Memories Journal #17

Continuing on westward home from our 2012 cross country trip, we stopped in Wyoming. Our destination was Devil's Tower, but we were running low on funds and decided not to spend the cash on entering the park. Instead, we admired from afar while eating cold ice cream just outside of the pay booth. 

Probably the biggest regret I have on this trip is continuing on I-90 instead of detouring east to drive through Yellowstone. I had this vision that Montana was going to be more beautiful than Western Wyoming, but I was greatly disappointed until we reached the very northwest tip of Montana. Hopefully this journal will include a memory of Yellowstone and the Tetons in the future. 

Memories Journal #16

We drove home on a northern route when we left Reading. Driving through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois wasn't memorable, other than I appreciated the toll highways to move along quickly. Once we made our way into Wisconsin however, my attention was perked up. Grateful that we were traveling during summer and not a bitter winter, the flat farmlands were quite beautiful to me. 

Once we made our way into South Dakota, I was pleasantly surpised at how magnificent the summer prairies were. Yellow was everywhere, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen. Yes, flatter than I am used to, but the whole point of this trip was to see landscapes I had never experienced. 

We planned to stop in Wall SD because of the hype of the drug store. We toured that 'mall', and it was cute, but I couldn't really find the drug store but it's there. Our daughter had her photograph taken on the famous Jackalope, and my husband ate buffalo that night for dinner.

We ventured into the Badlands earlier that day, and again was surprised by a beauty I had no idea existed. The rock formations, colors and sunshine was a very happy place to be. An unforgettable area, I always tell others how surprised they will be with the beauty of this region.

Memories Journal #15

Our final destination in the 2012 road trip was Reading Pennsylvania. Anyone who knows anything about Reading would be curious to know why this was our final destination in such an epic trip. For my husband, it was a trip to his hometown and to see his family, but for me it was another opportunity to re-evaluate where I needed to be. Having been just laid off for the 2nd time in less than 3 years, I had began to wonder if it was time to relocate. Exploring the vastness of this country would give me a better prospective of whether or not I needed to try life somewhere different. Oregon is beautiful, but the Portland area was growing fast, housing was becoming expensive, jobs becoming competitive. Could I find a better place to make home? I had considered Berks County Pennsylvania.

Reading itself is not a small city, but it's not a prosperous one either. Poverty, drugs and crime are central to this old city, yet I couldn't help but see a lot of potential in it. The older row homes have so much hidden character, old churches dot the city, and then of all things a Pagoda sits on the top of the foothills.

We visited the Pagoda when it was closed, but I found it an interesting symbol of this depressing city. 

After spending a few days in Reading, I knew Pennsylvania wasn't where I wanted to call home. The visit had been good for my husband to reconnect with his family however, so I dedicate this post to him.

Memories Journal #14

One of the east coast destinations we stopped in the 2012 road trip was Washington DC. It was June, and the right coast was in the middle of an intense heat wave. Several gas stations we stopped out were out of power to pump gas. We were fortunate to find a working station on the way into DC.

We spent some time wanding around the Lincoln Memorial, we observed the Washington Memorial and walked around the WWII memorial. The Washington Memorial was closed because DC had been hit by a minor earthquake that damaged the memorial. It was still a sight to paint even years later.

Memories Journal #13

On the epic roadtrip of 2012, we stayed the second night in Oklahoma. I recall how thick the air felt, and a lot more bugs than I liked. It was nighttime when we finally stopped, but in the morning we traveled through the eastern part of the state on I40. I was very surprised to see rolling hills, farms, and colorful landscape in this part of Oklahoma. Being from a beautiful area of the U.S.A. (Oregon of course!), it was enlightening to see other parts of America that held their own unique beauty.

Memories Journal #12

In May 2012, I was laid off from a job I had for only 18 months. It was a devastating feeling, but the day after they let me go I realized it was a big relief. With the little bit of savings I had, I decided now was a good time for that mid-life crisis, and so my husband, 6 year old daughter and tiny dog jumped in our Subaru and we toured the United States for three weeks. The next few memory journals document this epic roadtrip.

On that first day, we drove straight for 14 hours with few breaks. From Oregon, we ended up just north of Zion National Park. America never ceases to amaze me with the beauty we hold in this land, and Zion did not disappoint.