Wow the last 4 days have been a blast. I planned on posting each evening but ran into some wifi issues where I have stayed. Tonight I will add the first part of my trip. Unfortunately one of the down sides of traveling alone is that when you are driving, you cant really take pictures of the beautiful country you are going through.
One of the biggest issues I have faced since deciding to take this trip is the concern over a woman traveling alone cross-country. I am so glad I did not let them keep me from completing one of my bucket list items. My trip has been eventful and with some unexpected things, but I have been having the time of my life.
The country I have passed through so far has been so different than the terrain I have grown up traveling through. The mountains near Albuquerque, NM are awe inspiring and so completely different than the mountains of the Great Smokies. Much rockier and higher, I let my mind go back to what it must have been like for the pioneers traveling west for the first time. Its a challenge to a degree now, I can not imagine what they must have felt and gone through with only a wagon. It give me so much more respect for what our ancestors have done for us.
Day One – Cincinnati, Ohio – Mt. Vernon, IL
The first day was filled with the excitement of starting an adventure like this. I had the car packed and ready to go by 6 am about the same time it decided to start a rumbling thunderstorm. Since I did not have to arrive by a specific time, I decided after watching the weather to wait a few hours for it to pass before heading out. GREAT DECISION 🙂 I ran into a few sprinkles the first 45 minutes or so and the rest of the trip was absolutely beautiful. After a few hours, the rest of the trip was enjoyed with the top down on my Chrysler Sebring Convertible. I felt like a teenager on a summer break!
The hotel in Mt Vernon looked a little run down on the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised by the updated interior of the room. On the plus side as well, there was an amazing Bar-b-que restaurant in walking distance that I visited. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend Bandana’s. The food was reasonably priced and came in good sized portions. The only negative (but not really) was that the calorie count was also included so I had to make better decisions based on my health goals.
Tomorrow I will update you all on Day 2 and 3 , I can’t wait to see what unfolds throughout this trip. I have been having so many new ideas and goals come to me more clearly, I am excited to see my own results.
I am so pleased you are having a great time, just make sure you get plenty of rest and frequent stops on your continuing journey.
Your trip is sounding like quite a wonderful experience, from the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace cd’s to the wine tasting. I’m so glad you remained determined despite any odds to do this for yourself. I appreciate your sharing your adventure and look forward to your next post. I’m sure the Jack Canfield seminar will be fantastic, can’t wait to hear about that too. Have a safe and wonderful journey!