Glorious XC Journey 2007 Players

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The Glorious Journey Across America 2007

Players!

Scott Muoio "The Crooked Terror"

Scott Muoio, he of the fragile psyche yet unquestionable passion, is a guy who makes little sense to anyone including himself. A misanthrope one minute, happy-go-lucky the next, Muoio prides himself on truth, justice, and the ability to run away and hide when he sees people he "kinda knows" in the supermarket. An analgoy for his life as a whole or merely another quirk that keeps him interesting and unpredictable? That, my friends, is for him to continue driving himself nuts thinking about and for you to surely figure out in about five seconds. Sad but true.

Alexis Rush "The Muffi"

A tireless organizer and miniature tyrant who rules with an iron fist, a vacuum in the other fist, and a social organizing penchant second to none, Alexis is the realist of the Muoio/Muffi duo. Preferring motels to camping, planning to seat of-the-pants exploring, and ice cream at least every third day, Alexis is an engine of get-it-done predictability and power not seen since the creation of the solar system. So good is she at getting people together as well whatever she deems necessary accomplished, no one has ever challenged her (or in my opinion, ever will) for her crown as the ultimate social svengali. But, like Superman, Alexis has her kryptonite: me, Scott Muoio. As the saying goes, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer," and Alexis does just that opening her bed to me with gusto, fabulous cheek bones, and a mesmerizingly beautiful smile. Oh, sweet, sweet love!

Rich Ochs

An enchanting man who proves nature and nurture can co-exist in one human body, Rich Ochs is a New Jersey transplant living out his days in The Grand Tetons of Wyoming. A naturalist working for the park services since 2000, Rich is all man and not afraid to carry a little bear spray in his waist pouch when situations deem it necessary. He fears no jerky, elk, beef, bison, or venison, and is always pleased to get his hands dirty scaling a mountainside cliff or explaining to a laymen the meaning behind the clapping sounds of the Mormon cricket or the textural significance of a freshly laid moose dropping. A renaisance man unlike any you've ever witnessed before, Rich is a good friend, a gracious host, and a tireless guide extraordinaire.

Kristin Heist

Of the 3.781 miles and 15 states we traveled we only knew 2 people along the way and both were in Jackson, Wyoming. What are the chances? Anyway, Kristin (left), is our friend from Boston who just happend to be in town at her parents' home just outside Jackson, WY and Grand Teton National Park while we were driving through. Like Rich, Kristin is a gracious host who whooped it up with us outdoor style at Dornan's chuckwagon, kayaked beside us as we spotted a black bear on the snake river, found room for us at her homestead in Solitude, and even toured us through Jackson Hole's main square happily taking photos for us whenever we requested. A great friend and even greater gal extraordinaire, Kristin was an awesome part of our Glorious adventure and we look forward to seeing her again sometime, somewhere in the good old U.S. of A.

Joey Johnson "Johnson"

Joey Johnson (left) is the prolific writer, film maker, and Seattelite whose midnight philosophy rap sessions over strombolis during our college days still linger in my mind if for no other reason than that conversions like those rarely if ever happen to me anymore. A man whose visions of grandeur are outpaced only by his tirless work rate, Johnson was the man I left standing at the altar of Seattle in 2001 as I tucked tale and ran back to the east coast crying for my blanky and a useful public transit system. 5 1/2 years later Johnson owns his own place on Capitol Hill and I'm back in town, this time with Alexis but still counting my change waiting for the Number 5 bus to take me downtown. Like a surly Wizard of Oz whose ambitious projects trump all, Johnson is always looming over any journey out west and is a constant presence in all things Seattle. And yes, that is a three foot inflatable dinosaur in that picture.

Greg Doerge & Laura Collins

This is Rooney, Greg and Laura's dog, and while I may not know it yet she will for some strange reason hate my guts when I arrive to stay with her following The Glorious Journey. See how she cowers at my mere presence as I swoop in to take this picture? Odd, especially given my beloved stature in the minds of all other beasts of burden. But alas, someday I'm certain her opinion will change completely as the female opinion of me always does.

Back to the point, her masters, Greg and Laura are the married duo living the good life up in the Haller Lake section of Seattle. Role models for the life Alexis hopes to lead once established in The Emerald City, these two extremely accomodating people are receiving our 29 shipped boxes from Boston, putting us up for the 3 weeks or so we'll need accomodation before we get our own place, storing all of our crap in their garage, and sorting through the ungodly amount of mail Alexis and I had forwarded to their address. Modern day saints or just too nice to tell us, "piss off and get your shit together before you move cross country?" Either way they are unquestionably our saviors and we owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be fully paid.

The 2007 Mazda 3 Hatchback "Henry C."

The true workhorse of The Glorious Journey Across America, the brand new 2007 Mazda 3 hatchback Henry C. never complained, never faltered, and never gave us an iota of trouble as it gloriously traversed the heat of South Dakota, the mountains of Wyoming, the traffic of Illinois, and the total tourist pandemonium of Yellowstone Park. This is a vehicle without peer and a now proven champion of the road be it straight, curvy, mountainous, or somewhere in between or altogether different. In a land and time where damn near everything is disposable, this beast of an automobile has proven itself not only a dependable superstar machine, but a welcome new member of our family that will continue to serve a prominent role for many, many years to come.

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Mitchell Corn Palace

Perhaps nothing in America is as glorious as The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. Anyone who has traveled Interstate-90 through South Dakota has surely heard its legend and for those who have seen it with their own two eyes, nothing else compares. I have seen it twice, in 1997 and again in 2007, but will forever sing its praises!


Mitchell Corn Palace 1997	Mitchell Corn Palace 2007

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The Glorious Journey Across America

Players

Scott Muoio "The Crooked Terror"

Alexis Rush "The Muffi"

RIch Ochs

Kristin Heist

Joey Johnson "Johnson"

Greg Doerge & Laura Collins

The 2007 Mazda 3 Hatchback AKA "Henry C."

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"I can't wait to eat some barbecue."

"We're going west, not south."
- Muoio setting the record straight as a confused Alexis surmised what might be on her menu during The Glorious Journey. In the end, of course, no barbecue was to be eaten though we did enjoy lots of jerky.

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"I miss him."
- Muoio's relentless cadence as he pined for the return of his beloved cat, Oliverus, who would be a spending a month in San Francisco without him.

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"What do you think is the population of Chicago?"

"I don't know, 20 million?"
- Alexis grossly overestimating the population of Chicago to Muoio's giddy amusement. For the record, the 2000 U.S. census states 2,896,016.

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"I am not camping tonight."
- Alexis makes her intentions well known to Muoio on the evening of her birthday. The couple would lodge that night at a glorious Holiday Inn in Mitchell, South Dakota, mere minutes from the glorious Corn Palace.

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"Where is Johnson!"
- With Johnson not answering his phone for several days, Alexis broke into a near constant sweat fearing she might have to camp yet another night.

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"Wow. Those flowers are really nice."
- Muoio's first and only comment regarding the scenery around him. The irony is that it was inspired by a flower bed just outside Johnny Corina's restaurant in Twin Falls, ID.

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Click pics to enlarge