Talk about a dream, try to make it real

Today, Wojc and I pack up and head out on the highway.  In June we decided to live out a dream to drive cross country.  We had been in Manhattan for three years and knew our time there was up, we are west coast souls and wanted to head back.  I quit my job, we bought a truck, loaded up our belongings including a motorcycle and after a tearful goodbye with my sister and her husband we set off across the George Washington bridge and through blinding tears left the beautiful city I'd called home.

We didn't plan our itinerary and took it day by day.  We took a southern route, camping the whole way.
What an adventure it was, one of the best in my life.  Since I was a young child, I dreamt about and planned my own road trip adventure.  To finally realize that dream was so satisfying; I do not regret my decisions at all.
We covered so much ground, met interesting locals, slept in beautiful forests, swam in warm lakes and side tripped in the morning on the ducati.  Sure there was an argument or two mixed in with all this dreaminess and one or two painful nights in rest area parking lots, an illness and a rainy night; but as with so many trips, I have nothing but fond memories today.

Our trip has taken us through several states, five months and countless memories.  Our travels continue today as we head to our old Pacific Northwest stomping grounds to reunite with the people I love most and plan the next leg of the trip.  As exhausting as travel can be, I long to hit the road and see my progress on a map.  In honor of getting back in the traveling spirit, I'll be doing a few posts covering my very own travel tips in the coming days.

A Place Without Expectation

 It's mid-November and just recently it's started to feel like fall.  I've been trapped in a little bubble of sorts.  Spending the end of October and November in Lake Havasu has suspended time for me, it's always summer here.  I know that heading back to Oregon for a Thanksgiving trip is going to be a rude awakening.  I left on this extended road trip in June, just when summer was beginning and in the past five months I've been living my very own never ending summer.  In this bubble it's difficult to remember that just around the corner is December.  I don't know if it's good that time feels suspended or bad that the year is almost over without me realizing it.   The weather is cooling to a nippy 65-70 degrees during the day and compared to the very recent 95 degree days, this is cold.  It seems all of Lake Havasu is sick this week and everyone talks of the "cold" weather.  It is amazing what a 20 degree decrease will do to your body. I guess this is good preparation for my impeding move north.  Considering Port Orford is known for it's rainy days and 50 degree temperatures, I think this ease into winter is a healthier adjustment.

Enough weather talk.

Wojc and I, in an attempt to really draw out the nice weather and make the most of our last days in Arizona, headed north and went on a hike in the hills.  We had really good timing and witnessed possibly the most spectacular sunset yet.

Will everyone please visit Arizona with me every fall?  I know I sound like a broken record, but it's a truly beautiful spot.

Life List

What started as a "30 before 30" list on my old blog has now morphed into a "life list" that is circulating the blogging world.  Many of these were already written down in a journal pre-blogging and have since been completed.  But what's a list if you can't immediately cross something off?

1.  Take a photography class

2.  Learn to ride a motorcycle

3.  Surf

4.  Go to India

5.  Apply to grad school

6.  Run a half marathon

7.  Become a better cook

8.  Go vegan for at least 3 months to see how I feel

9. Take a cross-country road trip

10.  Swim in every major ocean 


11.  Write everyday for a month


12.  Write a book.


13.  Successfully knit a scarf.


14.  Wear sunblock everyday that I go outside.


15.  Get over my fear of snakes.


16.  Learn to enjoy flying again.


17.  Finish graduate school


What goals would you like to accomplish in your life?

Sunday Stream

Well folks I'm not feeling so great today.  I've been feeling pretty sick ever since the weather cooled down and today was the topper.  I've done nothing but lay in bed, drink endless cups of raspberry tea and soak in a bath; unfortunately, this shows in my blogging.  

No adventures to report today, only that I'll be driving back to the town I called home for 19 years in three days.  It's about a 17 hour drive so it will take us at least two days.  In Port Orford I'll have to finalize the next stage of my adventure and I  do have a few ideas brewing. 

the hometown port

I'm pretty sad to be sick the last days in Havasu.  The weather is slowly creeping back to the 80s and while it is windy, it's bright and sunny.  I'd love to spend the last couple days riding around the hills and exploring, here's hoping to better health.

Speaking of health, isn't it crazy how much we take good health for granted? Oh sure, I have moments when I'm aware, but for the most part I only realize it when I'm sick in bed.  Whenever I'm sick I get the urge to run, swim, paint, dance and everything else that I should be doing more often day to day.  

Another thing, is there anyone else out there that thinks they will never not be sick when you are sick? Did that make sense? 

Speaking of being sick and uninsured (which sucks to put it bluntly), please watch this Daily Show bit.  I tried to post video, but follow the link instead.  

In other news, here's a picture of Wojc when we spent 4th of July in Asheville, NC.  

long live the segway. and turkeys.

The Gazelle

As a I prepare to head north and spend a few weeks in Port Orford, I'm trying to come up with a few things to keep me entertained as the weekdays can be a bit on the dull side while everyone is at work.
When I was in New York last month, my sister, Echo and I stopped to browse at Anthropologie after checking out the Museum of Modern Art.  I was drooling over the whole store when I came across these  busts of animals.  After closer inspection I realized they were papier mache and I immediately wanted to try for myself.

Not only do I enjoy an occasional craft, but I'd love to save the $70 that it costs in the store.  I plan to try my luck at making one of these when I'm at my mom's.  I'm thinking you could mold a wire frame and papier mache it.  Any suggestions on making this work? Moreover, anyone want to try it?
Another craft project I'm excited to make is a wall hanging similar to the one I saw on Etsy:

A Day Late

As many of you know, I am very outspoken in my opposition to the Iraqi war.  I devoted day after day in college to organizing protests and student walk outs at the University of Washington campus.  I drove the 18 hours to San Francisco to protest and remember so clearly the utter sadness I felt on the day the bombing began back in March 2003.  And yet, I do support the troops.  I support them on an individual human level.  I might not agree with war, specifically such unjust war, but I will always hope the best for a fellow human.
Yesterday, I helped a Vietnam veteran and his wife move a love seat to their home so they could have a comfortable place to relax poolside.  At their house, couch unloaded, I was given a tour of their home and learned they had fostered over 20 kids throughout their lifetime.  These are the type of people you hope will foster.  In it for the right reasons.
Upon leaving, the woman brought out an antique dinosaur that she wanted to gift me with.
It was the highlight of my week getting to meet this couple.  They truly seemed surrounded by "goodness", to help them was a pleasure.  It's inspiring to see an older couple so involved and adventurous and compassionate, kind of gives a young person some growing old inspiration.
As I drove away, I realized how good it felt to help someone and better yet on veteran's day.  Politics aside, we need to support people and empathize.  We need to rally together and try to stop war and conflict and when that doesn't work and a war is still raging, we need to work to keep the soldiers safe and healthy upon returning from a life altering battle.
Happy Veteran's Day (a day late).
Now let's bring the troops home.

Pick a Direction and Go

There are times, few and far between, when I ache for New York.  I don't regret moving for a minute but before I can catch it, I find myself missing the speed in the city.  The feeling of being in the middle of it all; how can you have regrets when you are living in the best city in the world? There's a feeling when you live in New York that you can't go anywhere but down after leaving.

When I'm on the back of the bike, the sun beating down and the desert all around; it's times like these that I long to be flying down Broadway to the end of the island.  Weaving in and out of traffic and feeling the enormity of the great high rise beasts rising up around you.  Cruising through times square on the back of a bike is thrilling.  Ride after ride, I never tired of seeing the skyline and all the activity rushing around you.

Arizona is nice, but it just doesn't compare to that concrete jungle for riding.

On that note, Wojc and I went on our nightly ride in the chilly (for Havasu) air.  We rode up Bison Dr in search of a dirt road that leads to waterfalls.

We drove up the gravel road but couldn't make it far on the ducati.  The gravel was deep and the rocks large, it definitely felt like we were either going to blow a tire or fall.

We stopped to enjoy the view and snap some pictures of our motorcycle chic ;)  This was perfect timing so I could use the pics to take part in the giveaway on girls gone child.  This weeks giveaway is a pair of Minnetonka shoes which I have desperately wanted for almost a year now.  And so, without further ado, my outfit pictures:

Boots-Frye
Jeans-H&M
Cardigan-H&M
Jacket-Nicole Miller
Scarf-Gift
Shades-Street vendor in NYC

Ok, so maybe I don't miss NYC that much.