Anonymity.

Most people has the shield of normality to keep them from being remembered. Most people thrive to be as average as possible and to many, this is an easy thing to accomplish. Drink coffee with milk and sugar, say good morning to the neighbor, don't examine the life around you too carefully of you'll might realize how imperfect everything is. Keep yourself in the shadows enough and never make waves.

See, I've studied humans, I know what we want, but sadly I have never learned to use this knowledge. This backfires frequently, cops remember me, everyone at my usual grocery stores know me by my first name, I get tons of invitations to boring events that make me want to chew my spine to get away.


To my weird world saving hobbies this translates as me borrowing my confidence to those who have none. People that have been kicked around enough that there is barely a soul left in them, but usually it sparks up fast when they are given an opportunity. Because I'm a freak show , I'm excellent at making connections and with a little pushing I see people picking themselves up, and I never see them again.

All this leads me to hilarious situations, and to people who yet again teach me something new. Yesterday was a good example, since I once again pulled in to St Louis.

Last year I was here during the riots, the whole place was a mess of anger and hate. It was hard to have compassion towards either side of the shooting, since all I saw was a bad situation made worse just because enough people backed up the hate. Hate never works for anyone, but it does drive us into stupidity.

My plan was to go for a walk, have a pint, dinner and to write up my unreal drive here (I'll do it later) but as always, that went to shit.

I pulled in , and the valet asked me straight away if i was in Indianapolis last August. Well, yes I was. The guy sees thousands of customers daily, yet he remembered the idiot in the yellow car. He got their boss out, told the story, I shared my weird traveling ways with them and the next thing I knew, I had tour guides again.

How do these things cook up to a yet an other chapter to my journey?

Because I am never a bitch towards the staff, I got the owner interested in my weirdo hobbies. After a pint and big time gambling at a casino ( I made 4 dollars!) when the next time comes I need to ship someone far away from their current location, I have an other option who to call.

The lesson of the day is, never, ever be an ass towards the people who deal with idiots all day, and karma will come around.

I can not fucking believe a man remembers me from a year ago. Jeez I need to tone down this freak show.

I actually parked him so that I could take the photo. I don't think I'd get a job with the valet company.

I don't like money enough to try to win that, but hey, who can say no to pink?

Today I will head out to my personal heaven. Every time life is bad and stress is hitting hard, I picture the roads in Wyoming. Off I go to make more memories now, and probably end up meeting some native American chief who knows how to fix the world with his magic wisdom. I can dream at least. ;)

Anna

Bimmerfest, yet an other pile of clusterfucks.

A hotel, hotel lobby pub for a pint, talking with a few of the vendors present, and meeting an awesome dude whom with I have so many similarities he will have to get used to his new best friend fast, a McDonald's run at four am because the damn Canada and their good food makes me now eat anything in sight, an hour long night of sleep and off to bimmerfest we went.

We didn't even need to valet the car!

I already got shit for cutting all lines for making friends easily, but I do have to mention these guys.


I'm quite sure he let me park in their stand just to keep me from bitching about the hot asphalt in their tent all day, but it was an act of kindness anyway. They also choose to use their extra ticket on me because the whole world near me was sick of listening rammstein.


In car world I've met my fair share of arses, these and only a handful of others I would recommend to a friend, mainly because I have their phone numbers so I can kill them if they are assess. Naturally I forgot the company's name before writing this, but anyway, nice blokes.


In we went, fun we had. I met the founder who was an extremely nice bloke, so nice in fact that I promised him I would not come over to his forum and ruin that too for all users.


It's funny when real life and internet lives collide. I met a lot of familiar people behind the avatars, I got to hang out with my best friend on this continental, the modder kids who have zero style or taste but compensate with love towards their projects, it all was there. As an event, I would go again. It's fun in good spirit, and except one company, even the models used were within good taste.


To me, the main event was to get to meet our very own Mr BC, Mrs BC and the man I really need to suck up more to, Mr BC's brother.

None of the ssott outsiders know who these are, but BC whips ours arsess all the time for whining. I've tried to picture the couple often but the reality was far better.


first of all genuine people a rarity, those two have that. Second of all, they are hilarious. Since mr BC and I have similar interest in work (in my case hobby field) field, I've always pictured him as an male version of me: Blonde, past sell by date and quite dull. Wrong in all. Mrs BC was the only person in the damn place who shared their water with others on that exhausting, hot day, and that tells something about her.


our meet got cut short since I had gotten a nasty cut in my leg, and a golf cart happened to drive by. I made my bestie flash his tits and a ride we got (not really, I asked the man to help me out and he was kind enough to do that for me, my version is just better than the one told in bimmerpost).

Gentlemen, I won a trophy! I was the person who showed up from the longest distance, even if I didn't do the journey for the event. Sadly when they gave those I was already hunting for chicken wings again, but Mr BC had taken the time to go fetch it for me.


He quoted the conversation had in the bimmerpost, so I'll just paste this here.
"
This was me picking up her trophy:
 Me: "Anna asks me to grab her trophy for her!"
 Awards guy: "Can you describe her to me because I met her earlier?"
 Me: "Blonde, from Finland, barefoot, batshit crazy!"
 Awards guy: "Here you go!"
"
I'm happy to report BC is an excellent photographer too, so this shot is dedicated to the man who tailgated me for a hundred miles until he "accidentally" ran into the back of a truck. He had something to say about a pussy to me when he pulled next to me, so this is a fitting picture.

I doubt I'll live this down in a while...

All in all, to have crazy people like you all in my life makes my vacations just so much better. To all you I met (and probably bitched about my led's) thank you! It seems to be my only conversation topic atm. Our crew has a great attitude, we even let men hang out with us!


Since my photography skills have been questioned quite often, as often as me being a 48 year old man who doesn't shower has been, this is my photo feed from the F8x generation, I admit some cheating was involved.

MW F82, the color matches, so we just call it that and not look too closely.

Mr BC black F82.

all I all, NJ is a stupid place to go. The best thing about it is that the people there are great fun. Thank you for not taking my license officer Tom. ;)


Anna

Fuck it, pics still not uploading, and I'm running out of time. I actually do have to drive today, the life back home is catching up again.


Oh, this...


I'm staying in a Hilton, and for the first time on my travels ever, I ran into problems last night.

I went outside to write this damn stupid blog, and since I've been in a different hotel and city for every night for over a week, I forgot my room number. I had no need for a wallet, so that was in my room too, so I had no ID when I went to the front desk to ask my room number.

I do realize they can't just hand over room numbers, but I had the key, I had the email confirming the reservation, I told the lady I had my passport in the car, and she was the first bad customer service person I've ever ran into.
When I mentioned this to the guy who came with me and checked my id that they truly should make a note of the case and I'm sure they will. Still, Ohio of all places I did not see this coming. :D

I'm sure she had a bad day, but in all my trips this was the first time I've ran into shit like this.

Since we M owners always complain about valets, try theirs. They are true car guys, and great blokes all around. I would've had a fit if not people like them in the staff.

All in all, tip of the day: In ohio, write your room number up. And valet. ;)

New Jersey

A long drive from my new favorite city, an eventful one might I add, I just want to say I'm impressed USA has over 300 000 000 people. I'm going to calculate later how many years in driving school could everybody here spend for the cost of the last war.

In Canada, arriving to a destination never felt like such an accomplishment as it does here and I truly feel sorry for you all for your minivan culture.

I did something really mean on the road, but that story has to be told only after I've made sure what was the result of it.

A colorful drive and fuel stops that take now only 20 minutes since all places I this country don't serve chicken wings, the only approved food by after Canada Anna (the sauce hides the shitty taste of the meat well enough) and NJ was reached.

One of my best friends in the world lives here, a bloke I truly respect (sometimes). On my latest journeys he's spent hours on helping me out when ever I've made life too difficult for myself, he sorts hotels and all to me. In my petrol crises he's always the first one to point out that for a person with some sensibility at times, I sure do screw up big (and not go home).

Since we live far apart I try to make it here when I'm on my holidays. Sadly after Canada, hanging out without food present can't happen so the poor thing got a four am wake up call to find food, I was again sure death was at my door.


I just want to congratulate every person reading this who has nicer friends than I am, and I truly appreciate all of you who tolerate me. Trust me, in my funeral there will be good coffee just for you all.

Straight after arriving to the hotel, I met a bloke, who is part of the M crew here, but also a great example of the interactions I've learned to love. That story has to wait though, I have a fuckload of miles to cover, and no clue where in the west to go to. I think I'll try that elusive Kansas City again, since the next few days I actually do have to hit the road hard.

Photos are not uploading so I'll get back to this later. Now, I have gotta figure out how to point the hood to the right direction.

Anna

More Detroit.

It kept bugging me, why I felt so safe in a city with such a bad reputation on my way to nj. I got so many texts asking if I'm alive while there it was like being 99 year old rich guy with a big family. On the way to NJ I finally figured it out.

Detroit is very much alike my home city in the financial crises back in 1991. Tampere relied heavily to industries that were trading with Russia. In a few months, many of our biggest ceased to exist, unemployment went to all time high, child service stats show a clear
difference to worse, many small companies went bankrupt taking the pride of the owners and creating this huge atmosphere of hopelessness.

In the last entry, without actually realizing that I had seen this done, I said I can't wait to see what becomes of Detroit over time, how it will evolve. Mine went from old school manufacturing and heavy industry city into a thriving capitol of Finnish technology. A good example is Nokia with their phones (which we admittedly fucked up completely later) so for us, it is time to start the climb back all over again.

I've been trying to explain the feel of the city with only a little result. For sure to me getting in the local experiences is quite easy, people tell me their stories even before I ask for them and because I'm a 48 year old man who doesn't shower as told in bimmerpost, I pretty much have free access everywhere.

Now, the bikers.


I was at a petrol station having an argument with Candy (the satnav lady) when they pulled in. It took me till late last night to remember what my dad's good friend became later in life.

As the guys I met in Detroit, my dad's friend had worked hard for the same company for a long time. The crash got him into trouble, and he even did some time, found new friends and lets just say he is no longer a respected member of the community.

I remember looking at the crowd in my dad's funeral, and spotting him from there. It felt good to see a face from the past after the sea of stuffed suits that were also present. With the guys from a few days ago, I wasn't afraid for my safety for one bit just because I've seen what life does to us all in ways, but rarely all good within us die.

The true beauty of Detroit will rise again. We will see that city rising and I do hope the people hang on to their unique culture no matter what.

next time, I'm going in in a mustang. Detroit, fuck yeah!

The first decent photo in this blog. it only took a week or so, but apparently it can be done!

It truly is a place to see, at least if you do it my way.

Anna

Detroit, fuck yeah!

For a city with a bad rep, this has been a highlight of this journey.


There are potholes, not roads in Detroit and you can still see the magnitude of what happened to this city a few years ago. But life has moved on, and hard working people usually pull through from anything. This attitude can be seen everywhere here.


When you roll in to a city that's reputation is based on motors, you naturally have to find yourself a local guide to show you what the nights here are like.


After we had a very short refill pause, the first under 20 minutes I've had on this journey, we headed out to see something quite unique.


A huge parade, that is the only word to describe it. All what Detroit has made for us was out there, and even if my guide was afraid I'd get bored with the huge traffic jam ahead of us, but that was so much fun! The pride the guys have over their rides could be seen, and the spirit of the city was on display.

An SO, a YMB and an AY in a lineup. Spot the real deal.

Even before that I had a local find me a car wash, he actually drove before me there to make sure i get Peter clean. After seeing how excellent job I was doing, the man actually washed my car.

Weirdly, I've always wanted to come here. The treatment I've received just proofs my point that we are getting to a point where fear is limiting our options in life too much.


After a beer in a local biker bar, while my car was parked straight in the front (the guys didn't want me taking pics of it, their business would suffer if they were known to play tour guide for blondies) a few pulls against the locals, chatting up a cop, it was bed time.

Just now when I crawled down to the grass strip next to the hotel to write this, and I'm really dressed again to be the ambassador of Finland with my bare feet and apparently my shirt is the wrong way around, I chatted with the valets who really think I'm taking a piss and not even staying in this hotel (really not looking like the rest of the guests lol) one of them told me to go see a local museum. I told him those are my real life, this trip is about chilling and cars, and weird shit. He told me they don't have any of that, this ain't Finland where you'll get spanked in a sauna with birch branches. A good hit from him, I'd say.

This is how I prefer the men with badges, they should do this more. ;)

I can't wait to see to what this city will transform in time. The people have a thrive to do better for themselves and I am sure they will.


Oh, the cop: "Ms for a white chick in the bad part of Detroit, in a yellow m4, I'd say you'll be fine. Anyone can see you are the trouble"


He didn't tell me to be safe, he asked me to make sure others will be when around me. This is image done right.


Anna

Finns

After a badly slept night, while checking out of the hotel (or more accurately having a room from 6am to 9 am) the receptionist handed me an address to  a Finnish restaurant. I thought it was a joke, since even I don't have that kind of luck but I decided to go and check it out.

in Thunder Bay, a small town next to a lake even I can point out from a map I found a Finnish community that dated back for decades. This was extremely weird, as was finding a Finnish food shop from there.

After I got out and took the shot, a nice man informed me I was in a handicap spot. So there, I've done that too now!

After living away from my usual grocery store for a year, certain things start to be missed. I miss my usual candy that I bought once a year and forgot to eat, I miss grilling sausages in fire and putting Turun Sinappi -a traditional mustard on them, I miss Valio, our biggest dairy product company. I miss the stupid pictures of cows in my milk cartoon. I miss karjalanpiirakka, a pie(ish) thing stuffed with porridge. I miss rye bread.

I also cleaned the shelves from candy while talking to a world war veteran about the terrors he had left behind. He told me for an hour about the life in the front line, about losing his friends, becoming a man he didn't want to be and moving away. I knew his motives too well from my own life.

Lumber industry was for a long long time a huge export industry in Finland, as big as tech is today. It was what had brought that community there as tech has now done to Seattle, and the weird culture we have had made the people stick together then, and now our insane ways to see the world sets us apart from other nationalities.

The Finnish restaurant was great. I got chopped liver stakes, a childhood favorite of mine with gravy and potato mash and since I am me I intruded a couple having their lunch to hear their story.

Yup, looks bad, is good. No different opinions accepted in this matter.

Aare Kangas had left our country in 1959. He had moved to the USA for work, and in a true Finnish manner he had chosen the place to settle because Minnesota provided the best cross country skiing places. We talked about the things we missed from back home, and after finishing the excellent lunch, he and his wife, a Finn too mind you, took me to a local Finnish bakery to get the damn rye bread that the store had ran out of.

When I asked why he was there, he told me he makes the drive often to buy bread. To anyone else this is probably insanity, 400 km one way to get something as simple as bread, but to us it is a way of life. We are too stubborn to change.

Yup, a snack before a lunch. I may have to find a gym back home.

So what does two Finns in a Canadian town talk about? Sports, cars, and motorcycles. A minor age difference fades away when Karstulan Kiva becomes a topic. I had to call my mom to ask if that indeed was a team my brother had a game against about 20 years ago, sadly I stopped listening to the answer before getting the information.

You might think it's insane to take a car and hit the road without a plan, to me it is completely normal. To Aare Kangas, driving 400 km to get the bread that tastes like memories from back home is that too.

A breakfast, an other breakfast, brunch, lunch, an other lunch, a snack, three rye breads, two dinners and a few fast miles while I honestly thought I would starve to death, I made my way to the next city (picked out from many because they had food delivery places open still). Got into a hotel, argued about parking with the gall handling the front desk, found my room. I know, the wild life! Nothing but calls to the bank and finding food happened.

Oh boy I miss home. The scenery here is so much alike.

A great name, Hungry Moose. I was so ready to have a third lunch. 

But then again, maybe not.

I'm skipping country today. Detroit is a place I've always wanted to go to and since it is close, I might as well go see it. The reputation of the place alone draws me in, but how can anyone claim they've seen what USA is about if not finding a hole in the wall pub from a city that ruined driving for decades for people around the world? Since my last trip didn't get me there, I might as well try again.

Oh, I admit. I'm using Detroit as an escape. I went and found a grocery store just now, and I can indeed confirm these strange fuckers actually do this to milk!

I don't even care to flip that photo into a better viewing angle. this is too damn freaky.

Who the hell would do that? Why?!

After this second breakfast, and maybe a quick lunch or two, perhaps an early dinner and a few snacks, I look forward explaining to the nice men in the border why I have 16 tubes of mustard in my car. Damn Finnish shop is going to make this the slowest crossing of all times.

Even I won't be able achieve this level of weird anytime soon again.

Cheers Canada, I will go Arnold on your ass, and quote the master himself:

I'll be back.

Anna

It's good to be the king.

Fuck I hate stress.


My weird hobbies involving other peoples lives delivered me a drug baby last spring to babysit. For months on end, I had this tiny man with me, who shook at times, cried a lot and spit up almost everything that was fed to him. The poor thing, the choices made by the mother kept my sleep in minimum for months and honestly, the hate his troubles arose within me are a new low.

The beauty of American social services was also shown to me. I had been registered as the care taker, but the babys relative called in and told the lady in charge the biological mom babysits him. Nothing anyone said or did mattered after that, they would not believe that wasn't true even if we could easily proof otherwise.

Anyway, straight after that I lost my house, or more accurately the quietness of my house to a visiting relative. For months on end listening and trying to mind an extra adult was almost as wonderful as I imagine being eaten by an alligator would be.

Finally when all that was dealt with, I was such a stress ball everyone in my household agreed I needed to go away.

Some people go to a beach, I write and drive. The combination works for me better than anything. I think it's the combination of not needing to take over others problems, and the feeling of being in control that works for me. Five days and my houlders move again, I keep smiling, and life is beginning to make sense again. I get to meet funny personalities and I get to meet strangers, friends,acquaintances and stop when I must.

I washed him all by myself, he was waxed by two kids who are the only canadians I've met who don't know where Seattle is.

Last night was a great one. An 800 km drive through rural areas, beautiful scenery and something to complain about. An all around win in my books. Ontario state (or province, damn words translate to the same to me) appears to be the one Canada should donate to an other country.

The furry police has worked in every other province here in a way that is almost perfect. I've had my fair share of scenery and speeds that shall not be told here, a few close calls were all my own damn fault and the people are unbelievably nice.

Then Ontario happened.

The speed limit on the highways is so low walking is faster, rd's are banned, and unlike the rest of this country, no one has informed people here how moose operate.

In other places, the known wildlife crossings are well known, they post a sign saying that, people slow down and all goes well. Here it appears the moose run around everywhere, and the signs are idiotic.

Had to be posted even if it's unclear. I spent the night trying to capture this text. At says this province has moose on the loose. Apparently the rest of Canada keeps them in cages.

Just as a suggestion to this state that hates speed so much it finds you with 10 000 ticket for going 50 over, I would suggest looking at a map. USA is on the other side of the border, stop copying them!

I also saw two police vehicles. That's two more than in all of the rest of the country combined.

Like the stop signs in Washington, the moose signs here have stopped working because of over usage. Sure, I realize there must be a fuck load of wild life here, but these herbivores take the same paths they've always done. Mark those and you'd be good to go!

Also, moose move in the dusk and dawn. Stop fucking telling us to mind them at night! They sleep!

So, bitchy and on a bad mood when I finally arrived to Thunderbay. The damn province had gotten to me, not finding a decent hotel was a hit, I felt like having a fit. Then two people happened.

I pulled up to the Marriot, had a nice chat with a guy about tuning and modding, he told me how he totaled his old Audi and the audi hater in me was glad to hear one less is blocking my way. A good example of my weird ways to see the world and meet new people, destressing at work.

Then this happened.

After finding the reception and an American walked in two seconds after I had gotten my keys.

The man had reservations mixed up, and because he was paying for this luxurious place "with my hard earned money" he was making a scene. The receptionist was really trying to get him and his two adult children the rooms he needed, I ended up giving him mine, the man was so damn obnoxious and rude, I had to take his picture while watching the show .

the poor man had a problem with everything, including the weird foods served in Canada. Everything naturally was the receptionists fault.he was the epitome of what we all think of you, and because I'm me, I started up chatting with him to learn how he ended up becoming him.

I could really make a living with my photography.

The word scared came up so many times I concluded he needs a chill pill. Smoke weed. Get laid. Take a walk. Something. Meeting him made me realize how fucking fortunate I am to be able to get away and get the stress off of my back at times. I would advice people like him to come to Canada, and to unwind, but besides Ontario this place has treated me so well I would never wish for you to be stuck with more folks like him.

This morning I was eavesdropping on a group of bikers talking about boats. Photos were shown, and since I didn't quite get what the guy was explaining, I went to look at one of shots.

I know, my manners suck. Normal people don't behave so. Instead of telling me to fuck off like i deserved to be told, we had a few words about fishing. Just now, when they were pulling away from the hotel I stopped them to take their pic next to my car. The lovely American was made to park next to me last night (by me, I wanted the photo I admit) so in the future when I feel like being a bitch, I'll just look at this picture. Happy, smiling bikers versus the memory of that idiot from last night. I do hope he slept well in my bed.

Anna

(oh, It's good to be the king is a Stargate episode, a good one. I would tell you all about it but sadly the geek in me knows it probably word by word so this post would get a bit long)