Sunday, January 26, 2014

Wardrobe Worries

We need to streamline our operation before the He Said, She Said tour. Three days at a convention this week proved that. How can two people need so much stuff for three days away? And if that was for three days, what are we going to do for two months?

Being a runner complicates things. Sweat complicates things. Runners do a lot of laundry. Air drying today's sweat will only take you so far.

Usually when I go on tour it's via airplane from city to city. I limit myself to carry-on luggage only. Usually it's only a couple of weeks. I can talk myself out of things. Like running every day. Oh, that's easy.

But this time Mark will be with me. The must-runner. And this time we'll have the luxury of a vehicle that we can pack to the gills. Like we did this weekend.

But after looking around our hotel room this weekend and seeing stuff everywhere (and running clothes airing out everywhere)...I don't want to go through that every night! We're going to have to figure out "wardrobe." And cut back on everything else, too.

Well, except for swag! We are acquiring some really fun giveaways for the tour. The Sammy Keyes shoelaces are on order. I've got horseshoe charms coming. Mark's got a line on drumsticks he's hoping to get stamped with Road Rash. And we have books. A bunch of books! We're just going to raffle off stuff to people who come out to see us (and random unsuspecting souls at rest stops in the middle of the desert).

So the "swag" can take up space in the van, I don't mind. We just need to figure out the rest of it. The practical stuff. In my backpacking years we used to cut the toothbrush in half to save on weight because every little bit of weight mattered. I need to adapt that thinking to wardrobe packing. Expect to see me in jeans, Chuck's, and a t-shirt. Really, what else do I need, right?

As for tour schedule, we're waiting for two confirmations in Missouri before moving onto scheduling Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. But we've got most of the route set and I hope to have a complete tour schedule posted in the next couple of weeks.

Right now I've got to go unpack. And do laundry!

As always, thanks for checking in. See you in the comments!


23 comments:

Unknown said...

You should come to Utah!

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

We plan to! We had thought it would be on the "Southern Loop", but I think it makes more sense to visit Utah on the "Northern Loop" in the fall. Either way, we're planning on it. (Are you near SLC?)

Kylie said...

I am now freaking out about the horseshoe charms because I have wanted one of those for years. I have spent days looking for one on line but I could never find one. So now I am really excited. If I don't manage to see you on tour I think I might cry.

For laundry you could always use truck stops. I know a lot of the truck stops we stopped at on our way home from Arizona almost always had some sort of laundry thing. And some truck stops can be very nice.

I have never thought of cutting a tooth brush in half. That is really smart because not only does it weigh less but it also saves space. I shall have to try that.

Have a great week everyone!

Kylie

Jessica said...

I have a friend who mails clean clothes to her halfway mark, and mails dirty laundry home from there (so she doesn't waste travel time doing laundry -- or she'll have it cleaned and then mailed home). She sends the clothes the cheapest rate possible, and I guess the hotel just holds the package for her until she got there. It sounds expensive to me, but it works for her.

Another friend tried drying her clothes by hanging them out the car windows -- she did not recommend copying this, because she had to track down all the clothes over half a mile of road.

I always pack way too much stuff when I'm going on a road trip, because the car has plenty of room. I've learned to cut back substantially, though I'm not quite as good as Sammy (Toothbrush? Skateboard? Let's roll. Marissa will have anything I forgot.). I've found the trick is as much in how you pack, so you don't have to search through everything to find that one thing you need.

I can't wait to see the final schedule. I'd wish that everything goes according to plan for you guys, but we all know that life is much better with a few shortcuts and sidetracks.

Yusa said...

This makes me so excited because it means it's actually truly finally happening! I would kill for a horseshoe charm! And the shoelaces! I have to see you on this tour. You always end up in the bay area and not in Sacramento but you have to come to Sacramento this time! It is very important! I am so so so very excited about this I'll be the one with a stack of books up to my face for you to sign.

--Yusa

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Made great progress today! We're booked through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and into New Mexico. Thanks for the comments :-) More soon...

Yusa said...

That's great!
I will book you myself in my own house if i have to get you to comehere.

--Yusa

Mark said...

Yusa - We love your enthusiasm! We will definitely be in the Sacramento area during the second leg of the tour this fall. :)

Jessica said...

I'm glad you guys are coming in the spring instead of in January -- Atlanta's shut down thanks to snow again (not as bad as last time, since it's just snow, not ice, but the city's equally unprepared).

Jessica said...

I take that back... it's worse than last time, with people stranded all over the city, including in cars and buses. Thankfully I made it home before traffic got too bad. Glad you're not stuck in a hotel to see the worst of winter in the South again.

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Atlanta weather looks crazy bad! And yes, it reminded me of being stranded there. Stay warm and safe!

PS for everyone: The SHOELACE SAMPLE arrived and it is AWESOME! I don't know if a picture will convey its wonderfulness, but I will attempt one for Sunday's post.

Unknown said...

Wendelin, I'm so excited to find your blog! Sammy has meant so much to me throughout my years of growing up. :')

I would love to be able to meet you on this tour. Would you be coming to NYC???

HORSESHOE AND LACES. !!!!!!!!

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Hi, Winny, and on behalf of all of us, welcome :-) I think you'll find this a friendly place, especially for people who love Sammy Keyes!

Our tour will take us a lot of places, but NYC is not on the list, sorry! But keep checking back here. Sammiacs have special privileges here...we'll figure out a way to get you shoelaces :-)

Yusa said...

Yeah welcome Winny! This place is like... well Wendelin is like a Santa Clause spreading joy to us and always giving us presents. Stick with us haha :)

I cannot even wait until your tour starts. Shoelaces and horseshoes ahhh.

--Yusa

Unknown said...

Aw thanks for the welcomings! (I'm secretly bouncing up and down right now because one of my favorite authors responded to me. AHH!!!)

Yusa, you are right, I haven't gone through her whole blog (yet!) but just reading her posts give me so much joy.

Wendelin, I love readng your writing so much and all the thoughts that you have to share with us, Sammy related or not! Sometimes I even hear Sammy's voice in your posts because of your writing style. Haha

On another note, I'm so disappointed that you're not coming to NYC... :( But I'll be sure to keep checking back to see if you will touch an area closeby. Fingers crossed! And I would love to know how I can get myself some horseshoes&shoelaces. My converses are waiting patiently for them. :)

I have so many other personal thoughts I wanted to share with you but I don't know how put them into a consistent essay/letter! So here's a list:

1. I loved Flipped so much when I read it as an 8th grader, flipped when I realized it came out as a movie alsdkjfalsdfj, and probably rewatched it more than ten times.
2. I related to Juli a lot when I was younger and after so many years, she still serves as a reminder of who I am when I feel lost. Thank you for creating her character.
3. Chet and Hudson Graham are my role models. I've always wished that I could have that type of elderly friends in my life and I want to be like them when I'm older.
4. Personally the Sammy Keyes series has "disturbed my universe" :) not just because of what I learned in Sammy's character, the people in her life, and her stories; I was a very slow reader when I was younger and it was very hard for me to concentrate on reading chapter books, but when I read this series... I BECAME Sammy during those reading hours and I couldn't stop reading. This is why I love your writing so much.
5. Even though the final SK novel isn't out yet, I'm dying from wondering about what happens to her in high school and the rest of her life. Will we ever get a chance to know?
6. Last, but not least, you are amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing. My ginormous comment probably already conveyed that message.

Unknown said...

Yes! I do live by SLC! I am so excited that you guys are coming to Utah!

Optimistic4ever said...

Oh my god the tour sounds incredible! I can't wait for the Northern Loop one (which I really hope covers the Bay Area).

I've wanted a horseshoe charm for ages as well, and those shoelaces... Everything sounds incredible!

Mark said...

O4E - Yes, we'll be hitting the Bay Area during the northern loop this fall. :)

Anonymous said...

Wendelin, I LOVE you and your books SO SO SO MUCH!! PLEASE come to Louisville, Kentucky!

Yusa said...

im just imagining Mark and wendelin sitting in a room conspiring and using thumbtacks to stick pins in points on a wall maps of where to go and like blueprinting this haha :)

--Yusa

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

That is EXACTLY what it is like! Except we're using little stickies instead of tacks 'cause I don't want to have to repair the wall.

"Fred Scott" -- I don't think we're making it to Louisville. We've already booked through that region and I don't know how we could juggle it. I even gave Mark the puppydog look, but...I just don't think it's going to happen. The closest is Olney, IL and Nashville area--sorry!

Tomorrow night we'll have a picture of the shoelaces :-)

Gabrielle said...

I can't wait to see the shoelaces! They sound awesome! I'm super excited for the tour! :D


Gabrielle

Yusa said...

haha that's so cool and yeah stickies are probably a better idea!

Cant wait to see the shoelaces!

--Yusa