So, I've been gone for a week. I had hoped to be gone for two but, situations arose which required me to return home. (More on that later)However, for the week I was away; I lived in a nomadic style and savored every second of it. Why did I roam? Where did I go? What did I experience? If you want to know read below.

Reason To Roam
Situations at home had steadily escalated due to a member in my family's actions. This person had made home no longer a place of refuge and solace but, a den of vexation. The boiling point was reached sometime last week when this person struck me. I resolved that I would do some wandering to let situations at home calm. However, I had another motive for my desire to vacate my residence. For quite sometime an angst...an urgency of sorts seemed to build in my person to leave home. To see things I'd not seen before, to get away from it all so to speak. Therefore, with two-hundred dollars cash, a full tank of gas, my beat up knapsack stuffed with clothes, about half the kitchen pantry, and my canvas tent I hit the road.

Destination Unknown
This was a major problem in my "get the hell out of home" trip. I had no idea where I wanted to go. So, once I got to the gas station near my house, I wrote down a list of places I wanted to go.

Glenn's List
1. New Orleans- I've always wanted to go here, the food, the people, the history. It'd all blend into a great trip. Problem. Distance. The Big Easy would require at least a thousand dollars to do what I wanted there so.....next time N.O
2. Louisville, Kentucky- Cool town, family there, good food, awesome people, amazing scenery. Problem family was busy.
3. Philadelphia- Went there last October for a concert. HUGE CITY, Kinda scary, gooooood food.
4. Memphis, Tenn- I've also always wanted to go here. It's a lovely city on the Mississippi with wonderful food, history, and culture.

Refuge of Rickets's Glen
In short, I picked Philly. So I hit 77N and passed through rural VA. The drive was stunning. Though the mountains, nature's fall regalia was on full display. Aside from the mountains, allow me to say one thing, I loathe Virgina. The cops, the drivers, the roads. Hate it all. If you ever drive on a highway in Virgina, or have in the past, you know what I mean.
The time I had left home (1pm) meant that by the time I hit Maryland, the sun had long since faded. Fatigue had set in and, I did something stupid. I pulled over and went to sleep. Morning came with the wrapping of a Maryland Highway Patrol police baton upon my window. The officer asked me to exit my vehicle and, prove my ownership of the car, once that was done the officer proceeded to inform me how dangerous it was that I had slept on the side of the highway. After which, she left, and I was on my way.
Before heading to Philadelphia, a friend had recommended a visit to a park dubbed "Rickett's Glen". I reached the park around ten. I parked, pitched a tent and set up my campsite. Upon the completion of the site, it was time to explore "Rickets's Glen". Before Continuing, I feel I should advise anyone who reads this whom is near Scranton to see this place, it's beauty cannot be articulated. After spending the day exploring the Glen, I collapsed exhausted in my campsite. After a breakfast via MRE (meal ready to eat) I packed up and hit the road for Philadelphia.

Sanctuary on St. Vincent's St.
Upon arriving in Philly it was time for lunch. Presently I was in the northeastern neighborhood of Mayfair. There is something important about Philly that should be mentioned here, it's highly segregated upon ethnic lines. This is sad but, in many ways very cool. I.E All the German restaurants and neighborhoods have a very German feel to them. As do the Irish, Italian, and others. Mayfair is an Irish neighborhood. Anyhow, I parked on the side of a road named St Vincent's St. Finding good food in the city of brotherly love is as easy as blinking an eye. My tip: Follow your nose. Whatever smells best is going to be awesome. I found a small place (when I say small I mean SMALL) that had the best corned beef and cabbage I've ever had. They topped it off with a melty mound of mashed potatoes that would procreate precipitation profusely from the pickiest of eaters. Afterwords I began to peregrinate the area. Upon seeing roving bands of teenagers, restaurants here and there, and old catholic churches(which are lovely) I decided to move on from St.Vincents St.

Stay at the YMCA
Haha it's cliche I know. But I actually did. The YMCA used to (at all it's locations) rent out rooms to the poor. Luckily for me, one in Philly still does. The accommodations weren't exactly five star...but the room was free, I had food in me and a bed. Day three of life on the road complete.
Arising late the next day, the exploration of my adopted home began. My sojourning took me to the Philadelphia Art Museum, Founder's Hall, The Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute and, a Phillys game. Obviously not all in one day.
This was my second trip to Philly, my first time having a Philly cheese steak, and one of the most liberating experiences of my life. I was on my own, no one was there to prevent me from going somewhere or seeing something. I went through two novels one day in a park. (By the way Ayn Rand is full of crap)
I was surviving on my own, living free of regimentation, constrictions of society and, breaking many of my own. The feeling of empowerment was like a drug, I felt as though I was my own man. In many was I was and am, I have no doubt my experience on this trip has caused a great deal of growth within me. However, at night I couldn't distract myself from the one person who knew all I was doing was running away. Myself. This being said....by Wednesday, I was homesick.

The Phone That Brought Me Home
Thursday afternoon. I returned to my room at the Y after using it's track. I found that I had a missed call on my cell. To my surprise it was a location that I'd been trying to have hire me for sometime. Calling the number back quickly I was tense with anticipation. After a lifetime of computer generated ringing, a woman answered. Telling who I was she responded instantly and asked if I was interested in coming in tomorrow at 11AM for training. In the span of twenty seconds, I became employed. I had a job. I told the woman I was out of town and, could be there Monday for training. She agreed and, I plopped onto my bed lost in thought. My two week trip was to be cut short by a whole week. For some reason though, I wasn't unhappy. As amazing as a time I'd had thus far in Philly, the city seemed ready to let me go,and I it. So, after spending another cold two days in Philly, I drove home Sunday and arrived around nine that night. The situation at home is a little better. The parents seem calm....the person and I have yet to speak to one another.
All and all, I'm just glad to be home.