On Monday, February 26th we marked six months on the road. It is hard to wrap my mind around. So much has happened. We’ve seen and learned so much. It is really hard to say if it has felt fast or slow because it is different all the time. One thing is for sure, I would do it again in a heartbeat. No regrets!
When I was in Phoenix, I had a chance to spend the day with a dear friend that I’ve known since my study abroad experience in France, back in 1999. So, 25 years. It was wonderful to be able to catch up in person and she asked me to include more about Dave and our relationship in the blog. I know that I gave our back story and motivation in the beginning and she was right, I should do it more.
When we originally came up with the idea of doing a blog, our hopes were that Dave would have his own segment, including photos, and it hasn’t happened yet. I think it is because he is busy working while we’re having this adventure and I want to be more intentional about including his voice/perspective moving forward.
Dave and I have known each other 27 years. We’ve been together for 19 and will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary at the end of June. I was 30 when we got married and he was 31. Our relationship has been through many seasons since we’ve been in each other’s lives and I am comfortable saying that, even in times of loss, pain and struggle, every year has been better than the one before. We’re thankful for the challenges that we have faced because they have all brought us closer together. This adventure would not be possible without him.
I told my friend that, even after how long we’ve been together, I feel like during these past six months our relationship has grown three times, just like the Grinch’s heart 😘. I know I talk often about how steep the learning curve is and I think that applies to our relationship as well. The way that we’ve been able to improve our communication. The way we listen. The way we make each other feel seen and heard. The way we honor, love and respect each other. Of course there are times we stumble and our general direction is forward, which feels amazing! I absolutely couldn’t, and wouldn’t want to, do this without him and I’m thankful everyday for his love, patience and understanding.
Our pivot last week, from having a second week in Phoenix to going to Desert Hot Springs, just 20 min from Palm Springs, turned out to be the most fantastic twist that I hadn’t anticipated. I’ve never been to Palm Springs and it wasn’t even on our radar because, you can’t do it all, and I’m so glad the universe led us there!
First of all, the diverse landscape. From the desert to the mountains, it is truly spectacular! We were able to visit Joshua Tree. We hiked trails in Indian Canyon, Taquitz Canyon, Lyken Mountain and the Cochella Valley Nature Preserve. We saw enormous date palms at the Oasis and the ravens who love them. We saw waterfalls and the biggest boulders I’ve ever seen. I even went up the tram on Mount San Jacinto and walked in the snow!
I went into the week thinking it would be relaxing because it was just us, and with all the amazing things to see and do, there wasn’t much downtime. If you haven’t been to Palm Springs I highly recommend It!
We’ve now been in the LA area since Saturday the 24th. We’re staying with Dave’s Aunt and Uncle in San Pedro (which I learned is pronounced Pea-dro) and it has been wonderful to reunite with them. To say Dave’s family is generous, kind, warm and welcoming is an understatement, and we’re so grateful to be with them during these two weeks.
My dear friend from MN flew in on Sunday night and we had a fantastic couple of days exploring LA together. We stayed at Alsace in a great neighborhood of Culver City and it was lovely! The first day we visited the outside of the Griffith Observatory and saw the Hollywood Sign. We ate the most incredible chilaquiles burritos at a taco stand on Sunset Blvd and visited some vintage shops. Then we went and saw the La Brea Tar Pits, the Original Farmer’s Market and The Grove. We finished the day enjoying a delicious meal at MIAN West Adams with Dave.
Yesterday the sun came out so we pivoted and decided to head toward the water. We started out, after an incredible breakfast at Tartine, in Marina del Rey. We got to see harbor seals and sea lions sunning themselves in the docks and walked around the Fisherman’s Village. You could tell that area once was a destination. Maybe it was just because it was a Tuesday, but we felt like we had the place to ourselves. After that we wanted to continue to take advantage of the beautiful weather so we decided to head to Venice Beach. Luckily it wasn’t too crowded so we were able to walk along the beach and take in the culture. We even caught a glimpse of the Santa Monica Pier. We enjoyed our last night together with an incredibly delicious meal at Chulita West Adams. We ate well in the beautiful space and even got to meet the owner.
Making those kinds of connections throughout this adventure has been one of the biggest gifts. I am so grateful to my friend for making the effort to come and have this experience together. It was, yet again, difficult to say goodbye and now we can say “see you in two months!” Crazy!
Tomorrow, I head to the big island of Hawaii for my first time. It is also my first solo trip since I was living in France over 20 years ago. We were so close, being in LA, and I wasn’t sure when I’d have the opportunity to go to Hawaii again, so off I go! I couldn’t be more grateful for the amazing changes in perspective and priorities this adventure has brought to my life and I wouldn’t change a thing. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us!
Sending you love, wherever you are!❤️
