Conclusion

Needless to say, I’m disappointed the road trip is over. It was a great 2 months that went by so quickly. In those 2 months we were able to see America from a unique vantage point. Driving through the beautiful scenery proved that this trip was not just about the destination but the journey. I was awed, amazed and inspired by the beauty that I am so fortunate to live in. We met so many great, friendly people in our travels. In our 2 months we really only scratched the surface of what there is to see and do in this country. This fact is further proven by 2 couples we met who have been traveling the USA in their RVs for over 3 years now. I’m so glad we expanded our trip to include many national parks other than just American cities. I am deeply grateful to the National Park Service for preserving so many places of beauty in this country. Once I am gainfully employed I plan to make a donation to see the continued success of the National Park system to educate, protect and preserve the enormous amount of beauty in our country’s boundaries. Though having some commercialized development near a natural wonder is a little upsetting, it does get people out to see the wonders in the USA.

Going in the fall afforded us the opportunity to see many sights and cities with less people, and saved us money at off season hotels and hostels, but the cold ended up costing us more as we went on b/c I don’t have a winter sleeping bag. And Josh was kind of sick of camping since he did that for 6 months on the trail. One of the best parts of this trip was seeing all of our friends and family who live in their own pockets of the USA and who welcomed us into their homes! The best way to see a city or town is to have a local take you around :) Thanks to everyone who put us up for a few days! We will certainly return the favor.

Maybe it’s because I grew up on the East coast, but as we kept driving, and we were surrounded by the incredible Rocky Mountains, it was a constant reminder that we were making the right decision. The vastness of the move, and the fact that we were moving closer to the mountains and new things....made you get excited and ready to start a new chapter. I know Westerners come to the East coast and are enamoured by its beaches, large cities with so much to offer and great food :)but there is truly something unique about the West. Especially in the Southwest where the Native American culture is shared and celebrated, you can really gain a sense of roots in the USA.

I was excited to see all the different state license plates we saw out on the road (though, for the record, I only saw one Jersey license) b/c it meant that others were getting out there and seeing this country, too. I’ve traveled for a long period of time before in Europe, and this experience was just as rich in different ways. Though, I kept hearing my mom’s voice in my head when we’d see something truly special. “America First!” she loves to say.

Travel is great for the mind, body (man I’ve enjoyed those McDonald’s fries, ha! Kidding, we ate a lot of local food, too) and soul. It renews your sense of wonder and hunger, challenges you in situations and ways that your daily routine won’t. Makes you excited to get out there to see, feel and touch things. Not to mention the great memories, laughs and stories you’ll keep for a lifetime.

Always remember, in the words of Supertramp: Take the long way home!! We certainly did, and it was worth every penny.

Now on to life’s next adventure: finding a good job, friends and fun in our new city! Please come visit us in Denver, Colorado. Thanks for reading, I hope you had as much fun following us as we did exploring. Thanks for all your support over the past 2 months as we’ve been traveling, finding our new place to live in an unconventional way. We really appreciate it and We miss everyone.

Until next time…Happy Trails!

Things to do on next trip:

More photos of places we’ve eaten

Keep better track of our quotes of the day

Find more time to write the blog and in my own journal

Incorporate more photos of stuffed animals. They were funny!

More photos of just us i.e. hound more people

Have more money (when ISN’T this part of a list?)

Buy a winter-rated sleeping bag