Friday, October 24, 2008

In a Nutshell:

So these are the highlights of the trip in case any of you are planning on going the same way in the near (or far) future:

1. Thank you to all the truckers who kept Megan entertained and they didn't even know it! They were the biggest thing on the road and she was fascinated watching them drive by.
2. We played tag with an old RV called the "Wanderlodge" which we first saw billowing black smoke in Billings, MT as it tried to make it's way up a hill. Then we passed it again in Bozeman (strike that -- switch the cities) and laughed at seeing it again. THEN WE SAW IT AGAIN IN SIDNEY, NEBRASKA! What are the odds?
3. 25 south through Wyoming -- not so pretty.
4. 80 east is though. Lots of farm country with fields and hills and not too many trees. Chopper said about twenty times, "now this is Americana" or some version of that statement.
5. We saw signs for a few historical places but did not stop: Little Big Horn, site of Custer's Last Stand and Independence Rock were probably the most notable. Oh and the birth places of Buffalo Bill and Ronald Regan. However, we did stop at the World Headquarters of Cabela's in Sidney, Nebraska -- go figure. As a history teacher, I am ashamed to admit this.
6. I still love trees and it was wonderful to see more and more with their colors in full fall regalia. However, I already miss mountains. Can you believe it?
7. Megan was a doll. I think she weathered 4 days in the car better than I did!
8. My parents live in the middle of nowhere and it's just been Megan and I and my dad (dear old Grandpa now which is really weird by the way). My mom is in California at DISNEYLAND and that's just wrong.

Nothing else really to report I think. No major disasters or anything thank goodness and the site-seeing was pretty much nonexistent since we were on a deadline so no really great pictures either (which would probably take me an hour to upload). Probably the next time I post will be Halloween because I am going to dress Megan up.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

We're Here!

Ok going back to dial-up is like Chinese water torture. It's taken me 22 minutes to check my email and get to this point! So this is short even though I have a lot I want to say.

Briefly, we had a good trip and arrived in Michigan Monday night. Chopper drove to Virginia yesterday and reports on Friday. He'll be in Georgia now until Feb. 3! That's a longer time than we thought but I guess the silver lining is that we'll be here when my brother Jeff comes home from his mission so he'll get to meet Megan finally!

I know there are some comments that need to be read so I can send some of you contact information: thank you! I'll get to it over the next few days -- plus I have to figure out how to download pictures onto a mac. But we're here!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

On the Road Again

And thus the reason that I have titled this blog the "Wandering" Whittacres. Friday, Chopper and I are driving out of Missoula for life in the east. He's taking a job with the US Capitol Police in Washington D.C. I'll be spending a few months at my parents in Michigan while he trains in Georgia (which by the way is NOT fair. I have to have Michigan winter and he gets Georgia winter!), and then hopefully we'll be back together in DC probably sometime in February.

So what does this mean for you? I already sent an email with our address and phone details. If you didn't get it, that probably means that I don't have your address!! I've enabled comment moderation on this blog so that I have to approve all comments before they post. If you want that information but didn't get it, leave me a comment with your email and I'll send it to you and then reject your comment and no one will be the wiser! If you never want to hear from us again -- now is your opportunity! :)

Also, I think the blog is going to slow down some. My parents have dial-up (blech!) so slow will be the name of the game for me. Although I'll have to post pictures -- Megan is going to be a doll in her Halloween costume and then we have Thanksgiving and Christmas . . . so much fun and cuteness to be had!

Once we get settled, you know ya'll (might as well start the southern now) are welcome to come and stay with us and we'll give you a tour and all the great spots to eat, etc. Spring is nice because the cherry trees and dogwoods are in bloom . . . and fall for the leaves . . . and the seafood . . . and the beach . . . and the history . . . am I tempting you enough?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Just thinking

about our cross-country travels. We've had some interesting experiences, that's for sure.

* On I-40 in Texas there is this massively big cross surrounded by a bunch of smaller crosses. And I do mean massively big. And it's in the middle of nowhere.
* On I-90 we took a day and went to Mt. Rushmore. Little did we know that the local town of Sturgis was having it's annual bike rally that day. I've never seen so much leather in all my life!
* I-90 is exceptionally beautiful -- especially La Crosse, Wisconsin. But beware -- from Pennsylvania to the end of Chicago they will toll you to death.
* One time on our way home from California we decided to detour slightly and go see the London Bridge in Lake Have-a-cow (whoops Havasu), Arizona. Interesting to say the least, especially the little British tourist village underneath. Chopper and I were both in the bathroom (separate ones which almost makes it funnier) when we were accosted by Japanese tourists who didn't understand that voices yelling "OCCUPIED" from the stall meant that someone was in there.
* We were idiots and did not detour to see the Grand Canyon.
* Chopper wants to me to post that we intended to go see the Dr. Pepper factory in Waco, Texas but I refused (stongly -- I don't remember why) and we had the biggest fight of our marriage in Subway's parking lot. But we weren't driving together so that was probably good.
* Speaking of which, we have never driven cross-country in the same car AND we just barely got a cell phone. We've done walkie-talkies instead. How talented are we??!!
* We spent the 4th of July one year driving through Memphis, Tennessee. That was really cool to watch the fireworks go off. Most of the cars on the bridge had pulled over though which made traffic a little dicey.
* On a related note (although not a drive), we flew into Salt Lake City one time on the 24th of July (Pioneer Day) and watched fireworks from the plane.

I'm actually getting excited for this next trip . . . (hint, hint)

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Annoyed

It's been a while because I've been reading the new book in the Eragon TRILOGY: Brisingr. Once again, I am extremely annoyed! Can I not find a decent book to read?

What annoyed me the most was the fact that I got to the end of the book and what was supposed to be a trilogy has apparently turned into a cycle (set of 4). The author says in his acknowledgements that the third book was becoming so long (it's still 700 pages) that they broke it into two. Here's the thing. I read the 2nd and 3rd back to back but it's been a while since I read the first. He is a big fan of putting in all of these details and events that are really irrelevant to the story. I literally feel as if I'm following Eragon's every move -- even down to which berries he chooses to carefully eat at each meal. There is so much that I would've cut and then it WOULD have been a trilogy and one where it doesn't just get good in the last 100 pages!

Not to mention the fact that this guy is a prime example for writing with a thesaurus next to him. Now I'm all about a well-developed vocabulary and I have been called to the carpet before for using words people didn't know but there comes a point where it's just too much and he crosses that line I think.

I'm sorry that the last two books I've blogged about have been rants rather than praise. Maybe the next one will be fantabulous . . . anyone have any suggestions?