SOLO DRIVEN ADVENTURE HUNGRY –
EASTERN AMERICAN ANALOG ADVENTURE CULTURE TOUR
PART 4
Long Island
A girl, her truck and their adventures © Monaya MaGaurn 2021
New York, Part 1
I left Maine and decided to get as far south as possible because this East coast thing is a cluster fuck. Yall ever been to Worcester…yeah it’s the worst. You know, like clockwork, I switched rooms at 9 pm. I woke up at 5 am and took off. The hotel was lovely, but it seemed like these people were freaking out about everything, especially covid. I had a conversation with my friend David who said to avoid the 95..so I did. And then I found a ferry that could take me to Long Island… I felt obligated to go to the Hamptons. I am a little girl from the rural midwest in America, I had to go to the Hamptons. I have this thing about going to Islands, if you are going to go all the way out there with a car… go all the way. We were going to Montauk.
The Cross Sound Ferry sells tickets online, and you can buy them while you’re in line at Napa buying 5w40 oil for your Landrover Defender. I did that. I booked a beach condo and raced to the ferry. Sitting in Sarge for as long as they let me… then I climbed up on the rack and filmed until the phone died. Sitting up top…The shit-eating grin as I sat on top of Sarge’s rack on the ferry for two minutes before the captain came down to tell me to get down and ask Sarge questions. The ferry was fantastic, football and beers with Long Islanders digitally unplugged.
It took an hour to drive to Montauk and it was getting dark. I routed sushi and stared at the all-engulfing ocean and the sky. The sky there is different. There is absolutely no light pollution. It was dark with a full moon glow all its own. I unloaded Sarge, parking under a tree. The moment was surreal, thinking of Minnesota with frost and flakes randomly flying. Here there were still leaves on the trees; I could have walked everywhere barefoot.
I drove to what seemed like the center of town on the 27 and found the Shagwong…No, need to read reviews. I sat down, ordered a cider, and started working on my phone. It wasn’t long before some dude showed up asking questions. See, I knew I was traveling through the off-season when I left. Everything should be dead, the weather could be annoying, and it was just before the holidays. I knew all too well. I was standing knee-deep in locals. This was the local trustee kid, one of my favorite types. He ended up trying to impress me by Facetiming, the creator of Captin Planet, Barbara Pyle. The crazy part – is he did facetime Barbara Plye. After struggling for the phone and hanging up for him – yet another dude sat down. He at least introduced himself and was only minorly sauced. His name was Mike – so I had to show him, Sarge. This is an inside joke for those of you named Mike, those own Defenders. I didn’t need Mike, but I was grateful he was there.
It was amusing to watch someone you don’t know, who is mildly intoxicated embrace the human spirit of adventure. Like I said, really grateful he was there. We went back inside, and Mike introduced me to Montauk ladies. I love them. My rose´ all day kinda girls. We wound up at a different bar talking about the Memory Motel and how much of the internet Amazon really owns. I went to bed that night without knowing where or what I would do the following day.
I was a bit discombobulated for a while after I woke up at the Surf club. Usually, I’m with the family that owns the timeshare. This was weird to look at a stranger’s family stuff. S-O-L-O D-R-I-V-E-N, A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E-H-U-N-G-R-Y,@mynameismonaya, November 2021 spelling aloud as I wrote it in the guest book behind another girl’s entry.
Her’s went like this –
Thank you so much for sharing your condo with the world. I am visiting alone a single-night trip after a Harry Styles concert for my birthday. This really has been one of the most memorable things I have ever done. I smiled and wrote AMEN next to it.
I felt like I hadn’t even slept at all. It wasn’t until at least noon I was packed and on my way to coffee. Starting my adventure to Landrover to cut the key I picked up in Scarbrough, Maine. I always wanted to know what it would be like to go to a Landrover dealership run by women – I got the chance. It’s not pleasant. The level of pretentious – is admirable. They do not cut their own keys. No matter, I found a french bakery and had lunch while I was looking for a locksmith. Their bagguetts are to die for. https://www.arminandjudy.com/
After stopping at three locations, I sat down on a bench to look up more. To my right was a stack of James Lane Post. I picked it up and started paging through. I happened upon a page with an article about women and cars. Go figure. At the end of it was – Chris Runge. If you are unfamiliar with Chris Runge, he builds some of the world’s most beautiful cars, about two hours from where I came from on this magical tour. He wasn’t referenced in the article. Ha. I sat with no key cut, no direction. Scrolling for some time, I redirected my attention. I didn’t want to wake up in a stranger’s second home again. I found the Montauk Manor. Google that right now – It was better than the Shining.
It was better than the Shining.
I could spend an entire month writing from this room. Upon arrival, you are completely confused about where to park, what the front is, what the back is, and who actually stays there. You park in the lot away from the manor, which is weird, but so is everything here. Montauk Manor, I assume, is much more grandiose during the summer months. I picture sprawling gardens, maybe even horses, and droves of city people enjoying the country. This is why we visited in November and were very okay with the pool and sauna being under renovation.
The Montauk manor will remind you of your fancy grandma’s house. It is one of the only places on the planet where I have woken up and wasted my morning making breakfast while I look out the window. Which across from my window was what I first thought of as a troubled guy. In the morning, while I drank coffee and looked over the courtyard, he would sit on his balcony and smoke…Angry. After he smoked, he would go inside and come out with a bag of bagels. He split the bagels in half and put them all over the balcony. They would be gone the next day. I was still trying to get a key cut.
![11-14-22_SDAH_Montaukmanor_card Hotel key card for Montauk Manor Hotel with Photograph of the hotel grounds printed on gard, small feet and hand in the photo](https://i0.wp.com/mynameismonaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/11-14-22_SDAH_Montaukmanor_card-scaled.jpg?resize=1165%2C1553&ssl=1)
I should mention before I left for my trip, this dude who is also a gearhead – stated he would like to meet me in America for a beer in a DM…I’m not going to use the phrase. Nonetheless, we started chatting, and when I was in Maine, he stated he would like to visit New York while I was there. In theory, I was kind of excited about this. In reality, I knew this was going to fuck up any my vacation.
The day before he showed up, I went running errands. Coming out of Walgreens, I spotted someone up close and personal with Sarge. I started putting stuff in the passenger side door while he introduced himself. Zander is from Long Island but works in Minneapolis and has since moved to Denver. Asking how I knew Bishop and Rook. Mike is a close friend of mine, I am a brand ambassador for them. A few weeks prior, Zander drove Sophie a blue D90 from Bishop and Rook in Minneapolis. Zander showed me around the local side of the Hamptons. Meeting at the Milk Pale, we picked up some random provisions and ventured into a residential neighborhood. The first stop was a house on the water inhabited by two fabulous men. Antique Jaguars and Rolls Royce for one man, designer fashion, and little bichon puppies for the other. We stood there on the dock discussing carbon credits for at least an hour over tequila breakfast.
We ventured on to a pub. I ordered a lobster roll and the beers started rolling. I recalled the last time I felt like this. It was my first day as a pastry assistant at 4Bells. I immediately switched to sparkling water and ate every fry on my plate. That day I would meet the fire chief, the largest distributor of weed in Colorado, three cops, and a private chef that toted a kitchen around that was a band, yes, a musical band. I packed up the boys at dark and brought them back to the water. At that point, Chris, the fashionista whose home I was standing in, began to make dinner and play dress up. When I walked out the door, he had me in a cashmere hoodie and herringbone cuffs. This was a great day. I ventured back to the manor and passed out.
![11_14_22_SDAH_ZanderandChris Before I left Minnesota, one of the boys at the shop put this lovely sticker on Sarge. Chirs' fridge was the perfect place to leave it. I really hope it still there.](https://i0.wp.com/mynameismonaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/11_14_22_SDAH_ZanderandChris-scaled.jpeg?resize=1165%2C1553&ssl=1)
After two days at the Manor, I drove into Brooklyn for what I thought might be a way too short visit to what I call “Santa’s workshop.” I rounded the block twice at Brooklyn coach works, scoping it out. The second time around, a guy was standing in the ally in a black hoodie. He turned around and motioned me in. My face instantly lit up like meeting a brother for the first time. He had a shit-eating grin as big as mine. Inside my head, mini Monaya chanted – Marshmallow Marshmellow!
If you are in the Landrover community and pay attention, there is no way you could miss Daniel Marcello. I remember following Alloy and Grit, wondering who this dude in a life vest with a camera was when I clicked the link creative director. This guy, hands down, oozes cool. Between his polished wingtip oxblood boots and tiny Carhart beanie, I couldn’t help but think about how much the fashion he had on was influencing the rest of the world, well outside New York and Brooklyn. We chatted, and he showed me around the workshop. When he showed me the series one he was building, I didn’t let him see it, but it brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t get to spend much time with Dan that day as I had to pick up the German at the airport.
Before I left, I dug inside Sarge for something I carried with me for many trips. I knew it was there and that I had put it there before I left. I reached into the paper bag of gifts, pushing aside 3 different types of olive oil, wooden puzzles, and stuffed animals. As I held it in my hands, I thought about how many consoles it had lived in for years. In the console of Sarge for the last year. I started to explain to Dan how much influence he has on the Landrover community. I held out the Boba Fett key chain that had traveled with me for many years. The unaltered first clone of Jango Fett. The precursor to the stormtrooper clone. Stormtrooper clones have less autonomy built in and a much shorter lifespan. “You created a lot of clones, sir.”
Dan whines about his hair and talks about being old, but our shared geeky smile moment was time and ageless.
Time to pick up the
German Import
The German had landed and was going through customs. I had no idea what to expect as he jumped into Sarge with nothing but a backpack. I looked at his skinny ripped light wash jeans and Adidas and smirked – so incredibly European. I drove him across Long Island on the 27, the sun slowly setting. He was upset that I wanted to go back to Montauk. Before I took him to the manor, I drove Sarge out on the beach. A full moon, a sky full of stars, walked him down to the water. This will always be one of the most Instagramable moments of my life. A 6’4’’ blond, standard issue of handsome wrapped around me, making out under the moonlight. Smash, a huge wave hit us in the legs. I was fine with my little toes snug as a bug in a Goretex rug. His feet – well that was his only pair of shoes for the weekend.
![11-8-21_Mynameismonaya_SargeandMe_MaineSegment-11 11-8-21_Mynameismonaya_SargeandMe_MaineSegment-11](https://i0.wp.com/mynameismonaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/11-8-21_Mynameismonaya_SargeandMe_MaineSegment-11-scaled.jpg?resize=1165%2C1235&ssl=1)
I ordered dinner from Harvest, a recommendation from another X. By the way, if the dude I like is reading this, yeah I have a bunch of x’s. I hope you make the cut. Upon walking into Harvest, I had no idea it was fine dining. I was standing there in total embarrassment, Chewbacca onesie on. Until a guy pulled up a chair in a Stitch onesie. “Nice outfit” looks were exchanged. I unwrapped pork loin and lentils and a bunch of other stuff. The German watched my plate. We sat down at the table and got into it. We talked about life, living in Europe v America, and family.
When we got into family – he talked a lot about his mom. This was a spotty story of a Narssistic mother who would move in and out of her son’s life at will. I almost started to cry several times.
The birds and the bees thing – well That did not go well. I stood up, walked away, and went to shower. A level of frustration beyond what I had experienced before. I stood there for a while, doubting myself. What was wrong with me? He opened the door and leaned into the shower. Explaining that at the age of 27 he had a surgeon circumcise him. I almost fell over.
The following morning – I sat at the table drinking coffee and eating cereal. Silent. I had no idea what the fuck was going to happen next. But he sat down and the words fell out of my mouth like rocks, “Your mom never told you that you were perfect just the way you are?”
![9-15-22_SARGEANDME_MynameisMONAYA_ROAD_DRONE_DJI2 On a forest road a woman with drone remote in hands stands in front of Landrover Defender.](https://i0.wp.com/mynameismonaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/9-15-22_SARGEANDME_MONAYAROADDRONE2.jpeg?resize=1165%2C1165&ssl=1)
Sarge and Me
Sarge and Me is a project years in the making with Monaya’s first Defender experience in 2010. Later teaming up with Bishop and Rook in 2018. A celebration of analog culture legacy, independence, and eccentricity, Sarge and Me is going on the road. Follow along @mynameismonaya