We've made it to South Dakota! At the end of day two I have a few clear thoughts. First, if one feels a loss of direction in life, a drive across North America is just the thing. I suggest this not only for its relocation purposes, but because the numerous roadside billboards are more than willing to tell you what to do: eat breakfast, collect antiques, advertise your business, spend less on tobacco, find god, and pick apples. Where else but on a tree lined highway in middle America can you find a double billboard that directs you to $.25 hot dogs and confirms, with one short, expensive sentence, that god does, in fact, exist. I'm not sure how I feel about either of those things, but their relative boldness posted so high up there makes me smile.
Second, the impatience I felt on our first day of driving passed quickly as already this morning I began to feel an appreciation for the drive - this time that feels suspended with nothing to do but read, read, read, scribble notes, sip fizzy pink soda, and pause to smile next to me at my partner in crime.
In the midwest the air cooled and we both agreed to a sense of comfort in the beautiful, hilly, land-locked landscape. We nodded together at the idea of living here one day amid the farm houses and corn fields. We drove for 14 hours hours today, almost 15, and we're both resting now in a surprisingly decent hotel room for the price and ease. Tomorrow we continue the long trek across this state, then into Wyoming and Montana.
5 comments:
it turned up the air conditioning tonight and put on a sweater after your call. i am jealous. also, i really love the wonder picture.
This post makes me want to put snuggle into a comfy cozy hoodie and drive into the sunset with the windows down and the radio on full blast.
What fun to be traveling to a new adventure with your true love!
I kind of thought you would love the drive for those very reason. I mean, how often do we ever have the time to just read, read, read? As much as we always wish we were at home with a book but instead we are at work, etc. And that feeling of being in transition? Oh...the reasoning behind those long flights and layovers...
"Travel is the most private of pleasures. There is no greater bore than the travel bore. We do not in the least want to hear what he has seen in Hong-Kong."
~Sackville-West, Vita
Walter, you can't do that. These guys're like me, they're pacificists. Smokey was a conscientious objector.
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