Yes, I’ve loved Volkswagens ever since high school and eventually bought my dream car, a VW Jetta, affectionally called the Jetti. I took her on my first cross country trip in 2011. I’d always dreamt of driving cross country in a Jetta, and yes, dreams do come true. The Jetti and I would later drive many times across The United States and she drove like a champ! If you’re going to travel long distances, make sure it’s in a car you actually have fun driving. Oh, and don’t forget to schedule oil changes on the open road. I snagged this stellar VW cup at one of my maintenance pit stops, and it pretty much sums up my heart loves - Volkswagen, the color light blue, and coffee (cold brew with oat milk, to be exact).
Before that first trip, the furthest west I had been was Florida and I’d only lived in Maine and Vermont back at the time. In other words, I hadn’t traveled very much. That 2011 trip changed that, and set me on a course where I have visited all of the “lower 48” states as of 2020. During that first big trip, I went through 33 states in 23 days and it was worth every mile to see the beauty this country offers.
As I was making my way to the great American west, I realized in South Dakota that I was near the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead. I HAD to go. In elementary school, an elderly gentleman read the books to us and I’d always pictured myself living way back then and wondered what it was really like. The wind was whipping crazily that day across the plains, and I wondered what it must have been like to have lived during that time in the freezing cold with no modern comforts. And yes, that is the Jetti in the trees below! I was very thankful for heat in the Jetti that day. After leaving there, I saw an abandoned white house and wondered what the story of the property consisted of. There were once people living in that house, and now only ghosts of the past remained. I continued on toward Mount Rushmore, and then Evans Plunge. Its spring fed water is thought to have healing properties. It was amazing and my skin felt so soft afterward. So, if you’re ever in Hot Springs, South Dakota, check it out!
I made my way to Colorado and Utah after South Dakota. Frisco, Colorado is an adorable town in the Rockies and I’ve been back a few times since this first trip. There’s a stream that runs through the village area, and I always find the same little walking bridge and check it out. Also, Butterhorn Bakery sits downtown and is a cafe serving really yummy things. And yes, I’ve eaten there a few times! You HAVE to check out Frisco if you visit this part of Colorado. I also stopped and saw a veterans memorial in Fruita, Colorado near Grand Junction, which was a very nice tribute.
Next was Utah. I thought Maine had interesting weather. But, Utah took the cake that day. I saw sun, rain, and snow. And a cow. In the middle of nowhere. Utah’s landscape is pretty varied. Red rocks, bluffs, mountains, and everything in between. One of the things I cherish most about traveling out west is the varied landscape. It never gets old. After Utah, I made my way through northern Nevada. I remember wondering what people did for work in the middle of nowhere. Random towns, random casinos. It’s important to not forget how other people live. We all have different experiences in this big, wide world and I love that traveling broadens my perspectives.
I then ventured onward to Lake Tahoe, which will be a separate blog entry in the future. I’ll keep it short here, but I love the Riva Grill and the Alder Inn in South Lake Tahoe, California. As I left the mountains and traveled further west, I visited Napa Valley. It was gorgeous and peaceful there. I rented an electric bicycle which was super fun and I would highly recommend it! You can be outside in nature and take life slow (well, slower than a car, that bicycle got going pretty fast!). I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time on this trip, and the west coast stole my heart even more! There was a landslide so some of the coastal highway was blocked, which caused me to make adjustments. However, it wasn’t a big deal and I still saw some of the Pacific coast before I headed back east.
This was a snippet of that first big trip. I have SO MUCH more to share on specific places....THIS was the start of many beautiful travel experiences which I can’t WAIT to share with you! Safe travels, friends!