I woke up early one day last week, grabbed Ollie, hopped in a car and drove to Colorado. When flying over the great plains of America, I’ve always figured the journey by car would be arduous, but it was nothing I expected. It was absolutely amazing. Plains so flat and expansive sometimes my eyes fooled me into believing they were ocean; but it was a rolling sea of earth under ever-changing sky. From New York to Pennsylvania to Ohio to Indiana to Illinois to Iowa to Nebraska to Colorado in 36 hours (including an overnight stop in Iowa City, Iowa), we drove west, following the sun. For hours and miles, it was field after farm after field of tall, golden grasses swept up into a dance by billowing winds. Clouds hovered almost tangibly low under a bright blue sky. Sometimes it rained, sometimes it hailed and sometimes the sun blinded in its brightness and glory. The road kept pouring out before us as we passed city after river town after vast tracts of nothing but earth, sky, open road and good music. Each time we approached a city, the drivers became more aggressive; as we left the cities behind, drivers became more passive and kind to fellow road warriors. Ollie, who has never liked the car, was such a trooper – enduring two 12-hour+ days of being my co-pilot. He was so afraid to fall asleep in the car: he kept resting his head on my shoulder while I was driving and his eyes would slowly close and his tired paws would give out on him, so he’d stumble, sit up and repeat the process…12,000 times.  With plenty of rubs and love I was finally able to get him to fall asleep. I’m so glad I have Ollie by my side. He really made that trip do-able and even more enjoyable. Every time I slowed down or got tired, I’d see this sweet puppy leaning on my shoulder, and it would push me forward. Going from New York City across the midwest and the great plains, I can’t help but feel so blessed to live in America. No, it’s not perfect but what country really is? I love this place. It took hours of driving to realize just how much. Right now we’re in the mountains of Colorado, packing up for the second leg of the journey: Arizona and California! As much as I am trying to appreciate every moment of this road trip, I can’t help but be as gleefully giddy as a little kid on Christmas morning when it comes to the destination. I did it, I picked up my world and and I’m moving it to southern California!! Before undertaking this trip, I always thought a cross-country trip would be a once in a lifetime event, but I have to say I wouldn’t mind doing it again and again and again. Though next time I’d vary my route to explore more. There’s so much to see, you just have to take a step out the door and go. Simple as that. I’ve built almost my whole life around the Northeastern United States, I know much of it like the back of my own hand, but now it’s time to build in a place I’ve dreamt of living almost my whole life. These next few weeks are already shaping up to be unforgettable and I am soaking it all in, lying in the sun in a meadow under a breathtaking western sky. Southern California is calling and this time, I’m answering.