“Road trips are the equivalent of human wings. Ask me to go on one, anywhere. We’ll stop in every small town and learn the history and stories, feel the ground and capture the spirit. Then we’ll turn it into our own story that will live inside our history to carry with us, always. Because stories are more important than things.” -Victoria Erickson 

Have you ever craved an experience from the unknown? Or yearned for a quest to discover something that you didn’t know that you were even looking for? Unfortunately, and fortunately this is a feeling that seems to visit mine and John’s minds all too frequently. We just wanted to get in the car and drive until we found what we were looking for. Maybe it’s purpose or maybe it’s a new start or maybe it’s just a sky with unclouded stars. We just wanted to go, grow, dream, and discover, and that is the dreams we make come true.

We discovered the key was not to prioritize what was on our schedule but to schedule our priorities. And those priorities were engulfed in unearthing joy to our hearts and minds. We wanted to fly free like birds and feel the breeze against our face and to open our eyes to things yet seen. To let go of the daily humdrum of societal norms that he and I seem to flee from with our entire being. There was only one goal to be had behind this quest for the unknown from a joyful perspective, and that was to lose all control and let life happen just as it be willed. I am extremely laid back, but I also keep a tight leash throughout the inside track to my life. I’ve spent 29 years busting my tail to build the life that I have, and through the last few years of unquestionable yet beautiful chaos, control seemed to be a concept that sat at the top of my life instead of mingling down towards the bottom. Determination is a beautiful thing, but control can be detrimental. The last 3 years have been ingrained forcefully with a tight rein on life in order to keep life from unraveling in ways that wouldn’t allow me to keep moving forward in the path that “I” had chosen for myself beside God’s will. Knowing that I had put more on my plate than any normal human being should, control was my fight of flight approach to success. Authority over my own life in healthy and unhealthy ways became my best friend, not with other’s lives but within myself. The day that I finished my last class to this degree was the day that I decided to seek out that free spirit that I once knew all too well. A feeling that I had neglected, but knew that I would stumble upon again. And the road trip throughout the winding roads of Colorado and Wyoming became the stepping stones to something freeing and oh so beautiful.

Colorado has and will always hold an indescribably special place in my soul. This feeling has yet to be understood. My heart lives there and will always be found there. As soon as I step off on the soil of the Midwest, it’s as if awakening greets me at the airport doors, “Oh there you are again! I have missed that harmonious free spirit!” May it be the towering snow-capped mountains or the way the untainted streams flow through the aspen forests, I will never know. For me it is everything high and low that comes with such a magical and magnificent place. And for the rest of my days, this place will be nothing less than a miracle for me. John had not yet been but knowing his spirit, I knew that this place would soon become to him what it had always been for me as well. And indeed, he fell madly in love just as I did as I introduced myself for the very first time. He’s known that I had planned my move for the Spring after I met him, and then love happened and we began our life here. Knowing that there is a strong possibility that our little town wouldn’t be our forever home. I asked him in the kitchen one day, “Would you ever move to Colorado?” and before our trip he said, “I will move anywhere with you, but it would not be my ideal location because there is no ocean.” And goodness knows my John needs the ocean near. I was always that girl too until I stepped foot onto this untouched land. And two days into the trip he said jokingly “Ok, when do you want to move?” I just looked at him and smiled and knew that this place captured our hearts in the very same way.

We only had three things planned before ever leaving the South: Denver on the first half for my graduation (Woohoo!), quality time with my girlfriends at their farm in Longmont on the last half, and a rental car to carry us wherever our hearts desired. That’s all we needed. Coming from a person who does like to somewhat plan, this was an idea that I fought with. I tried to map out a route, research places to stay, and sights we wanted to visit and one Sunday as we were sitting in the living room discussing ideas, I crumbled up the paper and threw it away. That was that. Our plan in distinction, there was none. That’s the part of giving up control, right? Just let it be.

I could sit here and write for days and I would be lying to you if I told you that I could map out the route and tell you exactly where we went and how we got there because I couldn’t. All I know is that when we turned our rental car back in we had 2300 additional miles on it, mud covering the tires and a back windshield you couldn’t see out of, and hearts full of adventure and joy that was indefinable. When I say we let our hearts lead, I say that with full honesty. We would start our morning with a hot cup of tea and cool crisp air, and follow our hearts desire that day to wherever the road may lead us. That’s the beauty of it. And these stories will be our chronicles of the road. Bits that we don’t ever want to forget from magical little places across two magical states wrapped up within the hearts of each other and the discovery within ourselves. It’s crazy when you find that person whom your soul loves, these special little moments become more than you could have ever imagined living within a lifetime. The greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way. So, here’s to the stories that turned us into story tellers and to the memories that are slowly creating memory millionaires out of us.

Graduation:

I finally did it, I made it! What a beautiful chaos. When I started on this quest a couple of years back, I immediately questioned my sanity. Running a business and being a full time student. What was I thinking? As time went on, I created a new norm. It’s called fight or flight! No, in all seriousness I learned to manage. I worked, went to school, fell in Love, and still managed to travel the world a have incredible adventures.  I will tell you one thing, putting myself through school while working full time is thus far one of my greatest life accomplishments. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning and growing and pushing myself far beyond what I knew capable. I wouldn’t trade a minute of it (Well maybe math class). I’m excited about this new degree and what paths it may take me on in the future. To change one life a day would be fulfilling the very desires of my heart. The world is my oyster. I’m grateful to have the ability to go chase those dreams. After all, education is the only thing that no one can take from you.

Rocky Mountain National Park:

Now this was a site to see. I still can’t believe after all the years that I have spent in Colorado and the times that I had been to Estes Park, that I had never experienced this place. Have you ever rounded a curve on a mountainside, blinked, and there it was? That moment that takes your breath away? This was it. We drove from the bottom of the mountain to the very top. It was sunny and warm at the bottom and as you climbed, the snow began to appear thicker and thicker. Still with the bluest skies you’ve ever seen. We threw snow balls in shorts and short sleeves. We saw tons of elk and quite a few moose. We walked down into a meadow with the most beautiful creek and observed a huge moose in his own little realm. There was something so peaceful about him. A life of simplicity, as he grazed through the meadow and drank of the fresh streams. This place is nothing less than panoramic. It’s not too far from Denver, so if you are ever in the area, it’s a must do!

The road to Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Have faith in your rainbow and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. This was our first and longest day on the road which I was ecstatic about! We left Denver in the wee hours of the morning and chased the road north to make it to Jackson Hole by night fall. What an adventure chasing the country side through Colorado and Wyoming. The landscape was absolutely stunning. We passed through so many different terrains. We went from the flattest of grounds where you could see for miles upon miles to mountainous ranges peaking from as far as your eyes could see. Around mid-afternoon, we came to a huge storm. It was so flat that we could see it coming from a great distance. At first it surrounded us and then we drove right into it. Black as night with the sun beaming through as the rain fell. And then it happened. We saw one of the most unquestionably magical things I have ever experienced in my days. And as we rounded a small mountain, we saw the brightest shining rainbow that I had ever laid my eyes on. And the extraordinary part was seeing it stretch from horizon to horizon. Rainbows are mine and John’s little piece of happiness, our God winks. We see them more times than not and in the most inopportune places. It’s always our little joyful sign of God smiling down. We both said that was our very own pot of gold that day that we didn’t want to stop chasing. The sun was starting to paint the sky golden and the rainbow lit up the horizon like nothing we had ever seen. It was truly mind-blowing to see such a God given beauty stretched across his God given land. Just him and I in unchartered territory taking in what was laid in front of us. It always reminds me metaphorically that sometimes the darkest storms make for the most beautiful outcome. And this storm made for one of the most picturesque and astounding outcomes we had ever seen.

Grant Teton Mountains:

I urge you: Go find mountains and oceans that swallow you whole. They will save you, in a way nothing else can. The Grand Teton Mountains are by far one of the most magnificent and grandiose sights that I have ever laid my eyes on. One of those that saved me. To try and describe these is deemed impossible. Coming into Jackson, dusk was just beginning to set in. Within the last 60 miles there was snow on the ground and the temperature had dropped down to 45 degrees as high altitudes came upon us. Calling for snow the next morning, our flip flops and shorts that Colorado weather had accepted were no longer enough. As we emerged out of the national forest we had been riding in for the past hour, the lands opened up to the valley with the Grand Tetons to the right side of us. And oh, my stars was it majestic. As darkness was setting over the skies, all we could see was the silhouette and the snow-capped mountain tops. And frankly in that moment, that was enough to leave me speechless without even seeing it in full light. I found it hard to sleep that night in excitement to wake up and explore what my eyes had newly seen coming into a new place.

Phelps Lake Grand Teton National Park

It’s a beautiful thing to have lungs that allow you to breathe, air and legs that allow you to climb mountains, and it’s a shame we don’t realize that that’s enough. This was one of those moments that made me grateful for the health and ability to do hikes such as these to see a view that I wouldn’t be able to see without it. This was a hike that we were highly recommended to do by a local friend who used to guide in the park. One of the best hikes that is off the beaten path which is our kind of favorite. The less tourist, the best! It was a nice hike, tough, but not too strenuous. This was a hike that I did by myself. All the way up there were signs saying, “beware of bears!” I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous in the least, but that’s what made it exciting! John met me half way up the trail in a panic and said “Your book bag!!! I put candy in there at your graduation!!!” He had forgotten and I hadn’t checked it but luckily the bears didn’t have a sweet tooth that day! There was an assortment of terrain on the way up and as you topped the mountain and looked down. And there she was! A lake with the bluest of blues and the greenest of greens. Aspen trees and evergreen trees surrounding. Clear air and blue skies. It was fantastic. It was one of those moments where you just have to stop in every form of body and mind, and just take it all in. Every single piece and feeling of it. Throughout the rest of the trek amidst the Grand Teton National forest, we got to see Bison and bears, and some of the most beautiful sights and wildlife within it. And all at once, it was just like that, the Grand Tetons became one of my new happy places.

Sugarloaf Campground:

Our first camping night out under the stars. We took our sweet time exploring areas all the way back from Jackson Hole, Wyoming and decided as it was getting closer to dark to stay somewhere in the Arapahoe National Forest. The first campground that we came to was just that, a campground. Thirty plus people and RV’s. Not particularly our cup of tea. As the sun was falling further down in the sky, John said “Let’s drive 15 more minutes and if we don’t find a place by then we will come back and camp here.” To admit, I was a little anxious that we wouldn’t find anywhere and needed to set up camp before dark but this is one reason why I love him and another reason to let go. We began driving further and further down an old dirt road on national land. We took a couple turns that led us deeper and deeper into the forest as the sun was setting. We saw breathtaking meadows as gold infiltrated the sky and left everything glowing. As we come around a turn there were three moose standing in the middle of the road, a larger one and two small ones. John and I just sat there and watched in awe. We knew we were headed in the right direction. Without getting lost, you don’t get to see such unexpectedly beautiful detours. As we keep winding back, there it was! Our campground. And it was just that, OURS. Not a soul in sight and not a bit of cell service to be found. We laughed with a sense of eeriness wondering if there was something we should know about this deserted place, but instead we embraced it for what it was. After all, I am with a professional hunter who has lived out in the bush for weeks on end. I couldn’t have chosen a better partner to embrace this adventure with. As the pinks and oranges of the sky began to fall behind the trees, we sat up our camp all the way in the back on a bustling stream so that we could hear the peaceful clamors throughout the night. On a Colorado June night, we went from shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops to fleece and warm socks by a fire within an hour’s time. You should have seen the sky. It was glowing. Untouched and powerful. And in that moment, I realized one of the things that my soul craved- The bustling of the stream on a cool Colorado June night, sitting by the fire side with the love of my life. Sweet simplicity in the easiness of nature away from the world. That’s what our souls craved. That’s what it sought after and that’s what we found that night. The unspeakable sense of existing in the very ways that God had intended us to. Thank you, Sugarloaf Campground, for being such a special part of this adventure. We will see you again very soon!

Somewhere in Aspen:

The trees, the forests, they glow, and they are absolutely enchanting. If you’ve never been deep into an Aspen forest, I promise you will thank yourself for the feeling that you will get that will never leave you once you are in there. I still look at pictures from the days where I rode horseback through or walked and felt the earth beneath me as the trees danced around me, and there is a sense of magic that is unexplainable that comes along with it. It’s truly like a fairytale. As John and I were driving down one of the highways, we came to an aspen forest on both sides for as long as we could see. As you drove, the light danced between the trees with a glow that you wouldn’t believe. We found a pull off and climbed deep into the forest. We let it sink deep into our hearts what we felt in that captivating place, something that we could take with us. What we have is a memory to take with us and what we left is a little carving on a great aspen trunk, most likely not approved by the forestry. Who knows if we will ever see that little piece of our history and glory days again. But the coordinates are saved, and if we ever venture to that spot again, you bet we will find it and smile. It’s life, and we lived it.

Twin Lakes: 

Sometimes on road trips, stopping is the last thing you want to do, but on this trip we embraced the stops because within those stops are where memories were made. This gets the award for the best picnic award of my entire life. We pulled over, got out the grill, cooked a couple of hot dogs (Protein of the champions. Super healthy, I know!) and enjoyed our lunch as we drooled over the scenery. The wind was so strong that day, but that was the least of our worries, we didn’t have any. I mean look at it!

Maroon Bells:

Ah, where to start? For some reason, this place has crossed my path one too many times for us to not have stopped. I remember two Octobers ago at our family cabin trip, I remember mom bringing it up after having crossed my path in the most bizarre ways. She’s special to me and her and my hearts beat the same, and I guess sentimentally, this place was special for her and I knew it would be for us too. This place has made it to the top of the “Things to do in Colorado” lists per many blogs and forums. The picturesque memory was right when you walk out into the Maroon Bells area, the one that I had dreamed of and yearned to see. It was breathtaking, magical, and astonishing. And the crazy part is, just as all of the shots from this trip or any, pictures never seem to do it justice. It will never be the same as standing there in the moment for the very first time. John sometimes reminds me to just take it all in, Embrace the memory now and don’t worry about the picture for later. Now is all we have! Per the usual for John and me, we like to do the uncommon route, one of distinction for our choosing. It’s what feeds our souls. We found a trail map and discovered there were two more lakes up elevation. So, we chose to hike completely unprepared! We climbed over wide creeks and narrow creeks, straight up mountains, through areas of pure rock beneath our feet (Vibram shoes not advised! John’s with a solid sole did great, mine not so much.), through meadows and forests with snow still on the ground. We found a hidden camp area that one day we have made it a goal to come back and visit. If you are looking for a spot near Maroon Bells, this is it! It’s a little bit of a hike, but absolutely worth it seeing as there are only less than 10 spots. It’s like having Maroon Bells all to yourself and watching the sun go down on one of the most picturesque places in America. Needless to say, this is probably one of my most favorite places of the trip. Not because they weren’t all beautiful, simply because seeing this place filled a special place in my soul that I have yet to realize why it needed filling.

 

Crested Butte: 

Cutest Colorado town award!! Enough said…

Telluride and Rico, Co:  

There was a song that I fell in love with in my younger sewing years called “Telluride.” I remember blaring it in my Wrangler riding back roads in my little Carolina town and telling myself “One day, you’re going to make it to Telluride!” When we arrived in Telluride, we realized that they were having one of the biggest summer music festivals there. Needless to say, we didn’t get to experience it like I had dreamed, but I still made it to Telluride!  We went to stay with one of John’s friends from years back. Our destination was right outside of Telluride in a little town called Rico with no stop lights and the nearest grocery store being 45 minutes away. I loved it! I never realized that Colorado had so many towns that when you blink, they were gone. What an experience. He has a farm about 45 minutes away from his house where the roads begin to turn dusty and the Mesa’s can be seen from miles away. He took us to a hidden hot spring and we road back Colorado roads for hours. It’s just what they do in these little Colorado towns. By the time we finally reached the farm late afternoon, he walked us around the property. There were prairie dogs everywhere. Cutest little things! As the guy’s all sat inside and talked, something came over me and I quietly made my way outside. It was like a call to the outdoors. I was craving that solitude in that time. I knew the sun would be setting and that’s my soul. I went and found an old aspen log and made my place comfortable. I could hear coyotes talking back and forth. As eerie as they sound, I found it to be serene. I could hear the creatures begin to stir up the night. The sunset was creating colors that I had never seen before in a sunset, there were deer walking all around me, it’s as if I was living in a dream and in that moment, my heart found a feeling of peace that only I have ever experienced in the west, except this time it was stronger than ever. Tears fell, not in sadness, but in pure and genuine gratefulness. I had eyes that could see this and I had ears that could hear this! How blessed am I? John kept coming out to check on me and he could see that my soul was being fed and watched me from afar as I gently took it all in. A memory like that day could get me through the rest of my life. I started to write as I sat out there and so it goes:

In this very moment, I do not even know where to begin to describe what I feel and see that lay before my eyes. Sitting in a field surrounded by mountains of every range watching in awe as the bright orange sun slides back behind our side of heaven. A beautiful doe walks across the warm horizon with such grace. What a sweet site as the doe’s silhouette shines in the hand painted sky by the one and only. My original Colorado play list is quietly whispering in my ear that speaks sweet memories softly into my soul. My feet perched on white aspen trees as I hear the coyotes talking in the back ground and crickets chirping to what will soon be a star-studded night. These are the moments that leave me speechless, on a quest for words that could only merely describe what is before me. A simple slow down to try my hardest to infiltrate this scene, scent, noise, and very moment into this head and heart of mine. As the sun is disappearing over the horizon, I am reminded of what God continuously lies at my feet within each and every single day. Every moment. And in moments such as this, I can’t help but thank the creator above. Colorado sunsets have never felt so sweet.

Crane Hollow Ranch, Longmont:

A place that will never get old that holds a little piece of Heaven for me. This is a special place that has held years of precious memories. Lots of laughter and nights of solid conversation that has made me into who I am today. I can’t begin to explain what this place is and how appreciative I am to have precious friends that share their family home with me. I couldn’t wait to bring John out here, I had been telling him about it since our beginning. As we drove down those back roads and pulled into the driveway, I jumped out to open the cattle fence as John drove through. At last! The funny thing is driving up, you have no idea what magic the back of the house holds. We walked in and did all the hugging and hellos and introducing John. A long-time overdue. I watched John’s face as we walked out the back door onto the porch as his eyes lit up in surprise. I think with the same surprise that we all get once we see those Rocky Mountains light up the sky. Amazing! We had an evening of dinner, drinks, and good conversation followed by a morning of a little fishing and hard goodbyes. I will be forever grateful for this place and for these people. More than they will ever know.

These are only the beginning of the list of memories that we made. I could write for days as to never forget a single thing. As we stayed close to the airport on our last night, there was a field with the Rocky’s set as a back drop. The sun began to set and it was fire. I went and sat in that field and took in what this week was for my soul. What it was for us and what it will always be. You don’t do things at take chances for nothing, it makes us who we are. It creates those intricate places in our soul. This trip was everything and more for us. Watching eagles fly in the sky while singing to a little Marshall Tucker. Discovering more of ourselves and each other out on the road than we ever have. 2,300 miles and it was done. It set our souls on fire for wanting to catapult our lives into more adventure and freedom. Our minds went wild with what we want for the future. What kind of life we wanted to live. To lose that control and go wild once in a while. To take chances and fly by the seat of your pants. We only have this one life. Sometimes having no plans is the best way to fulfill some of the best days of your life. So, till next time, Colorado and Wyoming. Stay beautiful!