Hey Phoenix! Let's see what you've got!

I am waking up at a spa. How can I complain about anything related to a spa? I cannot. I’m not trying to brag, but I feel outrageously spoiled right now. I mean outrageously. I am truly a blessed young lady. Regardless of where I am, I need coffee and lots of it. Today is the first day on this entire road trip that we actually don’t have to drive anywhere, so I am going to enjoy myself and actually indulge in one of my greatest loves. Meandering my way through the pool area, and when I say area, I mean area. There isn’t just one pool. There are three. Three absolute beautiful ones complete with waterfalls. I’m having a terrible time ; )  But this article is not about me gloating about my wonderful spa experience. This is about my adventures in the West, so first things first. Food. Of course, food. Food is always on the top of the list, right next to coffee. My friend Katie who used to live here in the city suggested that I try Two Hippies. Apparently their fish tacos were divine. I had picked a place from a book called Caroline’s that was labeled a “Phoenix Institution.” So do I go with the friend’s suggestion or the institution? Tough one. We pick the easy solution and decide to do the institution for lunch today and have Two Hippies tomorrow. So, we put the address for Caroline’s in and start driving. We arrive in a rundown neighborhood after taking 50 bazillion turns and Amelia, my ever-trusty navigation system, announces that we have arrived at our destination. Rigggggghhhht.

So Two Hippies it is then. 

New address. New direction. Completely different side of town. We are about to add four more hippies to this restaurant. Two Hippies is a teensy weensy corner shack on Camelback Road. It is completely decorated with outrageous signs, bright colors, in-your-face sayings, and don’t forget the giant yellow smiley face. Perfection! What’s even better is that you can buy 3 tacos, yes thats 3! tacos for $5. Read that again. 3 tacos for $5. I cannot resist and order a cactus taco, a fish taco, and a beef verde taco. Delightful lunch indeed. Katelin gets the same. Mom orders all fish, and Jean gets a variety as well. Plopping down on one of the multi-colored picnic tables, we eagerly pull the aluminum wrapped tacos out of the brown paper bag with our names on them. HERE GOES! Verde Beef first. 

And there are no words. Rice, pintos, cabbage, tomato, cheese, hot sauce in a soft corn tortilla. I mean what can I really say? There just are no words. The fish taco is soft and delicate with a spritz of lime and a dash of my favorite hot sauce, Sriracha. But then there’s the cactus taco which is outrageously phenomenal. The cactus is covered in feta and red pepper and actually tastes like a spicy pepper itself. The bite fills your palette almost immediately, and you crave more, more, more. Your stomach, however, says no, no, no. It can only take so much. I mean after two tacos, its done, its full. I did skip breakfast in anticipation, but it doesn’t matter, I must push away from the cactus taco. Of course, this is the exact moment that the lady who waited on us comes and and gives us free acai berry lemonade slush. Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! I mean what on earth do you do when your stomach feels like a balloon and you are handed a freshly squeezed acai lemon slush? 

You do the only thing you can do, you drink the epic lemonade and don’t care how full you feel because you know you won’t eat anything for hours and hours and hours. Gosh I love vacations. You can eat until you’re sick and then go and wander around aimlessly. 

BUT wandering aimlessly has never been my forte, so we drive over to Phoenix’s most famous museum, the Heard Museum. The Heard is completely dedicated to the American Indians. It holds cases and cases of their pottery, jewelry, weapons, tools, makeshift homes, dolls, toys. There is also a fantastic mock shift school display telling the tragedy of the Indian children being forced to attend the White Man’s boarding schools. Walking through and listening to the accounts of the children telling how they felt when they were dragged away from their parents almost makes me want to cry. Their hair was cut, their traditional clothing taken away from them, even their names were taken away from them. They had to completely forget who they were and become in essence a “white person.” The tragedy of this transformation angers me and saddens me at the same time. They lost everything that was them. We take a guided tour and learn the history of only 5 of the hundreds of tribes that are located around this area. There is a trend: survival, family, water.

After all the sadness, we decide to go and do what makes all women happy: shop! North of the city is Desert Ridge, an outdoor shopping area that boasts 110 acres of stores. It also has an IMAX theatre and a Target Greatland. Yes, that is a Target Greatland. There’s no stopping us, we absolutely must go! Did I mention that it was hot in Phoenix? Yes, it’s ridiculously hot in Phoenix. Granted there is no humidity, but when your car thermometer is registering 114F, you really don’t want to be outside. So we cop out of the heat by checking out the IMAX. Being we are a group of four women, we decide to watch SALT. Why not watch a woman beat up men? Of course, no movie is complete without popcorn and a drink, and we are handed the largest popcorn and drink I have ever seen! My eyes bulge, and my mom giggles at my figure walking towards her with the popcorn and drink. Did I mention that everything is bigger out west?

Afterwards, we have to go to Target Greatland. I mean all Target advocates know that its something you don’t pass up. It’s Target Greatland!! My eyes just glow as I walk in. It’s beautiful, and now I have have have to buy something in this gorgeous place. 

After minimal damage to the pocketbook. (And truly it is only minimal. I mean a jacket, earrings, sobe water, advil is very minimal for me.)

Finally It’s time to eat again. We ask the hotel concierge to suggest a place for us, and they actually offer to drive us in their red Cadillac to a local place, the Mission, that offers southwestern delicacies. We order tortillas, white beans, spicy caesar salads, and   a cumin and lime mix of white and sweet potatoes fries complete with spicy ketchup. Again, we aren’t disappointed. The atmosphere feels like a Mission except for the loud music. I highly doubt the music would be allowed in a Mission. It’s really really loud. 

When we get back to our room, there are two goldfish sitting on our dresser. Yes, that’s right, two goldfish. Ummmm...since when do resorts put goldfish in your room? Since Katelin told the front deskman that she liked goldfish. So now we have two new roommates, Spot and Squiggles, in our room. Ahhhh....Phoenix.

Desert meets Mountain unexpectedly.

Driving toward the Arizona border is bittersweet. I love New Mexico! I love the vibrant culture, the colors, the city. Even this morning as I wait for my starbucks, I am enthralled by the crisp morning. It’s chillier here and I’m weird and like it because I like cold weather. So Santa Fe - you are awesome, but I have to go! There is more to see and do. Arizona is calling me. Driving, the scenery never gets old. Over every hill, another mouth-dropping scene unfolds for us to marvel at. The mountains have a red hue which blends beautifully into the sandy landscape. I want to drink in the atmosphere, but it almost seems to big. Almost as if it weren’t real. I keep wondering to myself if I am dreaming if I am really in reality. Maybe it’s too much Inception in my mind. I remark to Katelin that I feel like I’m dreaming, and she offers to kill me to find out if I am or not. What are friends for, right? 

We cross the Arizona border and we run around and jump up and down a few times like giddy schoolgirls. We’re in Arizona! We’re in Arizona! 

We continue onward toward the Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert. We hit the  desert first and I’m overwhelmed by the colors. I feel like God dumped a bucket of pastel paints across the plain and just let it ooze and ooze down and over the hills. The colors range from black to deep purple to violet to pink to rose, and they stretch on and on and on. Again, the feeling of a dream comes up to haunt me again. This place just cannot be real. I feel like my eye sockets need to be ripped out and expanded because they aren’t big enough to take in the scenery. It’s overwhelming. I cannot say enough how overwhelming this place is. 

Oh by the way, it’s monsoon season here in the Southwest. Yeah, I didn’t know that before we left. So we keep getting bombarded with sporadic torrential downpours. The rain will pour like the dickens for 5 minutes and then go away. Then ten minutes later, downpour. Ten minutes later, downpour! Driving through this soooooo much fun! I mean it’s Noah in the flood all over again. Maybe the oversized eyes are crying. 

We drive to Flagstaff which takes me by complete surprise. We’re in a forest...in Arizona! If someone dropped me out of plane and said, “Guess where we are!” I would never in a billion years guess Arizona. It looks like a forest. It smells like a forest. It feels like a forest. The architecture is all wooden and mountain cottage-styled. What happened to desert and cactus???

We have soup and sandwiches at the Wildflower, and then head downtown to get coffee at Macy’s. The coffee is fabulous. It’s old Europe meets hippie. I order a mocha and I get fresh homemade unsweetened whip cream on the top. The barista “paints” me an adorable painting on the top and wishes me on my way. We’re headed to Phoenix and we are all more than ready for a few rest days at the spa in Scottsdale. Driving down 17 south, I take in the most beautiful drive I have ever driven. We are winding through the mountains toward the desert. Cactus begin popping up, and its a wild mix of desert and mountains and I have never seen such beauty in all my life. We arrive at the FireSky Resort and Spa and it’s complete with a fake beach and cabanas. Yes, it’s time for a swim because I have no idea what tomorrow will bring

The Land of Enchantment

This morning takes us on another adventure. We are continuing west on our epic road trip across the United States, and we are entering new territory - New Mexico. Properly dubbed the land of enchantment. Enchantment really is the best way to describe this great state. The welcome center staff greets you and offers you countless free books and magazines. If you ever drive to New Mexico, you won’t need to buy any travel guides before you come because they will supply you completely. The landscape can be described as enchanting, mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, outrageous, gorgeous, splendid, remarkable. There are countless adjectives, but few will rarely give the landscape justice. A swirl of colors stretches for miles and miles in front of the road. The road climbs up and down the hills with red mountains far off in the distance. The sky here seems bigger than the sky back East. I know that technically, it’s the same sky, but honestly, the two cannot be compared. This sky just opens up and swallows you. The clouds are the toppings, and you are the sky’s snack. The clouds are definitely bigger too. Big, white, puffy clouds “dot” the sky. If I could, I would jump up and jump among them. Ahhhh New Mexico, I just feel giddy driving through you. Honestly, my mood actually goes from happy to giddy the farther into this state, I get. I want to wear red, orange, and yellow, and hug everyone I see. Ok...maybe New Mexico is making me lose my mind. Or maybe it has something to do with the 75mph speed limit which technically means I can drive 80 or 85 mph...yes, I really do love this place!

Santa Fe is the oldest capitol in the United States, so of course, stopping there is absolutely mandatory. The city has beautiful architecture, great shopping, and vibrant culture, but the only thing we want to do is eat. Katelin says she feels that this trip is turning into a food adventure above all other things...and she’s probably right. Eating does seem to dominate our minds and our schedule, but hey eating the local food gives you a taste of the local people and culture, right? Yes, exactly! we decide to lunch at the Tia Sophia - a local (and a Giada De Laurentiis) favorite. A tiny little New Mexican style cafe nestled on West San Francisco just blocks from the main plaza, the restaurant is easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. Walking in, the first thing to notice is that this place is filled more with locals than with tourists. Clearly it’s a gem that’s being preserved. Today’s special on the menu is a chicken enchilada smothered in a green and red chile (rightly named Christmas) alongside a chicken taco adjacent to beans and rice. All of it is mouth-watering delicious. Every layer has a flavor, and it almost makes you wonder if the food is trying to compete with the scenery. It’s all fresh prepared from family recipes passed down for generations. But the hands down best thing in the entire world is the Sopaipillas. Just saying it now makes my mouth water. Sopaipillas is fried bread that you drizzle in honey and then smother with cinnamon brown sugar. MMMMMMMMMM. IT’s the most surprising treat we’ve had and a wonderful way to end our fiery lunch. Eating these makes me want to eat the entire meal again just so I can get the Sopaipillas again. The only way to get over a giant lunch is to walk it off, and Santa Fe offers street after street of various little lunch spots to do so. Stores are filled with native clothing, leather clothing, dream catchers, shot glasses, and tons and tons of jewelry. Turquoise and coral are big here and the two gems are set in more ways than anyone can possibly imagine in rings, necklaces, earrings, and anklets. Some are reasonably priced and some are hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I ask one salesman why the giant range and he explains that it depends on what tribe made the jewelry, how well they cut the jewelry, and what kind of backing they used. Ahh the intricacies of fair trade. In the main plaza, we have a seat on the memorial to the soldiers and take in the conglomeration of people mingling around with one another. Cars circle the plaza honking and pushing their way through the throngs of people. Against the old word backdrop, the cars seem outrageously out of place. 

Next, we decide to witness a beauty in architecture. The first gothic chapel built west of the Mississippi, Loretto Chapel was known as a catholic girl’s school. Now it’s known as an architectural wonder because of the precise spiral staircase leading up to the choir loft. In the 1800’s, a mysterious man showed up and built the staircase for the ladies, and then disappeared without a trace or a name. He built the staircase with only a few tools and expected no payment. Some ask if he was an angel sent to help the nuns, but no one knows. In awe, we sit in silence for twenty minutes or so simply enjoying the splendor of the tiny chapel. The stain glass and the pews remind one of older days and the serenity there in unbeatable. Next, we go and check out pottery. Mom offers a man $20 for a $950 pot. Yes, $20 for $950. I run away in complete shock, but before I fully escape I hear her tell the man that a chicken would do her better because at least it can lay eggs! MOM! WOW!

We see the oldest house in the city and the oldest mission which are right next to one another. A pizza bar is now right next to them which seems a little out of place, but that’s life in Santa Fe. 

Of course, we have to eat one more time before we decide to call it a night. So we head over to the Blue Corn Cafe. Fresh chips and salsa, blue corn tacos, and more sopaipillas end our day in Santa Fe.  

Yeah, like Katelin said, food, food, food.

I’m not complaining.

Hey Texas, you're cute ; )

Around 10 this morning, we crossed the border into Oklahoma. We decided last night that we owed it to Arkansas to actually stay one night there being we hadn’t done one single touristy thing while we were there. So we stayed the night in Van Buren, Arkansas where we met Jacob who told us that we had to go to Oklahoma City and eat at Toby Keith’s restaurant. Of course, my mother latched onto that idea almost immediately. 

“Oh! Let’s go see Toby Keith!”

“Mom, he’s not going to be there.”

“Oh! I want to get a picture and an autograph.”

“Mom, he’s not there!”

“Now, now, you never know.”

“Mom! Trust me, he won’t be there.” 

She glares at me, and we continue on through the shockingly gorgeous state of Oklahoma. 

When I think of Oklahoma, I think of cowboys and Indians. I definitely got the Indian part correct. There are signs for Indian trading posts everywhere. The rest areas have tepees erected over the picnic tables, and every town has  a crazy Native American name. Try Kickapoo, then there’s Lotawatah, and sure enough right after there is a lot of  water. Brown water to be exact. We make guesses as to why the water has such an intense reddish brown color, but who knows if any of us are correct. Traveling is not about being correct. Traveling is about experiencing the unknown. Something, I seem to be getting better and better at. 

In Oklahoma City, we do stop and have lunch at Toby Keith’s I Heart This Bar and Grill. And naturally, the very first thing mom does is ask the waiter where Toby Keith is. She is very disappointed to find out that he only comes here maybe three of four times a year. 

“What!” 

Sorry, Mom, but no Toby for you.  

Katelin orders the fried bologna sandwich and out comes the largest hunk of bologna I have ever scene. The slice smothered in cheese is almost the size of her head. She quarters it, and still its massive. The margarita-basted chicken sounds more like me, so I indulge in that and some of the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. I’m going to need to up my gym membership after this trip.

The coolest thing to me about this restaurant is the seats in the lobby. They’re made out of the back of truck beds...too cool. Sitting on them and dangling my cowboy boot clad feet makes me feel like a little girl all over again.  

Outside the restaurant is a riverwalk. Now, I’ve been to the riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas, so this one is just so so after that, but still I have to give Oklahoma City some credit. The river wounds through Bricktown and on into downtown and its line with gorgeous manicured lawns and neat little shops and restaurants. Props up to you, Oklahoma City. I’m growing to like you more and more. 

We feel that we cannot leave the city until we go by the Oklahoma National Memorial in honor of the victims of the bombing that took place here in 1995. The gateways are beautiful. On the lawn are marble chairs inscribed with the names of the victims who died that day. It is a sharp reminder of the tragedy of terrorism whether foreign or domestic, and how it affects everyday people in their normal everyday lives. 

Finally, it’s off to Texas. Amarillo to be exact. The home of the free 72oz steak! Well, only if you can actually eat it. Which many men have tried and few have actually succeeded. One person to succeed was an 11 year old boy. So men, don’t let an 11 year old out eat you! I challenge you to go to Amarillo and eat the steak! I, however, will not be joining you. I actually like my stomach, my figure, and my arteries. But, men, indulge yourselves! 

On the way, we pass dozens and dozens of windmills. I have never seen so many windmills. They are humongous and they’re gorgeous!! I cannot believe that I find windmills this enchanting, but they are. They are, they are! We also pass the largest cross on the highway. Or some kind if record like that. I don’t know because I whizzed past the sign a little too quickly. That’s the one thing about these roads, they are great for getting from point A to point B in a very quick time. I happen to be driving once again, so I make sure we get from point A to point B in an extraordinarily quick time.

The terrain begins to change after we cross the Texas border. It’s almost like the land knows that Texas is its own republic and therefore it must have its own special terrain. Texas might as well be its own country because the people in it act like it is. And honestly, I don’t blame them. If I were from Texas, I would claim that to the cows come home. I would be 100% certified Texan. I’m emulating that as best as I can with my boots, but there is only so much a North Carolina girl can fake.  

Texas is just vast. Look to the right, and the land just goes and goes and goes. Look to the left and the land just goes and goes and goes. I feel like dinosaurs should live here. I could just imagine them tromping through these grounds and grazing like it was no big deal because this land was made for them. Speaking of dinosaurs, it’s time for that 72oz steak! Well, we are going to watch another guy eat it. The Big Texan is Katelin’s favorite stop yet. It’s the ultimate cheesy tourist trap, but it’s quintessential Texas. If you are in Amarillo, you have to stop. It’s complete with a giant boot and a giant hallow cow. There’s also a gift shop, a shooting range, and an arcade. Everyone is decked out in full cowboy/cowgirl attire. This place just makes me smile. Katelin orders the mountain oysters, and if you don’t know what those are...well, google it, but let’s just say its not seafood. I opt for the Big Texan steak complete with sweet corn and a loaded bake potato. The steak is actually quite good considering that it is mass grilled on an open grill about 10 feet behind me. I have never seen so much meat laid out in front of me. If you let a dog loose in here, all heck would break loose!There’s a group of musicians moving from table to table singing for everyone. They take to mom and she, of course, gets her picture with them. My mom yells that Katelin and I need out picture taken with someone, so she hails one of the younger cowboys over. I tell him its ok that he doesn’t have to take a photo with two strange girl, but he informs us that its his pleasure. Southern hospitality, you see.

So the lights start flashing, and the three of us smile. 

Texas just keeps getting better...

Hello, Elvis. It's nice to actually meet you.

If I dyed my hair jet black, and sprayed it up into a beehive, could I pass for a young Priscilla Presley? Is it at all possible? 

Nah. Didn’t think so. 

Don’t even try to say yes to flatter me because I know you are feel of ridiculousness. 

We are in Memphis, Tennessee. Last night, we covered the ribs, so now its time to cover the Elvis part of the quintessential Memphis.

It’s time to grace Graceland with my presence. Confession: I am not a big Elvis fan. Don’t crucify me. He was before my time. He died in 1977. I was born in 1989. By the time, I realized what music was, Elvis just wasn’t a big topic. Growing up, the only thing I knew about Elvis was that Uncle Jessy on Full House (my favorite sitcom as a kid) was obsessed with him. I knew he wore weird looking white jumpsuits, and I knew that when he spread his arms, it looked like he had wings. The end of my Elvis knowledge. 

OH WAIT! 

Jailhouse Rock! Who could forget jailhouse rock? Ok and on...

The area around Graceland is ghetto. I am not being rude. I am always honest. And the area is ghetto. A tad sad being that Elvis was the “King!”

There’s a rumor going around that I broke the law at Graceland. Well...technically, I didn’t brake the law, I just didn’t follow the exact rules...For the record, I didn’t take drugs. I didn’t get into a fight, and I didn’t steal anything. So in my eyes, its all good. I had a slight disagreement with Elvis’s security. End of story.

Driving up onto the gated property, the majesty of the home begins to take hold. The house isn’t massive by today’s celebrity standard, but it’s beautiful. Touring through the house, I get a sense of who Elvis was a man. He’s very flashy, very giving. He seems to love to be surrounded by people. People he loves to spoil with cars, clothes, and cash. Elvis himself is a fashion icon. He had style when no one else knew what style was. The man had Christian Dior in his closet for goodness’ sakes! But I have to say, one of the coolest things ever is his couch. He has the longest white couch i’ve ever seen! I envy his couch...I want his couch! I shouldn’t but I do. It wouldn’t fit in my living room, but that’s ok because I’d knock down a wall to get this couch. And then I would want his plane. His plane is just too cool. It has gold plated sinks and seat belts...ahhhhh

Walking through his trophy room and looking at all of his gold/platinum records, I realize the icon that Elvis was. He was a superstar. I find myself the nonelvis fan before entering graceland to feeling sadness as I view his grave in the meditation garden. I’m saddened by his early death.

I leave somber and yet thrilled at my discovery of this American legend. I know have the urge to go and buy all of his records...

After all the somberness, it was time for lunch. We did the ribs last night, so now it’s time for something healthy, right?

Nah. We are on vacation.

So, we go to Huey’s Burgers. Their burgers have been voted the best since well...over a decade, and if a burger is voted that good that many years in a row...it cannot be passed up. Criminal behavior. Walking in, I get the feeling of a local guy’s ultimate hangout. There’s toothpick stuck in the ceiling as a joke, there’s rickety chairs and tables, and memorabilia nailed to every inch of the wall. Cobwebs decorate the corners. Jean makes us all laugh by wiping the table with wipes from her purse. My mom looks for a sanitation grade. Katelin and I look at the two of them and smile. I cannot help but wonder if we will be more germ phobic...well “germ aware” when we are older. Right now, we are starving and want a juicy burger. That’s the only thing on our minds. Something grabs our attention first: fried pickles! Yum! Gosh, I love pickles, but fried pickles are heaven. I order the Madison Avenue burger and I quote, “Served on a buttered, toasted sour dough bun and topped with Swiss cheese, grilled mushroom, mayo, lettuce, tomato and sizzlin' bacon.” If that doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will.Oh and by the way, their giant cut fries and massive onion rings aren’t too bad either. If you are ever in Memphis for any reason whatsoever, go to HUEY’s!

The behemoth of the Mississippi River was the only thing that stood between us and the   great state of Arkansas. Now this was a first for me. Arkansas...another state to add to my goal of the 50. I really didn’t know what to expect their either. I mean besides walmart, razorbacks, and Clinton, what else is it known for? Well, I tell you my impression of it: GORGEOUS. Driving down the I-40, I was amazed by the landscape. The greenery arrested my eyes and wouldn’t release me for anything. The road wound through grasslands and swamplands. It wasn’t anything like any of us expected. Katelin swears it reminds her of southern North Carolina, and yes, I can see that, but to me Arkansas has its own vibe. It’s own grassland feel. One thing about it, if you are on an epic road trip like ourselves, its short. Really short. We drive through the entire state in four hours. Of course, I was driving so that may have some explanation, but by this point its time for some sleep so I will forego that explanation.  

Happy dreaming

~ Albany Drake 

Welcome to Tennessee

I have decided that sleep is, in fact, nonessential. I definitely in no way need it. To prove my theory, I only slept 3hrs last night. Yes, awake for 21, sleep for 3, then head out for epic road trip. My cycle is brilliant! Road trips don't require sleep. HA! My toughness wore off and I fell asleep after we were on the road for about 30 minutes. Yes, I lasted long.

Waking up, the car was winding through the Smoky Mountains, and we were headed for Biltmore Village to grab the ever faithful vanilla latte. They are absolute necessity if you didn't know.

The Tennessee border greeted us with a grin. I was happy to be returning to my current favorite state, my future home. Oddly, I felt as if I were returning home. In Nashville, we grabbed my beloved bubble tea at Chill Spot. I chose Taro Vanilla which oddly reminds me of a spicy mocha chai if you can imagine that flavor concoction in your mouth. I slurped up every single tapioca pearl and secretly pined for my next meeting with the fat straw. Katelin and Jean found the gummy bear not to their liking. They opted for a fruitier version, but weren't huge fans. It amazes me how my taste buds crave things that others despise. Mother enjoyed a blueberry lemon and was quite content.

Debbie M. then suggested we try a new place called The Perch Cafe where their specialty is crepes! Need I say more??  I had a nutella crepe while Jean ordered a glorious s'mores one. Yum, yum! Thanks, Debbie! It was finally time for our last top for the day: Memphis, Tennessee, the home of Elvis, ribs, and the blues. I've already had a glimpse of all three! First things first, Rendezvous Ribs located right int he middle of an alley but the home of some of the best dry rubbed ribs you'll ever eat. Lining the walls are pictures of famous people who have dirtied their fingers and faces since 1948. We decided to go to Beale St. to check out any live music venues before we ended our evening. The following is why I absolutely love traveling: you never ever know what you are going to get yourselves into. Turns out that every Wednesday night in the summer is biker's night. So Beale St was literally turned into a bike rally! So, Daddy, if you are reading this, your daughter went to a motorcycle rally tonight! ahhh! My poor mom and Jean felt like fish out of the water, or a duck off the pond, or a panda out of the jungle, or whatever silly saying you want to use. Katelin and I were too fascinated to feel out of place. I wanted to interview ever single person I saw on the street and ask them what was running through their mind. I mean this was clearly an exclusive club that wasn't trying to be exclusive. They were just being them. Walking down the street, images of the height of the blues era ran through my mind. The bars and live music venues that lined the crowded street made me want to return to the different time. The roaring of a motorcycle engine would shake me out of my imagination and I would remember that I'm actually in the 21st century now.

Memphis has it's own grainy, raw feel. This isn't the town that people mess around in. This isn't the town for snobs nor is it the town for the less adventurous. It has its own favor, it's own vibe, and no one should walk in thinking that they can inject themselves into it. For some reason, I wanted Dean and Sal with me more than anyone. Memphis belongs in Kerouac's On the Road. I feel that Dean and Sal need to be here. Dean would get his kicks, and Sal would get his kicks from just watching Dean get his kicks. 

I am now going to get my kicks by attempting to sleep. Yes, it's a waste of time, but sometimes, I have no choice in how my time is spent.
I thank God for safety. I thank God for Memphis, but right now, I am really really going to thank Him for sleep.

Albany Drake returns with her biggest quest yet.

My goodness! It's been months since I've graced these halls. Well, for good reason...I haven't been anywhere! Well actually, that technically isn't true. I have been places. I have been on vacation with friends and family, but there are just some stories that must remain private. Some memories, some moments, some experiences are meant to only remain with those whom you shared them with, and so my past few months have been filled with moments like those. Memories, moments, times, that belong just to those I spent them with. But now...well now is a different story. It's time for me to get back out there.
There being the vast unknown. The mysteries, joys, and spontaneous experiences that only travelers know and can explain. The joys along the way. The unexpected cup of coffee that rocks your world. The overrated tourist trap that makes you shrug. The exhausting yet exhilarating trail up a new mountain. It is there that I must return. I must return to the open land. My feet are aching, my fingers itching to be back among the travelers.

And so outward and onward I go.

So after months and months of unreported traveling, I had to think long and hard about where I wanted to go for my ultimate summer vacation. Of course, I needed something epic to break my fast. Something so intense, something so remarkable that it would make up for long hiatus. I needed a trip to literally rock my world.

So the destinations beginning rolling around in my mind. Of course, Europe came up. Europe somehow seems to always come up. There's just too much to do there. I toyed around with ideas of the Middle East. There's a cruise that goes to Antarctica that I seriously wanted to go on, but it isn't until January, and my vacation time slot is the end of July. Ok then I thought what about the Far East! But no...that just wasn't cutting it either. I wanted company and there are only a few of my friends that I could talk into braving that mesmerizing world, so I turned to something closer to home.

After my trip to the Pacific Northwest last year, I learned that I absolutely adore road trips. I enjoy the scenery. I enjoy the time I get with my friends talking. I enjoy the pace. I enjoy the vast changes.

I turned my back to the Atlantic, and I looked West, and I made a shocking mental note. I have never been to California which seems criminal. I decided to remedy this charge on my case. My brain functioned as follows:
First, I decided to go to California.
Second, I decided that I was going to drive to California...from North Carolina. All 2,446 miles there and all 2,446 miles back. Yep! So in order to get over my dry patch, I am going to drive straight into the desert. The Sonoran Desert that is. Of course, there is no way, I am going to just drive to California. There is so much to see and do along the way. Like eat ribs in Memphis, eat a 72oz steak in Texas, drive a tom car in Phoenix, play black jack in Vegas, and brave the Grand Canyon.
How on God's beautiful green Earth could I bypass all of these monumental experiences??? Its' just unfathomable, no??

So, I'm not just going on a road trip. I am going on an epic road trip. I am not just driving. I am tasting and experiencing the great land of the United States. I am going to fulfill one of my life long dreams of crossing my great nation.

And it all starts this week.

I am returning to travel with my biggest quest yet, crisscrossing the country in only three weeks.

I'm cranking up my ipod. California Dreaming seems like a good selection to me...
Join me as I tour the nation and experience a whole new side of it - the open road.

~Albany Drake








- my tom car for the Sonoran! Yes, I'm driving this.