"STOP & SMELL THE ROSES"

Hi friends & fam!!!

So it's been a couple days- but I'm finally able to record our trip so far. We are currently sitting at a truck stop in Wisconsin on route to Minnesota! We just mapped out a route that will take us on a scenic byway near the Mississippi River and through a forest rather then staying on I-90. Oh boy!!

So far it's been an amazing adventure. We left early Sunday morning and drove 9 hours to Niagra Falls and arrived around 4pm. It didn't even feel like 9 hours! It must have been the adrenaline and excitement. I gotta say that Niagra Falls exceeded my expectations. It was so beautiful! We went on the Maid of the Mist (for those of you who don't know, its a boat that takes you up close to the Falls). When I felt the mist of the Falls hit my face, I tried to let it all soak in....literally. It was my shower for the day, lol. But in all seriousness, this is when it all became real for me. We stayed until dark to see the Falls lit up...again, SO amazing!!!

After I-90 we cruised until we felt like stopping. I was driving this leg, and was determined to make it to another state before I fell asleep. I did it! I drove through Pennsylvania and ended up in Ohio. This is where we parked it at our first truck stop and got some shut-eye in the good 'ol eclipse.

Monday - woke up at 6am, had a yummy "trucker" breakfast, and bounced out of Ohio onto Indiana. There were never-ending corn fields and silos, but it never got old to me! I still couldn't believe I was in the mid-west. After about 5 or 6 hours of driving, we decided to get off the highway and explore Indiana a bit. We saw Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore on the map and started heading that way. We came across an organic farm stand and met 2 very nice fellas who sold us tomatos, basil, cucumbers and blueberries. They suggested we head 2 miles north where we'd cross state lines into Michigan and hit up that beach. SO glad we did!!! We ended up getting to swim in the great Lake Michigan for the day!!! The water was so blue and it was at least 70 degrees. I can't tell you how good it felt to jump in that water and marvel at it all.
After a few hours of fun in the sun, we continued off the beaten path and found the sand dunes we were originally looking for. The sand was soft like powder- and it was like a hidden paradise. The views from the top of the dunes were amazing, and the water looked like it should have been an ocean rather then a lake, it was huge!!!
As we were leaving, my mom said "see this is what I mean by taking the time to stop and smell the roses." Well said mom!!!

It was about 7pm and we felt satisfied with our exploration thus far, so we high-tailed it through Chicago. This was probably the only stressful time we encountered. I was driving in an unfamiliar city, and my mom had the map in one hand and my camera in the other. It was obviously very difficult to accomplish both, so she opted to take pictures rather then give me directions. Therefore, we took the "scenic" route through Chicago....which now looking back, I'm glad we did.

We decided that after 2 days of driving and exploring that we could treat ourselves to a hotel. We stayed in Rockford, Illinois....and we couldnt have been more excited to shower and sleep in a bed!

Ok guys, we're outta here and off for another unplanned adventure. Keep ya posted--stay tuned!

OH and PS. This blog site doesn't have a picture thingy...so I guess I'll try to post some on Facebook when I get to it. BUT, I cant post all of them yet, but I'll give you a glimpse :)

Until then......

Ang (& Mom) :)