Wow it has been such a crazy ride. We’ve been totally free, no real address, no real home, for 300 straight days. Just me, Snow and Charlie, with everything we own in our car, and our wifi hotspot =P
I think it’s so classic that on our 300th day of travel together, Snow and I are actually not together LOL. He’s down in San Diego and I’m up in Washington. I spent the day with my grandmother editing her book, watching the Seahawks play and eating more cookies than should even be legal. (This life event can also be named the 300 days of gaining 15 pounds LOL).
Most of you know I was sad that this trip was coming to an end a couple months earlier than we had planned. We had said a year, and we’ll be headed to Austin to settle down, in just a couple of weeks. Although the ending came sooner than I expected, the last 300 days have brought more than I could have ever imagined.
In the last 300 days we left the sunny San Diego city and ventured into so many new places. I have felt the sand of a Florida beach on my toes, I’ve drank more than I should have in NOLA, I learned just how much bigger things are in Texas LOL.
I saw the Arizona sunrise, as well as the sunrise over the Mississippi river, the fields of Wyoming and the islands of Hawaii. Every one of them, just as gorgeous as the next.
I had my breath taken away by the beauty of Lake Tahoe, and connected so deeply to the rivers and mountains of Oregon that part of my heart never left.
We wined-and-dined in Hollywood, and had an equally amazing meal, around a friends table in Eureka. I listened to country music in Nashville, spent Thanksgiving on a farm in Nebraska, drove through the redwood forest, and marveled at the Grand Tetons.
I saw the golden gate bridge, Mount Rushmore, Old Faithful, the New York skyline, and the space needle. I have driven through terrible snow, crazy rain, and dark roads. I’m pretty sure I’ve hit some wildlife, and my mom would lose her mind thinking of the rest stops I’ve slept at.
I’ve also done yoga to the ocean waves on two coasts, and island and another country. My passport gained a new stamp or two, and our car gained about 40,000 miles, and like I said, my waistline gained a few inches.
I hiked mountains, swam in oceans, peed at gas stations and ate more subway than any one person should EVER eat. I lived out of one suit case of clothes, and cooked out of just one pan. I’ve unpacked and packed our cars more than most people pack their lunch, and we’ve lost more shaker cups on this trip than most people have ever owned!
I’ve looked up old friends, hung out with family, and built relationships I didn’t even know I could have. I’ve never been more connected, for being so disconnected. I discovered just how many people we have in our lives. I’ve learned a lot about what matters, what love is, and who I am.
I saw things I’d always dreamed of, I fell in love with places I had never heard of, and explored parts of my soul I’d never stirred. I have been moved to tears at the sheer beauty of this earth and the human race. I met people in every corner of this country that absolutely inspire me and am so blessed to be among them. I connected with every city, every story, and most of all with my husband.
We learned more about each other, and ourselves, than I ever could have imagined. It wasn’t always easy, but I know we are closer today, than we ever have been, because of it. Traveling for a year, just us, pushed us to the absolute limits with each other, and at the end of the day, we’re both still all in. That is a really cool feeling.
I couldn’t be more grateful that my career has afforded us this incredible freedom. This last 300 days has been the most amazing opportunity and I will never forget what I have experienced. I thank everyone who has been along for the ride and who touched this journey in some way. I know a new chapter is starting soon, who knows what the next big adventure really is ♥