Days 8,9,10....arrival!

Well, I got off that daily blogging practice because I was too dang tired to think and write after a long day of driving.  But, here is my summary of the last few days on the road and our arrival in Providence!

Day 8 - Chicago, IL
We buzzed through Madison, WI which included a visit to WORT community radio.  The staff was very generous to give us a fantastic tour of the station. I had known a few of the veteran radioactivists from back in the day, like Norman Stockwell, and it was a treat to visit with him and the others during our time there.

After our visit, we drove to the Chicago area. We weren't quite in the city but staying at a hotel in Des Plains, just out of the city.  It was hot and humid.  Neither of us was feeling motivated to drive downtown and explore so instead we ate some dinner at a crappy diner and hit the hay.

The next day, we did take the time to take a gander at the gorgeous Lake Michigan on our way to Toledo, OH.  What a stunning sight it was!  It was a gorgeous sunny day so parking was at a premium at each of the small lots we tried to navigate.  We were able to do a quick look-see at what looked like a tropical beach to me. The water was turquoise and the sand was bright white.  There was even a pink house right on the beach!

 

Day 9 - Toledo, OH

Not much to share about this stop except we decided to skip our stay in Erie, PA in order to hightail it to my Aunt Susan and Uncle Peter's home in New York.  It is one of my favorite places on the planet.  There isn't any internet (gasp!) and barely any cell coverage (true!) so there isn't much screen time to suck up your life.  Susan and Peter were marvelous hosts.  This was my first visit in about a decade and I was looking forward to it.  A sweet opportunity to visit with my family and meet their family: Tippie the dog; Rocket, Gallop, and The Devil Cat (that last one has another name, but I can't recall it?). Susan also made us play Monopoly, the card game. I admit it, it was kind of fun. ;-)

 

 

Day 13 - Middletown, NY

After several relaxing days at my aunt and uncle's Shangri La, Liam and I drove east towards our final destination of Rhode Island.  We stayed in a nice hotel for our final night on the road and ate dinner at a nearby Greek diner.  The rain was overwhelming!  We learned that there were several areas on flood alert.  I later heard that Pennsylvania was hit, big time, with all the excessive rain. Yikes.

Day 14 - PROVIDENCE, RI !!!

We arrived in Providence around lunchtime and I met my new landlords for the first time, Michael and Marilyn.  What dolls!  I felt instantly welcome by them and as they gave me a tour of my new home. Marilyn and I spent the night texting one another about all kinds of things and Michael invited us out for a driving tour of the city that included a phenomenal dinner at the Old Canteen in Federal Hill.  Liam and I ate dinner at Julian's, which is a few blocks away from my new place! The following day, we went to my new coffeehouse, Sin, for amazing coffee and fantastic service.

 

I think I'm going to like it here.

TBA: Day 5, 6, 7

Hello, Friends!  The daily drivetime has increased these past few days so I have just enough energy to watch a couple of episodes of "Madam Secretary" before calling it a day. I adore that show and want to be Elizabeth McCord when I grow up. Let me clarify:  I do NOT want to be Secretary of State but her diplomatic skills when dealing with some serious buttheads is inspiring. The character is played by the very talented Tea Leoni and demonstrates how women can really take care of some business when it comes to Really Important Things. Now, I know it all has to do with really good scriptwriting, but that works for me.

We finished our visit to the gorgeous state of Wyoming yesterday and entered South Dakota. I think I made mention of this in my last post, but it is worth sharing again:  if you have a chance to visit Wyoming, do it.  There isn't one dull spot.

The day was full of visits to Devil's Tower, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mt. Rushmore, and The Badlands.  Devil's Tower was a fantastic experience that included a momma doe and her two little fawns making an appearance on the walking trail. And, when the other tourists weren't talking loudly, you could hear the climbers talking to each other up on the tower. We hit them all in just one day (the sights, not the tourists!) Needless to say that once we arrived in Chamberlain, SD, I was wiped out! We also kept running into groups of Harley Davidson riders who were checking out the annual gathering at Sturgis, SD and an impressive number of them took over the small town outside of Mt. Rushmore!

 

And, get a load of this:  As we were approaching the gate to The Badlands, I wasn't paying attention to my speed.  I think I was doing 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.  It was clear that I was speeding when the nice sheriff pulled me over to write me a ticket but here's the thing - he decided not to give me one.  He took some time to run my license, etc. and then returned to my car to share that he was going to give me a warning.  I threatened to kiss him with that news but quickly rescinded my suggestion for concern he might change his mind.  He actually smiled at the suggestion.  Needless to say, I've been hyper-vigilant in using my cruise control here on out!

We have also been blessed with amazing weather.  It has been sunny or partly cloudy for the most part - not a day of rain (beyond some quick showers driving over the Black Hills).  Each time we started a major ascent, we were always rewarded with a breathtaking view of the next valley below.

I've noticed that people's energy is different.  Not as friendly as I have shared in prior posts.  That may very well be due to my weariness from all this driving and my state of being at the end of the day is thin with patience.  But I did have a nice exchange with the server at The Upper Crust Pizza & Wings joint in South Dakota.  She gave me this refreshing treat that was a lovely way to end the day. The next morning, the gal at the gas station suggested we stop by to see Dignity on our way out of town.  She was a beautiful and stunning farewell to our visit to the small town.

From Travel South Dakota:

The Dignity sculpture is a stunning combination of art and history. Located on a bluff between exits 263 and 265 on Interstate 90 near Chamberlain, the stainless steel, 50-foot-tall statue was specifically designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. That’s why he used three Native American models ages 14, 29 and 55 to perfect the face of Dignity.

We arrived safely in Rochester, MN and our accommodations at the Comfort Suites are superb.  The city is the birthplace of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.  I thoroughly enjoyed the drive through Minnesota due to the vibrant and pristine farmland.  In contrast, the more desolate areas of Wyoming and South Dakota freaked me out a bit with not a soul in sight for stretches of time.

Tomorrow, we head to a place just outside of Chicago and then to Toledo before spending a few blissful days in one of the most important places on the planet to me - my Aunt Susan & Uncle Peter's peaceful farmhouse in New York State.  It is her birthday on Saturday and I can't wait to see her!

Ciao!
Dennise

TBA: Day Four

Liam and I made it to Cody, WY after a marvelous drive through yet another part of Yellowstone Park. We grabbed a bite to eat at a place in Pahaska Tepee, home of Buffalo Bill's historic lodge.

The drive from the exit of the park to Cody was breathtaking.  Our photos couldn't capture the full beauty of what we witnessed, but we did try to do our best to do so...

We arrived at yet another Comfort Inn and this is a nice one with excellent customer service.  We walked around downtown Cody that was filled with a lot of Harley Davidson riders (later we learned that the annual Sturgis gathering is underway, which isn't too far from here).  We first popped into the historic Irma Hotel/Bar for a drinky poo (and spotted some real cowboys in there).  We enjoyed a small pizza at one of the three brewpubs in town before heading back to our comfy hotel room.

I shared a text message exchange with my new landlords, Marilyn & Mike, who are preparing my new apartment for my arrival in ten day's time.  I feel like I am floating in between real life and not quite sure what the heck is going on.  I really, really miss my kid who I haven't seen since early June.  I was writing this morning and got to thinking about Pardee Street.  I won't be returning there and I cried a little bit this morning.  It is all part of the process of letting go and stepping into something new.  It is exciting but it is also a little sad. 

This gypsy life of driving from one hotel to the next has its interesting points but I do miss the comfort of a home. I am so grateful for Liam's tolerance of my chronic need to be in control and we only snapped at each other about four times so far.  He's my best bud and he tolerates my Dennise-ness and I am so very thankful that he is one of the few who can do that and still like me.  

Tomorrow we are off to Gillette, WY.  It will be all about driving.  I have to say, Wyoming is more stunning than I expected and if you can ever get here for a visit, I highly recommend it.  It used to be known as 'no place on earth' and I have to agree. I've never experienced anything like it!

TBA: Day Three

We not only survived staying at a sub-par hotel last night, we were greeted with a spectacular sunrise this morning. I just knew it was a sign of even more good things to come.

OMG: Yellowstone.  It was like driving through a living painting! 

Liam and I arrived at Yellowstone Park today and the visit has been spectacular. Of course, we visited Old Faithful and all of the other geysers that we stopped by were amazing.  I kept gasping and exclaiming to Liam, 'Oh my! Look at THAT ... view/mountain/geyser'.  We are blessed to have such a place to visit.

 

 

We did get stuck in some construction on our way out of the park but heck, nothing beats being stuck in a traffic jam ... in Yellowstone Park, right?  We are staying in Gardiner, MT at a nice hotel with a very helpful innkeeper.  I shared I was seeking a top-notch Cosmopolitan and delicious burger.  He sent us to Iron Horse Bar & Grill that sits on the Yellowstone River.  We were not disappointed.  I enjoyed the STRONGEST cosmo, ever (I admit it - I was a little tipsy) and a bison burger that was out of this world.  I also chatted with a few of the other diners.  What a friendly place.

 

We did have a tiny thunderstorm that lingered but I made it back to the hotel just in the nick of time.  I waited for Liam to catch up (he stopped at the local grocery store to pick up some ice cream) and in the meantime, I chatted with a few bikers who were checking into the hotel, too.

All in all, a good day!

TBA: Day Two

We made it to our second destination today:  Idaho Falls, ID.  Our accommodations this go around, not so hot.  We were totally spoiled at Candlewood Suites, just outside of Boise.  Spoiled, I tell you. Excellent amenities, gracious staff, and pure comfort.  I decided to take my special dish that was on my bedside table on Pardee Street (bringing a little bit of my former home with me on the road and it makes a tender difference in the strange places that I am sleeping in).  Tonight, we checked into Comfort Inn and well, 'comfort' is not a word I would use for this hotel.  But what I did discover was another guest who spends a lot of time staying here (13 years he has been coming to this hotel) who helped me out as the front desk gal was trying to deal with the system's failure called registration.  I also spent 15 minutes trying to connect to WiFi without success until I realized I needed to circumvent my default browser and presto!  I was connected. Thank goodness.  I mean, what would I do without being able to connect to the internet?

Earlier in the day, we got a late start as I needed to do some telecommuting for my job with Kinship House.  I'll be working remotely for my favorite non-profit that provides mental health care for foster and adopted children and I am thrilled with the opportunity!

Once we checked out, Liam and I headed to Radio Boise in downtown.  I met the founder many years ago at a radio conference just as he was trying to get things going with the community radio station.  We met Jessica (the general manager) and Wayne (the program director) along with a few volunteers.  Wayne graciously gave us a great tour of the station and I have to say, I loved talking 'shop' with him.  I miss working at a radio station and it was a great walk down memory lane to be talking 'all things radio'.  After our visit, we grabbed some bento before hopping into the car to head to our next location.

 

One of the fabulous things that I am noticing on this trip is the inherent kindness in people. I have been living with the notion that traveling in the US isn't as jolly as abroad because the people in Europe are more open to welcoming travelers.  Well, I've been learning the contrary on this trip as every person I have yakked with has been tremendously friendly and helpful.  So happy to be wrong about my fellow and sister Americans.

Tomorrow, we are off to the northern part of Yellowstone Park. We will be entering from the western entrance and we are both quite excited about this leg of the trip.  Yes, I booked another room at Comfort Inn and I will remain optimistic it will live up to its name. Let's all cross our fingers, eh?

Ciao!
Dennise
(aka Denny K - A new nickname I may start using in Providence - what do you think?)

The Big Adventure (TBA) - Day One

Liam and I left Portland at the crack of 9 o'clock today. I received several text messages from a few of my lovely friends (that meant so much to me - thank you!). I said my final goodbye to my home and headed to the Village Inn (Mall 205) for a hearty breakfast before hitting the road.  Jenny was our server and I gotta say, that gal provided the best customer service I have experienced in years!  Not only was she friendly and attentive, she gave each of us TWO slices of free pie. I knew we were off to a good start.

Our plan was to make it to Meridian, ID (just outside of Boise) for our first night's stay.  It was a 6 1/2 hour drive that ran about 7 1/2 with a few breaks along the way. One of those stops was in Rufus, OR that just survived one heck of a fire (I believe it was arson) and driving on I-84 with the Columbia River guiding us along was a treat of colors of beige, brown, green and dark blue.  The sky was a thick haze for much of the journey and we could only see the outlines of the majestic Wallowa Mountains.  Although we missed a peek at those peaks, we did see some fantastic rock formations along the way, as well as, a bizarre structure that turned out to be a cement factory.

 

So, here we are near Boise.  It is surreal that this journey has actually started and I am looking forward to seeing Yellowstone Park in a couple of days.  I never had the chance to see it during any of the other cross country drives I have made over the years.

Thanks again for all of your loving support. The loving words of encouragement of my friends make my heart fill with such joy but I know I am going to miss all of you dearly. In the meantime, I will take each moment of this fantastical trip fully and mindfully.  I hope you will join me on this virtual drive across the United States.

#PDX2PVD  #RoadTrip2018