Ah technology! I am typing on my laptop as James drives the van. The charger is plugged into the 10v (the outlet that looks like a lighter), which is attached to a power strip for plugging in USB and 3 pronged plugs. It is incredible all the things that can be done while on the road! Sorrel is exclaiming about all the cool trucks that go by us (we travel at about 65 mph on average, even slow for the tractor trailers!) We are currently on I-30 in Arkansas, on our way to Bryan, Texas to visit with our friends Lesley and Jeremy and their 9 month old daughter Matilda. Last time we saw them they were not pregnant- it will be great to meet their new addition, and hang out with friends!
Our last friends stop was with Alison, in Bethesda, Maryland. We have been friends for 13 years now (that just sounds crazy, but it is wonderfully so!) She and her new son Gabriel and husband Sean were great hosts, and it was so beautiful to see a new mamma at work. We had a lovely fish dinner with them, and made Alison pancakes and fruit salad the next morning, hung out on her porch, went for a walk and enjoyed the quiet morning before heading back out on the road. Parula proved her self to be an enthusiastic big "cousin" to Gabriel, eagerly helping Alison with any task she was able to complete. We left Bethesda and camped that night just outside of Charlottesville, VA. It was our first official night back in a campground (as opposed to a driveway or guest room), and we came to realize that set up and breakdown of camp is much like riding a bike- it takes a while to get the hang of it, but once you get it you don't forget. So, since we've done this lots before, even though its been a while, it was pretty quick to set up and then pack up to leave. We are eating mostly raw while we travel and feed ourselves. I didn't bring a stove, pots, pans, etc. The only exception is when we visit friends and family, and occasionally eat out, we are definitely deviating from this plan, but that is fine with me. We have a wonderful book called "Healthy Highways", which was published in 2004- there is a more recent edition, and an even more current book of the like that came out in 2011. Many places are nonexistent, "Wild Oats" was bought up by Whole Foods, etc. We have learned to call a place before getting off the highway to make sure they exist. One of every 2 places has moved or gone out of business. Non the less, the book is extremely helpful and we have been getting by just fine on good fresh produce (and Kombucha) everywhere we go.
After our stay near Charlottesville our next night was in northeastern Tennessee. I realized once again that TN is a very long state to drive across. The following night we were again in TN, this time just west of Nashville near the Buffalo River. We were staying at a KOA just off of I-40, where we had to shout to each other to be heard over the noise of the interstate. At least there were not many people there. Then we get to last night. It started POURING rain just after we crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas. There were crazy clouds, and the skies opened up and dumped. There was really no end in sight. We decided it would be best (and sane) for us to forgo a campground and stay in a hotel. Two big wet dogs in a small space with 4 people is extremely undesirable. We used another outdated but very useful book we've had since our Prescott days called "Traveling with your Pet" published by AAA. The book lists hotels in every state, most cities, that except dogs, with ratings and fees, etc. Another good reference, but another resource we've used and learned that its still good to call first, as there is some mis-information in the book. We stayed at a hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas last night, where there was a dental conference going on as well. Lots of men with southern accents and big smiles were sharing the hotel with us.
One question that keeps coming up throughout our travels, and encounters in life about our choice- "Aren't you worried about your safety in Mexico?" To this I have an answer that is another question that always stops people to think- "Have you ever heard of a child going into a school in Mexico and shooting up their classmates, or an adult into a shopping mall or movie theater and shooting innocent people around them?" These are the realities of the United States, not Mexico. The U.S. media chooses to focus the news from Mexico on the drug cartel related violence. I don't want to downplay the gruesome crimes that occur, but if you look at them, please understand that the people involved in the violence have relations to the cartels. It is actually illegal for a citizen to own a gun in Mexico- or course people do, but not in abundance as in the U.S. `There are certainly innocent people whose lives are taken, but how many innocent people's lives are taken by racism, bigotry, and pure ignorance here? I could go on and on, but this is where I will stop. What matters most to me is to be in a place where me and my family can be happy, content, and at home. So onward we go- to Todos Santos!
No comments:
Post a Comment