I'm not one for pictures of myself, but I do love this one of us. No wrinkles. Diamond Lake before the skeeters hit. A true celebration of the trip. Here is what I learned:
1. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to travel across this beautiful country. America, the beautiful.
2. The landscape is diverse. Each place beautiful in its own way...even Eastern Oregon.
3. Small roads are the way to go. There are no obnoxious billboards espousing the advantages of fast food and corporate America.
4. People are nice. They really are. And each one is just trying to do the best they can. The media portrays the opposite. Sometimes I lose sight of the goodness.
5. Mother Nature sometimes has a sense of humor and sometimes walks the edge of hell. I'm a weather junkie. I have at least five weather apps on my phone and computer. But I have a new respect for the power of the Mother. And her painting palates are stunning.
6. You don't need much to survive. Just love, clean underwear, and local brew.
7. Rural conservatism is strange coming from California.
8. There is beauty to silence (and baseball games). Thank you Sirius XM.
9. Walkie talkies are fun and useful.
10. There are a zillion varieties of wildflowers. All beautiful.
11. We didn't miss TV (except we've been pounding the Game of Thrones episodes we missed).
12. The California drought is real and scary and daunting.
13. Dogs are great travelers. They just want to be close and have a routine. Thank you, Rita and Luna and Callie, for putting up with the trip. Thanks to Sophie too (she is not a dog).
13. Traveling with my husband, my best friend, was beyond what I imagined it would be. He's my buddy. I love him.
2. The landscape is diverse. Each place beautiful in its own way...even Eastern Oregon.
3. Small roads are the way to go. There are no obnoxious billboards espousing the advantages of fast food and corporate America.
4. People are nice. They really are. And each one is just trying to do the best they can. The media portrays the opposite. Sometimes I lose sight of the goodness.
5. Mother Nature sometimes has a sense of humor and sometimes walks the edge of hell. I'm a weather junkie. I have at least five weather apps on my phone and computer. But I have a new respect for the power of the Mother. And her painting palates are stunning.
6. You don't need much to survive. Just love, clean underwear, and local brew.
7. Rural conservatism is strange coming from California.
8. There is beauty to silence (and baseball games). Thank you Sirius XM.
9. Walkie talkies are fun and useful.
10. There are a zillion varieties of wildflowers. All beautiful.
11. We didn't miss TV (except we've been pounding the Game of Thrones episodes we missed).
12. The California drought is real and scary and daunting.
13. Dogs are great travelers. They just want to be close and have a routine. Thank you, Rita and Luna and Callie, for putting up with the trip. Thanks to Sophie too (she is not a dog).
13. Traveling with my husband, my best friend, was beyond what I imagined it would be. He's my buddy. I love him.