First, the non-visual parts: the soundtracks to my trip were Brave New World, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (which was hilarious to listen to while driving through the midwest), and Eat, Pray, Love (the book that kept me from turning around... I highly recommend this story).
DAY 1: CT to Dayton, OH
I realized as I was about to turn off my street that I had no idea when I would ever see my street again. I stopped for a few minutes and sat with my blinker on, staring at my street sign. I finally waved goodbye and took off, glad to be in the car so nobody would notice the tears in my eyes.
Next is a picture I took of Pennsylvania. All I've known of the state is the area on the way to Philadelphia we used to pass through to visit my aunt. I actually thought the state was beautiful, lots of trees and low hills (which they amusingly called "mountains" - I used to think they were so big compared to those in Connecticut...).
Here is a very cool mountain in Pennsylvania.
This is also in Pennsylvania... I thought it was really neat to see these windmills. I hope that more people across the country catch on to this idea.
My first night, I stopped in Dayton, Ohio.
DAY 2: Dayton, OH to Hays, KS
Missouri was really cool to see! Ever since I did a report on the state in 2nd grade, I've sort of had this strange fascination with it. Here is what it looked like from the highway:
They talk about the Ozark Mountains... what I want to know is where *are* these so-called mountains. o.0
There were these beautiful purple flowers lining the highway, and I wished that I could take a picture of them. Is it strange of me to say that I was delighted when, several minutes later, I was stuck in a random traffic jam which lasted about 3 minutes... just long enough to allow me to photograph them.
And of course I had to photograph the Gateway Arch as I passed St. Louis:
I love the undulating hills in this picture:
This next picture... just doesn't do justice to the beautiful rolling emerald green prairie of eastern Kansas. I wish that I had been a passanger for this part of the trip, so perhaps I could have snapped some more flattering photos. This landscape was my favorite of the entire trip.
My second night of traveling, I stopped in Hays, Kansas. I was lucky enough to witness an absolutely breath-taking sunset which spilled its beams across the prairie. Again, this picture doesn't do it justice (and I apologize for the splatted bugs on my windshield...)
DAY 3: Hays, KS to Denver, CO
On my third day of travel, I left the lush prairie behind and passed through western Kansas and eastern Colorado... which were flat, flat, flat and rather barren. I was surprised by the look of eastern Colorado. I'm not sure what I expected, but it definitely wasn't accurate. The sign when I entered Colorado said "Welcome to Colorful Colorado!".... I looked around with a skeptical gaze at the yellow and gray flat land stretching out around me and wondered what exactly inspired someone to call this place colorful.
The day was cloudy and there wasn't much visibility, which disappointed me because I was looking forward to driving into the Rockies as I approached my new home. Sadly, I wasn't able to see them until I was almost right on top of Denver.
From my motel room I had a beautiful view of the mountains, which sustained me through the next few days. All I had to do was look up out my window and remember that life is so much bigger than just me, that there are things that I can't help and can't do anything about. All I can do is be me and try my best to live my life: to try to be kind, be helpful, be loving and generous, be creative, be engaged with what is around me.
The best thing about the circumstances of me ending up out here is that, for the first time in my life, I'm completely alone. Which is not quite true, as I know I have endless support and love from my family and friends all over the country. But I really *feel* alone. There is nobody to show me how to get to the post office, or where to eat dinner, or where the nearest place to buy towels is. This has become a crazy, amazing adventure.
I went out on Sunday night and spent the evening laughing, eating delicious food, and enjoying wonderful company. And I realized... this is what has been missing from my life lately. Realizing this made me recognize that the state of how things were was unacceptable to me. Life is too short. I hope that my days in this awe-inspiring and powerful place give me a great deal of laughter and smiles, new friends and new adventures, struggles and successes... after all, that's what growing is about.
So that is my trip in a nutshell. I'm going to post my trips over the days following my arrival now too!
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