Cali, we're here!

5 days. 49 driving hours. 3,103 miles. 12 states. 0 tolls. 2 girls. 1 one car. And another check off the bucket list. 

We finally made it! Let's talk first impressions.

First, it was like entering another country. Literally. We had to wait in line to cross the border for car inspections. They asked a series of questions, told us not to throw our Connecticut apples on the desert, and to enjoy Cali.

Second, it was really, really sunny. And that's coming from the girl who lived in the Sunshine State for four years... but it's a whole other level of bright. Out of all the welcome state signs to not get a picture of, it was California. We sort of did but it didn't really work out. See below...

Third, the sunset was incredible. We were driving west as the sun went down, which was probably what made it so blinding, so we were welcomed by the most gorgeous sunset. It's been the first of many. 

Fourth, we were not in Connecticut anymore. As in, we-were-so-excited-to-finally-arrive-but-still-had-3-hours-and-27-minutes-to-drive-to-our-actual-destination. In CT, you can drive for an hour in any direction and be in another state. So. 

Fifth, people are crazy drivers here. After driving for 5 days and through 12 different states, I feel like I can judge the level of craziness pretty well. Seriously, buckle up. 

Sixth. From one coast to the other, WE MADE IT! I can't even describe the exhilarating feeling of finally reaching California but even more than that, it was exciting driving into such unknown. Not really knowing who I'd meet or what experiences lay ahead or places to be discovered. 

Even though I've always wanted to do a cross country road trip, it's something I thought I'd never do. When I was 12 years old, I started to collect magazine clippings of places to visit across the country for my "road trip binder" in hopes of going someday. While I wish we had more time to stop and go some more of those places I've always dreamed of visiting, I am so happy we did it and made countless memories together. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But for now, it's time for a golden state of mind. 

Grand Canyon

One word: UNREAL.

For some reason, before we went I was thinking this was going to be a quick, pull up and take a photo, then keep on driving type of thing. Then when there were tons of welcome signs and we had to wait in line get in, it suddenly dawned on me that this is kind of a big deal and kind of a national park. Duh - it's not a quick pit stop. 

That being said, I wish we had more time to explore the Grand Canyon. I wish the weather wasn't so cloudy. And I wish these photos could capture what an incredible beauty of nature it is. Regardless, I'm so glad we stopped quickly. 

I could have stared at the view all day long. And then some. It was incredible!

If and when I go back, I think it would be amazing to do a helicopter tour or go down to the bottom. Def worth the trip + spending more than a few hours there. But Cali was calling- by now we drove  30+ hours and we were ready to just get there!

Road Trip: Day Four + Five

Day Four + Five: One of my favorite things about the road trip was seeing so many different parts of the country. Many times I had to remind myself to pay attention to the road because I was just in awe at the views. I think it was in moments like driving across Texas or Arizona (or visiting the Grand Canyon) that I realized while manmade structures are really cool to see, there is absolutely nothing like natural beauty. In Amarillo, Texas, we had a quick pit stop + saw Cadillac Ranch which was literally on the side of the highway. Def worth the stop if you are passing through! As soon as we got to New Mexico the land changed from being so flat to somewhat hilly (I'm not sure that's the right word... mountainous?) We spent the night in Albuquerque which was quite interesting. Needless to say, by this day we had memorized some songs because we heard them too many times and our voices were strained from singing too much. 

Road Trip: Day Three

Day Three: Oklahoma bound, we crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas which was a little surreal - it's just one of those states I never thought I'd go to! All the sudden the drive got very flat, the temperatures started to rise, and farmland was all we could see for miles and miles. We were originally going to head to Texas for the night but an impromptu Instagram meet up changed our minds. We were able to get the small town Oklahoma experience staying with the Morris family on their lovely farm. Ju + I were so thankful for their warm hospitality! Before we left the next morning, we went downtown to Hoboken Coffee Roasters. After buying souvenir mugs and sharing unforgettable coffee talks, we were back on the road, but not without a layer of red dirt covering the car!

Road Trip: Day Two

Day Two: Leaving Virginia, we headed to Tennessee where we stayed with some family friends just outside of Memphis. This honestly felt like the longest day of the trip because the day before we went through 5 states, breaking up the drive somewhat. We did stop in Nashville for a hot second to taste some Barista Parlor, which was amazing, but other than that we went from one side of TN to the other. (me & Ju def wish we planned more time to explore this cool city more... we will be back!) For the last few hours of the day, we got to experience some true two-lane country in some major farmland at sunset. It was one so beautiful, iPhone pics don't do it justice at all. You can bet we throughly enjoyed it with the windows rolled down, country music blasting and singing along too loudly.