apologies

(photo credit Sheenalu)

*the video i posted last tuesday (girls can't drive) was one that my sister had shown me. i didn't realize there were several versions of that on youtube and inadvertantly picked one to post with background music that i didn't care for-i'm so sorry! i didn't listen to the whole thing, thinking it was the same link. i have replaced it with the actual one my sister showed me, and the background music on this one actually makes the whole thing a little bit funnier. i'll be sure to double check which version i post in the future. thanks!

a few shots from the day

i absolutely love seeing The Peak with snow blowing off the top...i'm sure it's crazy up at the summit but it looks beautiful from down below!

the Manitou Incline, that i have mentioned a few times, is the small trail climbing straight up the mountain in the foreground. see?! i told you it was a challenge!

in The Garden-Balance Rock
what it looks like hiking through some of the many trails.
i passed a horseback tour!
snow-capped beauty

home. blizzard. sick.

i'm not too exciting unfortunately right now and not much to report.

i was unable to make my trip to seattle this weekend because we got a 'historic' blizzard that paralyzed DIA. big bummer yet i am also not keen on getting stuck in weather, so i'm ok being home rather than at the airport.

i think i got some food-poisoning from going out last night to manitou. not keeping anything down right now :( {so i'm really glad i'm home!}

the blizzard was awesome! almost total white-out...and it felt cozy inside the house. i'm in the middle of a great book, so it's the perfect excuse to waste hours, wrapped in a blanket, sipping a hot beverage lost in another world. :D

ok, that's all for now. i'll try to be more interesting sooner rather than later.

*smooch*

this is HILARIOUS

behind, again!

i'm behind, again. i've been lax in posting. i have been busy, actually...and the new website is pretty close to being done! i can't wait for you to see it :)

i got a part-time catering job through my friend, Anna...never done it before. i rather enjoy it. i'm on my feet, instead of behind a desk. i get to meet lots of interesting people and even snitch some great food afterwards! :P

i've also been nannying for a family that needed a fill-in, last week and this week. i have risen before 6am everyday this whole last week. i know, cry me a river...it just means that i take naps later in the day when i normally would blog. sorry!

this upcoming thursday, i fly back to seattle for almost a week! i am so excited to see my friends (who, by the way, have been wonderful at keeping in touch!), enjoy the NW and spend the weekend at a cabin on Lopez Island. it's going to be glorious!

an unfortunate part of being behind in my blogging is that i wasn't able to get a post together for World Water Day yesterday :(...but i've decided to do one today because it's always important to be aware...because i care immensely about clean water....and because the charity we are working with is one of many parts of that solution.



i know i've talked a lot about clean water. i will continue to talk a lot about clean water. it's a big deal...and i'm so glad we get to use this day to be reminded of how much work there is to be done. Yet we also pause to recognized how much progress has been made! we are making a dent, people. we really, really are!

if this has spurred your interest in joining 300 voices...go HERE.

Waldo Canyon

sister and i met up with her friend, matt, this morning to tackle Waldo Canyon. 6.2 miles. 2000ft elevation gain. beautiful!!!

-looking back towards the Springs from a spot near the beginning of the hike. this is just outside of Manitou.-

- MY MOUNTAIN!!!! ah, she was beautiful today :D-

-i think we're stuck together...at least we have been the whole time i've been back!-

-layered topography; also, the color palette in this shot is so crisp.-

-2/3 of the hiking trio...sister and matt-

-blazing trails; we had a perfect hiking day.-

-i love exploring and being outside; oh, and i love mountain air.-

-i have loved being close to my sister as much as i thought i would! isn't she ravishing??-

-matt. he knows a TON about Colorado wilderness, mountain lions, bears and other things that might possibly eat us during this adventure-YIKES; a total delight to have along on our adventure!!-

-i thought this would turn out looking like they were holding the rock up...i think they were just tired of me taking pictures :D...but they were good sports!-

-a sweet view of the foothills facing southeast, away from the mountains and back towards town.-

-we laughed A LOT....what a great day!-

Nosh

if you live in Colorado Springs, please go to this restaurant!

Nosh is in the heart of downtown, tucked into the ground floor of the Fine Art Center MODERN. a spin-off of a tapas bar, their menu boasts of over 20 'noshes'...defined by them as "small bites", a Yiddish word, in origin.... and all their desserts follow suit.

the point is "to snack on" (or 'nosh') on several dishes and thus fully experience the menu offerings!

the bamboo floors, dark wine racks, and bright orchids give the impression of an asian sensation. and while the walls are adorned with oversized Koi fish, their menu is not distinctly asian. it's got strong leanings towards mediterranean fare but a hearty tomato bisque soup and Colorado apple walnut salad tug you back to the western world. in keeping with the unpredictable form, the sweeter courses are decidedly classic: cheesecake, key lime pie, truffles, coconut cake...

is your mouth watering yet? well, save up your pennies because this is a must see...and taste!

i'm in search....

....of the perfect pair of black pants.

suggestions?? favorites?? ones to avoid, due to discoloration or pilling??

and no rush, but i need to buy them tomorrow! :D

*smooch.*

Saturday in Breckenridge!

sorry for the delay in posting lately. despite being still unemployed, i've been busy getting back into shape, working on my (other) website, looking for a job and having fun with new friends! i'll try to get back into the swing of things here soon :)

saturday, i went up to breckenridge with two new friends, dawn and lauren. they are part of my sister's small group that i've joined, and this was a great opportunity to spend time getting to know them.

i don't often rise before the sun but after peeling my eyes open nonetheless, dawn and i saw this at 7am on our way to pick lauren up....AMAZING, isn't it?! maybe i should make a habit of getting up earlier more often...
in the valley between the springs and breck-there's mountains everywhere around here, i'm starting to remember. it's gorgeous!

lauren, dawn and i at the base of the mountain. dawn came up to ski while lauren and i came up to write and people watch in a coffeeshop.

we had the most perfect day! it was 60's, dry roads, sunny, and snow on the mountains. i'm also remembering each day why i love being from here. it's unlike any other place in the US.

i have a slight obsession with mountain towns; for lots of reasons, one of them being that there's always a 'main street'...p.s. look how high that snowpile is?!

dawn, a.k.a. super skier, all ready to go!

The split level coffeeshop + bakery + café combination sits right in the middle of Main Street, Breckendridge, CO. Clint’s Bakery and Coffeehouse is the locals’ hotspot. Upstairs, the entrance off of Main Street, has an oversized coffee bar with a façade that shows years of wear from ski boots kicking it and thousands of pairs of elbows leaning on the top. Tall wooden chairs line the front as well as the narrow bar along the back wall. A glass-encased collection of pastries colorfully dots half the length; giant red velvet cupcakes with indulgent amounts of swirly white icing sit atop an ivory cake tray, bran muffins are piled high in a wicker basket and the espresso machine whooshes busily filling cup after cup with pick-me-up.

The lower level, seen in the picture below, has tables-for-four butted up against tin siding with art displayed above on the wall. This is also where the main kitchen is with pots and pans clinking and aromas wafting up that make your mouth water. lauren and i sat here for a while people-watching.

yet another reason i love mountain towns is because you have the most interesting people waltz through-ski bums, snowboarding dudes, more ski bums...ok, the crowd isn't necessarily so diverse but intriguing nonetheless...

on the way out of town...a few more shots.

we stopped at the dillon dam brewery for lunch on the way back...YUM, and the windows in the front of the restaurant perfectly the frame the gorgeous mountain right outside. Lake Dillon is a fun place to camp and hike in the summer too!

resident observer

(image source)

i'm sitting in Pikes Perk downtown C.Springs. two stories high in an old brick building on the corner across from a string a restaurants on Tejon, the main strip. it boasts windows on three sides of the building and sun is streaming into the 2nd floor where i'm perched at a round table. lots of CC students are collected in pods studying and one girl is wielding a pair of scissors artfully cutting something out. no idea what...but her bottom lip is bitten in concentration as she sinuously slices through the paper in her hands. another is dancing to the music coursing through her earphones, glancing around occasionally only to realize that others can actually see her...this gives her brief pause but the tunes' influence overtakes once more and she resumes her mimed performance. just ahead and to my right is the 'resident observer'...you know who i'm talking about don't you?! there's one in every crowd.

i must admit that i am frequently that 'observer'-where do you think i get my material from??! yet i think there is an art to the whole thing. the goal is to be the 'invisible observer'...the one that no one notices is noticing everything. you got that, right? ha. it's entirely possible to scour any place with all the senses except sight, picking up on some laughter and lively discussion all-the-while whiffing in scents of coffee, tea, banana bread or whatever else is being consumed at the moment. {i highly recommend the blackberry italian creme soda, if you haven't tried it!}

inevitably you begin to imagine what the voices in each cameo scene look like and as soon as the coast is clear, you steal a quick glance in their direction...it's like Christmas! you never know what you may see and let me tell you, it's usually not what you are expecting :D it's better. more quirky, totally opposite, OR much more normal than you anticipated...always. try it sometime!

the 'resident observer' today is wearing a truckers hat pulled low and hiding behind some large glasses and bushy mustache. mid-to-late 50's and bundled up in a jacket. a faded yellow book moves up and down, as if on a lever, between his frequent glances around the room. not so discreet glances, i might add. he is also sitting at a 6 person table...by himself. interesting.

now in case you didn't know this about me, i hate being stared at by pretty much anyone. i would rather just be in the background staring at all your zits instead of having you stare at mine-ha. inevitably in a public place you have just as much potential to be stared at as to stare, so i deal with it but about every third glance up, i catch his eye and challenge his observance; as if to say, "i see you seeing me. what are you looking at? PLEASE stop staring at me!"...he's still watching...oh well. moving on.

instead of being annoyed, i will offer a toast: happy staring, 'resident observer'. you are unnoticed by many and haunted by a few. nevermind that it makes me feel uncomfortable...if observing my zits makes the experience rich, then by all means...

...but only until tomorrow, my fellow-coffeeshop-lurker, when i just may have a better vantage point than you :)

"transitional"

i am cleaning out the files on my computer and found a personality ID test i had taken for my organizational behavior class, senior year of college-3 years ago. i opened the file to find out that i was a 'transitional' personality type. that makes sense as i think about my senior year and the fact that i had no idea what i wanted to do with my life.

here's a few quotes from the synopsis that i found quite humorous:

"As indicated on the graph above, most of the scores for this profile fall
in the Mid-Range section of the graph. A single Mid-Range score normally
indicates a mixture of traits from each end of the continuum for that factor.
When there are three or more scores in the Mid-Range, it is unclear which
behaviors will be most prominent. Since this pattern of Mid-Range scores falls
outside the parameters for any of the sixteen standard Blended Profiles,
a complete report is not available.It is certainly possible for someone to be as
flexible as this profile would indicate."

"Having this pattern of scores is not a cause for alarm. The passing of
time usually gives the individual a clearer focus on his or her natural
behaviors. "

i took the test again, quickly, this afternoon. i got the EXACT SAME assessment....maybe i'll figure out what i am supposed to be someday-ha. for now, i'm enjoying the ambiguity and variety :D


if you want to take the test yourself, it's free and fast. let me know what type you are!
go HERE.

the Market with Amy (better late than never!)

my last saturday in Seattle, amy and i went down to the market one last time. turns out my 2nd favorite group of buskers was playing! Slim Pickins is a band from New Orleans that relocated up to the NW and they are fantastic!

this is a must stop down there...yummy pastries and coffee!

always busy (look at the rad breads against the back wall!!)
lattes with heart foam

love her!

inside the market

my favorite fish stand!

lost. not the show.

i feel lost. lost at how to even express what i feel. this is uncommon. i've started this post three or four times. this time, i decided to just keep typing. i think i'll feel better if i do. i hope you don't mind.

i am happy. so happy to be here, close to my family; close to a few old friends. i get to sit on the steps of our deck out back and stare at pikes peak while soaking in the sun, just like i did all growing up. i got to hug my mom's best friend today, and i was having flashbacks to all the afternoons we used to spend over there as a kid. am i really 25 already?!

i am moved. moved by the solidarity of faith i see in my family; in the women i grew up around at my old church, that i now have the privilege of studying God's Word alongside. moved by the display of dedication to their faith and God's faithfulness in their lives. although my post title belies this, i feel much less 'lost' being around a demographic of women who are a few chapters ahead. if they've made it through, so will i!!

i am expectant. many opportunities and possibilites lie ahead. i still can't get over how many 'options' we have here in a prosperous nation like the USA (although, it doesn't feel so prosperous right now)-this motivates me to suck the joy out of life. to soak in the moment. to go for it, just because i can. how my heart longs to follow each whim that flies by! instead of an angel sitting on my shoulder, it feels like i have a nomadic gypsie dancing around in my soul...

i am weepy. i'm an easy cry, normally. it's in my genes and i actually don't mind. i really don't but i've been particularly weepy lately. each tearful moment over the last few months has had the potential to be a full blown sobbing session. not entirely sure why. i think it's because my heart is breaking for those who have been affected by this crazy economy-i'm now officially included in the list of the unemployed. :\ i think it's also because i'm being stretched-BIG TIME. in almost every area of my life. when i'm stretched then i can no longer maintain control-it's totally unnerving and i hate it. stretching is good because it's how we grow; yet i'm so pathetically aware of my own short-comings and brokenness, it makes me weepy. i'll be fine. i am fine. i'm just a little weepy for right now.

i'm annoyed. i've been working on all kinds of things for this new website i want to launch but i keep running into some snags: 1.}writers block for a website title and 2.} although i am unbelievably grateful that my computer still works (i don't know what i would do without it!), it is SO OLD-lately it's been winning most of the battles we've fought (aka...freezing and making it nearly impossible to do anything in 'real time'...arg.). it doesn't appreciate all the complicated web stuff i want it to love doing :) someday, i'll buy a macbook and kick this PC to the curb but currently we're still fighting-ha.

i'm unsettled. still readjusting to the move. it all happened so fast and i miss my friends. i am unsure of what i will actually be able to accomplish in the next few years of my life (that's as far out as i can think right now!). i dream big. really big...and then feel like an idiot-of-a-25-year-old who has no idea how to make those dreams a reality. bleh.

this afternoon as i was wading through the onslaught of all these emotions, i reached for my worn leather-bound Bible. it's the only thing that stops my heart from beating so fast. it has many a tear-stained pages and today i found much comfort in the weight of it on my lap. my fingers gripped it in a desperate yet tender way, and i was not disappointed.

4 words. "Have faith in God." (mark 11) so simple. how come i am so quick to forget that? to forget that i am not in control? to forget that He's not forgotten? that He cares and will take care of us even when we so successfully convince ourselves that He can't. so profound. faith-the assurance of things hoped for and certainty of things not seen. that's the point of seasons like this...to build the faith, but we must be willing to step out. this life with the Savior is not about coloring in the lines, or wading in up to your knees. no. we must, even when it scares the livin' daylights out of us, step out. we must let go of 'control' as we know it, and we have to believe. it's so easy to believe big things. obvious things. but i am utterly convinced that the most profound faith, rich in trust, is born out of the habitual sacrifice of the 'daily' before the throne of grace.

so i'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow. because great is His faithfulness. because His mercies are new every morning. because He longs to love me in a way that i cannot even begin to fathom.

"the sun will come out...tomorrow...betcha bottom dollar that tomorrow...there'll be sun."

Water Campaign

for those of you interested in following the Water Campaign, here's a few updates:

• first, we now have 1 website that stands alone from Charity:Water and combines the Water4Christmas and 300 Voices blog that used to be linked on the side. (i've updated the link that is labeled Water4Christmas; the H2Africa icon on the sidebar will get you there too)


• WHY?? because we have a new website! (designed by Kari)
  
• this website is much more user-friendly and it's only 1 place to go rather than 3. through this website you can still donate directly towards Charity: Water. [we are still working with them but because we've added the 300 Voices part to the campaign, it is easier to pull away and provide links back to their website rather than being a subdivision of their existing website.]
  
• REMINDER: 300 Voices is for those who want to commit to donating $20/month for 12 months (or a one-time $240 gift). it's a year-round extension of what was begun and will continue to be a seasonal Christmas campaign. we currently have 158 of the 300-still plenty of time and space to get involved!
  
• if you sign up to do 300 Voices, you will get one of these really cute bags with a logo on it! perfect for groceries, books, or the gym...1.) it's sustainable to have reuseable canvas bags rather than plastic :) 2.) it gives you a good excuse to talk about clean water with LOTS of people!!!

• there are also t-shirts that have been designed for the campaign-3 different styles-that you can order through the site.

**the communication surrounding this campaign ebbs and flows as we get new information, photographs and paraphanalia...but don't believe for one second that our passion for this cause ebbs and flows. it's there. going strong. and it's not going away. this is important. really important.

{note: one of our campaign managers, Jody, may have the chance to go over to Liberia with Charity:Water to report back about what our money is doing over there! stay tuned...}

Manitou Incline

day 3 in colorado: Manitou Incline. my sister has done this a lot as cross-training for all her various races. i've always heard of it. i had never done it....until now. this is not something you ever forget once you've experienced it. i also don't recommend you do this right when you get to CO-the elevation will kill you. being a sharp-witted girl myself, i followed my own advice and waited until a whopping day 3...ha.

a little history: "Completed in 1907 the Manitou Incline was a 1 mile cable tram built to support the construction of a hydroelectric plant and it's waterline. After performing this service the railway was then purchased by Dr. Brumbach and turned into a tourist attraction. The incline boasted a 16 minute ride to "scenic splendors", 10 miles of hiking trails in Mount Manitou Park, and claimed to be the "longest and highest incline on the globe."" (info and following 2 photos sourced here)

look at that AMAZING old car!!

one of the first carts to go up and down-YIKES. no thank you. i would most certainly not have sat in a dress with my hands folded in my lap for a ride like that...i mean, seriously, you could fall out of that thing by the looks of it :\

anyway, back to the story...sister and i decided to just do 1/2 of it on tuesday afternoon...THANK GOD. the first portion that you have to hike up to even get to the base of the incline had my behind burnin' something fierce-if you know what i'm sayin'...ooofda. now before i continue, you must know that we both had a bit of a 'handicap' slowing us down for this adventure; setting us back from the most prime experience with the whole thing. sister is recovering from surgery, so she's easing back into things slowly and i...well, i don't have a great excuse like that to hide behind...i'll just blame it on the elevation :)

fortunately, we both were revved up to go because of the delicious sunshine, loud music in the jeep on the way up, and each other's company. we also both came prepared with camelbacks strapped on and trail shoes ready to grip the life out of the side of that mountain. you think i'm exaggerating...did you see the pictures above??...if you still don't believe, keep scrolling. another glimpse down below may convince you what a crazy angle this whole escapade takes place on.

the old railway is now a series of steps made out of old logs. think of it as the ultimate stairmaster...except it's exponentially beyond anything you could possibly imagine. 5 steps up (+ the pre-hike...you know? the one that had my behind ablaze...), i was sucking wind so badly. it may sound wimpy but the elevation gain is so intense. you are literally walking UP a mountain...so we paused and decided to put our competitive natures' to rest-SLOW AND STEADY. what's the rush? i, for one, have no desire to pass out on a mountain and fall all the way down before anyone can help me. thank you

after another 10 or 15 steps, we're both sweatin' bullets. not glowing. sweating. yes, boys...girls sweat. sorry to burst your bubble. we take a few sips of water between gasping breaths and will our heartrates to lower. breathe in. breathe out.

the next feeling that comes over you is not a pleasant one. every step begins to feel like you're moving through a swimming pool of molasses. instantly, i'm doing some self-talk. "emily...you're tough. you're athletic. you can do this!" another step. "a 70 year old grandma moves faster than you are right now...pick up the pace!" another step. "ok, so you have a little jiggle...nevermind that...and nevermind that it doesn't feel so lovely with each shaky step...but think of it this way-the faster you move, the faster the jiggle will be over...NOW MOVE!" you get the point.

finally, we reach the halfway point where, mercifully, there is a connection to the Barr Trail. this whole time, i'd been so focused on getting over the next step that i'd forgotten the amazing view behind me becoming more spectacular with each step. when we turned around on the little land bridge to the trail...this is what we saw! check out the steep steps and expansive view-so worth it! sister said this is particularly amazing at sunrise...i wouldn't know. i'm usually curled up in the fetal position under my comforter during that hour of the day...this is where our sisterly similarities part directions :)

there's 2 miles of trail to wind down to get back to 'base camp'...normally it is easier to run because of the grade, but today we walked. i frankly wasn't quite ready to relive my Mt. Si experience and sister isn't supposed to run yet :)
we jumped back into the jeep and drove into town (manitou). our favorite cafe, The Mate Factor, beckoned. we pulled off and chowed down into fresh turkey sandwiches on a sesame seed sub roll, dill pickles and potato chips. the space from the outside looks fairly unassuming...but as soon as you duck in that doorway, you are transported into a south american jungle-treehouse...each booth has an interior roof hanging low over it with plants growing all over the place...it's so hippie, granola, FABULOUS. :D

i'm soaking in these moments...another day at the beginning of this new chapter. so glad to be here!

{*one last thing to note: i officially got my first tan line too -I LOVE SUN!! :D}

Coco+Kelley

Nicole reminded me the other day of another site that will get your creative juices flowing! she did a post a couple days ago about color palettes...quite fun to browse through.-Check it out!
per my usual rhetoric, i've linked Coco+Kelley on the side if you care to follow :)

{i have also added a feature to the bottom of my posts that lets you quickly vote on what you thought about the post:
blah-boring, not interesting, didn't inspire you
HA!-made you laugh, made you smile, made you realize how ridiculous i can be sometimes :)
hmmmm- made you think, contented enjoyment, whatever...
you don't have to have a blogger account to participate. you don't have to leave a comment to participate. (but i still appreciate comments so don't stop just because of this!)
~i'm doing this for a couple reasons...1.) i'm writing for me, yes...but i love YOU!! so i don't want to be writing stuff that's boring you out of your mind. think of it as an anonymous poll :D
2.) i'm exploring effective interactive features for the blog...i want to have a rad website that y'all love coming to and feel like you're getting something out of...this is a testing ground and a barometer of sorts for a second website i'm working on-SHHHHHH...don't tell anyone, i still have a LOT of work to do but it's-a-coming :D SO JOIN THE FUN, if you so wish!}

sun, hiking and italian cream sodas

-let the adventure begin!-

-check out the color auras around the sun contrasted against the midnight blue sky-
-we discoved we have matching shoes-go figure:)-

-the peak and garden of the gods-

-MY MOUNTAIN!!! :D-

-my beloved sister-

-view from the mountain side of the park; one of sister's favorite views-

-trailblazer :)-

-today we were asked if we are twins~ha-

-we were quenched of thirst, so we swung by Agia Sophia in Old Colorado City on the way home-

-italian creme sodas; sister=strawberry, mine=pomegranate peach-YUM-

-sweet table too, huh?!-

-writing, writing, writing...-

(photo credit: sister)

long way home

-laura and i enjoying one more laugh before parting ways as roommates after 4 1/2 years.-

(photo credit: laura crumly)

-pa flew up to make the long drive back with me!-

(photo credit: laura crumly)

-we had a little trouble with the lock on the Thule rack but some pink tools and two female brains got it figured out :)-

(photo credit: laura crumly)

-packing and space planning it out-

(photo credit: laura crumly)

-it all fit! we even had a view out the back- *we stopped to grab a bite to eat on the way out of town and the guy at subway was trying to be helpful in marking our sandwiches with initials, so we wouldn't get confused...turns out that's not so effective when both pa and i have "EW" for our initials...the worker shared a good laugh with us that had us chuckling even in Wyoming.*

-eastern washington landscape and sun-

-have i mentioned how much i love the sun??-

-since i started making this trek back and forth between CoSprings and Seattle, Pendelton, OR has always held a special place in my heart. there are 3 things i love about it:

1.) since 1910, every september the Pendelton Roundup has taken place there. one of the most iconic rodeos in the nation that draws thousands of participants and spectators every year.

2.) the world-famous Pendelton Woolen Mills are here. for a lover of textiles, its fascinating to be in a place with so much history and success.

3.) the town sits in this valley between two ridges of "mountains"...it doesn't matter what direction you are coming from, you will get a breathtaking view of the expanse and this quaint little town as you descend through sloped hills around gentle curves.-

*on this particular trip, we hit this spot at the perfect time-sunset. it was an absolute color utopia...i only captured a few glimpses but just look at the light in this shot below!*

-a backshot of the sunset-

-mmmm...hints of lemon, melon and mandarin-warm light that cozies up to you right before dusk arrives.-

-sunsets always have a much softer and warmer light while sunrises are known to be more cool and harsh. God must not have been a morning person :)-

*laura's parents offered us hospitality in Boise, ID that night after a 9 hour drive. i don't have any pictures but they had a new litter of puppies (3 weeks old)-ADORABLE. i got my puppy fix :D*

-day two. this was just north of Ogden, UT. both pa and i agreed that this mountain looked fake; it was so picturesque!-

(for some reason i really love the pavement in this shot...i think it's the texture and "grainyness"...gives an edge to the photo overall.)

-close up shot. notice the clouds that look as though they were a wisp of a thought.-

-& then came wyoming! i have a love/hate relationship with that state. after driving through so many times, i have actually become quite fond of the wide open landscape. i think there is an inherent beauty in the simple, hearty expanse. i also love that i get to drive fast through there! i end up feeling at odds with the miles that seem to endlessly loom between me and "the other side"...and although we didn't have it too badly this time, the wind can be killer. two hands on the wheel and lots of concentration.-

-much of our trip was marked by the juxtaposition of snowy landscape and clear roads. it was beautiful and such a relief not to have poor weather.-

-we made it. 23 hours. 6 states. no overheating. home.-