Make Joe Drive

The Debrief

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:36:00 -0500

There’s something to be said for the privilege to represent Rockford, IL, and, in particular, a business like WallBlank.com that seeks to go the extra mile (let alone another 4,190) for the sake of tangible relationships, involved adventures, and word-of-mouth networking. And just to be clear, I’m not employed by them, I’m just a friend and an artist who believes in what they’re doing.

Thanks for this privilege. This very first Make Joe Drive campaign went very well and I feel that this is the start of something good on many fronts. The word of Rockford and WallBlank.com has been integrated in cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, and along the road where everyday life happens for the majority of people.

These discoveries and relationships wouldn’t have even been possible had it not been for your tweets, texts, calls, and help along the way. Thanks again.

Eight days, four thousand one hundred ninety-one miles, fifty hours of driving, twenty-five coffee concoctions, and two hundred twenty-five gallons of gas are the earmarks of the very first Make Joe Drive mission.

What’s next on the horizon?

It’s never too early to start sending in ideas and new places. Emailing Joe@wallblank.com is a good place to start.

Big Thanks: MJD T-Shirts & Buttons

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:40:17 -0500

There were a number of people and small businesses that helped Make Joe Drive happen.

Jarrod from Boreded Up did a great job with providing the t-shirts and buttons for the trip. If you need a great screenprinter or buttonmaker, email borededup@gmail.com for a quote - you’ll be glad you did.

Going West

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:24:00 -0500

There comes a critical time in any adventure where the road starts curling its stripes at you like a beckoning finger while the days of non-stop motion, thinking, tweeting, talking, posting, interviewing, photographing, driving, direction-following, gassing, eating, and sleeping, continue to hum and threaten to coerce a traveler to opt and plant roots in just about every new place visited. It’s a strange dichotomy.

I fought and followed both these notions as I pulled out of Charlottesville on Saturday morning. There was still nine hundred miles ahead of me. I made it to the Apple store in Louisville, KY, at 9:05 p.m. and just missed getting a new charger for my laptop. There’s a Starbucks that was open until midnight so I spent a couple hours reading and drinking coffee before hitting the road at closing time.

I made it just north of Indianapolis until the ghosts of sleep made continuing impossible. Even after a few late night hours at a Lebanon rest stop I found pure sleep in this car a hard thing to come by since the idling of sleeping semi-trucks and the quasi stillness in the long bench seat would sometimes ignite in dreams that forced me from sleep to frantically grab the steering wheel in preparation to attempt to steer away from the oncoming rest stop building. But the car was silent and motionless in its parking space. The trucks still idled with dim eyes in their rows. It was only my head that was moving with the momentum of nearly three thousand miles.

A dim and grey day broke after six a.m. and I continued with only a few more hours to go.

Bodo's Bagels & White Spot, Charlottesville

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02:00 -0500

Big thanks to Phillip and Greg and roommates for allowing me their couch to crash in Charlottesville on Friday night.

Bodo’s Bagels is sweet breakfast joint bustling of scholastic denizen in pursuit of a worthy breakfast bagel and the additional choice of bacon, egg, and maybe even the pursuit of happiness and justice for all. Thomas Jefferson had designed Charlottesville as an academic community and the narrow side-streets and cobblestone and brick do well to continue its tradition and to affirm the quality of Charlottesville community as Cum Laude amongst New England college towns.

Another worthy spot to check out is the White Spot on the corner of University Avenue. It’s a small, friendly greasy spoon kind of place that’s as laid back as any place I’ve ever seen. Order a Gus Burger for a couple dollars and get a satisfying burger with a fried egg inside.

Para Coffee, Charlottesville, Virginia

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:27:36 -0500

Para Coffee has a unique relationship to WallBlank in Illinois; They’re both created and curated by the Kelley brothers.

Para has also just recently celebrated its first birthday and this friday night they hosted the art show “A to Z, Letters For Literacy” where ‘local artists and designers showcase custom lettering and typography to raise awareness and support for Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle.’ Thus says the poster.

Live music accompanied the packed house and a WallBlank print was featured in the row of the alphabet art that were displayed (left to right of course) around the lower part of Para. There’s an upstairs here too with more seating and some hanging photography by Eric Kelley, Para proprietor.

In the morning an eclectic arrangement of people sit at the bar and read the paper or gather in groups to talk or who are paired up with their computers and a steaming bowl of coffee. This place is off the beaten path but not forgotten. Come check it out, this is coffee with room.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:02:52 -0500

Yesterday’s adventure with the leaves and the intense three-point turn turned out to be the perfect schedule modifier in order that I could meet up with New York City’s Armistead Booker, a graphic designer and museum worker and a friend of both Para Coffee in Charlottesville, VA, and WallBlank.com in Rockford, IL.

It was a pleasure to sit at McCormick’s Overlook in Shenandoah National Park with him, his girlfriend, and his local buddy Jason and chat over a picnic. The sun went down and cold mountain air brought our huddle to a close after an hour but not before I was able to impart WallBlank gifts to these new friends who in turn surprised me with a gift of local NYC coffee.

Awesome, sweet meetings again!

A Road Less Traveled

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:52:00 -0500

I’ve been giving “Big Mama” a routine of driving at sixty-five mph for long enough that I can put between ten and fifteen gallons at each gas station so that she has a chance to relax. Sometimes I’ll even take the side roads.

However a scenic route looked to be stretching too far in an undesirable direction and I found myself pulling a three-point on a desolate road. No problem until suddenly…

The leaves on the side of the road concealed a little ditch for a very heavy car.

Before too long a red pickup truck rolled around the corner and retired beef farmer Tommy Thompson cheerfully evaluated the situation with me. Then we got to work. I secured a tow rope around the rear axle and Tommy hooked a crank-puller-thing with a chain around a tree. Another man Brian and his wife and son happened to come around the corner and helped me push as Tommy cranked the car out.

Thanks again. Here are the heroes of the day.

On The Road To?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:30:00 -0500

This trip is still only halfway over. The prints are in Taylor’s hands but I’m still a thousand miles from home. People along the way are still asking about Make Joe Drive. How am I getting back? It’s still for you to decide.

I spent the night in Huntersville, NC, on Thursday to visit my aunt and uncle and left Friday headed for Charlottesville, Virginia, thinking that it would be a solid drive with maybe only a couple of special stops.

Little did I know…

WallBlank.com Winner: Taylor Tucker, Charleston, SC

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:16:52 -0500

Last Friday afternoon I had called Taylor Tucker from WallBlank headquarters in Rockford, Illinois, to tell her that she had won the birthday contest and was getting her prints hand delivered via road trip. Six days later I’m pulling into Muddy Waters Coffee in Charleston, SC, to finish one part of the journey to meet this person. Now it’s your turn.

Taylor is a nurse in the Neo Natal ICU in Charleston and moved here over three years ago from Chattanooga to go to Clemson University. Before that she remembers growing up and playing banjo in the mountains. Other hobbies include photography, biking, running, soccer, and finishing all her sentences with a soft southern drawl.

She received her WallBlank prints, a can of ‘Travelin’ Joe’ coffee complements of Jittery Joe’s in Athens, a “Joe Was Here” shirt, and a collection of pins, posters, and a WallBlank.com certificate.

You may have seen the Twitter picture from the day of the meeting but here’s Taylor in front of her chosen meeting spot of Muddy Waters. Sweet to meet her and congratulations again!

Quick Update

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:27:23 -0500

The power adapter for my laptop died last night. Check back this afternoon when I’ll catch up on all the details and photos from yesterday’s big delivery. I’m currently on the road to Charlottesville, VA.

The Coast

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:42:00 -0500

I’ve got a couple more hours of driving tonight before I can share about the big day but for now here’s a glimpse of the East Coast from this afternoon at Folly Beach, SC.

The West Coast version can be seen here on Wallblank.

Drive on.

Weaver D's, Athens, Georgia

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:57:00 -0500

The band R.E.M. once found inspiration at Weaver D’s, winner of the Jame’s Beard Comfort Food Award. Dexter Weaver’s motto “Automatic to the People” became their source for a mainstream album title after the band had dined in this treasured establishment.

Once again I’m finding that the most loved cafes and restaurants are those who operate behind the soul level of their existence. If you’re not impressed then you won’t be missed. But the door is always wide open.

Weaver sways behind the counter with eyes and mouth relaxed and open as he drawls a food order or question around the corner into the kitchen. When the front door opens, however, he turns to watch as if this was the first day of business. Then he starts; “Ahh got chickkkkin, tallllapliaaaahhhh, caffffffffisshhhhhhhhhh….” he drones and I’m not sure what’s going on because when he stops listing food I suddenly feel small and out of place.

I took the catfish and they added potato salad and a green leafy side and cornbread and sweet tea. The food was good- maybe not great but not forgettable either. It’s more the experience and this experience is worth coming to have.

I wasn’t the only one here to see the man behind Weaver D’s and I waited twenty minutes for a previous interviewer to finish their chat with Dexter. Words fail to further explain this place so we took a couple pictures instead.

Athenians

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:27:00 -0500

The best part of this trip has been the people that come out of the places you’ve pointed me towards.

Meet Zak Noles (on left in picture below) and Eric Murphy (right). I ran into them before leaving Jittery Joe’s and we had a great chat about Athens, this trip, photography, and their cycling passion. Zak represents The Hub and the Terrapin Brewery in Athens and was last year’s du-athlon National Champion in the twenty to twenty-four age bracket. This years he’s finished third at for Duathlon Nationals and is a two time member of Team U.S.A.

Eric holds 19 wins as the Georgia state champion at the Master Criterium and is also 2008’s Road Race champ. He bears the Team Ion banner but is shifting perspectives to raising awareness for childhood obesity. He has a keen interest in photography as well.

I also ran into Nick who has a custom amp business. I asked him for his website and when he spelled his last name as Greer I made mention to former Texas Ranger outfielder Rusty who, come to find, happens to be Nick’s cousin! Give GreerAmps.com a look and give Rusty a call in case you need a game-saving dive to preserve a perfect game. I’m not even joking!

Other Athens hotspot recommendations: 5-10’s and Mamma’s Boy (#1 breakfast and Zak knows best- he’s also a cook there).

There’s a coffee shop/pub that I stopped at right before leaving town. I won’t give their name but I got an average Americano and for the first time I felt I had just visited a place that was not up-to-par with the other places visited and mentioned thus far. Thankfully this wasn’t a direct recommendation and I take it as a reminder to keep relying on your great tips. Keep them coming, we’re only halfway home!

Forthcoming

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:43:35 -0500

I’ve got some big things to share.

Right now, however, I’m about to meet the Wallblank winner here in Charleston, SC, and will soon post the rest of yesterday’s people and places in Athens as well as today’s exciting events.

Stay tuned.

Jittery Joe's, Athens, Georgia

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:39:00 -0500

Authenticity and excitement of a business stands out. Sometimes it even jumps at you when you’re in the parking lot of a sweet barn-like, corrugated roof building that is Jittery Joe’s roaster location at 780 E. Broad Street in Athens.

Charlie came out to greet me and proceeded to give me a tour of the coffee shop, his area of coffee roasting machinery, and also the bike shop area in back. This place does it all. I gave him a “Joe Was Here” sign and t-shirt and he returned the favor with a couple Jittery Joe Cycling Team t-shirts. (Follow them on Twitter @JitteryJoes).

He also gave me two cans of freshly roasted “Travelin’ Joe” whole bean coffee which will help make a great extra prize for the winner of WallBlank’s art delivery in Charleston, SC.

J.J.’s Front Counter

Charlie explains roasting

Charlie explains the newest addition to the Make Joe Drive prize...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:21:00 -0500

Charlie explains the newest addition to the Make Joe Drive prize trunk.

The Massage in Calhoun, Georgia

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:16:00 -0500

Some of you have been texting me from alongside the highway and been joining the adventure via the road. Sweet work!

Last night I stopped in Calhoun, GA for gas and coffee and got a text from Lisa who had seen the Make Joe Drive sign in the back window of the Lincoln (aka Big Mama). She ended up meeting me at the Starbucks where I had stopped and I hooked her up with some sweet stuff from the prize trunk including a WallBlank print, A “Joe Was Here” t-shirt, and, as requested, a harmonica solo.

Turns out that she’s a massage therapist and brought her chair to give me a massage! Thanks again! Lisa has an online shop: Remains of the Day. She melts and repurposes old bottles and other materials into jewelry.

The Prize Trunk

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:13:00 -0500

Along the way I’ve been giving away awesome stuff from the prize trunk as I meet up with people and get hooked up with your connections. We’ll give more in-depth shout-outs to those who helped fill it, but a few of them are:

As well, there are a few prizes that I’ve picked up along the way via purchase and trade. If you’re nearby, make sure to call/text/tweet so that I can hook you up!

P.S. Nashville

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:49:12 -0500

I had the privilege of meeting Nashville local Cheryl who’s given me a couple extra places to check out next time in town (Check out her photography website and her photography blog, amazing stuff). Here’s what she has to share:

Grimey’s is one of the best record stores in town and underneath the shop in the same building is The Basement, one of Nashville’s favorite places to see new and established artists perform. Parking is around back so get there early.

Also don’t forget about nearby Franklin, Tennessee, where you can walk a historic old downtown and the visit small shops that bring the relaxation to a small town feel.

Nashville has been awesome. Good things to come.

Sleep is on My Mind...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Another long stretch of highway and interstate has brought me to Athens, Georgia, where the sign on the state line beats you to the punchline of having to say what’s “on your mind” as they immediately thank you for having Georgia already on yours.

It’s been a great trip so far and I’m looking forward to arriving in Charleston to deliver the prints on Thursday. For now though, it’s time to sleep.

I’ll be at Jittery Joe’s for a good chunk of tomorrow morning to fill you in on the last happenings in Nashville and to share the story of a Make Joe Drive fan who caught up to me at a gas/coffee stop.

What else is worth checking out on an afternoon in Athens, Georgia? Have any places on your mind?