Will Map for Fuel

When I learned that only rally drivers were able to display their names on the car windows, I was outraged. So much, that I decided to do it the hard way, and ordered some vinyl stickers.

Damn. I forgot to buy the glitter version.

So today I’m jointly posting from Fort Worth Texas from Geoglitterdomination headquarters, AKA Thea’s house with Ms. Thea. For those that aren’t aware, Thea fully intended to join this epic trip, but after a night at Billy Bob’s with Jagerbombs motherhood got in the way. We are arriving in Fort Worth 9 days before the expected arrival. Thea wanted to call this blog post “the pregnant lady contingency plan.” Why do we need a contingency plan? Well…

1. According to the doctor our schedule stop in Dallas may or may not coincide with the arrival of the glitter baby. And yes Iván and I might be 2/3s of the the three glitterwiseman, we are currently without a third.

2. The vehicle…let’s be honest… (according to Thea). It is an American built car from a decade that well…wasn’t our finest. To quote the Texan “it may be the trickle down version of an American classic.”

3. There is no bull riding on the days we are schedule to arrive. We might get bored…

4. Although one of the six flags that was flown over Texas was Spanish….there is the slight possibly that Spanish/American relations could be damaged along the way and a shorter more direct route may need to be calculated to avoid a repeat of the Spanish/American war (AKA Iván and Kate slapping each other in a Mustang, which according to Thea must be recorded).

5. There is a chance that Iván might not leave Graceland. (You know what we mean)

6. Iván might find out that Kate doesn’t actually know how to put the accent on his name with a keyboard and just cut and pastes from elsewhere.

7. It is offically hot in Texas this year and we might decide it is smarter to veer North and hit up Carhenge since they already hit up Foamhenge.

8. Iván might be wearing what Kate and Thea consider to be their Spaniard stereotype (white loafers and capris) and they won’t let him across the boarder into Texas.

9. Thea might object to video of her being wheeled around her home in a wheelbarrow because she is too pregnant to walk….(Thea demanded I say “fat/rotund or glittery Jabba the Hut, but I felt that this was a bit too harsh.)

10. Despite Thea’s best intentions of keeping her feet elevated, avoiding spicy food, surprises and anything else that might induce the arrival of the glitterbaby. Well…it just might happen.

So in other words, keep sending suggestions along the route. We need to be well entertained…

Paperwork: check.

Tickets: check.

Route planning: check.

US-EU plug adapters: check.

Denver acommodation: check.

Props for GeoGlobalDomination: check.

Glittery stuff: check.

Aviator sunglasses for that badass look while driving: check.

I got my driving license nine years and ten months ago. Which means that it was time for me to apply for a new one.

It also means my current driving license is a folded 10-year-old slip of pink cardboard that will crumble to dust if I hold it the wrong way. This is not unusual, because it’s illegal to a) get it laminated and b) have a deteriorated license. Luckily for people who forget the wallet when washing their trousers, most of EU stepped away from issuing cardboard licenses and started issuing plastic card licenses. Unfortunately that ended a 100-year-long tradition of crumbling, folded, cardboard driving licenses.

Anyway, while my card is being printed, I already got a working temporary license:

There it is, a sheet of paper that is also a driving license valid for three months. Problem is, you need a photo ID to drive with that, and it’s only valid in Spain. The good news is that if you add a grey, folded, crumbling slip of cardboard to that, you can drive just about anywhere in the world.

So yes, officer, my driving license is a bunch of crumbling papers with no photos of me on them whatsoever. And yes, sir, I double-checked with the Spanish autorities that with this paperwork combo I can legally drive in the US.

Seems weird to write about food when I’m sitting here full of cumi asam manis and ikan bakar (sweet and sour squid and grilled fish), but food can be a big part of how to experience a culture.  I’ve traveled quite a lot in the United States before so I have a pretty good idea of things to eat in different regions.  What can be more important is at which places to eat.

So I’m looking for ideas.  In Washington DC I think I have us covered.  My two suggestions are Ray’s Hell Burger and the Museum of the American Indian Cafeteria.   Ray’s Hell Burger has large burgers with really good meat, you can also get a variety of toppings.  Additionally Obama has been known to take foreign dignitaries there.  The National Museum of the American Indian has a great cafeteria (the Mitsitam Cafe) and is my go to lunch spot when taking vistors from out of town.  There are a variety of Native American dishes from all over the United States, so there are plenty of things to try that most people aren’t familiar.

So what else should we eat?  Look along our route and make a suggestion.  Please give us a link to the place in OpenStreetMap in the comments,  stops should be too far out of the way (maybe 1/2 hour tops) that is unless you can sell us on way going further is worth it.  Both Iván and I don’t have any allergies or anything like that, so no limits there.  Iván did however state anything next to a “melted butter dispenser” would scare him.  Good meat is also preferred and if you know of somewhere that can do a grassfed versus grainfed beef taste-test let us know.

Also Iván likes to eat spicy food for sport apparently, so keep that in mind.

So bring them on, send us your suggestions.

You may remember us as individuals from such OpenStreetMap memes as geoglitterdomination and the State of the Map 2010 song contest. Now myself (Kate Chapman) and Iván Sánchez Ortega are on our way to the 2011 State of the Map in Denver, Colorado in the United States.  Less imaginative individuals are flying to Denver,  we on the other hand have decided to drive from Washington, D.C. there.

There will of course be stops along the way for mapping and sight-seeing.  Our tentative route begins when Iván flies in to Washington D.C. on September 1st.  The next day we are heading out in my 1988 Mustang 5.0 Convertible with our first stop in Natural Bridge, Virginia.  Then we continue on that night to Knoxville, Tennessee.   After that a stop to worship at geoglitterdomination inspiration headquarters in Graceland.  Fueled by excitement we will then stop in Fort Worth, Texas to visit coconspirator  Thea Aldrich.   Then powering on we’ll stop in Amarillo, Texas and Pueblo, Colorado; finally then stopping in Denver!

Since there is only one song that makes me think of my car, I’m going to leave you with the Vanilla Ice Song “Ice, Ice Baby.”