California Vacation

This past weekend I flew out to Los Angeles, CA to partake in EJ and Laura's wedding. This was my 6th time in California, however was a very memorable 4 day vacation. I knew I couldn't miss the trip when EJ asked me to be his groomsman a year ago. He was one of my best friends in college, along with Palms and K-man. And although we've grown distant over the years, it doesn't take away from the incredible memories we shared at good ole IU. Therefore it was a great honor and pleasure to be a part of his special day with Laura.

The trip had been over a year in the works, actually 2 years since EJ and Laura got engaged. My friend Lauren took the initiative to rent us a house that we could all stay in Oxnard. There were going to be 8 of us staying together (Lauren, Nate, Audrey, Liz, Lindsay Scott, Karlan, Megan, and myself) I also planned on visiting my cousin Jennifer at some point. That Weds evening, Philip gave me a ride to the airport, and I caught a direct flight from Indy to LAX. I later met Karlan and Megan there, who gave me a ride to the cabin. By the time we got to our rental house in Oxnard it was 12am (3am eastern time) and nearly everyone was in bed. We had a couple beers then went to sleep.

I woke up around 5:30am on the couch and couldn't fall back asleep, after a couple hours of tossing and turning I decided it was time to get the blood pumping. As soon as everyone else got up, I decided to go for a good run. This gave me a chance to explore the new territory of Oxnard. I ran along the streets and roads all the way to the Oxnard Airport, which was a good 9 mile run. Afterwards we all went out for a nice breakfast. Then we spent the day at the beach, drinking beers and swimming in the Atlantic Ocean which was very refreshing. 

That evening Karlan, Megan, and myself drove out to meet EJ and the rest of the bridal party for the rehearsal dinner in Camarillo (about 30 mins from Oxnard). We had a walk-thru at church, then all met for a nice dinner at a fancy barbecue restaurant. We sat outdoors, drank wine, and all got to know one another. Griff, Chewie (Brad Bauman), and Amanda Baker I already knew. However I met some new friends such as Lauren Smith and Anna Wright. Anna was my walk-up partner. I think it was a pretty fun bridal party. By the end of the night I had a pretty good buzz going and was having a real good time. We partied some more when we got back to our house in Oxnard.

That night I slept much better and was ready for a busy wedding day. We met early that morning to have breakfast with EJ, get suited up together, and take pictures. We had a few beers together in EJ's hotel room as we reminisced about the days of old. My tux was a lot bigger than I had measured two months ago, and the pants were especially loose on me. By about 11:45 we were on our way to the church. We took some more pictures before the ceremony. It was actually a fairly small wedding, with no more than 70 people in attendance, however a full Catholic marriage ceremony. 

After the wedding ceremony we took more pictures than loaded up in the limo where we drank champagne. I would have liked some beer yet Laura wanted nothing to do with it. So we drank a lot of champagne while jamming to music. On our way into the reception, my partner and I worked out a good dance entrance. We did the classic Grease dance, which was very well in sync I thought. Afterwards the party really got going. EJ and Laura had their first dance, K-man gave a great best man's speech, and then came the food. 

EJ and Laura also had a Korean ceremony during the reception which I thought was a very cool cultural exchange. They dressed in full garbs as they celebrated EJ's heritage thru his family, and Laura was very focused on this which I thought was cool on her part. Afterwards we had some huge cigars outside and then danced the night away. I hit it off quite well with Lauren Smith who became my one and only dance partner. We had us a quite a thing going that night. I wasn't extremely wasted yet at a good level of happy drunk. The reception ended early at 10:30 and we then took the after party to the hotel. It was a very fun night!

The next morning I was luckily able to ask Griff to give me a ride back to Oxnard. I bought him breakfest as a gesture, however when I got back I realized I had left my new billfold in my suit pocket. So I then had to ask K-man and Megan to give me a ride back to the hotel. This worked out well since they had to drop off their suits anyway. At this point I said my goodbyes to everyone in Oxnard and in Camarillo. I bought K-man and Megan breakfast as a gesture for driving me around the last couple days, then they dropped me off at the car rental place by 10am. I was excited to drive and visit Jennifer in Los Angeles.

I had done my research a few days before and decided I wanted to take highway 1 along the coastline from Oxnard to Los Angeles, instead of the inland highway 101. This was only an extra 30 minutes of driving and very worth it. It was a winding road with the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. I drove through Malibu at one point, and could hardly take my eyes off the waves, bikers, and so much else that was going on around me. I made it to Jennifer's apartment after about an hour and a half of driving, thankfully traffic was not too bad.

This was the first time I had visited Jennifer in California and it was perhaps the best part of my trip. I finally got to see her apartment and her California free-lance lifestyle. She had her own apartment which she used as her work studio as well. After catching up for a bit, we went out to lunch at a fancy Mexican restaurant. Then during the day we went on an adventurous hike up Hollywood mountain, which took us about 2 hours and a lot of navigating. The hike was well worth it however as the view of the sign and city was incredible. The way down was so much easier and I remember being very inspired by the unique houses up in Hollywood Hills. 

That night we went out to get tasty burgers and some beers nearby. The burgers were very unique tasting and the truffle cheese fries were tasty at first yet became to be a little too salty after a while. I bought dinner and we then went out for dessert which Jennifer bought. We also did a little shopping where I bought my mom some soaps and lotions. By around 8:30pm I said goodbye to Jennifer and then drove to LAX. My flight back was an overnight one, and a bit more busy since I had to drop off my car rental and connect in Chicago. And besides barely making it to my connecting flight in Chicago things went rather smoothly. I was happy when Philip picked me up that morning and I was finally back home! It was a very memorable trip.

Fall Festivals: Shipshewana, IN

Years ago my mom and I started a tradition of visiting small town festivals during the fall time. This tradition was actually inspired by our family fall drives in which we use to pack up in the van in search for pumpkins, apples, apple cider, and very large hills to drive down. Now-a-days instead of the country drive, we try to visit a small town festival when one of us is in town (usually on the outskirts of Indy or Fort Wayne). This time of the year is without question the best time to take on some countryside culture.

My mom and I decided to visit the town of Shipshewana this year, since it was a place neither of us had been to. It was also a good chance for me to give my newly acquainted Night Wolf some rural experience. Unfortunately Andres or Dad weren't able to join us however we recruited Sue who happens to be one of our frequent fall festival aficionados. We left early Sat morning inside the Night Wolf on the 1 hour northern trip. It was a very scenic drive winding thru country roads.

When we first arrived it was extremely cold and windy, yet there were still a lot of people out and about. We began at a large flea market where I found a great deal on some sports banners (Cubs and Lions). My mom and Sue also bought some stuff. Afterwards we went indoors into the Blue Gate for a late breakfast/early lunch. It was a cliche country styled restaurant. Afterwards we bought some stuff inside the store and dropped in on some other nearby souvenir shops.

We walked around the town square for a bit which was an amazing setting of local stores and floral landscaping. The site was booming with culture!  I got a pumpkin coffee and an elephant ear. We also visited some tents full of merchants, where my mom and Sue bought some more stuff. We later caught a Christian bluegrass band while we enjoyed our snacks. We left the town by late afternoon right before the rain and traffic began to set in. It was a perfect Saturday and we all agreed to re-visit the amazing town of Shipshewana someday. 

Tribute: The Night Rider

This past Friday my Night Rider, (2005 Chevy Cobalt) punched in it's last ticket. She had served me gloriously for the past 7 years and 150,000 miles, most of which were driven here in Indianapolis. However over the past few months, she had begun to show significant signs of wear and tear. I had begun to anticipate her replacement,  yet was hoping it would not be until a few more months. However life never goes according to plan.

It was a Friday afternoon in Zionsville, and I had just finished a run when she completely shut down on me. After some time and many attempts I was unable to jump-start her. I had no other choice but to have her towed to Meinke. The trustworthy mechanic there told me the alternator was bad and the engine was quite questionable as well. It would have cost me over $500 to get it replaced. And so the decision was quite an easy one. It was time to trade her in, and buy a new car.

It all happened so quickly and unexpectedly yet I had no choice but to leave the car at Meinke and make plans to quickly purchase a new one. It was such a sad and sudden departure for such a reliable stead that she was. A car such as the Night Rider deserved some form of proper farewell, yet instead I had to leave her at the Meinke, and trade her in for all I could get on a newer model. Yet woe is life, and with one ending leaves a new beginning. However the Night Rider will never be forgotten, and here in this post I want to commemorate her for all her glorious years of servitude.



The Night Rider's History

It was back in the fall of 2009 when I first bought the Night Rider from a dealership. I remember it was a Friday, which is quite ironic that she would die on a Friday. At the time I was working three jobs in Fort Wayne, and loaning the Ford Taurus from my family to get around. However that car was in it's final days and once it broke down it was time for me to step up and buy my first official car. (Before that I had owned two other cars, a Ford Escort and a Toyota pickup truck, yet both were unofficial.)

I did my research that morning on the internet and had found the perfect car I was looking for; at the time I was looking for something sporty and batman-like. It was a 2005 black Chevy Cobalt, at 50,000 miles and a fair price. My dad would later join me at the dealership and the paperwork was signed. I remember driving it to work that evening feeling very proud to be a new car owner. The name Night Rider came quite naturally to me, as she blended with the night. Here's the post I made the day I bought, My Brand New Car!

The following day I was eager to show her off to my friends at a tailgate in IU, which was of course a terrible idea. I picked up Philip, Shawnna, and Stef early that morning in Indianapolis to make the drive to Bloomington. The fields were dirty and muddy yet I thought nothing of it. The worse came later that day when Stefanie passed out in the car and threw up on the floor. Later in the evening, the battery died on me, because I left the keys in the ignition playing loud music. Luckily some girl helped me find the battery which was located in the trunk and Rager helped me give it a jump start. The new car feeling was tarnished in only it's second day, yet I by no means lost my sanctification with her.

Days in Fishers, IN

I enjoyed her Mp3 capabilities and would often make mixed CDs with over 100 tracks on them to utilize the full stereo surround sound. I remember those first few months driving was my favorite part of the day, even when I had moved to Fishers, Indiana to begin work at the BACA. In those days I was going thru a cultural burst and was into a wide array of music from hip hop, to indie rock, to even Phantom of the Opera and Edith Piaf... and it was all provided thru the Night Rider's sound system.

Driving around Fishers in 2010 was perhaps it's golden luxurious years. Even tho it was only a compact car, it was everything I needed to get to and from work, run errands, visit friends, and drive to Fort Wayne on the weekends. That summer, I took her camping with friends,. And when a family road trip came up to Sara Shaw's wedding in Virginia, I gladly volunteered to drive the Night Rider. It was Dad, Philip, Shawnna, and myself that squeezed in for the 12 hour round trip. It was no doubt quite the experience and perhaps the first of many Night Rider adventures.

In the fall of 2010 she took on more responsibilities as my career began to shift gears. I was no longer at the stationary post of the Baca and had taken on multiple jobs that required more travel. From the fall to the winter I traveled around Indy working as a tutor and traveled outside the city to Big Ten college football stadiums. This was a tough financial time for me, however the Night Rider was always dependable during this time. She eventually became my utmost source of income when I became a courier with RCL.

Courier Days

It was on Valentines Day of 2011, when I began work with RCL, as a contract courier. At first it was meant to be a transitional job, something where I could easily make money to pay off my bills and realign my career paths. And the first few months were quite easy and I soon found myself enjoying the easy money that came out of courier work. I would listen to music, drive on  delivery routes, and navigate all around the city and beyond making money while enjoying the time in my Night Rider. That summer was a very inspiring one, as I felt quite satisfied with my new lifestyle as a courier.

However the more I began to work, the more money I began to make, and the more responsibilities I began to take on; both at work and in life. I soon found myself with new bills (phone, Netflix, car maintenance) yet also more work. Things got less enjoyable that fall as my workload began to intensify and the weather began to worsen. It was that winter that the Night Rider had its first major financial bomb wen I had to repair it's brakes. The Christmas Delivery rush was a very trying time for me, however I got thru it thanks to my Night Rider. When I did my taxes in Feb of 2012, I realized she had put nearly 40,000 miles that first year.

There were many times throughout that first year as a courier, that I had sought out new career avenues. Afterall I was a college grad and sometimes felt a bit embarrassed to be working as a mere courier. Yet I was still making very decent money, and after a year I had caught up with my debt, paid off the Night Rider, and had begun to amass a large savings account. There were many times that winter I considered quitting yet things got much easier after the winter was over. By the summertime I was enjoying the work again and even took on a new job at Victory Field. I remember it was a very hot and dry summer that year and although I went thru some medical issues (mostly dehydration) the Night Rider was always reliable.

By the fall of 2012 I had once again began to grow significantly bored with the courier job. Even tho I was making good money, I began to grow tired with the management yet also the lack of challenge. That winter was another difficult one, and I remember the weather was the worse it had been in years. I would often talk with friends on my phone while I worked to make the days more interesting. However my mood took a terrible dip that winter, especially after the Night Rider went thru some major repairs. I had to shell out nearly $1000 to once again fix the brakes as well as the transmission.

After the Christmas Rush and inspiration from Les Miserables I was able to pull out of this frustrating time. However the winter lasted clear into March of 2013. There was one instance where I actually got stuck in a snowy driveway in Lebanon. I was so furious at the company for not sending help, that I nearly quit on the spot that day. I knew at that point that I had to seriously find a better job and get out of that field as soon as possible. And finally the opportunity came in the spring of 2013 where I was offered a new full time position at Dow Agro Sciences. And so after 2 years and 80,000 miles of hard mobile work my Night Rider was no longer to be used as a business vehicle yet rather a personal vehicle.

Dow Agro Days

By the spring of 2013, the Night Rider took more of a back seat in my life, as should be for a car. It was only used to commute to work, run errands, and visit friends and family. In the fall of 2013 I used her to explore the northwest region of Indianapolis/Zionsville to find a house I could buy. When I finally bought my new place in the spring of 2014, I was only 10 minutes from my work, which made the commute all the easier.

In the fall of 2014 she went on yet another adventure, as I drove her on a 20 hour round trip to visit Marc and Laura in Kansas City. She caused me no problems whatsoever, minus a bad tail-light which was my fault and not hers. It was a very enjoyable trip and her last major road-trip. Not once of the many times I drove her outside the city (Fort Wayne, Michigan, Bloomington, Chicago) did she break down on me, and this was a very fortunate thing. In the past two years she only cost me a little extra on brakes and tires.

Her final and most recent months were quite uneventful. By the winter of 2014 I noticed the paint had begun to significantly wear off and the idle problems had worsened. There were times she would completely shut down at stop signs or lights, however this problem was always off and on. Luckily she made it thru the winter, which wasn't nearly as brutal as the previous two years.

However thru the spring and summer, there were certainly warning signs, mostly with the idle. By that point I had once again began to consider the possibility that these were her final days (as I had so often done in my courier days). On the weekend of Aug 28th she made her last long distance trip to Fort Wayne. The next few weeks in September the stalls began to increase. And on Friday the 25th of September she punched her last ticket in Zionsville. And so ends the glorious and very eventful lifespan of my Night Rider. She will never be forgotten!


The Night Wolf

I have been anticipating the demise of my Night Rider for quite some time, even back during my courier days. About a year ago I was very keen on purchasing a Jeep as her replacement. Yet the cost and efficiency of a Jeep didn't suit me, so I would later change that desire back to a sedan. I wanted a more mature vehicle, something luxurious and powerful. I was prepared to recommence on car payments, and ready to spend much more than on previous purchase. It was several factors that brought me back to Chevrolet and specifically the Malibu/Impala models.

1. First was brand loyalty, having owned a Cobalt for the past 7 years.
2. Second was that my brother Gabriel had owned an Impala and always spoke highly of it's performance and power
3. Third was that my favorite team, Manchester United was sponsored by Chevrolet
4. Fourth was an advertising campaign on the awarded luxurious cars provided by Chevrolet

The night of the breakdown I did my homework, with a keen interest towards Impalas or Malibus. (I wanted to stay with Chevrolet that had done me well the past 7 years). I wanted something new and slightly used, a luxurious sedan yet with a powerful engine. The next morning, my mom and I, drove to the Bill Estes Chevrolet, nearby on 96th and Chevrolet. Our salesman was a very friendly and young face and he showed us some of the inventory, however there was a clear front runner in my mind. It was a 2014 black Chevy Impala with only 27 thousand miles on it. After a little bit of negotiating and a lot of paperwork, the car was mine. It was exactly the one I wanted.

The car is unlike anything I've owned before. It's very modern, sleek, and extremely spacious. It has a sunroof and bluetooth capabilities where I can call and answer my phone from the speakers. It has a very fast acceleration with her 6 cylinder engine. She can pack a punch when needed, however she's also very classy. She's smooth as silk, graceful like a gazelle, and vicious like a wolf. She's my silk rider and my night wolf. I hope she'll bring me many years and great experiences to come.