A New Home

       Our drive to our new home in the suburbs of San Francisco was absolutely breath-taking. We drove across the state to the coast and were fortunate enough to take Route 1, The Pacific Coast Highway, north from Cambria. Driving along cliffs with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean is something I believe everyone should do at some point in their life. It's so cool to me to know that Ben and I are a short drive away from such beauty!

       We drove north until we reached Monterey where we had lunch at a great bay-front seafood restaurant. From there, we chose to take a more direct route home to avoid the horrific Bay Area traffic (which, inevitably, we still hit!). Although today was our longest drive, it was easily the most beautiful and seemed to fly by. When we finally pulled into the driveway of our new home, we were all grins: we made it!!!
       Driving across the country was, by far, one of the best experiences of my life. Being able to visit, see, and do so many things was amazing, but being able to this all with Ben made it even more special. I will forever treasure this time we had as I know how special and memorable it was. I can't wait to visit some of these places again and to see more places in the future. Most of all, I'm ready... for new experiences, new adventures, and a new home.
       California it is! (Visitors now welcome!)

Bakersfield: Almost There!

       The drive from Las Vegas to Bakersfield was, in both of our opinions, the worst one of the trip. It almost entirely consisted of flat, desert land. Cell service was out, the radio was going in and out, so I jokingly started a game of "I Spy" which we played for about 10 minutes. Spoiler alert: 10 minutes was all we needed to cover everything around us (sand, cacti, sky, clouds, road, the lines on the road).
       When we (finally!) made it to Bakersfield, I had a headache and crashed for a couple hours. When I woke up, we decided to get pizza and go to the movies to see London Has Fallen. This normally isn't my type of movie, but it was really good!
       Although we didn't do too much to truly experience Bakersfield, it was a great stopping point as we finally made it to our new home state and are so excited for the final leg tomorrow. Almost there!

Vegas: A Birthday Celebration!

       Driving from Flagstaff to Las Vegas is more desert-driving. After a couple hours of nothing to see, Ben saw a billboard. As he switched lanes and excitedly got off an exit, I wasn't sure what to expect. Five minutes later, we pulled up to an alpaca farm in the middle of nowhere. (FYI - I jokingly asked Ben if we could go to an alpaca farm in Albuquerque by saying, "Please? Come on, Dad! The kids want to go see alpacas!" He laughed, and then I put the brochure down and we went and did other awesome things... like go on the Sandia Peak Tramway.)
       You're probably asking something like, "Why did you go to an alpaca farm?!" or, "What IS an alpaca farm?!" to which I have to say: Why not? When you're in the middle of the desert, this was like a little slice of heaven!
       These animals are hilarious... and soft, but mostly hilarious. The man who owns the farm went on about a 20 minute description of the rarity and pureness of alpaca wool, while I just silently giggled to myself. As soon as he turned around, we took pictures like this (yes, I even memed myself)...

       Finally, we stopped making silly detours and arrived at my sister's house in Vegas. We had a card, balloons, gifts, and picked up cake to celebrate her birthday. My sister, being the phenomenal cook that she is, insisted on making us dinner. We celebrated the evening and had a great time watching the season finale of our guilty-pleasure TV show, sitting around the fire pit in her backyard, and laughing hysterically. Times with Michelle and Jon are always SO MUCH FUN. The good news? They'll only be a short direct flight away soon!

       On to our next stop: Bakersfield, CA!

Flagstaff, or the Grand Canyon?

       I found the drive from New Mexico to Arizona particularly difficult. Driving through the desert, in and out of cell service zones made for a not-so-interesting drive. The part that was intriguing was the conundrum of Daylight Savings Time + Arizona (who does not follow Daylight Savings) + Hopi Nation in Arizona (who does follow Daylight Savings) + a time zone change from New Mexico to Arizona. I'm not sure how this perfect storm happened all within a 4 hour drive, but it did... And it took me about an hour to figure out what time it would be in various parts of our drive. (For example: It was 10am in New Mexico, remained 10am as we entered Hopi Nation of Arizona, but then switched to 11am as the rest of Arizona switched from Mountain Time to Pacific Time since they don't follow Daylight Savings. Even our car and phones were confused; for about an hour, they told us different times!)
       We drove past Flagstaff and decided to take the out-of-the-way detour to head to the long-awaited Grand Canyon. Upon our arrival, we mapped out different look-outs and viewpoints that we wanted to stop at. We got on a couple different tour buses, and when we got out at our first look-out, I couldn't help but gasp. I had seen pictures and heard stories about the Grand Canyon, I knew I wanted to go, but I don't think anything can prepare for the sheer beauty and vastness of this place! In fact, I don't even think my words can do it justice... Suffice it to say that I could not stop thinking and saying things like, "How can something this beautiful exist on Earth?!" I will include some pictures, but just know that they don't do it justice!

       We went back to Flagstaff late, grabbed dinner, and went to bed absolutely exhausted. It was SO worth it though!
       Next stop? Las Vegas, NV!

Albuquerque: Reaching New Heights

      First of all, I want to apologize for the delay in writing my last few posts. I still want to be sure to talk about the amazing things we were able to see and do!
      I left Amarillo on Friday in a t-shirt and flip flops, but by the time we got to the mountains outside of Albuquerque, it was snowing! I loved watching the scenery during our drive change from farmland to desert in a short period of time. Using TripAdvisor, we looked up the best things to do in this city as I knew so little about it. The top recommended activity was to take the Sandia Peak Tramway, so we decided to go upon our arrival. Unfortunately, there was blizzard-like weather at the top of the mountain, so they had already closed the tram down for the day!

Us at the bottom of the mountain since we couldn't go on the tram. Thank goodness I had closed-toe shoes and my winter coat in the car for the snowy weather! We didn't think we'd be needing those again for awhile!

       After grabbing a quick bite to eat (a food truck called "A-dough-be Pizza"!), we checked in to the hotel and decided to explore. I quickly learned that New Mexico has a very different feel than anywhere else in the country I've been to, but I loved it! We walked around Old Town Albuquerque; the history of many stores, infrastructures, and local businesses were kept in tact. It really allowed the original culture and values to shine through which I found so intriguing!

      The next morning, we woke up early to grab breakfast at a local farm-to-table restaurant that was recommended to us, then to make the first trip on the Tramway. We loved seeing all the hot air balloons in the early morning air on the way (I have a new bucket list item now)! It took about 15 minutes to climb to the top, we spent about 10 minutes looking down over Albuquerque from 10,000+ feet, and then descended. It was absolutely freezing, but BREATHTAKING. It was definitely worth it to travel back to the Sandia Peak Tramway again!

       Albuquerque kept us very busy, but we had so much fun there! We can't wait to go back at some point in the future. In the meantime, our next destination will be Flagstaff, AZ!

Amarillo: Cadillacs and Windmill Farms

       Shortly after leaving Oklahoma City, we got back into seeing plains, farmland, and grasses across the countryside, but we quickly noticed something new in the landscape: windmill farms. I'm sure this is an everyday occurrence and not particularly unusual for most people, but this is something that we simply do not see on the east coast. Ben and I could not stop staring at how big they are, and I soon found myself researching how they worked, what they powered, etc. Basically, if you want to know more about windmill farms, I know a thing or two about them now.
       We continued this scenic drive until we reached just outside of Amarillo. Based on a recommendation from my sister and brother-in-law, we decided to go to Home Depot before we did anything else (and, the only Dunkin Donuts in town, mind you. They're getting rarer!). Armed with spray paint, we ventured to Cadillac Ranch just outside of town. Essentially, this is a graveyard of sorts, with half buried Cadillacs in the ground. Spray painting on them is encouraged, so naturally, we wanted to participate!

       For dinner, we went to an amazing pizza restaurant that we found via internet recommendations. We were not disappointed! In the morning, we woke up and headed to our next location: Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Oklahoma City: Bricktown

       As we drove out of Arkansas and into Oklahoma, the rain slowed down. The further we got into this new state, the sunnier it became. We passed a lot of plains, farms, and flat land, until we arrived in Oklahoma City.
       Please note: I've never been to Oklahoma before, and I didn't know what to expect, but when we pulled up to our hotel in Bricktown, a neighborhood in downtown, I was pleasantly surprised; there were so many things to do within walking distance! We checked in and went out to dinner at a restaurant down the street with Ben's friend from work, Joe, who lives in the area. After dinner, we went our separate ways, and Ben and I went to find ice cream for dessert. On the way, we stumbled across canal streets lined with restaurants, shops, and stores. It was beautiful (think a scaled-down version of San Antonio's Riverwalk). We bought our ice cream and walked up and down the canal eating it, talking, and enjoy everything around us. On our way back to the hotel, we noticed that the AAA baseball stadium in Bricktown was open, so we popped in and watched a little bit of a local high school game that was playing there.

The canal streets in Oklahoma City

Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark

       The beautiful weather allowed us to enjoy a good run along the canal in the morning (stopping to pose for pictures with statues along the route, mind you!) and then eat breakfast with a great view. After a stop at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial (which was beautifully done!), we headed out. Like I said, Oklahoma City was a pleasant surprise!

One of the many statues we took pictures with during our run.

The Memorial Fence that still stands as a part of the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.

       Now, it's time to carry on to stop #5: Amarillo, TX!

Arkansas: The Rainy State

       After driving (and playing car games!) for a few hours, Ben and I stopped for lunch in Memphis. Despite the fact that we had barbecue for dinner the night before, we felt like we HAD to take this opportunity to have some more. Thank goodness we did, because Central BBQ in downtown Memphis was AMAZING! Unfortunately, we chose to not explore this city too much as it began pouring down rain around the time we arrived there.
       When we crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas, unfortunately, the weather didn't change much. We spent the next two hours trekking to Little Rock slower than we would have liked because of the torrential downpour. The last thing we wanted to do was go back out in this weather after checking into the hotel, so we settled for a drive through dinner and a movie night instead. If you haven't seen Zootopia, go see it! It was hilarious!!!
        The weather forecast called for another day of rain in Arkansas on Thursday, so we got up early and headed out of town. I wish we could have appreciated this state more, but the rain just made it so uninviting, so sorry for the boring post! Maybe another time we can see what this state has to offer!
       Until then, we'll head to our next stop: Oklahoma City!

Nashville: A "Grand Ole" Time

       After trekking through the corner of South Carolina (why not add one more state when you're that close?!), winding through the Smoky Mountains back in North Carolina, crossing into Tennessee, and stopping for lunch in Knoxville, we finally arrived 7 hours later to our destination of Nashville. I was particularly excited about this stop as I had never been to this city, but had heard many great things about it!
       We accomplished quite a bit considering we only there for about 16 hours total. Upon our arrival, we quickly freshened up, and then ran back out to grab a quick bite at an awesome local barbecue place (Jack's Barbecue). Then, we went to highly anticipated and renowned Grand Ole Opry. I remember watching a movie when I was little where a singer knew she had "made it" once she stood and sang on the Opry stage. I always thought it'd be cool to go see this live, but I never actually thought I'd make it there. Ben heard me say, "This is SO COOL!" far too many times and I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the two hours. If you're a fan of country music and ever come to Nashville, whether or not you know who the artists performing are, you NEED to go to the Grand Ole Opry.
       Afterwards, Ben and I decided to walk around downtown. I was surprised with how busy it was for a Tuesday and how there was a different live band in almost every place!
       I went to bed absolutely exhausted after the long car ride and trying to squeeze in all that this city has to offer. We grabbed coffee and breakfast at an awesome little place a few miles from our hotel before hitting the round to destination #3: Little Rock, AR!

I was so excited when Ben drove us to the South Carolina state line. It's the little things in life...!

Jack's Barbecue was an amazing local BBQ joint!

The Grand Ole Opry stage.

We had such an awesome experience!

Charlotte: On The Hunt

       Allow me to start with this: As a congratulatory gift for Ben on his new job, I said I'd purchase any Dunkin' Donuts he wanted during our trek across the country. When we hit the road on Monday morning, we literally drove a mile away to make our first DD stop. (I should've known; this is his favorite place!) THEN, we actually hit the road, coffee in tow!
       After 6 1/2 hours of driving and a brief stop in downtown Greensboro (NC) for lunch, we arrived at Josh's house in Charlotte. He purchased a fixer-upper about a year and a half ago and we were so impressed with the progress he's made on his home! After a tour of the house, the boys decided they wanted to go to a shooting range. This is SO not my forte, but I'm proud to say that I fired a grand total of 18 shots with a pistol -- 18 more shots than I wanted to take, mind you!
       Josh then cooked us an amazing stromboli for dinner and his roommate, Brian, made some chocolate chip cookies before we went to bed. We woke up the next morning and, as Josh headed off to work, I decided to tidy. I wrapped the cookies from the night before and made a scavenger hunt for Josh to find them. (Let's be honest. Why wouldn't I do this?!) While I was deviously running around the house, sticky notes and pen in hand, Ben sat in the kitchen, eating the cookies. What's the best kind of scavenger hunt? One that leads to nothing. Have fun, Josh! Thanks for hosting us! Brian - the cookies were delicious!

 Onto our next destination: Nashville, TN!

California, Here We Come!

          For those of you that don't know, my husband and I will be driving across the country to our new home in the suburbs of San Francisco, CA. We recently returned to the Washington, D.C. area having secured a place to call "home" for at least the next year. Although it will be costing us an arm and a leg in the ridiculous SF housing market, we're still very excited about our new beginning in The Golden State!
          While there, we were able to not only find a home, but enjoy bountiful amounts of sunshine (it was sunny and 75 nearly every day!), drive down the Pacific Highway to Santa Cruz, and watch the sunset from the tops of sea cliffs at night. We loved the excitement we got while exploring this previously unknown area, and are looking forward to journeying across our country to get there!

Sitting on top of a sea cliff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. (I was talking to my dad on the phone when this picture was taken. What a view!)

My sister and brother-in-law got engaged on this beach. Later, we found this picture of my parents in front of the Golden Gate Bridge from the 80s. Naturally, we had to take our own photo there, too!

This was the most beautiful sunset I've seen in my life! Taken in Half Moon Bay, CA.

          With that being said, tonight marks our last evening in the D.C. area. Although bittersweet, we were fortunate enough to spend time with all of our family members that are local over the past few days. Furthermore, we'll be staying with some more siblings along the way! In fact, Ben and I are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning to begin our adventure by first stopping to visit Josh (my brother-in-law) in Charlotte, N.C..
          It will take us several days, but California, here we come!