by Annie | May 27, 2010 | Travel
Ever wonder where wind comes from? Well, wonder no more. Wind is born in Minnesota. It grows on farms and is cultivated by windmills on the side of the highway. Baby winds mature fast, as it turns out. Before its first diaper change, a wind is already out on its own. From Minnesota, the winds blow straight into South Dakota. The young prepubescent winds, still unsure of their power, are often wild, unpredictable, and unnecessarily assertive, as most young ones are. They blew the cheese slices off the sandwiches I was making for lunch and dried the windshield before I even started to squeegee. Ah, adolescence....
by Annie | May 27, 2010 | Travel
Note: Please do not read this blog entry. Rather, sing it to the tune of “On the Road Again,” by Willie Nelson. On the road again Stopped in Wheaton, now we’re drivin’ again The life we love is playing board games with our friends We’re so sad to be on the road again On the road again Finding rest stops that we’ve never known Eating junk food that may kill us very soon Our car is packed, and we’re on the road again On the road again Like an old married couple in a Jetta We’re the best of friends Insisting that our car keep running on And on On the road again Stopped in Red Wing, now we’re drivin’ again The life we love is hanging out on Michael’s dock Oh, we’re so sad to be on the road again On the road again Like an old married couple with a dog-child We’re the best of friends Insisting that our dog keep on behavin’ And sleepin’ On the road again Now we’re headed to the Badlands And we’re gonna camp for several days outside Oh, I can’t wait to sleep inside...
by Annie | May 25, 2010 | Travel
Always brake for good friends. During our layover in Wheaton, IL, the past couple of days, we’ve enjoyed some great food, good company, fun games, abnormally high temperatures, and a stray thunderstorm, along with an interesting situation or two: Back on the road...
by Annie | May 24, 2010 | Travel
The first time I laid eyes on Sofie, I knew she was a pretty dog. The first time she nuzzled me, I sensed she was a sweet dog. Now, a few days into our roadtrip, I’ve learned that she was built to be a world traveler. With all our necessities on board our VW Jetta, you can surmise that space is limited, to say the least. Sofie has thus been confined to a cramped corner atop her beloved denim LL Bean dog bed, folded in half and crammed above pillows, towels, camping supplies, and various other somewhat soft items. Unlike the Princess and the Pea situation, however, Sofie doesn’t seem to mind her lumpy mattress or her inability to sit up without hitting the ceiling. In fact, she spends most of her time gazing out the window at FedEx trucks and cornfields while experimenting with new sleeping positions. Sofie’s trusted pal Squirrely always hangs out nearby to keep her company as she dreams about upcoming...
by Annie | May 23, 2010 | Travel
Cornfield, cornfield, soybean field, cornfield. Yup, you guessed it – we’re in the Midwest. Land flat as a pancake and roads straight as a pole. Great for testing visibility, not so great for sneaking up on enemies. So what does one do while counting cornfields? Why, eat, of course. Dream about what to eat, plan around what is actually available for eating, prepare area for eating, consume procured foods voraciously, clean up any traces of having eaten, and repeat. Here is a very limited portion of what my stomach has been busily processing within the past 24 hours or so: – several squares of perfectly bite-sized Swiss milk chocolate hazelnut delights – countless handfuls of Sun Chips out of an annoyingly noisy 100% compostable bag – sunflower seeds, both shelled and unshelled, salted and unsalted – prunes, an attempt to proactively ward off the imminent travel constipation – Fazoli breadsticks, fresh from the oven – one slice of white pie – biscuits and gravy, along with a thorough description of the many varieties of fat that went into the making of said gravy – several varieties of Lays potato chips, often consumed simultaneously – a bigger slice of white pie – iced hazelnut latte, mostly ice and hazelnut syrup – iced tea lemonade – shaken, not stirred Ah, how I delight in spotting those magical blue road signs, one after another, proclaiming the endless possibilities for palate stimulation and digestive exercise. Forget the freshman fifteen. Roadtrip fifteen, here I come!...
by Annie | May 22, 2010 | Travel
How did people ever drive across the country without mobile technology? I mean, I love my husband and all, but 50 some-odd hours of talking and car games? That could very well lead straight to a trial separation. The three smartphones in our car have essentially turned my spot in the passenger seat into a mobile command center. I could probably orchestrate a small war without getting out of the car. Here are a few of the things I’ve been doing: – playing several simultaneous games of Scrabble, the best game on Earth – listening to audiobooks, which is the best way to read – taking pictures of state welcome signs, which can be stressful at 60mph – checking email every few minutes – checking facebook when not playing Scrabble or checking email – looking up random facts to settle disputes and general curiosity – mapping our progress and searching for exits with Chick-fil-A’s Overall, I’d say I’m overwhelmingly relieved that we have access to the world at our fingertips. I mean, if you think about it, these smartphones are more than smart. They offer marriage insurance and sanity maintenance. Never leave home without...
