Public Exclamation Point: New Beginnings; road trip San Antonio Tx to Bremerton Wa

DAY 1

Spent the day with Brennan yesterday, he took me to walmart and helped me pick out a tent. And we had dinner for the last time before my road trip. We went to an expensive restaurant on the river walk. Brennan spent a fortune. I am going to miss him very much. Enough of that it is the morning of, yay! Its 3am, the time I have woken up the last 3 days and on an unrelated topic I have sent an e mail to Bremerton Naval base to find out about my living situation. Fingers crossed for off base and single BAH. I will be heading 6hrs today to Lubbock Tx and have a cs host: https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/grantbrophy/ . As discussed in e mail I will probably help him make falafel and go to a game of thrones party. He says if I beat the other 2 surfers I can have the spare bedroom. I am very pleased with my host find. I also have a backup host.

This was at a fiesta party sat night. road trip

Here is the very beginning, just about to step into the car and apparently channeling my inner hipster.

From the road these cows looked like buffalo. So I turned around, drove into someones ranch (don't judge me) and took a few pics. This cow is almost peeing on the other.

The black cow is an asshole, it literally backed up while I was getting ready to take the picture.

This one looks like a buffalo or a really ugly cow

This one looks like Brennan..

Shared the bed with the other surfer girl

Lt to Rt cute couple, host Grant, surfers.

First Host: 28yo Architect getting his masters in environmental science

https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/grantbrophy/

11pm Tired, the pizza I ate was too gourmet, this pillow top bed was too easy to come by, and I'm drunk from too much homemade beer ( 1 beer). Met awesome people my age that are way more accomplished, working towards PHDs and owning homes. There are cool people in this awful dirt filled town. The sky was brown with dirt! And my 3 day old navigation crapped out on me. I think i'm going to Santa Cruz instead of Wyoming and Colorado. Courtney said there is a regional burn there plus I didn't want to camp alone anyways. I still miss Brennan.

DAY 2-3 Lubbock Tx-Albuquerque NM (7hrs)

Fun quote: Live with courage, curiosity and compassion
2nd host: 41yo elementary teacher https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/ryanmartinez/

Yesterday I drove into Albuquerque MN tired after driving all day. My host is a very sweet man named Ryan. The first thing he said was, "you must be tired do you want to rest?" I asked if it would be ok if I showered. When I got there, there was a heater in the bathroom and clean towels for me. He said I could pick any room I wanted. Even his own! He said he wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch. Later that night he took me to a burger joint and I bought dinner, we than went to home depot and he made a key for me (his last surfers accidentally took his spare key with them). Ryan is a very energetic elementary school teacher with long hair. He looks like a yoga master to me. After dinner Ryan gave me a tour of the city. The next day I wanted to go to the nearby hot springs but had my car looked out most of the day instead. Car stuff is stupid. That evening Ryan took me on another tour that included a bonus tour of his school.

At the mall

Ryan let me practice my bun making skills, he was a perfect candidate because of his long hair.

Amazing Dinner

Ryan's class room, he teaches gifted 5th graders

Teacher Christa

Grading rubric for an egg project. Students had to create a protection for an egg that could withstand a 30ft fall.


creepy basement


oh you know this old thing (missile)

where the bad children go

Just like the shinning....

Obama brings hope to the kids!

Library


Wisdom from a kindergartner: "When I turn 100: I will be grumpy."


" When I turn 100, I will forget how to drive and I will have wrinkly skin."

So all in all Ryan was a phenomenal host, even though the tour of his school was extra creepy, he had a lot of advice on relationships and told me how deal with teaching teenagers. He wants to write a book on what questions to ask your future partner. I also liked that I got to sleep on a $1200 mattress. Each of my vertebra felt happily cradled during the night.

DAY 4
On the way to the Grand Canyon from Albuquerque NM! (6hrs)

7th wonder of the world....

I'm so glad my military ID got me in for freeeee

I saved $25...and borrowed this weenie dog for the pic

On the way to Flagstaff AZ

Host number 3

Dave's cs profile pic

Dave and Khi https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/hale-ya/
Fun things on Dave's Profile
my place has many places to throw your sleeping bag.
1st--inside futon
2nd--tree-house couch
3rd--hanging hammock
4th--studio loft futon
Philosophy
what would LOVE do now?

said treehouse

First text from Dave:

Pictures around Dave and his girlfriend Khi's (pronounced knee) house


I romanced my hosts with dinner: $3.99 lobster tail that was marked down from $65 a lb (cooked in butter, garlic and red wine), Rosemary w/ sea salt bread,grilled salmon and artichoke. I'mmmm Roommantic!


My wonderful hosts; Dave is an art teacher/EMT currently working on his masters in education and Khi is a nurse. On their off time they work as ski patrol.

Khi and I have something in common.....

ASIAN FOOTIE PJS!!

It also turns out we attended the same festival called Jem and Jam a few months back.

DAY 5

Dave making breakfast

I love this:"I am wounded by my own understanding of love and I bleed willingly and joyfully. I wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."---Dave

In the bathroom

Fresh egg sandwich that Dave made me

A "soft sculpture." By Dave

Horned bike

2 person bike

Fat/Phat tired bike

More bikes...

In tree house

Dave also makes his own beer

Bathroom flower art by: ME!

Dave makes his own dishes

By: Dave

Khi showed me around town

Flagstaff, AZ


Khi does what I do and brings her dogs in every shop (we are sitting on the floor and reading astrology books).

I am really proud of this reference because Dave and Khi have 82 references and 70 from surfers.

To Bakersfield Ca (6hrs)

You can see bug juice on my window

As the miles increase so does the bug juice...

Met my 4th host at an art walk

4th host and highlights from her profile: https://www.couchsurfing.org/people/kimberlydinsdale/
Philosophy from 45yo mom
Life is a journey.
Be kind.
Everyone matters.
We get to choose what we think about and how we respond to what life throws at us.

Host Kimberly getting drumming instructions at the art walk

Kimberly is amazing, she gave me her daughters room (her daughter was gone that day), said I could sleep in, and leave when ever I wanted. She showed me where the fresh strawberry and cereal were located, "just in cause I get hungry." She said she hosts because her 19 yo daughter is couchsurfering through the US and she hopes she has a safe space, and in turn she provides one for other surfers. My plans for tomorrow: sleep in, take a bath in her huge tub and eat strawberry's before getting on the road. yay!

couchsurfing

Day6!

Got up at 730am, said goodbye to Kimberly (she was going to watch her 14yo daughters math tournament). Than took a soak in the hot tub. After that I washed off and soaked in her large bathtub.

On the way to the hot tub

These apartments were the nicest I've ever seen

It would be sincere to say couchsurfing has given me a renewed faith in people.

On the Road again to SANTA CRUZ

CURIOUS GEORGE AND THE HIPPIE FESTIVAL---SANTA CRUZ

Napping in the pillow room

Driving the dino-cart

Hey ladies!

In the dino- flame thrower of DOOM!


DOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!

Me!

Curious George sends a snapchat! of himself.....

Fuzzy bathtub that also doubles as a vechical (up to 5mph)

Courtney!

Oh George

That night was the first night I slept in a tent since my trip, and it was awful! I had on footie PJs, a jacket And was rolled up in a sleeping bag AND I was still freezing!
DAY 7
Since there was no food to buy because this hippie festival was "gift exchange only." Courtney fed me sandwiches and her b/f James cooked up eggs and bacon the next morning. I am very luck to have friends like these.