On the road

I got a good night's sleep so I was ready to go. Wouldn't you know it...it was drizzling as I started to drive away, actually it had been raining on and off the previous day as I was packing up my car. I guess WA was sad that I was leaving! Me, too. This assignment has probably been one of the best I've ever had with the friends nearby, the things to do (and so many more to do!) and the clinic that I worked at. Hawaii was great as far as the people that I met and have stayed in touch with but as far as what I like to do, WA was more for me.

As I passed over the mountains to the other side, I looked in my rear view mirror and could see the cloud hanging over Seattle-Tacoma. It was sunny and warm on the eastern side of the mountains. I had a long drive ahead of me, filled with excitement and anticipation but some sadness over what I was leaving behind. It was amazing how the scenery changed as I drove through WA, OR, ID and into UT (if you don't know what those states are...look it up!) where I spent the night. The west side of the mountains were wet, lush and green, the eastern side brown/yellow, flatter and deserty. As I headed southwest, more mountains popped up but they were not as high, had little vegetation and were a brownish/reddish color. I slept well in one of my timeshare resorts in UT, was able to eat a good meal and then left Monday morning for the Denver area.

I have a friend who moved to CO about 4 years ago with her husband and 2 kids. I got there around 7ish, having just missed the rush hour traffic. Although, she says the traffic's not bad, unlike L.A. Her kids have grown up! Wow, how time flies! They have this beautiful house with a huge backyard, something none of us could afford in CA. Of course, the MNF game was on. She and her husband are still playing in sports leagues, of which I'm a little envious. I do miss catching that long pass down the field when no one expects me to. I left them with some Canadian chocolate to which she is one of the few that can appreciate the difference.

I made it through the flat plains of Kansas into MO. As I was driving, I talked to another traveller that I met in HI who was driving from FL to CA and had stopped in TX. We were like 2 ships that pass in the night, each going coast-to-coast. I used to live in Columbia, MO for almost 4 years about 11 years ago. My friend still lives there with her 2 kids, both of which have grown up as well! What in the world is going on! She took me for a drive through town today...my, how's it's changed and grown. There are new stores, many of them chains like Applebee's, IHOP, Macy's Old Navy, which weren't there when I lived here. I get to relax a bit here before I head to my cousin's in Champaign, IL tomorrow and then Raleigh the next night to arrive in Jacksonville, NC Saturday morning.