Conclusion

Extra pictures:


















These are pictures that didn't make it into blogs but should have.

So, here we are, at home in Chicago. It's been almost a week since we came back. I would say the feeling is melancholic relief. I think I truly could have kept going (had I maybe been a trust fund kid and had bottomless pockets). Gabe on the other hand is very relieved to be home. We have immediately settled into our old ways albeit, jobless. Kind of. I've spent the better part of this week looking for jobs from the comfort of my own computer. I haven't actually gone anywere and applied. But I've been writing cover letters and resumes and emailed a handful of them. And thanks to the encouragement of many of you, I actually sat down and wrote a short story on Friday. When it's edited, I will post it for critique. I may actually start a new blog for the purpose of short stories.

I digress...

What we've decided is that, life on the road can be awesome, tiresome, invigorating, difficult, exciting, boring, educational, frustrating, and completely freeing. And expensive. We definitely spent more than we expected but not more than we budgeted. But, I found out, pleasantly enough, that homesickness doesn't happen if all that you love is with you. I had Gabe and Conrad and Baloo and my favorite pillow and I was great! If our apartment had burned to the ground (knock on wood) I would have been okay. Being in campsites or at peoples houses was nice and grounding and for the most part relaxing. But being on the road, driving endless miles was where it was at. That's where Gabe and I talked and laughed and hashed out ideas and held hands and told funny stories and listened to hours and hours of The Savage Lovecast and listened to hours and hours of music and tried to decipher the GPS maps. It was always with an anxiousness to get out on the road that we left each place. Moods instantly brightened once the city limits were behind us and it was at least three hours before the next destination. Everywhere we went had a different terrain and living style. Nothing got old and boring. Even West Texas had it's charm!
There are a lot of people whom we owe many thanks. Not in any order of importance: Willie, for letting us borrow his GPS - without it we would have had a much harder time getting around; Dad (Rory) for lending us one of his laptops so that we could keep in touch with the world while on the road; Bob and Linda for letting us and the dogs stay for 6 days; Linda specifically for taking me to the doctor because I got sick in Maine; Brian and his wife for feeding us; Dave and Tiff for letting us crash and have a dog party; Ben and Melissa for taking us out on the town and letting us play music in the basement; Mom (Janet) for making us meal after meal and providing the most comfortable bed; Mickey for being the most awesome 4 year old ever; Bren for providing some patience and perspective; Bridget and Dan for letting us camp in their front yard and taking us around K.C. Basically, we had a blast at wherever we stayed and if it weren't for all the gracious hosts, our trip wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

Here's some of the quotes that were stated along the trip, try to guess who said what:

"Cuz, you know I'm into vistas."
"Babe, I'm pretty sure this is wood." (refering to the rocky coast of Maine)
"Look, it's one of those goat-cow things!"
"Look at that bridge! No Wait! Don't look at that bridge! Just imagine it!"



Mickey being way too silly to go to bed...

With the giggles because of wine; showing off our lovely toes, blocking Dan's unlovely toes.