The Drive...

Once again, just like in Germany, I'm finding myself having to catch up on writing about my trip. I really should learn not to procrastinate...

Anyways, as many of you know my trip started officially after a nice weekend in Birmingham visiting a few friends. Knowing myself well enough to know that I'd be emotionally distraught if I had to drive through Birmingham without time to stop and see everyone, I spent the weekend there, getting plenty of time to catch up with old friends. As much as I know it would have been horrible to just blow through, the stop made it a little bit more challenging to leave... too much fun I guess! To all of those I visited- THANK YOU!! I treasure the time I had to catch up with you, the only reason it made it difficult is because I didn't want to leave y'all.

Next stop was Shreveport, Louisiana. If you noticed that the bug population seemed to markedly decrease around Monday 17 April, its because I killed most of them with my car. By the way, Louisiana is FLAT. It was an amazing difference between Mississippi and Louisiana when I crossed the Mississippi River! I thought I was bored while driving to Shreveport...I had no idea what was to come...

San Angelo, Texas! If that's where I'm headed then it must be because I'm goin to visit COURTNEY AND DANNY! Oh what a great stop after a lonely night in the hotel at Shreveport. It was such a blessing that they were only a tiny bit out of the way on my trip across the U.S. I got to watch Danny's soccer game with Court, then spend hours upon hours having some major girl time with with her. Thanks again for recommending that amazing book Court! It's saving my life out here :) Also, thanks for giving me a comfortable place to sleep and for making me breakfast! It was much needed and got me through the very very very long drive across west Texas...

On to Sierra Vista...that leg of the trip took 10 hours. I've driven to and from Buffalo, NY on more than a few occassions, a 13/14 hour drive, and let me tell you, that 10 hours was MUCH worse. Not only is west Texas quite possibly the flattest, most unpopulated, driest place in the United States, that was 8 hours of the trip. The most exciting part of the trip consisted of my bike trying desperately to escape the binds of my bike rack, or maybe driving through a large dust devil (HUGE mistake), or maybe border patrol, no how about going 100 miles before seeing a gas station... So basically in between tying down my bike to my spare with 550 cord, nearly getting blown off the road by a dust devil, getting my citizenship verified by border control, and nearly running out of gas in the most God-forsaken place on earth, I was bored silly. Until I got to New Mexico. If you've never seen pictures of the Continental Divide, look them up, or scroll up on the page. Its amazing, and New Mexico is my new favorite place.
I rolled into Sierra Vista around 9:30 Arizona time (mountian time, but not on daylight savings), checked into the hotel, and promptly passed the heck out.

I hope I didn't disappoint with my recount of my drive, I promise it really wasn't that exciting. If you come away from this blog with anything please remember to avoid driving through west texas, and NEVER drive through a dust devil more than 8 feet wide...

I'll write up my first week in Sierra Vista too, then you should be all caught up until the end of this week! Miss everyone and God Bless!!!

~Natalie