Washington Is The Best State: Road Trip Diaries -- Part Three

July 14, 2015
Day 12
Hours on the Road: 5
States Traversed: Washington

We explored a fort. And it was amazing.
We drove to Whidbey Island, which included a ferry ride, and then spent the day running all over an abandoned WWI fort. There was super intense hide and seek, role playing Star Wars, exploration of pitch-black corridors, and climbing on rooftops.
It was wonderful.
Eventually we wanted to go to the beach, so we went behind the fort and ta-da! ocean.
The water was freezing, again. Sigh.
But there was loads and loads of driftwood, so instead of swimming/wading, we built our own fort. Someone had started it, we just cleared it out and expanded. A lot. We gave it at least twice the area, and probably added a foot of height.
It was so legit, and I am very proud of that fort.
This day was probably the best day of the entire summer.
Like, running around, climbing over driftwood, exploring, just being a kid... My soul needed it. Wow it was good. Wind and salt and pebbles in your shoes and echoes in ghostly corridors and scrapes on your knees... That is so good for you.

July 15, 2015
Day 13
Hours on the Road: 3, I think?
States Traversed: Washington

Into Seattle!
We hit up Pike's Place today. You know, where the original Starbucks was (which we didn't go to, because there was a stupidly long line and a local coffee shop like, right around the corner).
There were so. many. people.
Here's the thing, I liked Pike's Place Market, quite a lot, but I think I would have liked it better without the five younger children. I adore my younger siblings and cousins, but a very crowded outdoor market in the summer is not the best place for them.
That being said, it's a wonderful, thrilling place. Art and flowers and coffee and bakeries and people and food and bookstores and fish and more flowers and wow it is cool.
I would looove to go back and spend loads of money on those flowers. They were so pretty. And there was a whole store full of maps!! It was amazing!! Maps everywhere!! Vintage maps, new maps, maps of cities and countries and oceans and everything and I loved it. I could have bought so much there.
It's probably good I had no money, because between the map store and the bookstore and the flowers, I would be broke.
But yeah, I would love to just sit in one of those coffee shops and people watch for hours. There were street musicians (the ones in San Francisco were better, just saying) and some of the most hipster people I have ever seen, and girls in loooots of One Direction garb, and tourists from loads of countries and cute boys and so many people with stories and lives and thoughts and to-do lists. It was crazy and overwhelming and beautiful.
I love Washington state. I love Seattle, I love outside of Seattle. The trees and coffee shops and fresh fruit and the beach (even though it's freezing), the places to explore, the vibes of Washington in general, my cousins... I don't even know, I just love this state a lot. It's wonderful and interesting and beautiful and exciting and I love it.

July 16, 2015
Day 14
Hours on the Road: Yeah, I have literally no clue.
States Traversed: Washington, Idaho

Um. I read fanfiction. All day.
I have no shame. :) Also, Idaho has Cheesecake Factory and suuuper cool hotels. Ours had like, a loft and it was awesome. I would love an apartment that looked just like that hotel room.
That and driving was all that happened. :/

July 17, 2015
Day 15
Hours on the Road: A lot, I presume
States Traversed: Idaho, Utah

Idaho has a Barnes and Noble. That's really all I remember about this day.
I bought Go Set A Watchman. And cried. I'm still not 100% sure about how I felt about that book. I liked it, but I also... I don't know. It didn't connect to To Kill a Mockingbird quite as much as I wanted it to, but I think that's okay? Because the whole process (from what I've heard) of publishing this book was complicated and it wasn't supposed to be published and... I don't know. I still love Scout/Jean Louise and think she's one of the best fictional characters ever. I'm reallyyyyyyyy bitter that Jem wasn't in the book. Same with Dill. And Atticus... Yeah, there was some very personal betrayal there. But I adored reading about Jean Louise dealing with everything and growing up. Even though it didn't go the way I wanted it to, I really loved the part when she stands up to Atticus and becomes her own person, I suppose. There was something super sad and super powerful about it.
So, yeah. It was really interesting, and I think I liked it overall.
I believe this was the day we stopped in Salt Lake City.
And it was probably the sketchiest city I've ever been in. Maybe it was just the evening and next morning that we were there, but there was something distinctly... off about it. Some strange, creepy vibe that had me on edge the whole time.
However, there was a real good pizza and gelato place there. So it wasn't awful. Just weird and creepy.
So if you've had a great experience in Salt Lake City, let me know. Because my gut was saying "Something isn't right, get out," especially the next morning. Was that just me? Is there something universally uncomfortable about Salt Lake City? I have no idea.

July 18, 2015
Day 16
Hours on the Road: All day. Aaaaall day.
States Traversed: Utah, Colorado, Kansas

Um, I read more of Go Set a Watchman. And cried. And ate leftover pizza. And slept. And was really excited to get out of that car. And tweeted about Go Set a Watchman. That's really about it. It was a lot of driving and lounging and everyone being ready to be home.

Coming home after a trip is bittersweet. It's sad because it's an adventure ending, but the comfort of driving under stars you know and streets you have memorized is so beautiful. Even though I am someone who loves traveling and honestly wants to leave for college and spend years of my life in different places and cities and countries, I think Wichita will always be home. I have so much history and love invested in this city. In late nights and sunrises and adventures and doughnut shops and theatres and soccer games and churches and Wal-Marts. In my Grandma's backyard, in the house where Kensi and Mac were born, in Trinity and CYT and the library. That moment when we get to the tollbooth right before Kellogg, when we exit off 35... every time we come home, that moment makes me feel safe and peaceful and at home, in a way that no where else can emulate. And I love that.

Culture: Road Trip Diaries -- Part Two

(Sorry, this is painfully late... The end of the trip was exhausting and then we got home and it's so easy to get distracted here at home. Anywho. Here you are. Enjoy.)

July 8, 2015
Day 6
States Traversed: California
Hours on the Road: 4

We spent the morning in Yosemite still, stopping in the Valley for coffee and second breakfast and then walking to the Falls. They were gorgeous, but crowded. We were there by ten am, and I shudder to think how busy it would be later in the afternoon. They were beautiful, though (also, I might need to start using the thesaurus for more adjectives – I think “pretty,” “beautiful,” and “gorgeous” are starting to sound a bit hackneyed and cannot convey the true measure of wonder that this trip has inspired).
We got lost trying to get back to our car, which was kind of miserable. Getting lost in the woods, on a day when we had plenty of time and bottled water, would honestly be lovely.
Noooot so much when you’re not even actually in the woods, you have no water, and you agreed to thirty minute parking. That was a tad bit stressful. We did, eventually, find our car and hit the road again. Our destination: A hotel in Stockton, California. This was a pretty chill drive. I mostly read. Heh. I think I was still reading Fic at this point. I seriously loved that book. My nerdy, fangirl heart couldn't get enough. For example, did you know that oftentimes straight women write slash fic because they want to explore a relationship in which both partners are equal? Fascinating. And that tooons of classic authors -- Ray Bradbury, the Bronte sisters, J.M. Barrie, to name a few -- wrote fanfic? So. Interesting. Also, Sherlock Holmes fans have always been the crazy ones.
Anywho. Lots of driving which led us to a hotel in which we crashed.

July 9, 2015
Day 7
States: California
Hours: 5

We went into San Francisco for the day. I loved it. Getting into the city was the hardest part – we were stuck in traffic for over an hour longer than we expected. And this was like ten a.m. on a Thursday. It was crazy. Holly said it reminded of her of India, minus the cows. I had to agree.
Once we finally got there, we left our car to be parked in a parking garage – something that gave Holly a loooot of anxiety.
“You mean we just give him our keys? But what if he takes our stuff? Or our car?”
(He didn’t. Our car was safe and sound when we got back and he didn’t even charge us extra for being twenty minutes late.)
Then we walked around Pier 39 and ate lunch at a seafood place (Fog Harbor Fish House). It was lovely and had wonderful views of the sea and Alcatraz and sometimes the Golden Gate Bridge (there was a lot of fog, so our view of the bridge sometimes existed and sometimes didn't).
Then there was more walking about on Fisherman’s Wharf. There were so many people. Tourists. Vendors. Street performers. Runners. Business men stopping for lunch. Homeless people. All sorts of people, passing each other, exchanging nods or avoiding eye contact, people living their lives, people searching for meaning in the city.
There’s music everywhere. Musicians on the street, singing John Legend covers (personally I liked it better than the original – far more rocking), playing in a little Chinese stringed instrument, dancing to the Beatles or the Eagles or a jazz quartet. Music every few feet, coming from cars or buildings or headphones.
I like cities. I like the chaos and movement. I really like San Francisco. It isn’t like cities I’ve been to before. It has the sophistication of Europe and the chaos of Bangalore and a laid-back feeling that is all its own.
Everywhere I’ve been to on this trip has had its own distinct culture. Not just the geography, all though that’s part of it, but the people and the attitude and the mannerisms and the food and history are all different. They may share aspects, but they are all different. For example, Gallup is a small town, heavily influenced by its location of Route 66 and connections to Mexico. Albuquerque, while in the same state, is more big-time. It’s well-known, there’s more to do, it’s not as close-knit. The Grand Canyon is different from Yosemite. They’re both National Parks, but the Grand Canyon is more “Hello, we have epic rocks. Please admire our epic rocks from your designated viewpoint/trail/picnic area.” Yosemite, on the other hand is like “Hi kids! Nature is cool! Go run around! Butstayofftheseareasandfollowthebearrulesorwewillfineyouobsceneamountsofmoney.”
San Francisco isn’t like any of these places.
And yet all of them contribute to the overall American culture, even if some are more often cited than they rest.
I like comparing the three archetypes in my head – National Park/Nature, small town, big city. Nature stirs you in a way that’s quiet, slow. It works at your soul and pulls you in and makes you appreciate it. It’s solitary and not easily expressed (unless you’re quite talented).
Small towns are (in my experience) home-y and welcoming and very American Dream-esque. They’re still and safe and represent something idyllic and almost extinct.
Big cities, though… they yank you in headfirst. They don’t wait for you or even try to let you catch up. They move and change and have a heartbeat that may just be the bass from downtown.
And all of these are good in their own way, but my favorite has to be the city.
I really, really like San Francisco. The cute houses. The wharf. The people. The colors (even if it was rainy and foggy, there were still lots of colors). The rainy and foggy-ness. The noise. The pulse. Chinatown.
Chinatown is splendid. I am in love. It’s all the best parts of Commercial Street in Bangalore – awesome stuff for cheap, amazing food, and just the culture is very India-ish. But it’s still distinctly American, there’s American flags flying, not a cow in sight, trash on the street is frowned upon. I love it. I love the blend of cultures, the best of both worlds, as it is. And the fooood. I love Chinese food.
It was all in all a really good day of new experiences and adventures that were, in my book at least, very rewarding.
And now, “on to the next crazy venture ‘neath the stars.”

July 10, 2015
Day 8
Hours on the Road: 8
States Traversed: California

Pro tip: The Coastal Highway in Northern California is not, actually, on the coast. It's through the mountains.
I have seen more than my share of mountains on this trip.
However, the highway does go through the Redwood Forests, which are awesome. Those trees are soooo huge. They're so wide that it'd take four or five people to put their arms around them, and so tall you have to stand way far back from them and crane you neck to see the top. I've read about trees that big, but never seen them. It's an ancient forest, deep within which a mystical elven race is hidden. It was pretty dang cool. We wanted to go see the tree that you can drive through, buuuut our cartop carrier was too tall. :/ Awk.
It really wasn't bad, but the ocean would have been nice to see.
Our campsite that night was... a struggle to get to.
Let me set the scene.
First, let me say that Holly likes to exaggerate things. I have a habit of saying "This is how horror movies start." When Holly and I are home alone and hear strange sounds, when my friends and I find an abandoned school after dark, when I go to the woods by myself, on foggy nights. But if you ask Holly, I say it all the time. Running laundry? This is how horror movies start. Reading a book? This is how horror movies start. On the beach? This is how horror movies start.
Only a few days before, Holly had been mocking me for this exact thing, much to the amusement of our family (especially Dad).
Now, it's getting dark. We are in Northern California, with limited cellular service. A sign directed us down a narrow, barely paved road to "Gold Bluffs Campground." The branches and leaves far above wove together, letting in only small patches of light. The ground on either side of the road was covered in weeds and jungle plants and grass. It was green and dark and quiet.
The road wound around and around, narrowing with every turn.
It was ominous, and Holly and I couldn't help giggling at how very cliche it seemed.
I couldn't help it, I whispered "This is how horror movies start."
It was perfect comedic timing.
Because a) I was exactly right. A family on vacation getting led down a narrow road through the woods? Tell me it doesn't sound like we're about to stumble upon a run down house with an ax murderer inside. b) everyone remembered Holly joking about this just days ago.
It was so very funny, but you know, it was still a bit like... Yeah, this is how we die.
(Obviously we didn't.)
Our campsite was actually pretty cool. We could hear the ocean all night. I love the ocean.




July 11, 2015
Day 9
Hours on the Road: Way too many.
States Traversed: California, Oregon

This day had a lot more coast, which was wonderful. We played on the beach before we started driving. It was freezing. That water put Yosemite's to shame. It was so. cold. The sand was gray, dark gray, and extremely soft. It was so cool. The whole beach was gray, really. Gray sand and gray sea and gray cloudy sky. I loved it. You couldn't tell where the horizon was unless you looked really hard, because the sea and the sky were the same color. It just looked like a pearly wall. You know in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, when they reach the End of the World? It looked like that. The world just stopped. It was beautiful and weird and I know that the Earth is a sphere, but it still looked as if it ended and my mind kind of exploded.
Then we drove and I read. I was reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote at this point, which is a super-de-duper interesting account of murder and greed and tragedy. To summarize, these two guys murdered a family in Holcomb, Kansas, with no clues and no apparent motive. It's actually a really sad story, and written engagingly and it's so well-researched. I love well-researched books. I liked it quite a lot.
Driving, driving, driving.
We got to our campsite, which was a pseudo-campsite like the one outside of Yosemite. It had free wifi, so that was kind of very cool. It was also a very, very cold. I wore my sweatpants and like three shirts and huddled under my sleeping bag as we ate dinner. And I read some more. ;)

July 12, 2015
Day 10
Hours on the Road: I literally don't even know. A lot.
States Traversed: Oregon, Washington

GUYS. If you ever get the chance, go to Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon. Oh my cow. Ohhh my cow it's beautiful. Holly and I got to go in and look around and explore and I almost cried. So it's an adorable inn on the beach, and every room is based on a different author. There's F. Scott Fitzgerald, Alice Walker, J.K. Rowling, Agatha Christie (golly her room was pretty), Jules Verne (SO COOL), J.R.R. Tolkien, Ernest Hemingway, Dr. Seuss, and a lot more. The whole attic? It's a glorious library and game room. The dining room has a no phones rule. There's two resident cats.
Basically I want to live there. I may have cried a little.
We then continued on the road to Seattle. I read (gasp). I did switch up what I was reading though. We were finally in a civilized enough area to have data on our phones... and I proceeded to use a whole lot of it to read Harry Potter fanfic. My favorite? An AU Dramione fic where Voldemort won. Holy wow it was really good. (It's called Midnight and it's on fanfiction.net if you want to go there....) Seriously, I am still not over this fic. AND IT'S NOT COMPLETED. Which is scary, because who knows when it will be updated, but there is hope. All the characters were portrayed so well, and the writing was poetic and elegant and dark, and the CHARACTERS, and I'm obsessed with Dramione because I love the idea of them having to get past their own pride and prejudices (heh, see what I did there), in order to work together, and then become friends, and then be madly in love. I like the AUs best, because I feel like there's more freedom there to mess with the reasons why they would have to work together, and I like the ones that keep pretty close to the canon personalities, and Midnight totally does.... And I sound so very, very geeky right now. I will stop. (But seriously it's amazing. Draco and Hermione and Luna and Ginny and Blaise Zambini and twisted, broken people who don't know what's right anymore or how to stop Voldemort at this point, and Grimm fairy tale references and WW2 influences and T.S. Eliot quotes... Guys, I legitimately cannot with this story. I adore it. I will actually stop now. Fangirl rant over.)
Um, so we drove. I read and squealed over Draco being vulnerable and tried to keep breathing when they talked about Molly Weasley in Azkaban.
I swear I'm a normal, rational. mature human who is a deep thinker and values real life interactions.
When we got to Seattle that evening, wem were greeted by our wonderful, wonderful cousins. Cadence is twelve, Emerson is ten,and Juliana is seven (I think), and they are more intelligent, interesting, and fun than half the people at my school. They greeted us so very enthusiastically, and then took us on a "walk" (run. They expected me to run) down a trail and to a junkyard behind their school.
Let me tell you how this walk/run went. It was basically Juliana yelling abuses at us for being to slow as we ran down incredibly precarious hills covered in pebbles. It was exhausting and terrifying. The junkyard was pretty cool though. We saw a deer, and got to climb on stuff and run/slide down a gravel pile.
It was fun to go exploring and laugh at the things they said and it just felt so relaxed and simple and innocent and I loved it.
Then we headed back up the precarious hills, which was infinitely more terrifying. I thought for sure I was going to fall down and die.
Back at the house, we ate dinner and played some board games (and got super competitive) and prank called almost every Pizza Hut in the country and stayed up way later than kids their age should. It rocked.
I went to bed and kept reading Midnight, tbh.

July 13, 2015
Day 11
Hours on the Road: ZERO PRAISE THE LORD. NONE. ZILCH. ZIPPO.
States Traversed: The Kirby's backyard


We stayed at their house all day and it was lovely.We played outside, Skyped the Clarks for about five hours, played more board games, played Capture the Flag, the boys made us Italian Cream Sodas, Mac broke his finger, we played video games... It was sooo nice (other than the broken finger). I love my cousins so much, guys. So so much.
It did make me miss the Clarks a lot a lot a lot. This summer has felt very... un-summer-ish without them. I'm used to spending everyday with Lil and Crey, eating homemade ice cream, swimming, walking all over Grandma's neighborhood. This year has been more... Netflix-filled.
Anyway, we hung out pretty much all day, and then Mom, Dad, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle J went out to dinner. We kids stayed home, ate mac and cheese, played more capture the flag. This was when Mac broke his finger, so after that we just went in and played Star Wars Battlefront II for hours.
I'm terrible at that game.
The adults came home and checked out Mac's hand (we had iced it and gave him ibuprofen and theorized about whether it was broken or just jammed. It was his pinky and it had gone sideways, so we were thinking broken.) Mom and Dad decided to take him to a doctor the next day, and so we all went to bed.

To be continued. Again.

Here We Go: Road Trip Diaries -- Part One

July 3, 2015

Day 1

States Traversed: Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico

Hours on the Road: 9.5

This morning, I was awakened at the unholy hour of 5:30 am. We finished getting ready (filling coolers with ice, downloading Spotify playlists, cleaning the kitchen…) and were out the door by 7:30.

Fueled by McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches and the spirit of adventure, we started our journey in high spirits. 

We stopped in Greensburg, Kansas, in the morning. It’s a tiny little town that was almost completely destroyed by a tornado in 2007 (please note that the following conversation actually occurred:

Dad: So there was a tornado a few years ago that completely wiped out Greensburg—

Me: I think it was more like eight years ago.

Dad: It was not that long.

*inside the museum*

Lady: We were hit by a tornado eight years ago, in 2007.

Me: Boom, baby.

Moral of the story: I am a genius.)

Greensburg also has the World’s Biggest Hand-Dug Well. (No joke). There’s a museum around the well, and it also talks about the town’s history, the tornado, and the recovery from the tornado. The museum was actually really cool. We got to go down in the well and run around a little bit (not in the well, just in the museum). It was really weird to think how much was taken from the town eight years ago. They just finished rebuilding the movie theater a couple months ago. Twelve people died, and everyone lost almost everything (95% of the town was destroyed.) When they started rebuilding, they decided they wanted to be green and environmentally friendly. Greensburg is the “Model Green City.” I really like that. I like that they decided to do something positive and make the best of the situation. It’s inspiring. 

When we got back in the car, I (semi-jokingly) said we should make a “Roadtrip: Expectations vs. Reality” video. The family jumped on the idea. Holly films and edits, and the rest of us act. It’s extremely entertaining. I’ll post the link once it’s done.

During this, Mom played “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten approximately twelve times in a row.

Stop #2 was in Mead, KS, for the Dalton Gang Hideout. We didn’t actually go in the hideout, because it required more time and money than we wanted to spend, but we took pictures and played in the courtyard-ish area. 

A door. And Holly.

Behind the storefronts of the "courtyard-ish area"

We ate lunch in the car after we passed Liberal (still in Kansas), and about two minutes after getting our pizza and fruit arranged and ready to eat, we got to the “Welcome to Oklahoma” sign. So then we all had to pile out and take a picture. 

I’m not really sure what happened after that, because I slept. I remember getting out when we hit Texas, but then I think I napped all through Texas. 

We were alongside a railroad track for a really long time, and I think that’s about when we lost it. 

The fam woke me up when we hit New Mexico. We stopped in an itty-bitty town and bought corn on the cob from a truck. It was awesome. 

New Mexico is really pretty. The sky is paler in Kansas. And it feels huge. You can see incredibly far. This is probably because there aren’t really any trees. There’s little bushes that amuse me, because they’re short and round and everywhere and so grumpy-looking. I love it. And there are so many shades of green. The grumpy bushes are dark, dark green. There are gray-green shrubs and yellow green flowers and bright green grass and blue green weeds. 

We camped in Moriarty, New Mexico (Holly and I exchanged a slightly panicked, quite delighted glance when we heard the name). We got there around six p.m. (and there was a time change, so it was really twelve hours before we got there. But we were really driving for about nine and a half or ten hours) and set up camp. Putting up the tent for the first time on a trip is always… entertaining. And by “entertaining,” I mean “a struggle.” But we got it sorted and safe to sleep in. Starting a fire was another challenge… Yeah, we were a bit of a mess tonight. I promise we go camping a lot and actually do know what we’re doing. 

Everyone was super tired (it’s incredible how draining nine hours in the car can), so after dinner and s’mores, we crashed. 

July 4, 2015

Day 2

States Traversed: New Mexico, Arizona

Hours on the Road: 9 (?)

Showers at campsites are risky business. We lucked out today. There was hot water and doors that latched and, despite many spiderwebs, no actual spiders. I was exceedingly grateful. 

Packing up this morning was surprisingly quick. Roll up the sleeping bags, pull down the tent, have the traditional “do we fold it in half or in thirds” debate, stuff everything in the trunk or strap it to the roof, google the nearest Starbucks. 

We might be hard-core travelers, but we’re not that hard-core. Quality caffeine is a must. (We eventually had to lower our standards).

We stopped at R.E.I. in Albuquerque and got a blanket and a hammer and we were off. 

Today mostly consisted of driving. Sooo much driving. 

It was supposed to be an easier day than yesterday, but it… wasn’t. 

We stopped in Gallup, New Mexico on Route 66 for some really freaking delicious enchiladas and sopapillas. I wish we’d had more time there. Everyone was friendly, the food was good, and there were pretty lights hanging across the street. One lady invited us to the Fourth of July party that night. Sadly, we had to keep going, but that stop was really nice.

Jerry's Cafe in Gallup, New Mexico

The afternoon’s driving was bruuuuuutal. The road went through the middle of nowhere, which I think it was why it was so bad. We didn’t see civilization for hours. 

Which is okay, if you’re expecting it. 

And if not everyone in your car needs to pee. 

Spirits were low, folks. 

Personally, I just read the whole time. (The 100, by Kass Morgan. Interesting, but not quite as rounded out as I would like. Bit too much kissing and not enough detail. And #Bellarke all the way.)

I also woke up this morning minus my voice. I’ve been sick since last Tuesday, and today my voice was gone. I never realize how much I like singing until I can’t. It’s one of the worst things ever. 

We finally made it to our campsite at (in?) Jacob’s Lake. To my joy, there were plenty of trees, and I finally got to use my hammock. It is wonderful and super relaxing and lovely and goes perfectly with a good book. (Latest is Fic by Anne Jamison – an exploration of fanfiction’s history and influence of literature. It’s totally fascinating and geeky and I adore it.)

July 5, 2015

Day 3

States Traversed: Arizona

Hours on the Road: 4

Photo Creds: My Mom

I have never seen so many wildflowers. There’s blue ones and white ones and purple and red and pink and orange and probably five different kinds of yellow ones. I love it. 

I’m fairly certain Arizona is the child of New Mexico and Colorado. Because some parts look like NM, all rocky and pretty flat and have the grumpy bushes. And other parts look like Colorado, foresty and mountainous and cool (cool as in not hot, not cool as in awesome. Although that too). 

We’re at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I thought it would be desert-y, but no. It’s a forest, right up to the edge. I didn’t expect so many trees, and definitely not so many flowers. It’s a lot prettier than I thought. I like it. 

On our way from our campsite to Grand Canyon National Park, we drove through the most wonderful meadow ever. Flowers were everywhere, trees rimmed it, and not a fence or telephone pole in sight. It was glorious. We got out and frolicked. 

The Grand Canyon itself is… trippy. And freaking huge. I mean, I knew it was big, but it’s not “big,” it’s freaking ginormous and expansive and enormous and massive and wow. And there’s so many colors, layering and layering on each other for thousands of feet. It’s dizzying. It’s stunning. 

Apparently, on this side (the north), the cliffs are a lot more irregular and rocky, whereas on the South Rim, they’re more sheer. I think most of the pictures I’ve seen of the Grand Canyon are from the south (which is hardly fair) so the view we actually had surprised me. The very first spot, especially. It really confused me, actually. 

The other spots were better, either because they looked more familiar or because I knew what to expect, I’m not sure. But I did appreciate the later views far more than the first. 

It’s breathtaking, let me tell you. 

We were there a long time, coming back to our campsite around 3:30. Holly felt kinda sick (the roads are suuuuper curvy, I felt a tad queasy, too) and we all just slept/hammocked/read.

Mac and I went on a walk and then it started raining, so we all huddled in the tent to nap/read. After it stopped raining, we huddled around the fire to eat/read. There’s something about campfires that is very cozy. There was a lot of relaxed family bonding tonight, which, I think, was really the point of the trip. Seeing tons of America and going on a huge adventure was part of it, yes, but family time is honestly the best part, no matter how corny it may sound.

July 6, 2015

Day 4

States Traversed: Arizona, Utah, Arizona (again), Nevada, California, more Nevada, back to California

Hours on the Road: 8 

We started the morning with a super nourishing breakfast of Pop-Tarts and coffee/juice. Then we drove some more (heh). It’s a good thing we’re all good with just sitting and reading for hours on end... other people might think this much down-time to be boring. It’s not, really. It’s relaxing. We spent most of the morning dropping altitude. We came down so quick I had to pop my ears like three times. Almost as soon as we got to 4000 feet above sea level, 4G came back. Holly almost cried with joy (she had ninety-one Instagram notifications alone. I had four. Literally.) We had the data for all of five minutes, and that’s all we’d had in three days. Which was a bigger deal than is probably healthy...
We stopped at (*gasp*) Starbucks in Utah and kept going, descending pretty much the whole time. Our route through Utah was weird (whatcha doing to us, Google?) because we just drove in and out of Utah in like twenty minutes. 

Hello, again, Arizona.

This part of the trip looks like Tatooine, but with more shrubs and less pod-racers. We drove in between tall, pale, rocky cliffs littered with caves. And then – Bam! -- flat land for miles. 

Arizona is bloody weird. 

We then hit Nevada, which, as far as I can tell, is basically three things. 1) Desert, 2) Casinos, and 3) Palm trees (which do not seem to be 100% natural, either). I’m sorry, Nevada, but you are not my favorite state. 

The road had these funky dips in them that felt like a roller coaster. I drove for a while, and it was a bit scary. Fun, but scary. We were changing altitude allllll day. First we dropped altitude really fast, then went back up, came down, went up, came down, and finally went up to the mountains outside Yosemite. 

Our campsite in California was about an hour from Yosemite, and was kind of a sucker campsite. It was in a little town with one coffee shop and a diner and a couple tourist-y stores. The lawn was manicured, there were nice bathrooms ten feet away, and loads of RVs. It was kind of nice, though, because the grass was soft to sleep one and after a while of peeing in hole, the bathrooms were welcome.

I woke up about 3 am needing to pee (I was seriously grateful for the nice bathrooms then) and oh my cow the stars were beautiful. There were so many and they were sooo bright. It was gorgeous. 

July 7, 2015

Day 5

States Traversed: California

Hours on the Road: 3

Yosemite is Narnia, I am quite sure. It’s wonderful. Of all the National Parks I have been to, this is my favorite. There’s so much to explore. Rocks to climb, trees to crawl over, creeks to swim in. It’s amazing. 

We found a lake and went swimming in 64 degree weather (I made $5 by being the first one to go completely under water). The water is clearer than any I have ever seen. It was so cold though. A group of college-age guys (we think from Britain) got in right after we got out and they screamed like little girls. 

In the freezing water

I guess I forgot that people from other countries came to America. We heard so many different languages and accents. I didn’t realize how global Yosemite could be. Besides the British guys at the lake, there was an Australian family in the campsite next to us, a Japanese family that asked us to take their picture, two Swiss guys, German, Dutch, Indian, French… it was fascinating to me. 

Shoes are overrated.

The weather in the mountains was… random. Right when we came in, there was hail and rain and it was 54 degrees. Within five minutes, it went up to 70 and was sunny again. It went between 60 and almost 90 the rest of the day. It was crazy to me that the weather could be stranger than Kansas. 

There are so many opportunities for was wandering around in Yosemite. We went off in the woods and climbed trees and rocks and leaped across creeks and just wandered. It was so fun. 

We lucked out on our campsite for this night. Last night, Dad made a few calls asking about cancellations in the park. There was one. When we got there, a couple from LA were setting up in the campsite next to us. Apparently, this campground – and our spots in particular – sell out the first minute they go on sale. And it was obvious why. We were away from everyone else, there was a creek with a perfect spot for swimming just behind us, there were trees for hammocking, it was spacious… we lucked out, let me tell you.

The creek behind our campsite

We (the kids) went exploring and then ended up swimming in the creek, and it was sooo nice. Not as cold as the lake had been, and still clear, with rocks to climb on and jump off of. Seriously, the water in Yosemite is gorgeous. J'adore. 

Lower Yosemite Falls

To Be Continued...

Thoughts on the Library and Into the Wild

It is 1:08 am on Wednesday night and I'm still not asleep.

Nor am I cramming for finals or writing papers.

I love summer.

So far, summer has been rainy, quiet. I've read, swam, listened to Father John Misty and Tame Impala. I bought overalls and got in a wreck (but I'm fine and the other person is fine and the car will be fine). I've looked for jobs and eaten chocolate and had a picnic and stayed up late.

I worked at the library for four hours today (well. volunteered). I like working there. I think I would rather work at the library than a bookstore, unless it's a bookstore like Eighth Day Books or some other local/small bookstore. Chain bookstores just don't have the same... vibe. I mean, I love them. I take full advantage of Barnes and Noble. They have new books sooner than the library, their vinyl collection grows by the day, and obviously Starbucks is a perk.

But the library has a different aura to it. It's more personable. Maybe I only see it at the library because I work there, but the library is always bustling. Kids are looking for school books, adults are using the internet, teens are writing papers. It's so relaxed, but also always moving, always changing.

One of my favorite things ever is seeing what people read. It's fun seeing what books people put on hold and trying to figure out their personality. Today someone got an alt-J CD and We Were Liars (by E. Lockhart. AMAZING book) and I totally wanted to be friends with them. (Actually, that person came and picked them up and it was my small group leader from sophomore year. How crazy is that?)

Sometimes people ask me where books are or kids ask for recommendations, and it's pretty much the best thing ever. People asking you, genuinely asking you, about stuff you're passionate about is really cool. And sometimes there's really good parents who bring their kids to the library and play with them in the Children's Area and have imaginary tea parties. One time a girl and her little brother came and did homework and ate McFlurrys. It was really cute. Today a kid asked where the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane was, and I got all excited because I totally read that book in like fourth or fifth grade. He also got the first Warriors book (you know, the one about the cats). There's one old lady who has come a couple times, and she always ends up talking to the librarians for a really long time. Plus there's usually cookies in the workroom, and I always leave with two or three or ten books, so... yeah. I like it. It's fun being somewhere every week that I love, with people I really like. I'm the youngest one on Wednesdays, and I get the feeling that teen volunteers during the school year are a rarity. It's an honor, really.


State swimming is Friday and Saturday in Topeka. I'm an alternate, which is fine by me because a) there's little chance that I'll swim, and therefore no stress, b) I still get to go and hang out and cheer for my team, and c) my name is on the state shirt.

I'm very proud about that one, to be honest.

I'm currently reading Into The Wild, by Jon Krakauer. It is exceedingly fascinating and you should definitely read it. It's abut Chris McCandless, who trekked across the U.S. (and some of Mexico) for about two years before ending up in Alaska, where he died.

I really do admire Chris. He had guts, and there's no denying he was smart. He was an idealist of the highest order, and he lived what he believed. But gooosh I don't understand why he didn't pack more supplies, why he didn't wait until it was warmer, why he let himself starve. Lots of whys.

I'm only halfway through the book, so maybe it gets explained, but somehow I doubt it.

I get what drove him. I've felt it, that stirring, that urge to pack up and vanish one day. Were Margo Roth Spiegelman a real person, she would looove Chris McCandless. There are so many connections between the two.

And Chris was scared of people, of liking people, of connections and getting hurt. So I get that.

But... who just runs off to Alaska with out thinking through what you'll need? Without realizing "Wow, it's really snowy. I will need way more food." Over and over in the book, Chris proves he isn't stupid.

So why then? Why does he have a lapse in judgement when it is most crucial?

Also, why the third person journal entries? Actually, that is probably the weirdest part. That is what makes me question his sanity. Maybe he just liked third person, but it feels... off. Uncanny. Worrisome.

Ah well. Hopefully some answers will come through by the end of the book. But I doubt it. It wouldn't be nonfiction if everything was cleared up. It has to stay a mystery, I really do like this book, and I kind of want to hitchhike across America now.

Peace out.

Books and Talking and Twitter

Hi.
I am in a talkative mood tonight, apparently. I already sent a rather long email less than an hour ago, and another one this morning, and I journaled (which is a pathetically rare exercise for me, really) and I've Tweeted and texted quite a bit. Plus an article, which needs a ton of editing and it's due in two days and I'm kinda freaking out. :/
Anyway.
Lots of happy music playing today. Well, not necessarily happy, but music I know really well, I guess. My playlists of Spotify, instead of other peoples. A lot of Parachute, Bastille, and Relient K.
Started Into the Wild today. I'm in like, chapter two, and I am intrigued. I think it's gonna be really good. A side effect is severe wanderlust, but I always have that, so...
I have been thinking about Paper Towns a LOT lately. Those John Green books seriously get to me. It also has heightened my wanderlust, and also made me more aware of people. The Fault in Our Stars got to me because I related to it, because it got me. Paper Towns got to me because it made me think of others. I wouldn't say I liked it better than TFiOS, but I would recommend it more often than I would TFiOS. Because it's less popular, and more eye-opening, at least for me, and TFiOS... well, I think people miss the point of TFiOS. Which is a rant for another time.

^THIS PART HIT ME IN THE FACE AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

This quote is so crazy true.

In other news, apparently I am some people's favorite Tweeter, which is one of the weirdest compliments I've ever gotten, but also one of the best. Why is this seemingly shallow comment one of the best I have received? Because it means people are relating to my words, even if there's only 144 characters of them. And that makes me happy.
I can't stop eating grapes, y'all. I don't know what's up with that.
Also, I REALLY WANT KRISPY KREME DONUTS LIKE RIGHT NOW.
Driving... yeah, I still hate it. >_< It's really hard being an adventurous person who hates driving. I've been able to get into the groove and enjoy it a couple times, but then I mess something up, just something small, and my confidence smashes into the ground and I get unfocused and doubt my instincts and it's a mess.
So, yeah, That's fun. -_-
I am really tired right now, so I am gonna crash (and by that I mean read and/or watch Once Upon A Time).
Farewell.

Summertime Sadness

Actually, that title really has nothing to do with this post, I was just thinking of summer-y things and I thought of the Lana Del Ray song, so there ya have it.

I'm listening to Ed Sheeran right now.

I love his voice, and I love how his songs are all stories. In Joel's words, who would've thought that a song about a drug-addicted prostitute could be beautiful? But it is. And Give Me Love... ever since I watched the music video, this song gives me goosebumps. I feel like part of my love for it is just the raw beauty of Ed Sheeran's music, and the other part is that I feel like one of the greatest human longings is love. And even though in the song, and in most of life, people tend to look in the wrong places for this love, it's still something everyone connects to and understands.

I have listened to music obsessively lately. Spotify has become my most used app. Ben Howard, Jack Johnson, The Piano Guys, Lewis Watson, James Conner, and, obviously, Ed Sheeran, have been singing/playing in my ear constantly.

The learning bug came back today.

I don't know how or why, but I suddenly want to know a lot more than I do. This feeling kinda comes and goes, but it's been gone since like March.

And now I suddenly want to know what's going on in the world, and I want to learn about history, and God, and science (See, I like knowing stuff, I don't like being forced to know stuff. Huge difference), and I just want to know stuff.

So I'll probably be reading and/or watching Crash Course videos for the next week.

Adios.

P.S. Lol I fail at taking pictures.

P.P.S. Oakley is now huge. I need to take a picture of him, but he is no longer the tiny, helpless puppy he was.

Photo A Day?

We'll see if it happens...
Here's one from yesterday, and maybe I'll post one for today, later.

Last night was a perfect summer-y night. We had a good-bye party for Jahn, a German/Asian foreign exchange student. I say German/Asian, because he's from Germany... but he's Chinese.

See?

Lol, I just noticed my teacher in the background. Oops.

Anyway, the party was super fun. Bonfire, s'mores, a hammock, a water balloon fight, stars, deep talks with the thespians...

It was good.

I'll miss Jahn. He gave me book recommendations that I LOVED, so he obviously won a place in my heart. ;D Plus he's hilarious, although incredibly stubborn. We had a three hour argument over whether articles (a, an, and the) were adjectives or not (they are).

And I'm really not exaggerating about the three hour part.

Oh Sweet Freedom

I survived Chemistry. Hallelujah.
And now I'm going to read. Adios, amigos.

It's October? When Did That Happen?

I mean I knew... but I didn't really comprehend this. I've been in school for two months. I've finished a musical. It's almost Halloween. Starbucks has Pumpkin Spice stuff. I'm wearing a sweater. I finished House of Hades. We had Barn Dance.

When did summer end??
Oh.
Like, two months ago.

Well, here's the bucket list. Italics means one of us did it, but not the others.

1. Make Ice Cream
2. Music Videos (Love Story)
3. Shaving Cream Fight
4. Drive-In Movie
5. Make Covers
6. Call Hogwarts Hotline (+17814524077)
7. Buy A Trampoline (We wish)
8. Messy Twister
9. Musical Movie Night (lol, every night we're together :)
10. Color Hair
11. Water Balloon Fight
12. Go Bowling
13. Do a Pinterest Craft
14. Tie-Dye Stuff
15. Make A Time Capsule
16. Take TONS of Pictures (of everything on this list)
17. Say Yes To Everything For A Day
18. Go Camping
19. Paint Balloon Fight
20. Princess Diaries Paint Dart Thing
21. Sidewalk Paint
22. Write Messages and Put Them In Balloons And Let the Balloons Go
23. Melted Crayon Art (FAILED)
24. Photo Bomb Random People
25. Prank Call
26. Midnight Premiere of Some Movie (PJASOM??)
27. Picnic
28. Make Butterbeer
29. Dance In the Rain
30. Bubbles
31. Photo Booth
32. Forts
33. Go To the Pet Store and Play With Puppies
34. Go On a Long Run, Followed by Jumping In The Pool (Holly wrote that)
35. Play in the Sprinkler
36. Cloud Gazing
37. Star Watching
38. Set off Fireworks
39. Sleep in a Tent Outside With S'mores and Friends
40. Catch Fireflies
41. Build a Puzzle
42. Ride in the back of a Pickup Truck
43. Take Food and Drinks to Giant Fort and Live There
44. Volunteer
45. Lemonade Stand
46. Write Letters
47. Send Postcards
48. Make Movies
49. Eat Cupcakes in Ice Cream Cones
50. Fly Kites
51. Try On Fancy Dresses (With Heels) and Take Pictures at the Mall
52. Blind Makeovers
53. Mani-Pedis On Each Other
54. Plant Tree
55. Climb Tree
56. All Nighter
57. Harry Potter Marathon
58. Watch a Sunrise and Sunset
59. Make a New Friend
60. Root Beer Float
61. Rollerblade
62. Ice Skate
63. Laser Quest
64. Watch Veggie Tales
65. Have A Treasure hunt
67. Explode a Bunch of Two-Liter Sodas (Holly wrote that too)
68. Finger Paint
69. Have a Pool Party
70. Homemade Sundaes
71. Make Bracelets/Necklaces
72. Make a Tire Swing
73. Get a Hammock
74. PJ Day - with breakfast for every meal (Holly)
75. Opposite Day - ice cream for breakfast (Holly)
76. Go Into an Elevator and push all the buttons. And don’t let anyone else on!!!
78. Go to the Arb
79. Create a Cool Band
80. Go on a Bike Ride to an Ice Cream Place
81. Go Skateboarding
82. Plant Flowers
83. Make Fun Artwork (THIS FAILED)
84. Minute to Win It
85. Rock River Rapids
86. HSM (all, or at least 2 and 3)

29 of 86. Not bad. And honestly, we did a lot less of sitting on our butts this summer. It was really good.

Summer is gone. Farewell, sleep, flip flops, Doctor Who marathons, swimming, hanging with Lilli everyday, a cute hat, a relatively clean room, spare time, finishing five books a week, and beautiful weather.

Hello sweaters, premieres, coffee, craziness, musicals, homework, friends, cold, boots (oh, wait. School rules. -_-), tights...

Now, I'm sleeping. Adios. 

Oh, the Wonderful Library

Last night was my first time volunteering there. It was pretty fun, excepting the first fifteen minutes...
Elia and I are "buddies" which basically means we just are working at the same time. Our job is basically to sign people up for the Summer Reading Program and to shelve books.
Unfortunately for us, NO ONE who was supposed to help us was there. The librarians in charge of the Teen Volunteers (us) had left, and so had the other teens, apparently. There was this huge group around the table, waiting for someone to sign them up. Neither Elia or I had ever volunteered before, and we didn't really know what to do. We read the information they had given us (there really wasn't that much, actually) and figured things out from our memories and what other people who'd signed up before seemed to expect.
It was really awkward for those first few minutes.
But then everybody left and we figured out what to do. So we started talking about books and movies and what we like to do. She's about a month older than me, and we have a lot in common. We have similar taste in movies and books. We discussed Sherlock (and our longing to punch Moffat) and the Hunger Games and the Mortal Instruments and the Hobbit and Star Trek: Into Darkness. I would love to go see that movie, and Dad said we could go see it, but so far he has yet to take me. :P
Library.
That word is full of magic, don't you think? You can practically smell books in that word. It makes me think of secret passages and hidden secrets and shadows and stories, so many stories. Ooh, I LOVE libraries. :D
So the fact that I get to spend four hours a week there is awesome. And I really wish I could be there more (and that I could get paid, because I need a job).
Now I'm FINALLY going shopping, so adios!!

Last Day

Last day of summer vacation AND of being fourteen. It's kind of sad, turning fifteen. I guess to me, fourteen was kind of the last year of being little. Now I have to start high school and grow up and be responsible. Obviously, it will be a work in progress, but this is where it really starts. Thirteen started the preperation, and fifteen is another milestone, for me anyway. Maybe because I like numbers divisible by five.
Anyway, to celebrate tomorrow we're going to Grandma's house with our cousins for cupcakes, pizza and High School Musical. The reason behind watching HSM is that a) I love that movie (not gonna lie, it's hilarious) and b) My best friend, Lilli, and Holly and I have decided to watch it on the first day of school every year. So, that's what we're doing. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for wanting Papa John's for my birthday, but it is my favorite pizza place ever and I haven't had it ages.
Anyway, I have to go to bed right now, so, adios!

Grandma Camp!!!

Officially, it's a week of the four girls (Addi, Holly, Lilli and Kensi) staying at Grandma and Grandpa's house, helping them, sewing, cooking, and being sweet, perfect granddaughters.

In reality, it's a time of laugh attacks, ice cream, singing at the top of our lungs, swimming, movies and occasionally cooking and sewing. It's awesome. 

Sleepovers, Parties and Math

I'm in the car on the way home, with Lilli next to me. Yet another sleepover! :)
Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY CREY!! He's 12 today. :D
Tomorrow I have to take a math placement test for school. How fun. -_-
Annd my phones about to die so I'm gonna cut this post short.

At Gramma's House

At the moment I am chilling, listening to music and comparing notes about Europe with my cousin. ;) she got to go on a month-long tour of Europe, because her parents were the chaperone-y people for a college trip. (Total awesomeness). We went swimming today, and I loved it. The pool is like ten feet deep, it's amazing! Oh, and we watched the Olympic opening ceremonies. It was really cool! I really loved the torch cauldron thing. ;)
And that's about it. Adios!

:)

[Note: this was supposed to be posted on the 25, but due to complications (aka bedtime) it didn't happen.]
Well, I didn't post yesterday, because I was busy. But it was a fun day. I went to a Bible study/devo thing with other freshmen girls that go to my school. It was good, I got to meet quite a few, and it was a good lesson. :)
Afterwards I went to Aunt Mimi's classroom where Holly, Lil, Kensi and Crey already were. We helped out a tiny bit, played Hangman and ninja, and ate a lot. xD (think popsicles, Chick-fil-a and goldfish).
Dad picked the girls up and took us back to my house, where Holly, Kensi and I threw some sleepover stuff together. Then we went to Gramdma's house. :D we played, danced around, swam, slept, talked, laughed, ate, talked, talked and laughed. ;) we had good time. And today was mostly the same. Just general funness (with a large side of ice cream).

Delays

Dad's flights are so delayed he's staying here tonight. We'll take him back to the airport tomorrow, and later in the afternoon drive down to Oklahoma to visit Gramma, Papa and the cousins.

Jet Lag and Other Things...

It's about 5:30 am here right now, and we've all been up for like an hour. Yep.
So it's the morning of our second (full) day here. It's been amazing seeing Grandma and Grandpa and our cousins. And I have seriously enjoyed bacon and root beer. xD
Mom and Dad have been looking for a car, with not much luck yet. We did get the beds we needed, so that's good. :D

That evening...
We spent the day at the pool, Freddy's and watching TV. :P But we did see a friend or two, which was good. :D And so far I know three people who are starting the same school as me this year. That was encouraging. :)
So, that's about it. Talk to ya soonish! 

Woot, woot!!!

I passed my test!! I have a learner's permit for driving!! =D You should have seen my Dad after I got it. He was so excited. :P And then he went and emailed this picture to EVERYONE and posted on Facebook. Grrrrr.....xD There's one minor  problem...the card doesn't come in the mail for one to two weeks. I have to wait until AUGUST!! =P

Sorry...

Sorry ya'll for not updating you in forever (3 months. I am a terrible blogger.) So, I'll start with our Wichita/Tulsa trip.
So we left on May 30, leaving our house around 10 pm and the airport around 2 am May 31. When we got to Wichita it was around 6 pm the same day.  I had strep like the one day which was OK because it gave me an excuse to sit around and read Harry Potter. :) We spent two weekends in Tulsa and I had CYT camp. All really fun!
We got back July 8, with Lilli and Aunt Mimi. We went to Commercial Street twice and got tons of bangles. :)
Got to go, I'll try to be more consistent with my blogging. :)