TransAmericanSexauerpaloozafestathonalamadingdong: Tired, Gassy & Exhuasted 2007

Welcome to this blog. For the next five weeks we, the Sexauers (Matt & Kate), will be documenting our travels across this great country of ours and hopefully updating on a daily basis. If we go a day or two (or three) between posts, don't panic.

Enough useless introduction. Here is our story:


We began the day one half hour behind schedule. As far as Sexauer Vacations go that is historically ahead of time. Our trip started at 8:30 with something we would do for the last time for five weeks. Our first stop at Dunkin' Donuts would be our last. A big rule of ours for this trip is NO CHAIN RESTAURANTS. Well, not exactly. We will avoid, at all costs, any chain restaurants that we could easily go to in the greater New England area. That is, unless, it's an unusual occasion; for example the original franchise or something really extraordinary like Chicago's "Rock N' Roll McDonalds" if we feel so inclined.

As soon as we hit the highway I decided to change two lifestyle habits. Recently I've found that my gum chewing practices needed some alterations. "Louder and smackier" is the way it goes now. I've also been contemplating improving my humming skills. My falsetto range is in need of practice in particular. In order to maximize my efficiency I decided to do both at the same time.

It didn't last long. Apparently Kate didn't appreciate my initiative.

With a 2003 Toyota Corolla as our chariot, Route 90 was our pathway. We took that all the way to the New York Thruway to Rte. 88 to Oneonta NY, home of Hartwick College - Kate's alma mater of one year prior to a transfer to UMass. Lunch was at the Neptune Diner, one of Kate's old haunts. Afterwards we headed to the Hartwick campus. We took a breif nostalgic trip past her old dorm, dining hall and fine arts building. A quick picture with a giant metal gorilla and we were back on our way.

We've got the help of GPS on Kate's new cell phone which guided us South (or West) on 88 to 79 North to 81 North to Rte. 20
West. We took that through Skaneateles until we got to Route 90 (again).

Kate typed in "Simplest Route" instead of "Quickest Route" to get us to our destination in Brockport, NY. That took us off the highway in Rochester and right through it. We even passed a button factory. We met a guy named Joe, he had a house, three kids and one spouse. He was ridiculously busy.

We arrived at the home of Derek, Jess and the newly arrived Mikayla Mellenthine. Otherwise known at the InstaFriends of Maynard MA. Why InstaFriends? Just add beer...

Natives of the western NY area and alums of SUNY Brockport they knew the area very well. We walked into town to Barber's Grill where we dined on Barber's Balboa sandwiches and imbibed Labatt Blue Light from Mason jars. Downtown Brockport is on the banks of the Erie Canal. So we headed out of Barber's and headed for The Smokehouse. This is where we enjoyed drinks right on the banks of the Erie Canal. 10 feet down, 79190 feet to go. I will get my 15 miles out of the Erie Canal soon enough. There is no mule named Sal but Derek and Jess have a Jack Russell Terrier named Cal. He'll have to do.

450 miles, a couple of Balboas, and a few beers later, the air mattress never looked more comfortable.

Kate and I are still both alive and happily married. This trip is going to be just fine.