Post-Holiday Love

For those of you who have wondered whether we secretly settled in Austin to become dishwashers at the Salt Lick, the answer is no. Since our last entry, we've washed the bbq sauce off our grubby chins (yes, I think I may have gained another after Southern eatin') and headed West. The last two weeks have been an absolute whirlwind: driving back to Los Angeles, a snowy Christmas family vacation in Whistler, all while cramming in some of the most beautiful sights on the trip thus far.

Here's a photo recap of the frantic jam-packed drive home. My Grandma Jeanne in Lubbock, TX, a true Texan through and through. Lubbock: home of big hair, Tex-Mex, and cheerleaders.



Heading north through Amarillo, we made it just in time for sunset at Cadillac Ranch. We sprinted through the cowpies and helped ourselves to the leftover spraycans for some interactive art/vandalism.




Santa Fe: the air there felt cleaner than any I'd ever breathed, as the scenery blended into memories of creamy Georgia O'Keefe paintings. Such a beautiful area, with colors that got stuck on my mind.




What a better way to end the trip than with our nation's Grandest Canyon. Sunrise in the freezing cold rewarded us with a view that baffled me, as it seemed impossible to exist. My brain hurt just looking out over the southern rim, struggling to comprehend a landscape so immense and ridiculously pretty. As the sky brightened we did a driving tour, taking a meelion pictures at every stop in my PJ's. Having visited a handful of national parks along the trip, it really just blows me away to think of what an amazingly beautiful country we have. I had no idea how many natural wonders were in my own backyard.









Walnut Canyon is another national park near the GC that I would highly recommend. The Sinagua Indians built these amazing cave dwellings in the cliffsides and you can do a hike around thier 12th century homes. Pretty crazy. You can still see fingerprints in the clay they used to build the walls and black marks from their fires.




So, there you have it, the story of how we made it full circle to Los Angeles. Driving the final stretch along the I-10 was very strange, especially once scenery became familiar in Indio. When we turned left onto my home street I felt displaced, almost like I was watching myself doing something from a different time. Not in a bad way, just strange. Memories came back to me of the day we left 5 months ago, along this same street with our sparkling clean Günther and heads full of expectations. Fortunatately, we won't have to revert to nostalgia as this is merely a break point in our adventure.

For the next few weeks we will continue our research and preparation for the Central America portion of our trip. We plan to continue with our journey in an educated and careful fashion, with thanks to all those who have expressed concern for our safety. We'll keep everyone updated, and give us a shout if you are in town and want to see us.

-Rachel