Zion National Park, UT

Unpacking, reorganizing, and repacking up the car!

Photo By: Elaina Keegan

Photo By: Elaina Keegan

We drove into this park just as it was getting dark and as we were driving through all the zig zags, all we could see was the silhouettes of massive mountains and the face of them gleaming in the moonlight. Considering the conditions of the previous two parks the idea of camping
seemed out of the question until we looked at the temperature and were so excited that we might be able to camp!! We took the first turn for a campground we saw and what do you know, there were people there!! It was such a lovely surprise especially since it was one of our last couple nights by ourselves before we stay with friends and family in California. The second we parked the car in our camp spot, it was like second nature again. It was like we never had a break from camping. We set up camp and started making dinner. It felt so amazing to be camping again. We got all bundled up for the night. It ended up getting down to the low 20's in the middle of the night. When we woke up we went on the riverside walk that takes you to the narrows and were so bummed when the ranger advised us to not go in the narrows cause of warning signs of flash floods. So we went as far as we possibly could. It was absolutely stunning. We stayed on the river for hours because it was so beautiful.  Usually thats a pathway is packed with people, but we were alone on the river with only a few other people passing by. It was amazing. After, we went on a hike to the Emerald Pools.  This time of year there's not much of a waterfall, but we did see a lot of beautiful wildlife.  

There was a storm coming in that night so we had to get a motel in the local town. It was perfect because we cleaned out our car and got reorganized before the last leg of our trip. Still in the camping spirit, we made peanut butter s'mores in our hotel room with our camping stove... Shhhhh. They were delicious! The next morning we woke up to head to Arizona!

Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

With Bryce it was the same story- we got in late and woke up to a magical scenery we had never seen before- but this time with a lot more snow! We headed into the park planning on just driving around because hiking wasn't exactly possible without snowshoes. Although all the trails were covered in a thin layer of snow and ice there were a couple little treks to higher viewpoints we just couldn't resist. Since neither of us expected to be hiking we had on our uggs and converse but we thought we would give it a shot anyways. Needless to say they were some clumsy, slippery little hikes but the views at the top of them were incredible sweeping views of the infamous Bryce Canyon Amphitheater that were well worth it.  Headed to Zion National Park next! 

Arches National Park, UT

We got in to Moab late so we had no idea what the views were like outside until the next morning- we walked outside of our room and were in complete awe. There were massive red mountains surrounding us! We headed straight to Arches first thing and were so excited to be back in a National Park adventuring around and taking pictures and videos. 

One of the points along the drive were these double arches that we climbed up to where we had a stunning view. The red red rock formations with the green brush and the white dusting of snow made the view all the more beautiful and dramatic. Getting to see it in the winter is so beautiful! Also cant wait to come back in the summer without the snow so we can rock climb. Such a great start to all the national parks in southern Utah! 

Santa Fe, New Mexico

This happens way too often. 

A little blurry but coolest state entrance sign we have seen!! 

     Santa Fe was a spontanous addition to our route and we could not be happier it worked out the way it did. Last night we stayed in a hostel(weird writing about a place when it actuallly just happened-hah!) that was different from any we had stayed in before. It was more along the lines of a commune compared to the others that were more occupied by international travelers. There were fridges filled with food that were up for grabs for anyone and we even had our own assigned chore to do in the morning.

     As we headed downtown we were in awe of how every building from banks to grocery stores kept consistent with the city's distinctive architectural style. Even though the looks varied every building seemed to be made with adobe brick- such a beautifully unique place. Since we drove in late the night before it made our first look at the downtown all the more dramatic. We instantly got such a good vibe between the musicians on every street corner to the strong Native American influence in the artwork and jewelry. It is by far our favorite shopping of the trip and we both had an awesome time doing some Christmas shopping. It's starting to hit show close to home we are getting(we no longer feel as special for having a California license plate)- such a bittersweet feeling. 

Dallas, Texas *Thanksgiving*

     While we were on the east coast and trying to figure out what we could do for Thanksgiving(we considered looking on Craigslist for a family to spend it with) Elaina got in touch with her family friend Chris who was kind enough to welcome us for the holiday. Such a great feeling to know we had a house to stay at and a family to spend Thanksgiving with. We got there early enough to get a thorough tour of Dallas from the daughter Erica. She drove us by houses that looked like castles- everything really is bigger in Texas! We stopped by Hyde Park and walked around- all the Christmas decorations were up and everyone was out with their families. Also, on the way back we saw the fence of George Bush's home. At night we went back out to see the Highland shopping center lights which were absolutely insane- rows of completely lit up trees. Thanksgiving dinner was absolutely delicious- its fun seeing how different families make it their own.
     It was both of our first Thanksgivings away from home and we could not have asked for a better place to spend it. We had such an amazing time with Chris, Steve, Erica, and Zach and could not thank them enough.

Baytown, Texas

     In between Austin and Dallas we stopped by Baytown, about an hour outside of Houston, to visit my(Brooke's) cousin Jenna who recently moved out there. It was such a treat to get to see her because we have lived so far away from each other our whole lives. She has two dogs, a German shepherd puppy and a beautifully colored weiner dog, that we were both so excited to play with. We went to a local restaurant down the street and got a little taste of Tex-Mex. So great how much family we have been able to visit because of this trip. :)

Austin, Texas

    Feels crazy to finally be in Texas-we had  been so excited and curious for this state since we both had such strong stereotypes in our heads about it (which quickly were proven wrong).

   We stayed with family friends, the Vancheeswaran's, for the night in Austin. When we got there we went to one of their family friends and had a traditional southern Indian dinner. The food was out of this world and we felt so lucky we got a chance to try it. All the spices in the food were incredible.They told us a about how India has a wide span of languages, cuisine, and cultures-things we hadnt previously known and were so interesting to learn. 

   After dinner we went to downtown Austin with Sidart and Pranav who were 18 and 16- they were so fun to hang out with and it was awesome that we all happened to be around the same age. 6th street and congress street were so cool too see. Definitely not what we were expecting of Texas - it was much more urban. We're almost embarrassed to say that we thought the state was completely run by cowboys. 

   The next morning we woke up to fresh coffee - since this trip we've become coffee addicts. Something we now both rely on for the long drives. The whole family pitched in to make a huge and delicious breakfast. We made: scones, eggs, and Nutella and fruit crepes. From there we all -including the neighbors - hopped in multiple cars and headed to Enchanted Rock State Park. We had no idea what to expect but once we got there we were blown away with how incredible it was! The mountain is all one HUGE boulder sticking out of the ground. It felt so good to be outdoors hiking again since we've had a lot of family and city visits. We adventured through these narrow caves that went under and  across the whole rock. We went inside down probably around 15 to 20 feet under and it became pitch black. It was so cool! 

We had so much fun getting the chance to hang out with a big family. Ashkay, the younger boy, was such a blast! Our Pokemon knowledge has became much more advanced since we got there! :) We truly had such an amazing time, it was a tough one to leave. But we started back on the road after the amazing hike and did a little back tracking to get to Brooke's cousin right outside of Houston! 

New Orleans, Louisiana

One of the strangest drives on this trips came from a complete mistake. after a couple hours after Elaina's driving shift we decided to check out where we were on a map. We must of been completely distracted with talking, because we were in Georgia when we were supposed to be heading west toward New Orleans instead of north. To get us back on track we had to take these small Georgia backroads. On the drive we came across this abandoned mansion in the middle of no where. We slammed on the brakes and got out of the car to see it better. Yet we didn't get to close, because we didn't want to trespass in a place where we didn't know anything about. Back on the road we came across a cotton plantation. It went on for miles! Nothing we've ever seen before - just read about in textbooks. Also drove by rusted abandoned school busses that were being eaten by the brush around them.  It was amazing to see something so different from main highways.  We would of never of been given the chance to have seen any of it without being on this random Georgia road. Getting lost was a blessing in disguise. 

We finally got to the hostel at 2:30 AM which was much later than we expected. We slept in pretty late and then went into downtown New Orleans! We walked through the French Market and there was so much amazing art from the local artists. Every building in the city was so unique with the architecture and colors. We went to the classic tourist  spot, Cafe De Monde to get their coffee and famous beignets. We now understand why it's so famous... Basically licked our plate clean. Once it got dark we started walking around Bourbon Street. Luckily there was 18 and over bars and we got our dancing on. There was so much live music that ranged from jazz to country to classic favorites of all time. We danced all night long-even got shout outs from the band! We never wanted to leave Bourbon street but there's only so long that our feet can handle dancing in heals (Not experienced heal wear-ers). So we got a cab back to the hostel at around 2am. Woke up nice and early for our long drive for the one and only big ol' Texas. 

Eckerd College, Florida

    Luckily we caught my friend Ally still at school before Thanksgiving Break. We arrived at the college after dark but we knew it was surrounded by water on 3 sides from google maps- how crazy! Ally gave us a little tour around campus and oh man what a cool school- they have their own white sand beach on campus with hammocks and everything.

     I cannot begin to describe how great it was to see Ally and find out what she has been up to and the places she has been for the year and a half since I had seen her. We had such a fun time meeting, hanging out with her friends, and exploring the college. The night ended with a refreshing swim- I can't even imagine being able to walk out of my dorm and jump in the ocean. Next morning- off to New Orleans!! 

Hobe Sound, Florida

The drive from South Carolina to Florida was...interesting. Driving through Georgia we both really wanted to get a classic Georgia peach. So we tried a small town off the freeway, and were in a search for just a local market. Which turned out a lot harder then you would think. We went to a town right on the water, and it looked completely abandoned. It was the strangest thing, as if it was a lively town at one point and one day everyone just got up and left. We tried a store that looked the closest to a market, and the second we went in, a horrible stench  came over us and the store was absolutely trashed.  So we tried the next town... Same thing. We were blown away how both the towns we tried had absolutely no market... Needless to say, we didn't get our Georgia peach. 

Once we got to Elaina's grandmas house in Hobe Sound we settled in. It was hot there! Got to wear shorts for the first time since California! Then went to dinner at Bonefish. It's always so exciting to get to go out to dinner on the trip, instead of our regular meals we make in the car.  When we got back the Rummikub tournament began. (The best game in the whole entire world) Brooke's first time playing and she's now an addict.  

It works out perfect how both of Elaina's grandmas live in towns right next to each other.  So the next morning we went to Allegro, the assisted living where Elaina's other grandma lives (Yaiyai), with Gram. We got lunch, met all of her friends, and watched an old black and white movie in the theater room. We both actually really enjoyed the movie. There was a funny connection how the assisted living reminded us of dorm life. It's basically the same exact thing and its awesome to see how much everyone living there loves it so much.  Yaiyai loves it there she introduced us to all of her friends! We had dinner at Allegro and then headed back to sleep at Grams, where the Rummikub tournament continued. 

We went to breakfast back at Allegro and then said our goodbyes to Yaiyai. It was so great to see her. :) On the way back to Grams we stopped at the local beach. We were at the ocean again!! And this time it was so warm, not like up north. The sand was warm and it was so amazing to be barefoot in the sun. The lifeguard flag had a high hazard warning up, yet the water still looked so inviting. We looked like those crazy tourists that have never seen the ocean before, but we couldn't help it. We were running around in the water with all our clothes on... Oh well :) Back at the house we said our goodbye to Gram and were off to the west side of Florida. 

Charleston, South Carolina

       Arrived pretty late into Charleston, so we didn't get to see the city in the light, but it was adorable all lit up. We headed to the local 24 hour McDonalds because we needed to get a few things done and it had wifi and was one of the only things open. The whole trip we've used Mcdonald for there cheap drive through coffee and the occasional fries, but this time we needed to get dinner. So after staring at the menu for way to long, our only solution was to get a cheeseburger with out the patty... Needless to say, classic Micky D's doesn't cater too well to vegetarians.

     We wish we could have stayed longer because we hear so many great things about the town, and it's now on our list for places to go back too because we didn't give it the time it deserves.  We woke up early the next morning and started our drive to Florida!  

Nashville, Tennessee

    Originally we thought we weren't going to be able to make it to Nashville because it was so inland from our route therefore we were so excited when we realized we would have time for it. We stayed with Elaina's family friend Morganne who is in college at Cumberland University outside the city- so fun hanging out with her and playing with her new puppy. :)

     We headed into Nashville the next day and the first thing we saw was the Parthenon- a full‑scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Next we drove down Broadway which is the street with a ll the huge colorful signs that is features in so many shows and movies-it instantly blew us away. We walked around and even in the middle of the afternoon every other place we walked by had live music. So many places had pictures of famous country artists in their venue on the walls- it made us look at the bands playing at the moment and think how any of them could be the next big thing! 

     We met Morganne after one of her classes at an the Frisk art museum where we checked out two incredible exhibits- one on Norman Rockwell and the other called 30 Americans which was composed of works from many of the most important African American artists working over the last 30 years. Both very cool and significant in their own ways. Afterward we drove up to "the top of the world" where we had a stunning view of the city. 

     For dinner that night we had one of the best meals of the trip at a place Morganne recommended called The Pharmacy. It included THE BEST VEGGIE BURGER EVER, tater tots, sweet potatoe fries, and root beer floats- when we go big, we go big!!! On our way out the next morning we went to our first Cracker Barrel where we had the most delicous pecan pancakes and we both tried grits for the first time. You could say we ate very well while in Tennessee!! 

     

Culinary Institute of America: Poughkeepsie, NY

 

    On our way back South from Portland we got a chance to stop and visit Colin at his Culinary school a couple hours outside of New York City. The first thing we noticed was how nice and professional everyone was dressed(we stuck out a little bit in our comfy driving clothes). The whole time Colin was showing us around we were in awe- the classrooms were bustling kitchens just like you would see in the movies. The dining plan was the most shocking- their "cafeteria food" is beautifully plated gourmet meals. We had lunch in one of the restaurants on campus and it was delicous. It was so cool to see Colin go from cooking class in high school to such a prestigious culinary school- awesome seeing someone pursuing what they love!!

   

Washington D.C.

(Elaina's in a sorority now)

Finding the keys after ripping every item out of the back seat of the car on a major street in DC- we decided we might as well lay out a blanket and fold them and put them away the right way while we were at it(yes we got some crazy stares).

Obama's Motorcade!!!

Under construction...

    Our first night in Washington D.C. we stayed with Elaina's friend Shane who is a sophomore at George Washington University. He took us out that night and it was so fun meeting some of his friends and exploring the area. The next day Shane gave us the grand tour of some of the most famous spots in D.C. We went to the National Mall and walked around- It was such a beautiful day and there were so many people out. There were so cool monuments and museums to see- definitely could have spent another week there but we saw so much for only having one full day(it makes such a difference having someone show us around compared to us trying to figure it out on our own). What stuck out the most though was the Holocaust Museum- it was so amazing and well done.

     As we started heading back to campus there was a road completely closed off with sirens and all types of vehicles speeding by. Turns out it was Obamas motorcade!! Of course we immediately started freaking out and running around- we had some difficulty wrapping our head around the fact that for a brief moment we were at the same place at the same time as President Obama. Shane even said that people use Obama as an excuse for being late to class because the streets will be completely blocked off to traffic. I don't understand how anyone could get used to that.

     After saying our goodbyes we headed off to our next college visit in Washington D.C.- American University. We were staying with a friend from high school- Kayla who we have been so excited to see and exchange stories with because she had take a gap year the year before. It was so awesome to hear about all her adventures in Canada and South Africa. She introduced us to friends in her dorm- there was a good amount of y and gers!! Another friend, Emily goes there and we decided it would be fun to suprise her at her dorm- I can't imagine being across the country and two people from home randomly show up at my door. It was so great to catch up and hear about all the cool things she's been up to(she is learning Arabic!!). Even though it was a short visit it was so good to see and hang out with them both. :) 

     Even though it feels like we say this everytime this was absolutely one of our favorite places that we wish so badly we could have stayed longer in- good thing there is always next time!! 

Hoboken, New Jersey

   Our original plan for New Jersey was to drive to the shore but due to lack of time we decided to just stick with a drive through Newark on our way to DC. We went through Hoboken to infamous original Carlos' Bakery from the show Cake Boss. Unfortunately there was a long line just to enter the bakery so we did not get to step inside but it was fun to at least get to peek in!

Trumbull, CT

We had such an amazing time the first time there we had to stop again! Auntie Becky and Mel were so welcoming it felt like we were home again. When we got there we went out to a delicious vegetarian restaurant called Lime. From there we went to Stew Leanord's... The most AMAZING grocery store we've ever seen. It was like a continuous maze through the whole store that led you through every part. Along the way there was huge cucumbers singing to farm dogs on banjos to a band of life size electronic singing milk and orange juice cartoons. Auntie Becky completely stocked us up with food for the future that we could not be more thankful for. 

We were planning on leaving the next morning but of course we wanted to stay "just one more night". So we did. The next day, Melanie stayed home from school and lounged around all day with us. It was so perfect. We watched movies and got laundry done. It was exactly what we needed. That night we went to the most amazing sushi place and got a huge sushi boat! Yummmm it was delicious!! After, we went to the Christmas Tree Shop. It got us so excited for the holidays :) Jack (our car) got a holiday accessory that he's absolutely loving! 

The next morning we left early for Carlos Bakery! 

Portland, Maine

     We had a last minute epiphany that we would head to Portland, Maine(we had earlier cut it off the list because we didn't think we would have time). We left Burlington in the afternoon with intentions of drinking along the Maine coast.

     We drove in way after the sun went down, went to Trader Joes, and spent about an hour wandering around doing god knows what- the things driving  does to us. Afterward we realized we knew absolutely nothing about Portland, Maine so we decided getting some clam chowder on the water was what we would do. We went to a quaint little restaurant on the water called J's Oyster and had some great clam chowder and sweet rolls. The rest of the town was pretty much closed up so we ended our night with some bottomless hot chocolate from Denny's.

     A bit of a dysfunctional stop on our route but a great time nonetheless.