In more ways than one: if I am to answer that title honestly! Today was a silly and long day. I made a last minute decision last night for something fun tomorrow and it caused us to spend more time on the road today than originally planned (just let that little foreshadowing keep you intrigued until the next blog b/c I'll NEVER tell...until the the next blog when I ramble on and on about it in more details than you care to see or hear...I digress).
If you know the human bear, you know she always thinks I am wrong about everything and because the way the interstates are set up we literally went through West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland more times than humans or bears should on an average day; which brings us to her stating, "I think you're just driving in circles!" As if she had a solution or recognition of what was really happening for the few moments she peeled her eyes off of her tablet.
This may be more of a series of pictures b/c I am too tired to be witty.
I believe this was yesterday, we left Chattanooga and hit up the Kentucky Welcome Center. That's about all we got from Kentucky b/c we have places to be folks!
We made it to Ohio and you know what I realized, they do NOT like to show off their state like all the others we have seen. We went to at least three rest stops throughout Ohio and not one huge sign or flag to slap you in the face (the nerve!) We also didn't see a welcome center but the trade off was an amazing view of Cincinnati on a bridge as we crossed over into Ohio.
This little wooden unassuming carving of Ohio was the only thing I could find to prove we were here...right by the toilets. haha I like your style Ohio, no need to flaunt.
We got a hotel in Mason, OH and they had an indoor pool along with washer and dryers! Whoop whoop, 2 loads of clothes done! If you've ever been on the road long enough to have to do laundry, you understand this feeling...I feel like a champion that could change the world.
You know people stop caring when they go to dinner in their PJs!
But take a moment and acknowledge that hair please...so PJs at "Dennys" is fine sometimes! Oh and she ordered a salad as a main dish and a side of fruit to be able to earn that pie. Her negotiation skills are only strengthening but she at least realizes the negotiation part means compromise on her end so it's been a pretty enjoyable journey so far.
Apparently the human bear has too much responsibility so she's hired Snuggles to do room checks and is putting her/him through training. Snuggles was caught at a St. Paddy's day parade while on the shoulders of Jay Ducote then fumbled into a small lake of spilled beer by parade goers (for those of you that worry about the quality of cleanliness of our motel choices just let that sink in for a moment...it's not called Snuggles for nothing either!)
I honestly don't know what was first, second third or ninth today b/c we went back and forth so many times so here is our series of Welcome Center Pics in no particular order...
The most thrilling thing for the human bear so far has really just been breathable air and hills. I can't blame her and that's the thing I miss the most about living in Southern Louisiana: seasons and hills.
She must be from West Virginia b/c she's Wild and Wonderful and she claimed it herself!
All you iPhone lovers out there that talk smack about us not having portrait mode on our awesome cameras...LOOK OUT!
I know it doesn't seems as ridiculous in these pictures as it was in real life b/c we didn't stop every time we saw another welcome center but we went in and out of each state over and over and kept laughing b/c at one point I was second guessing if I REALLY WAS somehow going in circles accidentally.
Oh a HILL and she's off!
I am way behind on sharing the human bear's journals but here's a sample from the beginning of the trip.
Random asides: In the car so far I've listened to 3 audiobooks. If you need some productive summer reading to grapple with, I've enjoyed (Waking up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby, and When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Asha Bandele and Patrisse Cullors). I think I shall find something light and funny for a breather on this next leg of the trip but I really enjoyed all three of those and appreciate the recommendations from Hannah, Megan and Jessica!
I've also kept up with my workouts and have gotten some crazy looks from people. This afternoon I did my jump rope in flip flops in the parking lot of a motel...the human bear helped and we BOTH needed to let out extra energy.
I will not torment you all (that have actually scrolled this far) with the actual footage taken of me jumping rope. I will put on running shoes next time after hearing the terror in Jason's voice when I told him about our workout.
The human bear is snoring in the next bed over so I'm guessing it's about time to wrap this up and get on with sleep. We hope everyone at home is doing well and know that we are starting to miss people at this point...just not enough to turn around!
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