10, 000 miles later

Sunday, August 24

So, we’re signing off here. For those that enjoy the stats…here they are. If you are more visual, we’ve included a highlighted USA map, too!

June 25 Madison, New Jersey – Luray, Virginia 320 miles

June 26 Luray, VA

June 27 Luray, VA

June 28, Luray, VA
June 29 Luray, VA
June 30 Luray, VA – Middlesboro, Kentucky 400 miles
July 1 Middlesboro, KY – Jackson, Tennessee 310 miles
July 2 Jackson, TN – Oxford, Mississippi 190 miles
July 3 Oxford, MS – Natchez, MS 287 miles
July 4 Natchez, MS – New Orleans, Louisiana 181 miles
July 5 New Orleans, LA- Lafayette, LA 172 miles
July 6 Lafayette, LA – Schulenburg, Texas 405 miles
July 7 Schulenburg, TX – Fort Stockton, TX 418 miles
July 8 Fort Stockton, TX – El Paso, TX 249 miles
July 9 El Paso, TX – Silver City, New Mexico 198 miles
July 10 Silver City, NM – Tombstone, Arizona 177 miles
July 11 Tombstone, AZ – Tucson, AZ 123 miles
July 12 Tucson, AZ
July 13 Tucson, AZ – Gila Bend, AZ 130 miles
July 14 Gila Bend, AZ – Palm Springs, California 327 miles
July 15 Palm Springs, CA – Prismo Beach, CA 328 miles
July 16 Prismo Beach, CA – Big Sur, CA 135 miles
July 17 Big Sur, CA – San Francisco, CA 150 miles
July 18 San Francisco, CA
July 19 San Francisco, CA
July 20 San Francisco, CA – Oakland, CA 55 miles
July 21 Oakland, CA – Yosemite, CA 204 miles
July 22 Yosemite, CA – Bishop, CA 125 miles
July 23 Bishop, CA – Las Vegas, Nevada 284 miles
July 24 Las Vegas, NV – Zion, Utah 234 miles
July 25 Zion, UT
July 26 Zion, UT – Tuba City, Arizona 314 miles
July 27 Tuba City, AZ – Canyon de Chelly, AZ 218 miles
July 28 Canyon de Chelly, AZ
July 29 Canyon de Chelly, AZ – Mesa Verde, Colorado 216 miles
July 30 Mesa Verde, CO – Taos, New Mexico 252 miles
July 31 Taos, NM – La Veta, Colorado 128 miles
August 1 La Veta, CO
August 2 La Veta, CO
August 3 La Veta, CO
August 4 La Veta, CO – Dodge City, Kansas 301 miles
August 5 Dodge City, KS – Council Grove, Kansas 334 miles
August 6 Council Grove, Kansas – St. Charles, Missouri 443 miles
August 7 St. Charles, MO – Bloomington, Illinois 212 miles
August 8 Bloomington, IL – Chicago, IL 120 miles
August 9 Chicago, IL – Ann Arbor, MI 280 miles
August 10 Ann Arbor, MI – Niagara Falls, Ontario 297 miles
August 11 Niagara Falls, ON – Tyson, Vermont 420 miles
August 12 Tyson, VT – Farmington, Maine 378 miles
August 13 Farmington, ME
August 14 Farmington, ME
August 15 Farmington, ME
August 16 Farmington, ME
August 17 Farmington, ME
August 18 Farmington, ME
August 19 Farmington, ME – Amherst, New Hampshire 191 miles
August 20 Amherst, NH – East Greenwich, Rhode Island 123 miles
August 21 East Greenwich, RI
August 22 East Greenwich, RI
August 23 East Greenwich, RI – Morristown, New Jersey 212 miles
August 24 Morristown, NJ – Madison, New Jersey 6 miles

My father highlighted our route as we traversed the country. When I saw this map I immediately cried, “we missed half of it!” And, indeed we did. But my dad was quick to point out that we actually covered quite a bit of land. Yes, you’re right. And, especially given our travel partners and gas prices, we overcame some obstacles and had had fun nonetheless…

Personally, I overcame the hurdle of sharing so much of our lives and thoughts. I am looking forward to retiring from the blog and getting out of the public eye. I inhabited this persona (thanks again, Lillesol!) rather unwillingly, but learned that the medium of blogging can be useful if you are willing to accept rough, unpolished writing.

I’m thankful for this opportunity and appreciative of all we’ve learned, seen, done, and experienced.

I’m thankful for so many peoples’ messages and open arms along the way.

I’m thankful for the gift of patience (which we all practiced – some better than others).

I’m thankful that despite the fact that neither Neil nor I enjoy driving, we managed to drive 10,000 miles without a glitch.

I’m thankful to my neighbors Amy and Susan, cousin Mallory, and Scott Johnson who helped me with my camera search in June.

I’m thankful for my children who managed to maneuver the transition from place to place with ease (most of the time!), who forgave us all of our faults, and who still seem to love their parents in spite of it all!

I’m thankful for Neil’s innate map skills and his patience along the way (especially when I wanted to see “just one more historical marker”). I am thankful that I am even more appreciative of my travel partner than when we started out in June!

I’m thankful for the Beatles CD, Queen CD, and the Princess CD (things you never thought you would say).

I’m thankful for back roads and I’m thankful for Interstates. Each had its appropriate time.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to challenge myself and overcome fears of writing publicly.

I’m thankful for all of the people who served us coffee and chocolate milk with a smile, and those who helped us understand and appreciate our surroundings better.

I am thankful that I could easily get back in the car and do it all again and I am equally elated to be at home!

I’m thankful that I had moments like those in the wilds of Death Valley where I could truly appreciate and understand history.

I’m thankful for sassafras candies, Fruitstripes gum, and gummy bears.

I’m thankful for life in all of its splendid variations. In two short months we’ve heard about engagements, pregnancies, new homes, marriages, births and deaths. Time marches on and I am thankful for the many who included us in their joys and sorrows…

I’m thankful for living in this vast and beautiful land filled with so much rich and varied history.

And, lastly...here is a photo of the woman behind the camera.

We're home and all is well.