Chicago trip journals

(so mollz has something to read... she can read what I have thusfar:)

5am 28 june 06

Utah

I look out the window to see nothingness all around me. The sunset here was mezmerizing. It was as if we were driving through a painting. The sky was filled with warm hues and soft whispers of color. At least that was something.

The two of them looked about the vast open space eagerly. I sat here and yawned. They ooo'ed and awe'd as if this mass surroundings of earth were something exciting. There stands the differences locality and culture bring.

This is nothing new to me. The road seems tired and passed... I have travelled it many times in years past. To think, these roads lead me to my happiness. Time is something that you never seem to run out of on trips like these. It gives ample opportunity to reflect on the past... the tears that were strewn driving in the opposite direction from hardships of a long lost heart... a different person... to shape anew.

The present lies filled with sadness as well. He looks at me and I can just literally feel the love that man has for me exudeing from him. I smile back at him, lay back and try to close my eyes. I should be resting now.

But there is so much on my mind now. Worry about friends... amongst other things floating around in the abyss that are my thoughts (in my head). Vacations are just a jumble of craziness. On top of that, our recent move. We haven't really had time to rest much in the past couple of months. It's been stressful for all of us. Ironically, even though we are on vacation… we will be on the constant go in order to maximize the 3 weeks of time he has off. Ah, you know you just have got to love irony.

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620am 28 june 06

Goodbye 15, Hello 70...

We're on thye way to Denver now. The sun hasn't quite completely risen yet. The sky glows yellow like heaven.

I think about SLC Punk as we drive. I remember when Steve-o talked about how the Dawmer Party thought this was "The Promised Land." Ok, it is beautiful here. I will give them that (at least).

Still there is nothing. Just hills of shrubs over a dusty plane. I wish I could sleep. The click of the keys makes me complacent though. It feels so natural and relaxing to me. Perhaps writing a bit will help.

We took pictures of the sun as it started to peek over the hill. A quick brisk whiff of air filled the car as he opened and closed the window. Any chance I've had at sleep feels completely lost in one swift breath of thin wind. We must be 7000 feet above sea level now. I wish my bloody ears would pop already.

The rocks around us look as if they were chiseled by some gigantic being. I must admit, I am so awestruck by the grandeur of it's majesty. It's absolutely wondrous.

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204pm 28 june 06

Along the Colorado River

Well after a near bout of heat exhaustion and a personal leak, my shift is over. He’s at the wheel whilst I type away my random scibblings of virtual monologue. I’m under a blue tent of covers to shade my eyes in order to write this. Oh the sun… how I love you and hate you so all at the same time.

When I got up to fill the tank after this long road of no stations, gravity hit hard. Luckily my new favorite goucho pants weren’t ruined (thankfully). I was worried as I wrapped the/a towel around my waist. Was this going to be even more so a nightmare in that restroom. That’s one luxury men have that I s’pose I will always be envious of.

Whoever the man was that said that women can’t multitask, has no clue what they are talking about. No, in fact women have to master bathroom acrobatics. It’s in our secret cult finishing school… complete with elaborate techniques that even the greatest of Zen and contortionist masters alike even have difficulty learning.

Add to that, the tears being shed, and it makes for one horrific thing for a woman to endure. Ah yes the hot sun… the joys of latrine hovering… trying not to get herpe-gona-syphalis on your hands... and that last joyful special visit that just couldn’t possibly have waited a few days to arrive.

And then, in this one of the bleakest hours of a woman’s life… without warning… the skies opened up. And light shined down upon me. My eyes were closed tight with embarrassment. I would never have in a million years imagined this to happen. Especially with my luck with porta potties recently… but that’s a different story entirely.

I walked into the gas station. I feared what every woman dreads. But instead was floored by the heavenly sight before me. Yes, the mother of all gas station toilets. Hell, they were cleaner than any that I’d ever set eyes on in any of my travels… and not just in gas stations, and a score of 3 star hotels. My eyes gleamed, a plastered smile on my face. Thank you, thank you. If ever I knew there was a God, this was the time. Ironically as it were… it was in Utah. Go figure.

All cleaned up, I headed back to the car. The Monster hadn’t quite hit the wall with me just yet. So I drove until I literally fell over from exhaustion. I pulled over and He rubbed ice all over my body. Yes, I am that much of a ghost as it were. The ice melted almost instantaneously.

So, I know what you are probably wondering. Did I sleep yet? The answer would be, of course not. Even after I felt I would pass out immediately, it, once again, just hasn’t come yet. I have gotten probably a power nap this entire trip. It’s draining on so many levels.

Colorado blows Utah out of the water. This has to be the most spectacularly scenic part of the trip, and I am covered in a tent typing… tempting the sandman to come get me. I won’t lie. I’m disappointed about it. But it makes illogical sense, so that’s about right for me.

I called Daddy to tell him how I was. We talked about my brother a bit. It was a mixed result. I guess at this point, I’m too tired to want to deal with drama of any sort. So let bygones be bygones… at least for now.

Ok, well I actually think I may be able to finally rest a bit now. It is daylight anyway. I’m more nocturnal. zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz (244pm)

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13 july 06 720 cst

The road home

So we’ve been on the road about 6 hours or so. It hasn’t been too bad. Anj is driving as I nap and type here. This trip should go by faster. Aunt Flo has left town, making for an easier trip on outta J-town.

We made a few stops before heading out though. We made a quick stop over at Sam’s for some last minute travel essentials/necessities. We said our goodbyes to everyone down at Arnie’s. John Paul got a huge box of swords in the mail today. Then we headed out to Tina’s to grab her computer, so that Andre could fix it. Ah, there are some perks to being good friends with us I ‘spose.

The two of them had never had White Castle, so we made a point to snag some as we left. It was funny how they looked curiously at the sliders. I snapped some pictures.

These states are relatively boring to me. They’re all flat lands of country. We passed the arch a bit ago. The two of them ooo’ed and gawked at it. Once again, it was another new experience for them. Me? I’ve traveled these roads many a time before. I probably take it for granted.

I snapped some pictures as we passed by the arch. There are tons of pictures from our trip on here. In one folder alone, there were 350 photos. It’s going to be a gigantic project just getting them up and loaded alone. Man, and that is only one of the many things on the “to do list” when we get back.

It’s funny how short a vacation can seem when you are enjoying yourself. I only wish that I had time to see everyone. For a long vacation, it was pretty short. If that makes any sense, I guess.

About a couple of hours ago, I tried calling Dave. Andre had headed the wrong way, and we almost were in Indiana. It was kind of Ironic actually. We were wanting to go and visit him before we left, but just plum ran out of time.

I’d predicted that we would be heading out of town when I got “the call” from Dave. Sure enough, it happened. He was actually calling from the hospital where Nicole was already in labor- dialated 3 centimeters. I really wish that I’d had the time to go and head on back to see the new baby. However, I will have to give my congratulations from the road most likely.

Andre has more vacation time anyway; since he didn’t use it this time around, so I will try and make a point to see them then. Once again, falling victim, to the normal complications of life and schedules. Blah.

The boys are keeping tabs on how many truckers will honk at me. It’s actually pretty funny in a way. I remember doing that sign so much as a little girl on many road trips growing up. I should teach Ethan and Maddox. Perhaps I will next year.

We are gaining and losing time on the way back. We gain two hours driving through the time zones. However, at the same time, we lose the two hours, because nights and weekends don’t beguin until nine o’clock pm. Le sigh. Oh well, you can’t win em all.

I wrote some random realizations throughout the time of my trip. They’re mini monologues. I want to glance through them and the pictures for a bit before I take a nap. So, until my next chapter, I’m signing off.