

 

[LS21]

dinner's on me if youre in denver. out of the country for 1 month starting tomorrow. if you want to take it up send a PM

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: LS21
dinner's on me if youre in denver. out of the country for 1 month starting tomorrow. if you want to take it up send a PM

Cool! Can I take you up on it when you get back? I'll probably be in Denver around July 15-20. Somewhere around there, perhaps a bit later, but not too much later.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak

Cool! Can I take you up on it when you get back? I'll probably be in Denver around July 15-20. Somewhere around there, perhaps a bit later, but not too much later.

ill be back around 19th. youre on.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: LS21

Originally posted by: mjuszczak

Cool! Can I take you up on it when you get back? I'll probably be in Denver around July 15-20. Somewhere around there, perhaps a bit later, but not too much later.

ill be back around 19th. youre on.

Rockin!

 

[natto fire]

You have a place to stay here in New Mexico, if you don't mind a little farm work and eccentric people.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Captain Howdy
You have a place to stay here in New Mexico, if you don't mind a little farm work and eccentric people.

Sure!

 

[manlymatt83]

Update:

I'm in Knoxville, TN. Man do I need to update this thread. So much is happening at once.

Long story short - I ended up hiking for a day and met this girl who was thru-hiking the AT. I joined her for about 6 days - ended up going to walmart and buying a tent and sleeping bag and pillow and bag and deet and all of that stuff and spent no more than $100 on all of it.

Life is good. It was an awesome time. I'll be posting pictures and more detail on my blog.

Now I'm in Knoxville - spent the night at cotton eyed joe's.

Hoping to get together with someone tomorrow night (Thursday night) downtown! if anyone is around and still interested.... let me know!

Friday I head to Nashville!

I'm in Texas Monday.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
I am in Knoxville also. I think Sundown in the city will continue til late...get their early though..it has been pretty warm here. Job Market sucks here unless you get in good. I will share with you that cost of living is very low, you get a great deal for your weak ass dollar. It is a beautiful area with people that are kind. The are a bit closed minded, due to lack of education. However, most will do anything for you...and that goes a long way in my book. Nashville is a great city. I just finished a contract there, and now work from home. Great place to live and work. The economy and job market is thriving. Cost of living is a bit higher, but not by much..your salary will be better so your dollar will still go very far. Many things to do there, lots of great companies, it is the capital, there is a great deal more culture and things to do. It is a much bigger melting pot as most people living there do not appear to be locals...many have migrated and stayed. Brentwood, Franklin and Cool Springs area are newer and very nice, but high end...they are really womping up the downtown area as well. Green Hills is nice, but more costly also...but you are a Yank and used to much higher prices and costs of living.

If you need anything let me know. You can PM me for contact information. I live slightly outside of knoxville, a little north in a small mayberryish town called Clinton. My wife and family are blessed and do well and have a nice home on the river here. It would not be Tennessean of me to not offer you a place to stay for your short tenure. Safe travels.

JC

Hi JC,

Would you like to get together? I saw a sign for Clinton today as I was driving to Cotton eyed Joe's

 

[manlymatt83]

bump for day crew

 

[Capt Caveman]

Good to hear you're having a great time!

 

[zoiks]

More power to you. For me, one or 2 months of comfortable living expenses would never do it if I only had that to live with if I quit my job. I'd have to have at least 6 months of savings as well as another job lined up. With the economy state as it is right now, carelessness on my part would probably be my undoing.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: zoiks
More power to you. For me, one or 2 months of comfortable living expenses would never do it if I only had that to live with if I quit my job. I'd have to have at least 6 months of savings as well as another job lined up. With the economy state as it is right now, carelessness on my part would probably be my undoing.

TECHNICALLY, if I were still living in Boston in my apartment, I could live about a year on the money saved. But I'm paying down my debt like crazy (2-3 times minimums) so that's the only reason it won't last as long. But if I need it to I can slow down.

I'm still actually paying rent there because I only plan on being gone for a month or two.

 

[manlymatt83]

I'm gonna head out and about in Knoxville - find some sort of cafe to people watch or something. Anyone let me know if you want to join. PM me for my cell #.

 

[lizardboy]

Hey - where in TX are you going to be?

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: lizardboy
Hey - where in TX are you going to be?

Shooting for:

1) Dallas on Sunday/Monday night
2) Houston during the day on Tuesday
3) Austin Tuesday night & Wednesday night

I'll be in Nashville tomorrow and saturday.

 

[manlymatt83]

Right now I'm at the Wasabi Japanese Restaurant in West Knoxville if anyone wants to join.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Update:

I'm in Knoxville, TN. Man do I need to update this thread. So much is happening at once.

Long story short - I ended up hiking for a day and met this girl who was thru-hiking the AT. I joined her for about 6 days - ended up going to walmart and buying a tent and sleeping bag and pillow and bag and deet and all of that stuff and spent no more than $100 on all of it.

Life is good. It was an awesome time. I'll be posting pictures and more detail on my blog.

Now I'm in Knoxville - spent the night at cotton eyed joe's.

Hoping to get together with someone tomorrow night (Thursday night) downtown! if anyone is around and still interested.... let me know!

Friday I head to Nashville!

I'm in Texas Monday.

Obviously I haven't been hanging out here as much as I used to... what happened to Drem2Hike or whatever she signed up as? Or was that her?

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Update:

I'm in Knoxville, TN. Man do I need to update this thread. So much is happening at once.

Long story short - I ended up hiking for a day and met this girl who was thru-hiking the AT. I joined her for about 6 days - ended up going to walmart and buying a tent and sleeping bag and pillow and bag and deet and all of that stuff and spent no more than $100 on all of it.

Life is good. It was an awesome time. I'll be posting pictures and more detail on my blog.

Now I'm in Knoxville - spent the night at cotton eyed joe's.

Hoping to get together with someone tomorrow night (Thursday night) downtown! if anyone is around and still interested.... let me know!

Friday I head to Nashville!

I'm in Texas Monday.

Obviously I haven't been hanging out here as much as I used to... what happened to Dream2Hike or whatever she signed up as? Or was that her?

Fixed. No, it wasn't her. Totally random different situation.

 

[manlymatt83]

Saw thelostsea (thelostsea.com) today. Off to nashville tomorrow for a violin lesson from a really good fiddler!

 

[Muadib]

How did I miss this thread?

Have a good time Matt!

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Muadib
How did I miss this thread?

Have a good time Matt!

Thanks!

 

[maziwanka]

man. sounds great dude! i wanted to explore america with my time off after the bar, but we've opted to spend like 40 days in africa traveling around. should be good!