after 1900 miles
Who's to say what's to come when you start on a trip halfway across this beautiful country? Generally, I'm pretty awful at predicting these things, but let us just say I made it back in four days, and even had fun along the way.
Phoenix Sky Harbor
Wait 40 minutes to check in on counterintuitive electronic console, then another hour in line for security. Flight to Chicago is delayed 2 hrs... which means I'll miss my connecting flight to Madison. Ugggghhhh... spend 40 minutes at the customer service desk while the man next to me is literally screaming obscenities to the helpless man behind the counter. I Smile politely and ask what I should do... they'll put me up in a hotel in Chicago for the night so I can catch the flight to Madison from O'Hare at 6:45 AM.
O'Hare
Holy crap... this is the hugest, busiest airport I've ever been in, worse than Heathrow or Charles DeGaulle and it's 11:30 PM on a Friday. Get to hotel at 12 AM, must be at airport by 4:45 AM to check in, which means exactly 3 hrs of sleep. Arrive at O'Hare 4:30 AM, join 1 hr check in line behind 12 sorority girls from Iowa... they don't get out much, one is already drunk, and the rest are waiting until they get in the air on their flight to Cabo. There must be nothing else to do but drink in Iowa.
Madison
It is f*ing cold here. My fingers are practically frozen and I have gloves on at -5 degrees Fahrenheit. Hmmm... this is what I've chosen for spring break? Go in to town, check out med school at UW Madison. It's a beautiful campus, right on the lake, State Street's a north eastern version of Mill Ave, with more spunk... buy some sweet cheap used CD's at a local store. I could deal with this.
Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska
It's all a flat 85 mph blur now... stop at outlet mall in BFE Iowa, go to Coach outlet, buy cute pink cashmere scarf. Pull 16 hour driving day to make it over the border into...
Colorado
Arrive at 10 PM and spend the night in beautiful, errr, quaint Sterling. Wake up and drive into Estes Park... it is soooo beautiful here I might not ever leave. It's hard to believe this is the place that inspired The Shining, that was a creepy movie... have visions of blood spilling out of elevator and frightening twin girls in blue dresses and shiny black patent leather mary janes. But then, in comes the snow. Rocky Mountain National park is not for us, not today... damn. Wear new scarf. Drive into Boulder... check out CU Boulder campus. I'd go here in a heartbeat, if they had a med school, but that's in Denver. Drive in to Denver, check out downtown and CU Denver health sciences center and med school. It's located at University Hospital and right next to the VA... although they don't take many out of state students (about 10% of the class), I'll apply here--why not? Denver is beautiful, and bustling. It reminds me of Phoenix with more culture, and the snow adds some personality too... they actually have seasons here. Drive to Colorado Springs, go to dinner at the coolest brewery downtown, have a pint... a light Queen Anne ale. I know there's mountains around here somewhere, but it's too snowy to see them now. Go to hotel, finish paper for damn internet class and send it off. Wake up next morning and go tour the Olympic Training Center... that place is amazing. They train for all winter events, cycling, basketball, gymnastics, weightlifting while olympic hopefuls live in dorms on site. Go observe weightlifting room and boxing tournament... get hit on by a few weightlifters after they put down 250 kg and need a break. Finally see the mountains, they are magnificent and majestic... reaching for the sky with grace and beauty--this is my favorite town on the trip. Begin blinding white drive to...
New Mexico
But don't get too far today... I-25 is snow-packed. They got 38 inches of snow in the last two days, and there are only 15 snow plows working. Governor of NM declares 8 counties a state of emergency. Get stranded in Las Vegas, NM... as the interstate is closed and it's still snowing, oh joy. There are only 2 motel rooms left in the whole backwards town, and all the nice places are taken. Chat with two locals, their story is that NM is the 5th largest state in the country and the second poorest. That's no excuse. Waitress at diner tells us to turn "up" the street to get to Walmart... do you suppose "up" is right or left? Anyhow, sleep in shady motel, would sleep in car, but it's going to be -10 tonight, no thanks. Pray, then wake up to get out of New Mexico as soon as possible, yet another 85 mph landscape blur arriving in...
Arizona
Which might be the prettiest state, behind Colorado of course, on our trip. Stop in Flagstaff for a brief encounter. I wish there was a med school here, but I am all out of luck... coffee will have to do for now. Drive to Phoenix-- the desert is greener than I've ever seen it, and there are bugs of every color splattered on the windshield. It's good to be home in the 75 degree weather... a climate that doesn't require more than 1 layer of clothing is always appreciated.
My mind's been clearing, and I feel better now that I've had some time to regain my sanity... get back to simplicity and back to nature. I've done a favor for a friend and she is so grateful, yet this trip was as much for me as it was for her. I stop to appreciate all that I have, and it is so much. My life is so rich with wonderful friends and family... I could not ask for more, but only be thankful for what I have. I have hope for peace of mind, heart and soul... thank you
k
Phoenix Sky Harbor
Wait 40 minutes to check in on counterintuitive electronic console, then another hour in line for security. Flight to Chicago is delayed 2 hrs... which means I'll miss my connecting flight to Madison. Ugggghhhh... spend 40 minutes at the customer service desk while the man next to me is literally screaming obscenities to the helpless man behind the counter. I Smile politely and ask what I should do... they'll put me up in a hotel in Chicago for the night so I can catch the flight to Madison from O'Hare at 6:45 AM.
O'Hare
Holy crap... this is the hugest, busiest airport I've ever been in, worse than Heathrow or Charles DeGaulle and it's 11:30 PM on a Friday. Get to hotel at 12 AM, must be at airport by 4:45 AM to check in, which means exactly 3 hrs of sleep. Arrive at O'Hare 4:30 AM, join 1 hr check in line behind 12 sorority girls from Iowa... they don't get out much, one is already drunk, and the rest are waiting until they get in the air on their flight to Cabo. There must be nothing else to do but drink in Iowa.
Madison
It is f*ing cold here. My fingers are practically frozen and I have gloves on at -5 degrees Fahrenheit. Hmmm... this is what I've chosen for spring break? Go in to town, check out med school at UW Madison. It's a beautiful campus, right on the lake, State Street's a north eastern version of Mill Ave, with more spunk... buy some sweet cheap used CD's at a local store. I could deal with this.
Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska
It's all a flat 85 mph blur now... stop at outlet mall in BFE Iowa, go to Coach outlet, buy cute pink cashmere scarf. Pull 16 hour driving day to make it over the border into...
Colorado
Arrive at 10 PM and spend the night in beautiful, errr, quaint Sterling. Wake up and drive into Estes Park... it is soooo beautiful here I might not ever leave. It's hard to believe this is the place that inspired The Shining, that was a creepy movie... have visions of blood spilling out of elevator and frightening twin girls in blue dresses and shiny black patent leather mary janes. But then, in comes the snow. Rocky Mountain National park is not for us, not today... damn. Wear new scarf. Drive into Boulder... check out CU Boulder campus. I'd go here in a heartbeat, if they had a med school, but that's in Denver. Drive in to Denver, check out downtown and CU Denver health sciences center and med school. It's located at University Hospital and right next to the VA... although they don't take many out of state students (about 10% of the class), I'll apply here--why not? Denver is beautiful, and bustling. It reminds me of Phoenix with more culture, and the snow adds some personality too... they actually have seasons here. Drive to Colorado Springs, go to dinner at the coolest brewery downtown, have a pint... a light Queen Anne ale. I know there's mountains around here somewhere, but it's too snowy to see them now. Go to hotel, finish paper for damn internet class and send it off. Wake up next morning and go tour the Olympic Training Center... that place is amazing. They train for all winter events, cycling, basketball, gymnastics, weightlifting while olympic hopefuls live in dorms on site. Go observe weightlifting room and boxing tournament... get hit on by a few weightlifters after they put down 250 kg and need a break. Finally see the mountains, they are magnificent and majestic... reaching for the sky with grace and beauty--this is my favorite town on the trip. Begin blinding white drive to...
New Mexico
But don't get too far today... I-25 is snow-packed. They got 38 inches of snow in the last two days, and there are only 15 snow plows working. Governor of NM declares 8 counties a state of emergency. Get stranded in Las Vegas, NM... as the interstate is closed and it's still snowing, oh joy. There are only 2 motel rooms left in the whole backwards town, and all the nice places are taken. Chat with two locals, their story is that NM is the 5th largest state in the country and the second poorest. That's no excuse. Waitress at diner tells us to turn "up" the street to get to Walmart... do you suppose "up" is right or left? Anyhow, sleep in shady motel, would sleep in car, but it's going to be -10 tonight, no thanks. Pray, then wake up to get out of New Mexico as soon as possible, yet another 85 mph landscape blur arriving in...
Arizona
Which might be the prettiest state, behind Colorado of course, on our trip. Stop in Flagstaff for a brief encounter. I wish there was a med school here, but I am all out of luck... coffee will have to do for now. Drive to Phoenix-- the desert is greener than I've ever seen it, and there are bugs of every color splattered on the windshield. It's good to be home in the 75 degree weather... a climate that doesn't require more than 1 layer of clothing is always appreciated.
My mind's been clearing, and I feel better now that I've had some time to regain my sanity... get back to simplicity and back to nature. I've done a favor for a friend and she is so grateful, yet this trip was as much for me as it was for her. I stop to appreciate all that I have, and it is so much. My life is so rich with wonderful friends and family... I could not ask for more, but only be thankful for what I have. I have hope for peace of mind, heart and soul... thank you
k
posted by Kim at 5:18 PM
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