Day 6...Sedona...or...I've Found My Home

Today, I found myself in Sedona.  The day started with me in not such a great mood, and ended with such a feel of peace.  This is the feel that I had last year after driving through Yellowstone.  A sense of understanding, remembering that the world is so much bigger than my small corner of it, remembering that the world is so much smaller than we realize as well.  We all share the same air, the same space.  We are all brothers and sisters, all teachers and students, all striving for the same general thing: peace.
I spent a lot of time alone today, and a lot of time with others.  Learning from myself and learning from strangers.
When I got to Sedona today, I was tired.  I was exhausted.  I had driven too far and had been away too long.  I was worried about those I love, worried about my job, worried about loyalty scores, missing my co-workers at my branch.  The stress was palpable and radiating off of me.  My mind couldn't still and I considered seeing if I could get a flight home earlier.
Sedona has rejuvenated me.  I only wish I had more time here to relax and recharge.  But already, I'm more recharged then I've been in a long while.  There is a smile on my face.  
....and I know what is to thank for that smile.  :)
May have to come back soon.

Wow.  That was deep.  

Day 5 photos and recap now that I've slept

Just a few photos of yesterday's travels taken with my iPhone....top two are in Arches National Park in Moab, UT.  I loved it there and it will be on my list of places to go back to.  It was like being in the middle of a Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote skit.  I just kept waiting for one of the big rocks to fall on someone's head.
The last two are my feet standing on Four Corners, and the Grand Canyon.
More photos from the real camera:

It was a long drive across Arizona from Four Corners yesterday.  A lot of two lane roads and road construction that held up the process.
I found it interesting how many roadside stands were along the way from Four Corners to the Grand Canyon.  I imagine it's the route that most tourists take between those two points, and it goes directly through the middle of the Navajo Indian Reservation.  Along this road are innumerable stands selling Navajo rugs, pottery, and jewelery.  The land is very desolate and the housing is far, far below what we in the Midwest would consider standard.  I wish I could stop at every roadside stand and buy something to help support them, but it would be impossible.  It's hard to believe that just 100 miles away are posh retirement communities and lush golf courses.  Don't worry, I'm still republican, but this kind of inequity is compelling.

So far, I'm surprised by lack of wildlife I have seen on this adventure.  I'm sure my night in Vegas will cure that issue.....

Day...um 5? I think?

It has been a long day and this internet connection leaves a lot to be desired...I can't seem to upload any of my photos.  I'm certain it has to do with the two bus loads of Japanese tourists that arrived.  They all had one small hard cover suitcase and one computer bag.  I'm guessing the internet connection at the hotel is way overloaded right about now.  I know the hot tub was.
I will write more tomorrow morning before I head to Sedona, I'm hoping I can upload today's photos.

Today was filled with fabulous sights, but hitting two national parks and a tourist trap does wear on a girl.  Forgive me, I'll write more tomorrow.

Day 4...Moab, UT

What a very cool day.  The trip out of Aspen was gorgeous and easy.  There were no more white knuckle moments as I left the Rocky Mountains and headed on to the Red Rocks of Utah.
I did have a slight mishap in Glenwood Springs, CO.  I got to meet one of GSPD's finest.  I got pulled over going a wee bit too fast through town.  Apparently it was 25mph, and I just don't go that slow.  Luckily, the kind officer took pity on me and let me go with a warning.  I'm guessing that doing the paperwork on a woman with a MN license, driving a WA registered rental car, in the middle of CO was just too much.  I also had to take the car through a car wash today.  I had 1000 miles worth of dead bugs on the car, and it was getting more than a little disgusting. 
I am now hanging out in Moab, Utah.  It is on the edge of of Arches National Park.  I didn't head up into the park yet, because I went in search of the above petroglyphs.  All I had was directions, and the glyphs aren't marked as I thought they would be.  But, I found them, and they were amazing.  It fascinated me to be able to touch something so old, so important to history.
I had dinner tonight from the "Moab Diner".  If ever a place should be on "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives", this place should be.  It was such a dive, and so so busy.  This city is loaded with tourists, but this place, you could tell, was for the locals.  They have a green chili cheese sauce that they put on everything.  I had an open faced roast beef sandwich, and it was smothered in their famous sauce.  It was out of this world good.
Part of me has been a little homesick...I love being on the road and gone, but I also miss the people I love who aren't with me.  I'm thrilled to be the only person I have to answer to, but I also don't have anyone here to get all keyed up over rock carvings with me.  Okay, well, maybe I'd still be the only one that gets keyed up over petroglyphs....

Aspen...or...Day 3...or...Can I Get An Advil?

Good Evening from Aspen Colorado!  I am thrilled to be here if only that means that I survived driving across Independence Pass.  12,000 + feet.....above the tree line.  It wouldn't have been so bad if what went up didn't have to come back down.  And wouldn't be even as bad as than if not for the bleepity-bleeping idiot in the BMW tailgating me all the way down into Aspen.  But alas, I am here.

I was a little sad to leave the corn of Nebraska behind.  I shed a tear as I crossed the border into Colorado...and it seemed forever before the mountains finally started to fill the horizon. 
It was a very amazing trip across the mountains.  I'm sad to report that I didn't see much in the way of wildlife.  But the views and vistas were incredible.  I saw several old broken down gold mine thingamabobs set up over the cricks and even a few old broken mine shafts as well.  I believe last year I said that I would bring along a gold pan, and again, didn't.  It's too bad, because there must be, must be, must be gold in them thar hills.


I promise I will post a few photos before I go to bed, but I noticed that The Innsbruck of Aspen has bathtubs with jets for weary ski bunnies....and me.

North Platte

Where you say?  North Platte.
After spending the morning at the zoo...I decided to stop for the night in North Platte, Nebraska.  What's here you ask?  Corn.  Lots and lots of corn.  We hit the mountains tomorrow.

Omaha....like Iowa, only further West - or Day 1

We have happily reached the end of day of day 1.  I just got back from going to a movie..."Eat, Pray, Love".  It was a wonderful movie about a woman who sets off on a travel adventure to find herself.  Hmmm, somehow I related to it.  Go figure.
I didn't make it to the Omaha Zoo today, I rolled into town and found out that the zoo closes at 5:00 after labor day, so I'll head there tomorrow before I leave town.  It is one of the things I really wanted to do, so I'm really going to.  I am not sure if that means I'll make it all the way to Cheyenne tomorrow or not.  I'll keep you posted.

I did have some interesting observations from my first day in the little Toyota Camry....
It doesn't take driving very far south before some sort of southern twang kicks into the accents.  Just a few miles west of Des Moines,  I could have sworn I was in Arkansas - and I got called ma'am five times in my stop at the gas station.
I find it very humorous to stop at gas stations for a few minutes and then get on the road and pass the same people I passed earlier.  Part of me thinks I'm running a race and I just lapped these people.  I'm guessing my dad would say I'm driving too fast. 

...sorry dad.  :)