19thc Blacksmith's Workshop in Montana (© anna julia)
The move from Seattle to Houston took a lot out of me. The road trip was amazing and I fell in love with the beauty of America. I can’t wait to see the rest of it (road trip to Williamsburg!). The above photo was taken just outside of Lincoln, MT.
Devils Tower National Monument (© anna julia)
We’ve been to Yellowstone, driven across the state of Wyoming, seen buffalo, elk, prairie dogs, and a bear. After only a few days on the road, I’ve lost track of the days and the cities. This is part of traveling. Each scenic mile has left me feeling a great love for this beautiful land.
Today we stopped off at Devils Tower National Monument in eastern Wyoming. As a fan of scifi, I had to stop here and see the image that played so prominently in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But it’s also a sacred space to the Native Americans and I could feel that as we took a walk around the monument. It stands out against the rolling hills of Wyoming and sets a profound landmark.
When I travel, I don’t want to go somewhere because it’s what people do. I want to go there because the experience will educate me and enrich my life. This trip has been one learning experience after another – I’ve seen geysers that took me to another planet, seen buffalo closer than I should, experienced changing terrains, and cried at breathtaking views. And we’re only half way through this amazing trip!
Republic Cemetery (© anna julia)
It was hard to say goodbye to Vancouver. Two very dear friends returned from an Eastern European vacation and we had only one night to share stories and our favorite Chinese food delivery treat before my husband and I were leaving for the big move to Houston, Texas. I needed more time. Seems like we always do.
I’ve crossed the Canadian/USA border countless times and yet I’m still nervous each time we approach the Peace Arch in Blaine. After chit chatting with the exuberant border guard, (no, really, he smiled and joked with us!) we were on our way to Republic, WA for some cold-weather camping on Curlew Lake. Low 40s, no problem. We were prepared on this road trip for any type of weather.
And then there was a black bear wobbling across WA-20E. After slamming on my breaks to avoid the bear, I began to rethink camping. Visions of a warm, bear-free motel room with a chance to curl up in bed and watch Castle, were too difficult to resist with each passing mile. My husband read my mind and confessed that he also wanted a warm bed. Yay!
Let me say this was a very small town. But, we wanted to visit so we could see the fossil site and Curlew Lake. The fossil site was closed and it was raining too hard to see the lake. Then we saw a sign for Republic Cemetery and the stop was not a complete loss.
The drive was amazing with the fall colors turning the trees yellow, bright green, and various shades of red.
We began our road trip back to Houston. We stopped in Vancouver for ten days and the Pacific Northwest gave us a string of cloudy, rainy days to see us off. The image of the steam clock above is found in Gastown – the origins of Vancouver. We are headed back to our origins, our hometown, and we are approaching it with mixed emotions. So we decided to take a road trip from the PNW to Houston by way of Montana, Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, Colorado, and New Mexico. Join us on our journey as we explore the heart of America.
