I miss the road. Something in me is yearning to see miles of open highway in front of me. That's one thing I lost when Sarah left.....the ability to travel. It's not that I can't get in my car and just drive somewhere, but realistically it's much easier to do when there are two incomes in the house. Now in the aftermath of the pseudo-divorce, I'm having to learn how to do everything on my own for the first time. Budgeting out a vacation hasn't been that easy, and it's been difficult to find people who want to share the bill. I won't even mention the economic impact of taking a week off of work when you're the only income in the house....
Sarah and I would travel often. It became an important activity for us, and I grew to love the open road. Some people shudder at the thought of a 22 hour car drive from Denver to Columbus, but I look at it as one of the purest forms of freedom. I'd rather not fly, because then you miss everything inbetween (and I HATE flying). I'd rather not take a train, or ride a bus, because then you don't have the freedom to see everything on your route at your own pace! You can't stop and take pictures of that awesome view you just passed if you're on a train or a greyhoud!
I'd been imagining a road trip to Denver over the week of July 4th. This date is important because the 4th was our anniversary. I don't imagine myself sitting around moping on that date, I think I'm past that. But I want to make new memories for that date. I figured what better way than to take my first road trip after the pseudo-divorce? But unfortunatly, it's proven to be a difficult task to budget out the money to pay for a trip accross the country on my current income. Having to take over all of the household expenses on my own after having the household income slashed in half means that things are still tight while I put my life back together. So I'm doubting that, without a miracle, I'll be able to make it to Denver. That sucks, because I miss the Rockies like crazy. But in a way, the Rockies might have been overshooting things just a touch. I mean, my first road trip on my own with a reduced income, and I'm shooting for a 1,400 mile trip down I-70 in one direction? Maybe this means that I should shoot for something a little closer to home, and a little easier to afford. Chicago? New Orleans? The Outer Banks? New York City (finally!!!!)?
I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately, and I've determined recently that I need to be able to stretch my legs regularly and go see the country, if not the world. Traveling may have been something Sarah and I shared, but it is something that I will continue in my new life. I have to! I pledged that after 12 years of homogeny I would not allow myself to be limited and I would always be exploring new possibilities and opportunities! This must include the ability to see the world! There's so much of it to see, and I yearn to see it! I find myself looking frequently at photos I've posted on facebook of trips Sarah and I had taken, and not only do I miss the places we've been, but I miss the thrill and adventure of going somewhere new! Maybe my first road trip should be somewhere I've never been?! Who knows!
I will be honest about a place that I long to see again with all of my soul. The San Luis Valley in Colorado houses some small quaint towns, including Mosca, and also features a National Park. The Great Sand Dunes National Park, which I have seen in the distance from the road in the valley, seems like a really cool place that I have to see up close and in person! I feel a sense of peace in the San Luis valley, and I know that I HAVE to return. I hope my travels take me there again soon.
Fingers crossed that I can include some of my travel adventures in this blog. I don't want it to only be about my new self discovery, I want it to be more than that. In the mean time, thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment