The Wise Words of Gerry

Our next adventure after Idaho took place in Portland, Oregon. While we ate and drank at a bunch of cool places, and saw some really interesting tourist attractions (which I will obviously discuss later), my favorite experience in this city took place while sitting by the river among the homeless. Here Jacki, Shannon, and I met a fellow Michigan Wolverine named Gerry - a man who I will probably remember for the rest of my life. He had long grey hair held back in a half pony tail, light brown eyes, skin darkened by endless days spent under the sun, a black rain jacket, tattered jeans, and a hikers' backpack. We talked to him for approximately 30-45 minutes about all sorts of topics ranging from homes we lived in at Michigan to the Atlanta Braves and their inability to produce in the playoffs. Intermittently he would pull on his cigarette, and every time he started to speak again he would impart us with another piece of wisdom.



Prior to meeting Gerry, we actually arrived in Portland on Sunday night just in time to go see my friend Heberto's friend's band play at the oldest bar in Portland - the White Eagle. Sean (Heberto's friend) played in a bluesy, rock band called The Get Ahead and they were awesome! It was really fun to get to see them play live, especially in such a historic spot. We made it in time to catch around 4-5 songs. Afterwards we introduced ourselves to Sean and we hung out for a bit, then we went to another bar. Overall it was a great first night in Portland, and it was fabulous that we had someone to introduce us to the city. Shout outs to Heberto and Sean for being so helpful! I know we were probably super annoying since neither of us knew anything about Portland, OR.



The next day we slept in a bit, taking advantage of my best friend's sister's beautiful home. Again thanks Jenna for letting us crash at your place! After we slept in, we went to brunch at an adorable cafe called Bumblekiss. I mean who wouldn't want to eat at a place that has such a perfect name. It was also cheap and delicious. My sandwich was pretty divine, it had asparagus, havarti, honey mustard, caramelized onions, tomatoes, spinach, and bacon on wheat bread, all for 10 bucks. A fantastic deal. My mom will probably be so pumped to hear that my taste buds have finally emerged from its black hole of plain pasta, plain lettuce, plain hamburger, and turkey sandwiches.







After our glorious experience at Bumblekiss, we decide to drive into downtown and check out some of the tourist attractions we had heard about, including Powell's bookstore. For those of you who don't know, Powell's is a used and new bookstore that spans an entire city block. It is the biggest local bookstore that I have ever seen. Similar to Wall Drug (the biggest Drug store we had ever seen) in South Dakota, Powell's also needed a map for its visitors to get around. The books were organized into different rooms by subject, and the rooms were color coded. It was amazing. I personally felt like I had died and gone to book heaven. I went into the store with absolutely no intention of buying anything, but somehow I emerged down twenty bucks. I discovered that it is much harder to turn down $7.00 copies of used books than $15.00 new books. Of course I decided to also purchase a book I had borrowed from the library in White Plains when I graduated from college. It was called "What Should I Do with my Life?" by Po Bronson, and I had never finished it - which in itself is pretty ironic if you are familiar with my lack of direction and indecisiveness in choosing a career.








After Powell's City of Books, we decided to go to Voodoo donuts to grab a couple donuts, because everyone we met raved about it. While Jacki had a regular cream filled donut with chocolate, Shannon, true to her name, decided to go be adventurous, and try a donut called the dirty old bastard. This was a glazed donut with chocolate, Oreos and peanut butter:




How great does that look?! Yup it looks damn good. Afterwards, we found a seat on a bench looking over the river, and we heard a voice from the bench next to us ask: "Are you a real Wolverine?" Jacki happened to be wearing a Michigan tank top that day. We turned around and found ourselves deep in conversation with Gerry. It took us approximately 5 minutes or so to figure out that he was homeless, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1988, and that he was a pleasure to talk to. I think it pleasantly surprised all of us to see that we had so much in common with this man who pretty much lived on the streets in Portland. We talked about our different homes, sports we loved, and the Appalachian State game that Michigan lost. We talked about the struggles people face in Detroit, our parents' jobs, and the choices people make in their lives - whether to sell out and marry for money or to follow your heart. Most of our discussion continued to circle back to the idea of being true to yourself, and maintaining your mind and soul. When I mention to people that I met someone who graduated from Michigan in Portland, OR, I think most of them are surprised to hear that he was also homeless. Of course when our conversation started I did see that he had a backpack full of cloths, and obviously I did wonder how someone with such a high education could end up in this position. And I will admit it did cause me to worry slightly about the probability that I could face a similar fate. However, what astonished me the most was that Gerry didn't seem to be particularly unhappy. I mean I'm sure he wasn't overjoyed to be homeless, but he was not bitter, and he explicitly told us how happy it made him to have such an intelligent conversation with us. From my perspective it seemed as though to him that this hand of cards he was dealt in the poker game of life was merely another hoop to pass through. He seemed happy to speak of the future and the past, with hope for change. Every sentence he spoke seemed to have been deeply analyzed, showing the evidence of his wisdom. For example, when he spoke of New Yorkers, instead of labeling us as rude and quick-talking, he thoughtfully spoke of how perhaps we are seen as rude because we often have to rush to get our opinions heard since everything in our lives is so fast-moving. He even went as far as to say he liked New Yorkers because we were real and honest. Obviously this made me happy because I'm a New Yorker, but it also intrigued me because he was constantly trying to figure out why things are the way they are. It was as if he looked at the world through a lens of searching for meaning beyond what appeals to the naked eye. While he was so appreciative of the intelligent conversation we offered him, honestly, I think he would be happy to hear how much we valued the conversation he offered us. Deep down, I believe he inspired me. Although I hope to not find myself living on the streets of NYC with only a backpack to my name, I do hope to continue to search for true meaning behind what is actually set in front of me. Our interaction also reminded me to remember that you never know who you'll meet, and you never know who will have something to teach you. I hope I never become that person who looks at a homeless man on the street with disdain, thinking that he became that way because he didn't try hard enough, or because he wasted opportunities, or because he spent his money on the wrong things. I hope instead that I continue to believe that every person has a story to tell, and that it is always worth lending an ear. Finally, I hope to always see the glass half full, to look for the positive in every situation, and to learn from every experience, because if Gerry still can, I certainly should be able to. I wanted to finish this post leaving you with the final words that Gerry actually left us with, because I find it to be pretty sage advice. I'll leave you to judge -

Have beautiful lives my friends.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Treacherous Roads and Potatoes

Hey guys! So yesterday we drove from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to Portland, Oregon. But before that lovely car ride, we had been in Montana for three days, and Idaho for one day. While in Montana we spent two days in Glacier National Park, and then one day in Missoula, MT, the home of University Montana. After hanging out in Missoula, we drove to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and spent a couple days there. Originally we only planned to stop in Idaho to get Jacki a potato, but of course we found other unexpected joys to experience.
But first, Montana. Glacier National Park was incredible! And an example of how the world is incredibly small. On one of our hikes that I will talk about later I actually ran into one of my friends from freshman year of college. How insane is that? At first we were just excited to see another guy in Michigan clothes, but as he came closer I was like oh my god I think I know him. And I did. Bizarre. Anyway, we drove in to the park on the east side, which was one of the most treacherous drives I've experienced. It wasn't necessarily that dangerous, except for the fact that the road turned into dirt and gravel for a few miles every once in awhile. Even this wouldn't have been that terrible if it weren't for the fact that there was NO ONE AROUND to save us if our car broke down. We drove for miles without seeing a soul, and on top of that we had absolutely no cell service. I finally understood why Montana was dedicated as Big Sky Country, because for miles all you could see was sky and mountains in the distance. But regardless, we eventually made it to right outside the park for our first night in Montana.




For our first hike in Glacier National Park, we decided to do the Heart of the Glacier trail, otherwise known as the Iceberg Lake trail. This ranger-led hike was approximately 6-8 hours long, depending on how long it took you to get down the mountain. The ranger led the trek up the mountain, explaining the landmarks as she went along. Our ranger's name was Monica, and all three of us liked her instantly - she was around our age, had a good sense of humor, and was really personable. As we went up the mountain, we found ourselves in a giant forest that was home to so many different creatures. I was surprised to see how big of an ecosystem can live on a mountain. Even more surprisingly I found myself ENJOYING science - like who knew?! Learning about how the brilliant rock colors were created (they were sedimentary) and how the glaciers actually MOVED to create the mountains we were hiking up, was intriguing. I guess to really appreciate Science, you have to see and experience it. Hopefully I will be able to keep that lesson in mind next year when I'm teaching my students.








The desired destination of our hike was Iceberg Lake. I didn't really know what to expect when I saw it, except that it would be a body of water in the heart of the mountains. But my expectations were definitely surpassed, because this lake was unlike anything any of us had ever seen before. The water was crystal bluish green like you see in movies, and mounds of snow - actual snow - were sprinkled throughout it. I couldn't believe it was summer and there were still permanent snowdrifts up in the mountain. The water was approximately 38 degrees (according to Monica), but felt very cold. Some of the other hikers actually went in the water! We just decided to put our fingers in to be on the safe side (I know, we are finally becoming mature - incredible!). But regardless, this experience was unreal. It was also extremely relaxing sitting by this lake eating lunch and feeling the cold (instead of hot) air blowing on our faces.




After we hiked back down from the lake, we drove on the Going-on-the-sun road to the west side of the park where we were staying. Prior to the drive we had dinner at Three Sisters, a hole in the wall restaurant that tasted amazing. We even had milkshakes to go, and Shannon got to try the Huckleberry shake. Yes huckleberries are real people! This drive literally took us up, down, in, and out of the mountains. We arrived at Lake Macdonald lodge just in time to watch another sunset! It was again beautiful, but the colors weren't as brilliant as in the Grand Tetons. However the lake was blueish purple, reflecting the color of Glacier National Park's sedimentary rocks. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip because the lake was just so peaceful, and the rocks were so smooth.




The next day we actually took a boat tour around the lake, which was just relaxing. It obviously fueled my love of boats even more. Afterwards we went on a hike that was part of the Highline Trail. This was funny to me because we have a highline in NYC that takes you on a trial over rooftops. This highline was legitimately on the side of a mountain, and if you fell you were pretty screwed. Jacki loved this trail because she said she felt like she was inside the mountain. I thought the views were just incredible. At one point I just had to sit down on part of the cliff and take it all in.




After leaving Glacier National Park, we drove to Missoula, MT, one of the stops on the way to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I was pumped about Missoula because I knew it was a college town, and my friend Heberto had given me a lot of suggestions of things to do. When we arrived we went to Taco del Sol for dinner, and I swear to god I had the best burrito I've ever had. It had cod in it instead I chicken, and was divine. It was also incredibly cheap, as were the Montana brews that we drank ($2.50, can you believe that?!). Afterwards we went to Charlie B's, a bar that my friend recommended. This bar had a very western feel to it, and it seemed like it catered to all age groups. Portraits of people who had frequented the bar in the past were also up on the wall. It didn't really feel that much like a college bar, which was nice. If I had to compare it to a bar in Ann Arbor, I would probably compare the crowd to the crowd at Ashley's. We were definitely fans. The next day we walked around the campus and had breakfast at an awesome farmers market, where I had my first tamale. So good! I think we have been surprised the most by how much authentic Mexican food we have found in the states we have passed through. Like its been pretty damn good.












After we left Missoula, we headed to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. This lake side resort city looked absolutely as gorgeous as the pictures! When we checked in at the hotel we were faced with another small world scenario - the girl at the hotel check in desk studied at the same university in Ecuador as Shannon's sister Bridget! Once we arrived we immediately put bathing suits on and hiked through the woods to these secluded beaches on the lake. And of course we jumped right in! The water felt so refreshing after being on the road for two weeks. It was so refreshing that we ended up going back the next day and renting kayaks to take out on the lake. This experience was definitely an arm workout for sure! I was obviously the last kayak in the line of kayaks almost always. We loved getting to travel all around the lake, via our own mode of transportation (kayak). God it felt so great being out there. Hopefully we will all get to go back one day :)




And I almost forgot, Jacki finally got her Idaho potato! We had potato skins for dinner at a restaurant called Iron Horse, and they were giant:




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I LOVE WYOMING

For the last couple days we have been touring the wonderful world of Wyoming. Actually currently I'm in Montana at Glacier National Park, but I have to admit I'm behind on my posts. Yesterday morning was our last morning in Yellowstone. So, today I am going to regale with you the scientific surprises of Yellowstone and the beautiful landscapes of the Grand Tetons. As some of you may know I am not one who usually appreciates the beauty of Science. I've always been more of an English and History person who enjoys reading and writing about people of the past. But my excursions into Yellowstone have allowed me to see science in a new light.



I really didn't know that much about Yellowstone before we drove into it, but Jacki was super pumped. She couldn't wait to see Old Faithful, a geyser that spurts out water (faithfully) approximately every hour and a half. I couldn't understand why since to me the name "Old Faithful" seemed more fitting for a cow than a product of volcanic activity. But again as always, I was pleasantly surprised by how super awesome it is to watch a triangular shaped hole emit volumes of water spraying high up into the sky. I may not have been as excited as Jacki, who was making sure to capture the moment of Old Faithful's eruption with her camera and her iPhone at the same time, or as Shannon, who had her video going for ten minutes before the eruption, but I was impressed by the fact that these eruptions have occurred every hour and a half since the park became a park. Probably even long before that. Can you imagine? Most people aren't even that reliable. Again my photos as usual don't really do it justice, but below you can see the height the water can reach when it erupts from Old Faithful:



After Old Faithful, we walked on to see several hot springs including the infamous Morning Glory. A hot spring is like a hot tub that is powered by the geothermal heat emitted by the earth. These pools are filled with clear water that appears to be colored, but this color actually comes from bacteria below the surface that thrives in this hot environment. Literally we could feel hot steam coming from these springs as we walked across boardwalks that were suspended over them. We were not allowed to walk on the actual ground because it is hard to predict what is underneath it. Morning Glory is one of the largest and most brilliantly colored hot springs in the park, aka it has tons of bacteria. Here it is below:




The hot springs actually looked really cool! Yellowstone is basically a scientist's dreamland. I thought it was interesting once Shannon explained everything to me (you can thank her for the scientific explanations above) but I'm more of a lover of landscapes, and majestic landforms. This is why my favorite part of Yellowstone was our time spent in the Grand Canyon (of Yellowstone). Day 2 involved us trekking down into the canyon. This was a strenuous hike that required us to take around 500 steep steps down into the Canyon, which left us at the bottom of the water fall (which was at one end of the canyon). When we got all the way to the bottom we were actually able to see a waterfall - it was beautiful.




The waterfall flowed into a river that you can actually see from the top of the canyon:




In between our days at Yellowstone we were actually able to drive down into the Grand Tetons and stay in a log cabin by the lake. Because we left Yellowstone that night at around 5, we actually made it to our cabin in time to see the sunset over Colter Bay, which flows into Jackson Lake. I fell in love with this cabin by the bay. I felt like I was at summer camp, and I thought that this could be a place I come back to in the future when I have a family of my own. I remember thinking there was no place in the world I would rather be than sitting on the dock watching the sunset over the Tetons. The drive over was beautiful, but it did not prepare me for this fantastic sight. The calmness reminded me of being at sleep away camp in the woods. So far this was my favorite night of the trip, and I wish I could show you a photo that captures the colors I witnessed, but it's just not enough. I hope my photos make you want to visit it yourself one day:




The next day we actually got to do a hike over Jenny lake in the Grand Tetons. This required us to take a boat across the lake, which was awesome. We hiked to Inspiration point, which allowed us to see Jenny Lake from high above the water. This was also pretty cool:




I think this trip has helped me discover how much I love boats and lakes. I want a boat and I want to live as close as possible to a body of water that I can watch sunsets on. I hope that by the time my forty year old self looks back at this blog she has spent at least a few years living on a body of water. I hope she has seen hundreds of sunsets, but I hope she never forgets how special they are. I also hope I have returned to Wyoming at least a dozen times, since it certainly lived up to its reviews. I feel like I end every post these days saying that you have to go somewhere and see whatever I've talked about, but I really do mean it. This state is like a hidden treasure, and I feel blessed that Jacki took me here to see it. I hope you can experience it one day too :)




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Lake Mcdonald Lodge Loop,Essex,United States

The Family Heads West In the (Volks)wagon!

Hey guys! Sorry it has taken me a few days to write again, we have just been so busy with all our sights. In the last few days we have been through South Dakota and some parts of Wyoming. In the Black Hills of South Dakota we saw Jewel Cave, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and Mount Rushmore. Then we drove to Deadwood, South Dakota and found ourselves in the middle of a fake shoot out. After Deadwood, we drove to the tip of Wyoming to see Devil's Tower, a giant rock that juts out of the earth in the middle of the Black Hills. Then we drove five hours across Wyoming to Cody, Wyoming, a huge cowboy town. Here we got to see our very first rodeo! This morning we left Cody to head to Yellowstone National Park, and we saw Old Faithful, Morning Glory, and Mystic Falls (I will explain these later). Then we drove to our cabin in Colter Bay, a bay just below a canopy of mountains called the Grand Tetons. We arrived just in time to see the sunset over the mountains.

My favorite part of South Dakota was the Crazy Horse Memorial. For those of you who don't know, Crazy Horse was a member of the Lakota tribe, part of the Sioux nation. He refused to ever sign a treaty giving away his land, and as a result was stabbed in the back under a flag of truce. He was asked about his land and he stated, "My land is where my people are buried," pointing at the land that he would fight for throughout his short life. After Mount Rushmore was built, the Indians asked Korczak, a man who worked on the monument to build them their own monument for one of their leaders in the Black Hills. Korczak moved with his family into the hills to build this memorial, and so far his head is finished. Currently it looks like this:



It is so much larger than Mount Rushmore, and it is supposed to look like this when it is finished:



Can you imagine that? I think this was my favorite part of South Dakota (besides just the beautiful landscape) because it inspires you to believe in the dedication of an individual. One man decided to dedicate his life to building a memorial of Crazy Horse, and his dream is still in the process of being fulfilled. The entire project is funded by donations because Korczak refused to take government funds. Still the builders refuse to take this money even after Korcak's death. To me, this is beautiful. It shows the strength and spirit of a group of people who hoped to never truly have to give up their land. I think that it is entirely right that Crazy Horse should be built as larger than Mount Rushmore because the lands we live on used to belong to him and his people. The spirit of the memorial was so powerful, and it felt as if the future was ours. The future of the memorial is unknown, and the builders won't even give a prediction for its completion. This is what I loved the most - because just like the future of the Crazy Horse Memorial, my future is entirely unknown. I like to think I know how my life will turn out, but lets be serious - you never know what curve balls life will throw at you. Take this road trip for instance, I never in my life would have pictured myself traveling through South Dakota. But my best friend asked me to drive with her to Seattle, and I said yes. I never pictured myself loving the lands of the west, but I do. I love the feeling of freedom that accompanies the Black Hills, and I can't imagine how the Native American Indians must have felt when they first saw them. I hope to come back here one day with my family, and I hope they can feel the spirit of freedom that the land promises. I know it sounds crazy coming from a girl who loves New York City, but it's true. The Crazy Horse memorial made me feel as though all my dreams could come true, even the ones that I didn't even realize I had.

Wyoming was a whole different story. And we are still here! Our first stop in Wyoming was at the Devils Tower. Literally you see this giant rock jutting out of the earth and you wonder, how the hell did this get here. for miles land is composed of flatness and hills and then out of nowhere a giant rock appears. No wonder the American Indian tribes came up with all different legends to explain how it got there. The legends vary, but most of them include a bear trying to get to the top of the rock, but never succeeding. This would explain the giant scratch marks along every side of the rock. One legend says that the rock grew as tall as it did to protect three little girls who were running from a bear and were hiding behind the rock. I like this legend the best. We got to hike around the enter tower, and as we hiked we actually got to see people trying to climb it! There were rock climbers sprinkled all over Devil's Tower, some way up close to the top, and others just beginning at the bottom. It seems crazy, but honestly one day I would like to do it. Imagine how incredible the world would look from the top of this tower:






After the Devil's Tower we drove through Big Horn National forest to get to Cody, home of the rodeo. Big Horn blew us away - the mountains were incredible, and you could see for miles below. We initially thought they were the Rocky Mountains, but of course we were wrong. Again I feel like I am at a loss of words when I try to describe to you the feeling of awe we all felt as we drove up, down, and around these mountains. The views were sick, and I don't think any of us have ever seen anything like it. What about you:



Cody, Wyoming was an awesome town. It made you truly feel the spirit of being a cowboy. Honestly it made me want to give up my job in NYC so I could go buy a horse and become a cowgirl. But if I did that I know my dad would be super jealous, since he always loved cowboys and Westerns. He never understood why I didn't see the glory behind the cowboy life. Now I do. The rodeo we watched really proved how being a cowboy is actually a way of life, and how it is threatened every day by people like me. People who don't understand them. I hope to be more understanding in the future, since it seems as though I have a bit of cowgirl in me - something I never would have expected. Honestly I never thought I'd say this but I love Wyoming. It's beautiful. You should come. Thanks for reading, stay tuned for the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Colter Bay Village Rd,Moose,United States

3 girls, 14 hours, 1 car, and South Dakota

Thursday, August 15th:
We rode into Minneapolis a little late yesterday night since we got a late start. But luckily we made it to have dinner with Emily and Kelsey, two girls who Jacki, Shannon, and I skated with at Michigan. We walked into downtown and had dinner on a rooftop bar called Brit's Pub that had lawn bowling. Shannon ordered a giant Crispin Honey Crisp complete with Honey comb at the bottom, a cider from Minnesota, while I, true to character, had a Fulton IPA from Minnesota. The others passed on the alcohol, but Shannon's cider was large enough for all to try. It was wonderful to catch up, and afterwards we got to stroll through a sculpture garden that included the Minneapolis spoon and cherry (I think this is a symbol of Minnesota - help me friends!). Kelsey's boyfriend Andy joined us at this point in the night, and he got the pleasure of being our camera man :) thanks Andy!! Afterwards we went back to Kelsey's apartment which is actually in a building that was the first hotel in Minneapolis - Oak Street Hotel. Here we literally stayed up (Shannon, Jacki, Kelsey, Andy, and I) for hours telling jokes and stories about college while laughing like hyenas. Poor Andy probably thought we were insane - but he was definitely a trooper. Five stars for Andy!

I think the best part of our trip to Minneapolis was the fact that it was a reunion. Some of us haven't seen each other in over two years. Regardless, it felt like yesterday. Emily still used her twenty question interview style to catch up on our lives, and Kelsey still pranced from place to place full of excitement, always ready with a hand motion or voice to satisfy the scene. I feel like this is the true meaning of friendship - being able to come and go, to be entirely yourself, and still have the time of your life together. We had the time of our lives just sitting at dinner in downtown Minneapolis, and then joking around at Kelsey's apartment. I feel so blessed to have created such strong friendships at Michigan, and it's not a surprise that those friendships were cultivated through early morning and late night synchronized skating practices. Would we have found our way to each otherwise? I'd like to think so, but thank god we don't ever have to find out. Anyway, where our friendships started isn't as important as knowing that they are still as strong, if not stronger than they were when they began. Thank you Minneapolis for giving us the chance to reunite, and for reminding us that space and time are minor obstacles for true friends like us. Love ya lots K-Traul, E-ham, and A-dawg (hope you like your new nickname Andy), and Miss you lots fellow UMSST Alumni.




Friday, August 15th
Somehow, we made it to South Dakota. We had to brave several Pro-Life signs, about a million signs for the Wall Drug, a gigantic department store that came with a map (no joke - there was actually a fold up map), a convoy of hay trucks, and a moving house. To endure these obstacles, we did mad libs, sang songs, listened to a terrible 12 dollar South Dakota info CD, failed at trivia, slept, and of course filmed ourselves. Our first major stop in South Dakota was the amazing Corn Palace - a gymnasium basically built out of corn. Inside there were drawings of Indian tribes and cowboys made out of dark and light corn. We thought it was a joke when we saw a sign for it, but when the sign said it was the world's only corn place, we obviously knew we would regret not stopping. The corn palace was everything we expected and more - it basically looked like Jasmine's castle in Aladdin. Finding this corn palace was like finding hidden treasure on a deserted island. It was 100% worth the detour:




After our corn palace detour, it was my turn to drive. I think Shannon and Jacki nearly flew out of their seats the first time I stepped on the gas since I pushed down way too hard. Don't worry parents who are reading this, I soon got used to Beatrice (yes that's the official name of Jacki's beloved yellow bug) and we got along much better. Our next stop was the long-awaited Badlands. And let me tell you - if you've never been, Go! Go right now. Or at least make plans to go ASAP. The only place I've ever been that was as breathtaking or godlike was India. But I guess that may be a little harder to get too. The trail we took through the badlands was a loop on exit 131 off I-90 west that took you on highwy 247. It wound up and into the highest heights of the badlands so you could look out over the summits. You could even climb up some of the rock structures at places where you could pull your car over and get out. I've never enjoyed driving so much in my life, and I felt amazed, awestruck, fascinated, and inspired all at the same time. There aren't really enough words in the English language to successfully capture the beauty of these structures. I guess you will just have to follow my advice and go see them for yourself, so that you can attempt to find the words. Because they left me speechless:








Eventually I got over my lack of words, since everyone knows that I can't really keep my mouth shut for more than 5 minutes (if that). After the Badlands we got ice cream at Wall Drug, basically South Dakota's version of Target, and drove the last hour to our hotel in the mountains. We were starving so we got out of our car and had some delicious buffalo at the restaurant next to our hotel. It is quite possible we made a scene at this restaurant since we were laughing so hard from our complete and utter exhaustion. However, thankfully, we were not removed from the establishment. Afterwards, Shannon used her outstanding skills of engineering to make our shower work so that I would no longer smell. Just kidding - I didn't smell, but a shower was welcome for all parties. Anyway, check back in a couple days for more on South Dakota (cough Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse cough)!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Gordon St,Custer,United States

Snug in a Bug

And we're off! Our road trip started in West Bloomfield, MI with Jacki giving me the surprise of a lifetime. The last two weeks my friend Shannon has been telling me it will be a game time decision if she decides to come with us on the trip. At this point, sitting at Jacki's eating breakfast, and getting ready to leave, I expected it to just be us two. But suddenly, the doorbell rang, and in walks Shannon!! At first I thought she was just saying goodbye, but then she said she was coming. AND that she had been planning to come since July. Talk about the surprise of a life time - I was so happy! The three of is packed up Jackie's bug and we headed north.
First (unexpected) stop: Ann Arbor. We hadn't originally planned to stop there, but we were driving by it anyway and we just couldn't pass it up. As soon as we entered our beloved city, I felt an immediate sense of home. My heart filled with joy and I just felt like I still belonged there. When we walked through the diag, I remembered my days as a student and for a second wished I could be walking to History 260 one last time. It's never easy to create home, and it's hard to find a place where you feel completely 100% at home. But Ann Arbor became my beautiful home for four perfect years, and to this day I still feel like I belong there. Obviously we visited 715 Oakland Avenue, my physical home for 3 of those 4 years. It looked exactly the same, the porch swing still in excellent condition. I remember so many days sitting outside on that swing sipping on something waiting for our friends to arrive. Being back was a gift, but it made me think of my roommates who weren't there with me and Shannon. And as anyone who hung out with us knows, that house housed many a soul throughout the years, whether they stayed for a week or two, subletted, or permanently lived there. Each one of you made that house, 715, the black hole, whatever you want to call it, perfect. You made it my home, and you helped me grow. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.




Second stop: Chicago. After we proceeded to buy enough Michigan souvenirs to last us another year, we hit the road to head to Chi-town. Jacki assured me that I would love Chicago in the summer, since she knew I wasn't entirely in love with it. As a New Yorker, it is hard to fall in love with other cities. But this time, in summertime Chicago, I would open my heart to another city. Once we get into Chi-town, we hop on the bus and head to Oak Street Beach, a small beach surrounded by several tall buildings including the John Hancock building. It was gorgeous! There is no greater feeling than having your feet in sand with an entire city in front of you. While at the beach we each had a 312 Goose island beer, which I believe is brewed in Chicago. As always we created a scene with our Michigan pride. Afterwards we walked down Michigan Ave, stopping at Garrett's for popcorn along the way. Probably the best popcorn I have ever tasted. Our destination was the bean, since Jacki had never taken a picture with it. Once we took photos with the bean, Shannon had this brilliant idea that we should all have a Chicago style hotdog. Jacki and I were thinking "uhhh we like NOTHING on that hotdog." But Shannon wouldn't take no for an answer - and so the three of us shared this absolutely disgusting (sorry Chicago) Chicago Style hotdog. To say it was a once in a lifetime experience would be exactly correct, since I never plan to have one again. For reference:




After that catastrophe, we all went to walk down Navy Pier and have a drink. It was a lovely, LONG walk to the beer garden. Once we sat down and had drinks and water that clearly came from the gods (since it was $3.25), Jacki's friend Mindy joined us. After drinks, the three of us went on the Ferris wheel as per Jacki's wishes. Shannon and I were both reluctant, but saying no to Jacki is a pretty difficult task. Thank god we finally decided to listen to her, because it was wonderful! You could see the entire city from high above the water. The view was breathtaking. The only frightening moment was when Mindy almost dropped her phone off the Ferris wheel, seconds after someone said I wonder how many people drop their phones off this thing. After the Ferris wheel ride we all went to dinner at Bridge House Tavern, a restaurant with half price wine bottles on Wednesdays, and a riverside view. Who can beat that? Go Mindy!! Thanks for making our Chicago trip perfect :)

Only regret: forgetting to wear our YOLO hats.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Chicago

What is Love?

At the tender age of 23 years old (almost 24), it is hard to really know what it means to truly love something or someone. I've always questioned the idea of being in love, of falling for another, and I have always wondered how you know. When do you know that you love him, her, or it? What does it feel like? How often does it come along? I feel like I ask myself these questions often, but until today I don't think I really knew the answers. I've always heard that true love is hard to find, and the luckiest of us experience it once in awhile. Today was the 25th Anniversary of my second synchronized figure skating team, Team Image. At this celebration, I felt love all around me. I may not have even known every person in that room, but we were bonded by a sport that we all fell in love with at one point in our lives. For each person in that room I believe I can say we found true love in the people we skated with, and in the sport we struggled to master. 

My love affair with figure skating began with Amy Mancini (originally Amy Pellicio), a woman I would grow to love and admire forever. She taught me how to skate, granting me one of the greatest gifts she could have ever given me. She was my role model, and I could never thank her enough for putting up with me and my temper tantrums. She actually introduced me to the world of synchronized skating, a world in which I would (eventually) flourish. When I started synchronized skating (then called Precision) at 8 years old, I did not enjoy it. I was too selfish, too young, and too immature to appreciate the blessing of having 15 other skaters on the ice with me sharing the spotlight. It would take several years, a lot of attitude adjustments from an entourage of coaches, and another remarkable woman to bring me to love synchronized skating. 

Sylvia Muccio returned me to the world of synchronized skating when I was 14 years old. When I first met Sylvia I was scared of her. I could hear her yelling on the ice and I thought I was done for. But I would eventually learn that her bark was much worse than her bite. Her constructive criticism and instructions came not from a place of malice, but a place of passion and true love. I would eventually ask Sylvia to choreograph my show programs for the Murray's Ice show because she challenged me to push the envelope. I never would have expected myself to wear pant suits or halter tops on the ice, but Sylvia was full of visions that truly brought out the best in all her skaters, including me. Sylvia challenged me to be a better skater every single day, and I thank her for that. Most importantly though, she taught me that there is no better gift in life than to be part of a team - a group of girls who love each other through all sorts of trials and tribulations. 

I went onto synchronized skate in college at the University of Michigan, and I believe I loved almost every second of it. My heart fills with the most overwhelming sense of joy every time I think of my days holding onto my teammates' shoulders. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of the happiness that I have been brought because of synchronized skating. It is my true love. When I step on the ice, or think of my days on my synchro teams, my heart feels like it is about to burst. It feels so full that I can't think of any way to describe it other than to characterize that feeling as love. To me, love is that overwhelming sensation of not being able to breathe that pushes you to challenge yourself and always, always reach for more. It can bring peels of joy, or bring you to tears, but regardless, it is love. It comes without warning, and when you finally realize you're in its clutches, there is absolutely no way to escape it. This is how I feel about synchronized skating - it challenged me, it pushed me, it left me utterly exhausted, it stressed me out, it disappointed me, it forced me to make difficult choices, and at some points caused me actual physical pain. But throughout all of this, synchronized skating has given me some of the greatest moments and greatest people of my life, starting with one remarkable, passionate, beautiful, forgiving, and loving woman. To Sylvia.