Roughing It On The Open Road

What is it about a road trip that conjures the feeling of freedom?  Is it that you are leaving behind the cares and responsibilities of everyday life?  Or the excitement of experiencing new places and meeting new people?  Or maybe it is the feeling that anything could happen along the way that turns a long drive into an adventure.  Reminds me of a country song...

Whatever road tripping means to you, it has come to mean all of the above and more to us. As newlyweds, Brian and I are enjoying taking on new challenges together and working as a team. Being on this trip, so far out of our element, has given us more opportunities to develop those skills than our individual daily routines ever would. We have been joking that every newly-married couple should have some kind of experience where they learn to rely on each other and have to navigate unfamiliar waters and make decisions together. As my mom says, there can only be one captain and Brian has done an incredible job of steering this ship almost 2,000 miles. I am first mate, navigator, photographer, and DJ. I have to say, giving up control is not second-nature for me, but I am getting very comfortable in my role as passenger. 

Another thing about road tripping is doing without some of the modern conveniences we take for granted. Driving through West Texas and most of New Mexico, we've driven a hundred miles without seeing a gas station, much less a Dunkin Donuts. We have come to depend on our smart phones to guide us, stream music, choose a restaurant, and book lodging.  And of course, update our blog!  But driving through some of the more remote areas, we've gone hours without cell phone service, just praying we don't need roadside assistance. It blows my mind to think about not having any of this technology, how my dad had only the Rand McNally Road Atlas and his keen ability to sniff out whatever he was looking for.  

Camping has been interesting. So far we have camped three nights.  I am realizing how much I take convenient access to a restroom for granted. The first night I encountered a tarantula guarding the door to the ladies bathhouse and was diverted to the mens.  Last night the low was 51 degrees and I was so reluctant to get out of the cozy tent to relieve myself that I lay there for half an hour trying to talk myself out of it. I have never been more jealous of a male's ability to pee anywhere standing up. Of course, it doesn't help that I have paralyzing fear of snakes. Ironically, what Brian and I woke up to this morning was potentially a more imminent danger. Can anyone tell me if this guys is a brown recluse?

All in all, this trip has been an amazing gift. This morning, as we were driving the scenic route to our next destination, I was looking around and suddenly full to the point of overflowing. Full of gratitude, full of wonder, full of the Spirit, whatever you want to call it, but praising His name. 

"And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16 NKJV)

Santa Fe, NM

Last night our campsite was put to the test. I am happy to say that thanks to Sara's uncanny ability to erect a full-on storm proof tent we remained happy and dry all night!

Brian finds a rainbow

Our campground in Santa Fe is located a mere 12 miles from downtown.  After a wonderful breakfast of bacon and grits (thanks, Dad, for the propane grill) we were ready to see the sights. We began our tour on The Plaza, or city-square, a beautiful center point for markets, artwork, genuine Indian crafts and quaint cafes and restaurants.

The architecture was really the stand-out for us. Being from south Florida we don't really see a lot of adobe-style homes and buildings. We spent the morning poking around some really cool Native American stores with amazing, intricate craft work from mainly Navajo Tribes.  We also walked by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Loretto Chapel, but mass was in session so we didn't venture inside.  

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis

Loretto Chapel

We also discovered the oldest home in the USA where people still reside, built by natives in 1646.  As you can see, it doesn't look like much from the outside, but still pretty impressive that it survived this long.

Santa Fe definitely has a chill, relaxed vibe to it. Sara and I were surprised that there were not a lot of people our age out and about. If you are in to folk art, fresh naturally grown vegetables and southwestern apparel this is the place for you.

We very much enjoyed lunch at The Blue Corn Cafe on Water St. Anytime we can find a place with cold A/C and great food you can believe that we will find it. This restaurant also has an on-site brewery so we had to sample the goods.

It's another rainy evening here in Santa Fe, so we headed back to our campsite and called it a laundry night...  We had company!

Tomorrow we take a short, hop, skip and jump to Albuquerque along the Turquoise Trail to spend one night before continuing on to Sedona.