Road Trip Recap Deux

I'm back with another installation of my road trip recap! And in a relatively timely manner, too. Go me. I'll be highlighting four more stops from the XC RT.

This will be quite the photo-heavy post because I want to share the beautiful views of the national parks we visited on our way across the country.

BADLANDS, SOUTH DAKOTA

The first national park we visited was The Badlands. If you've never heard of The Badlands, you're just like me. But Lena had, so we ended up there. TOTAL vibe. We roamed the unbelievable rock formations, climbing the dusty mounds in our cute outfits.

I was wearing an army green cargo miniskirt and a vintage top that I can only describe as a cowgirl corset. It's denim and laces down the center with a leather string. Real ones know that this shirt has been a staple in my vintage collection since I ditched shopping mainstream and immersed myself into thrifted fashion. So I've held on to this piece since about 16 years old, when my closet first began morphing into a second hand wonderland.

We also saw Mount Rushmore! That ish was cray. I just want to know how that happened and why it was SO important that four MEN be chiseled into a MOUNTAIN. Not enough to Google its history though.

Me and Gorgi had more fun pulled over on the side of the winding road that lead down the mountain, watching the occassional car cruise by peacefully.

A notable tidbit is the fact that there is a monument neighboring Mount Rushmore called Crazy Horse. One of my besties evsies, Bel, had the Instagram handle @crazyhorse5432 once upon a time when she had an Instagram account. We freaked out and got all excited because we felt Bel with us!

Days later, Bel celebrated her birthday and I totally didn't call her. This is a public apology for that blonde moment. I love you Bel!

ZION, UTAH

Zion National Park was extremely scenic. Once we got there, we hopped on a 15 minute shuttle to the easiest hiking trail on the map. It was breathtaking and serene and awe-inspiring.

Our final destination was named the Emerald River. I wouldn't call it emerald, maybe sage? But it was beautiful.

It's amazing how that little river once had a part in carving the towering rocks that dwarfed my existence in comparison. Nothing felt important during our time spent in Zion. Although, that's kind of the effect of a roadtrip. I felt so detached from my life. It was much needed but it was also nice to know that my people were only a successful FaceID scan away. It's not like I didn't have a phone, so I wasn't cut off from anyone.

On our hike back, there was this rogue child running downhill through the slipperiest part of the path as his entire family stood stationary and screamed for him to stop. I forget the kids name but it was a funny one. The whole situation was comical. His brother, also a child, raced after him with the angriest look on his face. It was hilarious when he plucked him up and scolded him like a father. It freaks me out when kids act like responsible adults but kids in general freak me out.

I DO NOT like to to be on my phone when I'm driving. And we were obviously driving. I hate to see a driver in my rearview mirror scrolling mindlessly on le Tok at a stop light. I always check to see if they reacted to the light turning green as fast as I did. They never do. I try my best, but I'm not a great driver. Therefore, my attention cannot afford to be split with social media. THIS IS NOT TO SAY that women are bad drivers because I hate that generalization. My bad driving has nothing to do with my womanhood.

I took plenty of photos on my phone when I was sat shotgun, but I ran out of storage just days before we embarked. I was able to delete some old stuff to make way for documentation of the present moment, but I definitely didn't take as many photos as I was expecting to.

What I'm noticing as I write this is bizarre...Both my point and shoot film camera and my Handycam STOPPED WORKING the second I went to take the first photo of the trip. I don't think we had even left Gorgi's yet. Like whaaaaat is that about?! It was honestly kinda freaky the way three cameras refused to capture my adventure for me. Rude!

I'm going to interpret this peculiar happening as the first leaf falling to indicate of my season of change and separation from the past. They also may have simply broken, but why would I believe that incredibly boring plot line into existence? I prefer to trust my intuition.

LAKE OF THE WOODS, OREGON

I can't quite remember what prompted us to make this stop, but it was beautiful so I'm glad we did. Lena probably had to pee. That gal sure does keep hydrated!

It was a crispy, chilly day in southern Oregon and despite the beaming sun, it was even colder on the vast Lake O' the Woods. I didn't even realize until now but we ended up on so many lakes throughout the trip.

Lake Michigan in Illinois

Lake O' the Woods in Oregon

Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in Oklahoma

Shout out that last lake and the hilarious Deadhead family that hosted us!

We soaked up the beauty of the tiny sliver of Oregon we would experience; taking a few photos and videos that did the landscape no justice.

Lena relieved her itsy bitsy bladder in the janky park BR as I pranced around to keep myself warm in my little shorts that were totally not Oregon-appropriate.

We hopped back in Stella and left the barren parking lot, headed for northern California.

REDWOOD FOREST, CALIFORNIA

The trees were super big. I don't know what I expected from a forest but I was sort of underwhelmed. The woods like...weren't red. I grew up constantly playing in the forest with my sisters and neighbors. Therefore, it was nostalgic to climb on the massive fallen trunks that MUST have made a sound, even if no one was around to hear it. It was beautiful and humbling, as trees are, but after walking around for a while, we got bored.

Not once, but thrice, we ended up face to face with a Frank Gallagher-esque man in a matted fur coat. He was running through the forest with his hands in his pockets. Helloooooo? Safety hazard!

I can't remember what he said his stage name was, but he disclosed to us his Hannah Montana double life. Apparently, he is a K-Pop sensation who makes fangirls swoon from the other side of the globe. He described his viral hyper pop track and we slowly backed away because he was strange and offputting.

Final Note: I totally dropped a deuce deep within the overgrowth of the Redwood Forest. Don't ask for details, but I thought it was worth mentioning because it's effing hilarious.

There's so much more to share about our road trip, I'll get to it eventually. It's become so far away, it feels like eons ago, and I have a poor memory. I want to write about the millions of other ideas bouncing around my noggin! We'll see what I decide.

TTFN,

Sara