Adventurous Life

Before embarking on the roadtrip, and even while traveling, many of the people who we told about our trip said, "Wow, that's a once in a lifetime opportunity." I know they meant well, but hearing that phrase always made me sad. Partly because I think it's tragic how people place limitations on themselves and their lives, and instead conform to the standards of our cultures. But it also brought be down because I feared that they might be right. That that trip might have been my only adventure in life.

But while we were in Colorado I applied to multiple AmeriCorps VISTA positions, and in Arizona I had a phone interview for one. After we returned to Washington, it was confirmed that the organization had hired me. The exciting part was that the organization is in New York City -- a place I had been only once, for less than a day while we were on the roadtrip. So 5 months after returning from “the trip of a lifetime” I got on a plane (eventually…that’s a funny story) and moved to NYC.

What’s especially cool about this is that before leaving on the roadtrip (by at least a year) I had made a list of things that I wanted to experience in life. Sort of like a bucket list. One of the “goals” was to live somewhere that terrified me (like a HUGE city, or, as I learned on the roadtrip, a ridiculously tiny town) for at least a year. And in July 2011 I accomplished that goal.

I have enjoyed many awesome adventures while in NYC (I'm nearing 2 years here now) and I have many photos to prove it, but sadly Bradellina didn't get out much. So his/her stories are a little less exciting.

A couple months after moving to the city, I joined some newly made friends and one of my roommates on a trip to the beach. Bradellina also decided to join us, and was actually really excited. Unfortunately he/she has a forgetful mother (part of why I should never have kids) and I never remembered to take him/her out of the backpack once we got to the beach. It was probably for the best, though -- he/she burns very easily. 

Return of the Jedi

On September 27, 2009, Hannah, Bradellina and I drove out of Western Washington and began an epic journey that took us to 48 of the 50 United States of America. Four and half months later we returned to Washington State. Being back was difficult at first. We were used to a certain way of life (being somewhere new every few days, for example, and well, being around each other all the time), and things were drastically different when we returned. Hannah stayed on her home island with her family, and Bradellina and I returned to my college town to stay with a friend. I literally had less than $100 to live off of until my tax return came through, and I had to replace Pete's tires ASAP (there was a hole in one of them -- not quite sure how we survived), so I started using my credit card and began donating plasma once a week. I would use the 20 bucks I made to buy food one week and gas the next week. Eventually I started cleaning my friend's mom's office at night, which was much better. It may sound strange, but that was the poorest I've ever been and probably the most relaxed I've ever been at the same time.

Since Hannah and I were born only two days apart, we sometimes celebrate together, and one of our favorite ways is to go camping. So in June the three of us reunited to go camping by a river. It was awesome.

We did all the usual camping things, like build a fire, hike a snowy mountain, cook hot dogs, wash up in a freezing cold river, etc.

 

And just like when we were staying in creepy places while on the roadtrip, we made sure to keep weapons nearby while we were sleeping.

Backdrops

It was pretty cool to experience how different parts of the U.S. are from each other. Most states have certain stereotypes associated with them, and yet often we wouldn't have know that we'd crossed into another state if there hadn't been a giant sign letting us know. And actually we took backroads into Colorado, where there definitely aren't any signs (let alone pavement), so we didn't know when we had officially crossed the border.

Here's a shot of Bradellina as we drove through North Dakota. I think this was one of the stretches we experienced in the midwest where it looked like the edge of the world was just out of view, and eventually we would plummet off when we finally reached the end of the road.

If you've ever spent a long period of time in a radically different area from what you're used to, you might start to miss things that you never thought you'd care about, simply because it's familiar. Right now I experience this phenomenon with strip malls and parking lots. I'm living in New York City, but I grew up in Washington State (no, not Seattle). In NYC almost every bit of land is stacked with buildings, so when make the occasional trip to New Jersey, I get really excited when I see stores that are only one story high and have huge plots where nothing is built at all, but rather they just painted lines on the ground. You're probably making fun of me right now, but I challenge you to live somewhere very different from your usual place for at least a year, and then you'll know what I'm talking about. BUT the point of that little ramble is that that is what the below-pictured Starbucks was for us on the roadtrip. The Southeast doesn't have many Starbucks, so when we found one in Amarillo, TX we were way over-excited.

I think one of my favorite places we got to stay while on the roadtrip was the ranch in Oklahoma. It was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Right up there with the ocean. We were there in early January, so it was freezing, but there were no clouds so at night you could see every star God created (that might be an over-exaggeration, but that's what it felt like). We got to help out on the ranch, which was hard work, and yet so easy to do because of the easy-going pace. There was no TV, no internet, very little cell phone reception, and that just made life seem so simple. Someday I would LOVE to go live and work on a ranch like that. Bradellina loved his/her time there, too, where it was just him/her and his/her music. 

A few states later we were in Las Vegas (Vegas, baby, yeah! Riiiiight...). We had fun getting play slot machines and some of the simpler card games. I think the best part of Vegas was when we visited Fremont Street, an area north of the Strip. That's where Hannah procured this awesome cowboy boot cup, which she and Bradellina shared (yes, he/she is over 21 years of age, so he/she was drinking and gambling legally).

You've Got a Friend in Me

Just like Hannah and I, Bradellina made many friends while on the roadtrip. Some were camera shy, but here are some of the more outgoing ones.

In South Carolina we stayed with some friends on the Columbia International University campus, and one day Bradellina ran into this guy in the hallway. He was tall gnome, and his bird enjoyed the tunes Bradellina had to offer.

 

In Florida we stayed with some of Hannah's family, and they too had adopted a couple of gnomes. They were kind of busy-bodies (the gnomes, not Hannah's family), but they were very hospitable and friendly.

 

We landed in Jackson, Mississippi for the entire month of December, so we made LOTS of friends there.

One was this little tramper (as in traveler, not the other kind...although I guess we didn't know him that well...) climbed into our car without invitation, but ended up winning our hearts. I don't like most cats, but I would've let this one come with us if I had thought he'd enjoy it. Pete was packed with all sorts of our gear, so Bradellina didn't get much attention from this kitty.

 

While in Jackson, Hannah and I were both able to get seasonal jobs, and we stayed at one of her co-worker's (Shana) houses for a few weeks. They had two dogs, Zeus and Roxy (pictured), who were naughty little pups but oh so adorable. Roxy didn't quite know what to do with Bradellina.

 

 

This co-worker lived on the outskirts of Jackson, basically in the boonies. The entire time we stayed with them, there was this awful stench outside near where we parked. On the day we departed, we stood outside saying our good-byes to Shana and Zeus and Roxy (Brad, Shana's husband, had to work) and we finally mentioned the smell. Shana's response (and don't forget to read in a Southern accent) was, "Oh, that's the deer's head." Hannah and I of course had to check it out, and Bradellina, being the adventurer he/she is, had to take a picture with the deer head. BTW, the beloved deer provided some delicious meals while we were there, including deer-sgetti and deer-steak, so he did not die in vain. 

Fast-forward to Colorado and small mountain town of Breckenridge, where Bradellina met Alvin (the one and only) and a tiny dinosaur. 

  

There was some drama when we stayed in Southern California. The gnome of the family we stayed with in San Diego quickly developed feelings for Bradellina, which can be clearly seen in the photo below. Bradellina thought the gnome very nice, with a good personality, but he/she just isn't attracted to gnomes who are taller than him/her. So unfortunately Bradellina had to let the poor, lovestruck gnome down, and the rest of our stay there was a little uncomfortable for both of them.

Many other friends were made during the roadtrip, but in the end, when Hannah, Bradellina, Pete and I returned to Washington (the state), it was Mr. Fishy (he has a far longer and more impressive sounding name, but I forgot it long ago) and Red Riding Hood who had stuck by us. 
 

A Little Motion in the Ocean

In November Hannah and spent some time in Florida. For most Floridians November is part of the cold months, but for two Pacific Northwesterners, it was perfect beach weather! I have never experienced warm ocean water, so it was amazing to swim in the Atlantic without freezing.

While enjoying the sun, Bradellina caught a rare glimpse of the Hunger Averting Neon Neanderthal of the Atlantic Harbor. Also commonly called H.A.N.N.A.H.

A funny story from our day at the beach: while we were swimming around, a few guys showed up with snorkels and a spear gun to go shark hunting. Not at all related to this picture, but it's still a memory I associate with the day.

All-in-all it was a great, beautiful day and Bradellina had a blast. He/she did find sand in his/her pants for the next week, though.

Why, Oming? Soul far...

Here's Bradellina, chillin' in Original Pete, in the parking lot of a hostel in Wyoming. Funny story about this hostel, when we arrived in our room it was freezing and the heater didn't seem to work. So Hannah and I decided it would be a good idea to turn the shower onto hot and let it run for a little while, say long enough to go grab dinner. This would have been a wonderful plan, if it weren't for the water smelling like sulfur. Yup. When we got back to the room it reeked. But it was a little warmer.

No Small Potatoes

On the roadtrip we exited Washington to the east, so Idaho was our next stop. Here's Bradellina enjoying Lake Coeur d'Alene in September 2009. While there we saw the moose that we never ended up seeing in Maine.

Some Introductions

This is my first travel gnome, Bradellina. He was adopted by my former roommate and current friend, Abby, from a Goodwill in our college town. He was obviously male because of the beard, yet obviously female because of the eyes. So we named him/her Bradellina. There's more of a reason for that, but I don't think it's safe to go into that story here. Abby and I used to hide him/her around our apartment for each other to find. I remember one time I came home really late, and I believe after being gone on a mission trip for a week, and I laid down in bed and immediately felt something hard under my pillow. I thought something had died there and hardened. Yet I still reached my hand in to find out what it was. Thankfully, it was this little guy, here pictured on the first day of our epic roadtrip around the United States (which you can read about more here).

And here's a profile shot of Original Pete, the car version. He got us to all of the continental 48 states, some of them more than once. Sadly I had to sell him a few months after we returned home because I moved to New York City. But hopefully he's making someone else's dreams come true now.