Doc Hop

Ding dang dong! Do I look like a bird with a french fry? Because I feel like one! I’m that happy! My very good friend Justin Row (referred to from here on out exclusively as J-Row) came to visit me for almost a whole week, and we went on a series of adventures together. And not just around Long Beach and Los Angeles either—because our butts went north, BABY!

I’ve been missing my friends something rotten from sunny California, and I’ve been so excited for someone to visit—and I couldn’t be happier that that friend turned out to be J-Row! I knew that he was coming for months and months, but it still managed to seem unreal. He had been working out at Glacier Park in Montana for the past five or so months, and he decided to swing by Cali on his way back to Athens. And I’m so glad he did!

Below you will find a detailed account of our many amazing adventures. Hold on to your butts! We packed so much fun into six little days!

Thursday, Oct. 16: Burbank

I picked J-Row up from the Burbank Airport on Thursday evening—more than an hour behind schedule. Traffic was freaking awful, and since I’d never picked someone up from the airport here in Los Angeles before, I asked him to Lyft to a nearby Target to meet me. Well, I was stuck in traffic, and this loon decided to walk to the meet-up location with a suitcase big enough to hold an entire body and a plastic bag full of items TSA made him remove from his checked luggage because of a weight limit! Walking down the freeway like an unhoused Santa Claus! I could not believe it!

And that’s not all, either! It turns out J-Row went to a different Target than the one I sent him the address for, so the pickup was delayed even further while I drove around in circles looking for him—when he was actually two miles away. I was late late LATE! By the time I finally got to see and squeeze him, I had to pee so badly I was ready to drop trow in a city bush! Thankfully, I got myself sorted out, J-Row stowed in, and we hit the road back to Long Beach with full hearts and empty bladders.

It was a long road because traffic was nearly as bad going as it was coming. Burbank’s up in the northern section of the city, so I had to drive fully through L.A. twice—during rush hour. That said, the greater the struggle, the sweeter the reward. I was so happy to have J-Row around that the ride back wasn’t so bad, because I had him with me—a long-missed one at that. Let’s hear it for FRIENDSHIP, am I right, y’all?! And as another plus, the drive gave me plenty of time to hear all about J-Row’s exciting Montana adventures and the fabulous people he met along the way.

We made it back to Long Beach with just enough time to drop off J-Row’s things and hit up King’s Crew for some cannabis. We made it about 15 minutes before closing, but that was all the time we needed to stock up for the week. I grabbed some flower and a couple of edibles to help me sleep; J-Row grabbed some flower and a cart. (It was our first trip to a dispensary, but it turned out it would not be our last. Because I was late picking J-Row up, but J-Row was late and forgetful all week! More on that later.)

Once back at my place, we could finally rest and put our feet up—and man, oh man, did it feel good to be out of the driver’s seat! Lemon was SO EXCITED to see her Uncle J-Row, and Bernie was just happy to have a man around again. I felt like my face was going to crack apart from smiling so hard for so long.

We ordered a big ol’ buffet from Taste of Italy—splitting a penne pesto pasta and a chipotle penne pasta. J-Row added chicken to his on the side, and we also split some mozzarella sticks. The food was amazing, but the company was even better! We stuffed our faces and began to plan our adventures for the week. After some discussion, we decided to explore Long Beach on Friday, downtown L.A. and Santa Monica on Saturday, camp Sunday–Monday, and then end back in Long Beach on Tuesday. And that’s exactly what we did!

Friday, Oct. 17: Long Beach

I could lie and say that we woke up bright and early and grabbed the day by its horns, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I woke up around 10 or 10:30 a.m. and walked Lemon while J-Row snoozed in. And I can’t blame him after a full day of travel and L.A. traffic! He got going a little after 11, and we passed what was left of the morning waking and baking.

J-Row’s throat had been killing him for days, so the first thing we did once we were really moving was hit up a CVS for some over-the-counter remedies. (We returned shortly after because J-Row left his card in the ATM machine, but that was just a minor setback on the road to fun.)

Listen. I don’t know why J-Row was so excited about Denny’s when we had so many local California options to choose from, but there’s something to be said for creature comforts. And I hadn’t been to a Denny’s since my last DragCon, so it was fun for me as well. (Of course, we could have gone anywhere and I would have been happy because of the company.) I only eat pancakes with friends, so I ordered a short stack and some scrambled eggies, while J-Row had strawberry-stuffed French toast, sausage, eggies, toast, and hash browns—and a free coffee, because he joined the dang rewards program! More Denny’s for everyone! (Just kidding, that was the only time we ate there this trip.)

After grabbing J-Row’s card from CVS we headed to Downtown Long beach to explore the Aquarium of the Pacific, which we’d purchased tickets for earlier that morning. It was my second time walking through, so I was an experienced guide and able to show J-Row all of the coolest fish and marine mammals.

We followed pretty much the same route as my first visit—checking out the outdoor exhibits before walking through the main building. The bird exhibit seemed less lively than the last time I visited, but the sharks and stingrays were super cool to see again. I even got to pet a stingray this time around! But J-Row was too much of a scaredy-pants.

As usual, my favorite sections were the cephalopods and jellyfish. Their giant Pacific octopus wasn’t hiding this time, and I got to take a long, hard look at him and his tentacles. So cool. I wish I could have touched him like I touched the stingrays. J-Row took all sorts of cool photos and videos, but I guess you’re stuck with the few silly ones I had on my camera.

Like this GREAT one shown below! I was having so much fun exploring the secrets of the deep, dark Pacific with my good friend J-Row that I couldn’t resist pulling him toward the photo booth to make a memory. Would you just look at us?! We’re the happiest starfish and seahorse this side of the Pacific Ocean! Two little critters, together again!

I also stopped by the gift shop to pick Lemon up a stuffy, since I got her a jellyfish the first time I went. You can see that photo below as well. J-Row thought he looked really sad, but I think he’s just a little stoney.

After leaving the aquarium, we took a stroll around the pier and lighthouse and caught a glimpse of the Queen Mary from the docks lining the shore. We tried to drive over to the Queen Mary afterward to take a stroll along the deck, but it was hosting a haunted Halloween horror event called Dark Harbor. We stored that information away and made plans to check it out on the last night of his trip. I love being spooked—especially with friends!

Grabbing food from In-N-Out was on J-Row’s California to-do list, so after hanging out at my house for a bit that evening, we hit up the drive-through, which was pretty long but super fast. I don’t do too much fast food, and In-N-Out doesn’t have much in terms of veggie options, but I feel it’s against the law to live in Cali and not support the franchise.

J-Row got a Double-Double and fries, all animal style; I had a chocolate milkshake, and Lemon had a puppy burger! My shake was so good! I had no idea what I was missing all this time, but I have a feeling you’re gonna catch me in the drive-through much more often now that I do. And I thought it was just the cutest thing that Uncle J-Row made sure to pick up a patty for Miss Rotten. She would have eaten that thing in one bite if I’d let her! That was one HAPPY PUPPER!! She’s practically ruined for pup cups now.

After we stuffed our bodies full of fast food and frozen treats, J-Row took his night time throat medicine and it was a race against the clock to reserve our camping site. We had hoped to go on Saturday night, but the prime Big Sur locations were full. (I guess in California the National Parks are poppin’ well into October, at least. Hell, why not? The sun is always shining on us.) We ended up reserving a stellar spot for Sunday evening about 30 seconds before J-Row fell asleep and started snoring SO LOUD! (Did he work as a lumberjack in Montana? Because he was SAWING LOGS!) I went into my gaming room, ordered a tent, and smoked until I was snoozing as well.

Saturday, Oct. 18: Los Angeles

Now, on Saturday we actually did wake up at a decent time, which was great, because we had an entire day of exploring the L.A. city streets ahead of us! J-Row accidentally took his nighttime throat medicine instead of the daytime stuff, but I certainly kept him on his toes.

Coffee Cup Café was the first stop on our agenda, and lordy, lordy! I finally understand why it’s a Long Beach staple. Absolutely AMAZING! We both had breakfast tacos—mine with soy chorizo and J-Row’s regular. J-Row also ordered a blueberry pancake, with real blueberries on top and in the batter, and even he agreed that Coffee Cup Café blew Denny’s out of the water. And it was so much food! I could only finish one of my tacos and would have taken the other home with me if we didn’t have a full day ahead.

It’s easier and cheaper to take the Metro into L.A. because you don’t have to deal with parking, so we hopped on at the Willow Street station and rode to Hollywood and Vine for the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Metro was absolutely packed with crowds for No Kings Day, and I was only slightly envious until the next day. I was flipping through my phone and saw that the couple who’d been sitting right next to us met PEDRO PASCAL!! Fucking kill me! Whatever, whatever. I know it’s unlikely and that I sound deranged. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE MET PEDRO PASCAL HAD I GONE TO NO KINGS. I just know it. I feel it. But I chose J-Row, and goddamn, that has to mean something! Ugh. What I wouldn’t give to bend over that slutty little knee…

Anyway, we made it to Hollywood and Vine and took a stroll through the heart of Hollywood via the Walk of Fame. And I can’t lie—the experience was kind of wild for me.

I spent years chasing California through rose-colored glasses. Los Angeles isn’t just where I ended up—it’s where I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve dreamt of it, cried for it, worked for it.

About four years ago, I made my first trip here and walked this street—because that’s what tourists do. This summer, I came back for PRIDE and walked it again—because I was finally home and finally free. And last Saturday, I walked that same street beside one of my dearest friends—seeing the city’s magic reflected back in his excitement. His energy made me feel proud, because L.A. is mine. California is mine. And I’m so grateful.

It wasn’t my first stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but I sure did make some new memories along it this time! Not only was J-Row with me, but we also got to stop into the World of Wonder store, which was like a gift shop for all things Drag Race. I bought an All Stars Ru Badge because that’s the one Alaska won. Dude tried to sell me a whole set, though. “Sorry, sir. Not until Alaska wins All Winners S02.”

We also ran into this super cool Netflix store that I don’t remember ever seeing on the strip before. You know I had to check out the Stranger Things and Squid Game stands! Costumes and set pieces were on display, so it was all remarkably cool. I probably could have spent a lot of money in there if I’d let myself, but I was happy enough to walk away with a few great pictures with an even better friend! (Good ships and bad ships, the best ships are FRIENDSHIPS!)

JJ-Row had forgotten his vape pen at the Coffee Cup Café, so we decided to check out a dispensary toward the end of the block, stopping into Ripley’s Believe It or Not for a few quick pics along the way. The weed shop was pretty empty, but they had some killer Jay and Silent Bob memorabilia from a recent collaboration. Apparently, a month before I moved to L.A., they had a meet-and-greet at this location. (I would have gotten the name, but the sign outside just said “WEED.”) I sure hope they collab again, because I would love, love, LOVE to meet those guys! I’ve been a pretty big fan since middle school.

Once we left the weed shop, J-Row had to pee so bad he was practically leaking. On the way back to the Metro, he bought a CD from a “music producer” on the street outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in exchange for a bathroom code. The code worked, but while he was doing that, I was checking out the Footprint Forecourt. I love old Hollywood, I love new Hollywood, and if we didn’t have a pier to get to, I could have easily roamed around for hours with my head in the stars. (Don’t tell anyone, but I left my own little mark in some wet cement the other day as well. Only instead of Grauman’s, this one is outside Bixby Village Pathways.)

As the sun set, J-Row and I took the Metro from downtown Los Angeles to the Santa Monica Pier. I don’t know how I’ve missed this spot in all my time here, but it was my first visit as well, and I was super excited that we got to experience it together. We definitely missed the sunlight, but looking out at the Pacific Ocean at night is pretty dang cool too!

We walked the full length of the boardwalk down to the fishing pier and stood right at the edge of the dock, where we had a perfect view of those beautiful L.A. city lights. I could have pulled up a chair and sat out there all night, just listening to the water splash up against the old wooden boards. I’m sure every pier has a carnival-like atmosphere, but the smell of popcorn and funnel cakes and the whiz of rides and ticket machines made me feel like a kid again, back at those Grottoes lawn parties—only, you know, times a million.

And now I’ve gotten to my favorite part of this day—J-Row surprised me with a ride on the Ferris wheel! As I’m sure you can see by my face in the photo below, I was absolutely GEEKING! I haven’t ridden the wheel in ages, and a big city is just the place to ride one—especially a city I love so dearly! And with a person I love so dearly as well! I could have gone around a million times, and part of me wished we’d get stuck at the very top for hours and hours so I could just sit and stare from the top of the world.

We considered grabbing food at a few places as we walked home but couldn’t decide on anything before we got back to the Metro. Once we made it back to my apartment, it was kind of late, and there were only weird fusion options available—or fast food. We settled for Burger King, mainly because it had an Impossible Whopper. I got that, and J-Row had a chicken sandwich meal and a double cheeseburger. We shared some jalapeño cheddar bites. It’s boring, I know, but it really hit the spot.

It was such an exciting day that we both ended up staying up way later than we should have, just chatting. With Big Sur the next day, we knew we had to get up early, but I still didn’t get to bed until about 1:30 a.m. I guess I just wanted as much conscious time with J-Row as I could get! Sleep?! Who needs sleep when you have friendship?!

Sunday, Oct. 19: Big Sur

Whelp. I had every intention of being up by 6 a.m.—6:30 at the latest—so we could stop by the Coffee Cup Café to grab J-Row’s pipe and breakfast before hitting the road to Big Sur. (It was so nice, we had to go twice!) But I didn’t get up until a bit later than that. (I heard J-Row get up and go into the bathroom, but I never heard him leave, so I thought I was waiting on him—when really he was waiting on me! I swear, J-Row must moonlight as a ninja.)

That said, we did a good job of keeping on track this morning, and we were all packed up and eating breakfast behind schedule—but not egregiously so. The first time we went, it was super slow, but this time it was quite busy. Luckily, we were able to get spots at the bar without any wait. I had huevos rancheros, and J-Row had stuffed French toast with sausage and hash browns. And OMG, they did it again! I don’t know which breakfast was better, but please remind me to check back with this place FREQUENTLY.

We hit the road straight from the Coffee Cup but ran into some routing issues because my GPS kept trying to push us onto the freeway (the fastest route), while we wanted to take the Pacific Coast Highway (the scenic route). I ended up having to turn my GPS off and let J-Row navigate, which initially had me a little on edge but turned out absolutely fine. We quickly found the coast and kept it for most of the way there. (There was a landslide a few years ago that cut off part of the highway, so we did have to reroute for the final third or so.)

The scenic route was absolutely the only way to go. I don’t even have words. But if you think the Hollywood Walk of Fame got me feeling emotional—oof. Step aside. J-Row has all the good photos because I was driving, but I’ll try to get ahold of some and post a separate photo album if and when I do.

We definitely took our time with the drive, but that’s how road trips are supposed to go. We even came close to running out of gas on a couple of occasions, which is not how road trips are supposed to go, but that’s okay too, because we made it. We had to stop for groceries when we were a couple of hours from the campsite, and then we had to take a bit of a detour to pick up some firewood, but we made it to Big Sur right as the sun was going down and saw some truly cool sights on the way in. (We also passed some that were too dark to fully appreciate a bit later, but we more than made up for those losses the next day.)

Now, this part is going to sound both creepy and unbelievable, but please believe I would never lie to you. Once the sun was fully set and J-Row and I were making our way down the winding road that led to our campsite—we saw a ghost bride.

I know, I know. It sounds like a cliché, which is how you know I’m not making this up. I would be far more creative.

By the side of a lonely street, with NO ONE ELSE AROUND—not a single soul apparent besides J-Row and myself—we saw a woman standing off the side of the road, completely still, with her back to the road, facing into the woods. She had long, bright red hair (almost orange, you know the shade) that traveled down her back in waves, and she was wearing a lace wedding gown that looked like something from an earlier time. It was giving vintage. She was standing alone, next to two parked cars, and she did not move a single bit as we drove past her. That’s the best I can describe it, because words cannot properly capture the uncanny feeling in the pit of my stomach when I saw her standing there.

And for one brief moment, I thought my eyes might be playing tricks on me—until J-Row, who was looking out the window in the same direction, said, “Did you just see…” And YEAH! I did just see! I mean—we were in the middle of the deep, dark woods! How could I miss it?!

The confirmation was all I needed. J-Row spent the rest of the night and the next day trying to talk himself out of it and convince himself that “it was just a normal lady,” but we both know the truth. We saw a live bride the next day, in the daylight, running with her man down a beach, and it was totally different. Not a ghost. But this! This. Was. A. Ghost!! My first one! And I got to experience it with J-Row, which makes it even more exciting! (Because who would believe me otherwise?) I love that we’ll always have this creepy ghost story to tell on all our future camping trips—and that we were together for it.

“BUSTIN’ MAKES ME FEEL GOOD!!!”

We finally made it to the campsite around 7:30ish, but it felt much later because of the dark. J-Row had some headlamps, and we had an easy campsite, so the setup wasn’t too bad, even with limited light. We smoked before we unpacked anything, then unloaded the food, because we were both pretty freaking hungry. Once we were somewhat relaxed and satiated, J-Row helped me set up my tent and then set up his hammock (which wasn’t allowed—a ranger asked me to take it down in the morning because nothing is supposed to hang from trees). Once we both had a place to lay our heads, Lemon and I collected some sticks, and J-Row started the fire (without lighter fluid or anything!).

We cooked some hot dogs (and veggie dogs) over the fire, shared some chips and hummus, and ended the evening with s’mores and campfire songs. (Okay, we didn’t sing or tell campfire tales—we just smoked and chatted, but that was really nice too.)

It had been years since I’d been able to sit and think by a fire, and even longer since I’d found myself on a real camping trip in a national forest. My last fire was at my friend Kathleen’s house in Athens the summer I was homeless, and my last camping trip is from a time I don’t care to remember. Being in Big Sur, with J-Row, under the stars and staring into a fire felt really good for my heart and for my head. I think somewhere in the grand scheme of things, this camping trip might have been what I needed most, because I proved to myself that I do still enjoy it—and I can still have fun doing it. This was my first camping trip in at least a decade, and Lemon’s first in her entire life, but this little doggie better giddy up! We’re going to be going on plenty more! There are state and national parks all around this great state of California!

It was pretty chilly at night, but I was so excited to sleep in my tent that I turned in around 11:30 p.m., not really knowing if it felt late or early. Lemon was nervous about sleeping in a tent and was quite growly, but she wasn’t barky, and I fell asleep not too long after my head hit the pillow.

Monday, Oct. 20: Big Sur

I woke up around 7 a.m., shortly after the sun rose into the sky. I took Lemon for a walk and noticed that J-Row had moved from his hammock to the car in the middle of the night—maybe because he was cold, but probably because he was afraid of the ghost bride. I sat around in a blanket and cuddled with Lemon while we both enjoyed the fresh mountain–sea air.

J-Row woke up as I began packing up camp, and after some smoking and stretching, we were ready to hit the road around 10 a.m. We had a whole day of Big Sur sightseeing ahead of us!

We began by driving all the way to the dead end at the end of the highway, where a landslide had closed things down for construction about a year ago. Once we hit the end, we turned right around and followed the craggy coast from vista to vista, stopping only to admire the natural splendor and eat breakfast.

We grabbed breakfast at this real cute little rustic place with five spots and about as many tables off the side of the road—Deetjen’s Inn Restaurant. I read about the history of the place on the back of the menu, and it’s been a bed-and-breakfast-type gig since the 1930s. In the 1930s, Helmuth and Helen Deetjen lived in a tent along Castro Canyon Creek, where Helmuth built a redwood barn from salvaged Cannery Row wood. That barn grew into Deetjen’s Inn—a cozy Big Sur hideaway that drew writers, artists, and wanderers looking for quiet, wine, and warmth. According to the inn’s website:

The allure of this place has beckoned renowned writers like Robinson Jeffers, Richard Brautigan, Henry Miller, Lillian Bos Ross, Eric Barker, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jack Kerouac. Photographers, including the likes of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams, have immortalized the beauty of Big Sur through their lens, joining the ranks of countless others.

So that’s pretty dang cool!! I’m a huge fan of half the people on that list—most notably Thompson! Maybe I sat right where he sat. Maybe I ordered his same breakfast! I had huevos rancheros (again), and J-Row had the two-eggie breakfast with sausage, home fries, toast, and a pancake. And we both had loads of coffee.

There were so many absolutely breathtaking views on the way home, and the few photos I snapped can’t do the area justice. J-Row’s phone was out of commission for a few hours due to moisture buildup, but he captured a ton on his fancy Canon. We were lucky that what started as a cloudy morning cleared up by the time we made it out of Deetjen’s. At one stop before the fog had lifted, we could just barely make out where the rocks met the ocean, but we could hear the honk of seals shouting across the beach. I wish I could’ve seen them, but it was cool just to hear them in the distance.

I’m going to need to ask J-Row for photos from my favorite vista point, because it’s hard to put a description into words. The tide stretched on forever in white waves, which we watched crash up against the rocky cliffs before ebbing back into the rising tide. If I had all the time in the world, I would’ve sat there for hours with a book—or maybe just my eyes and ears. How cool would it be to camp so close to the water?

We stopped at every vista on the way back, then took a scenic route for the first 25 miles home. It was a one-and-a-half-lane road slowly winding through the mountain range, and driving through it really did remind me of my Virginia days. I don’t think about those days enough, so it was nice to feel connected to them again. It was a slow drive, but it was just beautiful, and I’m really grateful that J-Row suggested we take the long way around. We saw waves of trees rather than waves of ocean, but it was still lovely. California sure has it all!

Once we hit the main road, we took the freeway back to Long Beach and let the GPS guide us the short and boring way. That said, the drive was still pretty cool! For a pretty long expanse, we drove through miles and miles of really neat orchards. We knew they had pistachios and possibly pomegranates—though they could’ve been apples. I told J-Row we should stop and snatch one, as they were lining both sides of a fairly isolated country road, but he was worried a farmer would try to shoot our hands off if we touched their fruit. And I get that. The orchards were another unexpected highlight of the drive for me. I just thought they were all so cool! Of all the California farmland we passed, that was my favorite.

Oh, and J-Row and I passed a coyote on the side of the road as well, just staring at us with his big, cute pupper eyes! (This was a live coyote, not a ghost coyote.) So you know what that means? J-Row received his first L.A. totem!! If he lived here, he’d be one step closer to becoming a true Angeleno!

We made it back to my place around 9 p.m. and ordered Thai BBQ for dinner. DoorDash is always a coin flip, and this time it was all tails because it was really hard for the delivery driver to find my apartment. The food was late, but the restaurant was having one hell of a two-for-one deal—it felt like half their menu qualified. I ordered some chow mein, and J-Row ordered enough food for the next day, since I’d be at work for most of it: spring rolls X 2, pork (chicken) fried rice X 2, and crab rangoons X 2.

I had an early workday the next morning, but I just couldn’t resist gabbin’ with my J-Row! We stayed up late talking and watching stuff online before I finally dragged myself to bed like a responsible adult. But for the record, I didn’t want to.

Tuesday, Oct. 21: Long Beach

I had to work from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., so J-Row was on his own for the entirety of the day—which was good, because he wanted to do some laundry, start packing up, and work out a ride from the Columbus airport to Athens. He also had to call Colorado and let them know he couldn’t accept their job offer because he couldn’t secure a subletter in Athens. Bummer!

As soon as I got home, I started pushing us out the door, because J-Row couldn’t leave California without dipping his toes in the Pacific Ocean. I would not allow it—and neither would he!

We got there right at sunset, and the timing could not have been more perfect. Driving in toward the beach was like a scene straight out of Grand Theft Auto V, and the sunset could have knocked you dead! The water was warm on our toes, and Lemon was excited to run in the sand. She even got farther into the water than I’ve ever seen her before and played nicely with some dogs—until she didn’t. We stayed for the entire sunset and left when there was barely any light left in the sky.

J-Row wanted to get another round of In-N-Out before he headed back to Ohio, so we grabbed some on the way home. No puppy burger for Lemon this time, but I had another chocolate shake, and J-Row had another Double-Double and fries, animal style. I had some of his fries this time, and they were really good, so I may be back for some of those as well. And who would’ve thought that “animal style” would be vegetarian?!

Once we’d washed the sand off our toes and eaten dinner, we smoked a bit of weed to gear up for Dark Harbor. Dark Harbor is an annual Halloween event that takes place on and around the Queen Mary each season. They really lean into its haunted history and turn the whole place into a giant creepy playground, complete with mazes, costumed actors, live shows, and themed bars and food. It’s part haunted house, part carnival—all fun.

J-Row wanted to book the latest time slot (10 p.m.), but there was a drag show at 10:30 p.m. that I refused to miss, so we went at 9 p.m. instead. We reached the parking lot and shuttled across the bridge right at 9 on the dot, so it was super convenient. It was also fun to ride over with a group because there was a real nervous energy on the bus. I just love being spooked—especially with friends!

I was going to dress up as Chewbacca, but I saw a sign at the entryway that read “No costumes,” so I guess I’m glad I didn’t. It also got pretty hot and foggy within some of the mazes, so a coat of Wookiee fur would’ve likely been pretty miserable. It sure would’ve been fun, though!

While we were there, we went through five mazes—three of which were on board the ship! One was in the pool area, which was probably my favorite because I love that ghost story the most and got the creepiest vibes there during my paranormal tour last year. But it was all pretty fun! Except for the voodoo-themed one. I loved the décor, but the maze was the least scary. I also loved the Big Top one, which we almost missed but J-Row found while I was checking out the drag show. It was funhouse-style, with those distortion mirrors, uneven floors, and moving platforms and tunnels.

And speaking of the drag show—how cool! It featured Selena from Hamburger Mary’s. She only performed one song, but I think it’s a win whenever a drag queen performs on a public stage, especially in a space that isn’t inherently queer. (Although I would argue that the horror genre is pretty queer as a whole.) She had a pretty big crowd too—and zero haters—so I loved to see it!

“One more song! One more song!” 👑

Once we had checked everything out, run through all the mazes, and hit up a gift shop (J-Row bought a hearse pin), we headed back to the shuttle to make our way home. What a great way to end an even greater week! (Even if Dark Harbor wasn’t as scary as seeing an actual ghost, like J-Row and I did in Big Sur.)

We hit up a 7-Eleven on the way home because I didn’t want to have to stop for gas on the way to the airport—and because J-Row really wanted a Slurpee and a blunt wrap.

Back at my place, it was a lot of packing, smoking, and planning for departure. I had a hard time allowing myself to go to bed because I didn’t want the trip to end or my friend to go home. But I also had to be up at the butt crack of dawn to drive him, so late in the night I reluctantly carried my butt to bed, hoping this was just the first of many visits. (Next time I want to see the northern redwoods and Joshua Tree. And Death Valley! I have a tent now—let’s go everywhere! Try and stop me!)

Wednesday, Oct. 22: LAX

J-Row’s flight back to Columbus departed at 9:30 on Wednesday morning, so despite our late night, I was up at 6:30 a.m. J-Row woke up before me and was finishing up the last of his packing while I sprang to life. After a smoke and a few pets goodbye, J-Row and I packed his things into the car and belatedly hit the road to Burbank…

That said, about 20 minutes into our drive, J-Row realized that he was actually flying out of LAX—which is much closer but also much busier. (He booked his flight to California a few weeks before he booked his return flight, which accounted for the mix-up.) We were already running behind, and J-Row arrived at his gate just in time to watch the airline lock the doors. He missed his plane, but American was able to get him a spot on standby for the next flight out. While he would’ve flown straight from L.A. to Columbus, he ended up with a layover in Chicago and made it back to Athens by 10 p.m. Eastern time—7 p.m. Pacific.

I made it home much quicker, as my drive back to Long Beach only took about 30 minutes. But it sure was a lonely one! Lemon, Bernie, and I are going to miss him so much, and the apartment has definitely felt quieter without him. I’ve been throwing myself into research and grading to distract myself from the loneliness.

But I won’t be too lonely for too long! Sierra, Becca, and Theodore are the next to visit, and they’ll be here in January! 🎉 You can catch me counting down the days! In the meantime, I’m going to hold this wonderful week in my heart for as long as I can—which is forever.

I am so grateful for friendships that span time.