1. I love road trips! This is not new news, but I found that I'm probably the only member of my family that enjoys LONG road trips.
2. All road trips should be taken on the backroads! This is also not new news to me, but again, no one else on my most recent trip enjoyed the backroads and their lack of 'civilization' and the abundance of quirky things to stop and experience/photograph.
3. Any future long road trips should be taken in an RV or a vehicle that includes a mattress, cooler/fridge and some apparatus on which to cook some of my own meals. Gluten free food & onion-garlic-pepper free food is not easy to find on the road, even in California...and especially in Texas!
4. Highway signage is not created equal. I realized how accustomed I have become to our Florida highway signage that highlights the hotels, restaurants and attractions at the exits. When traveling in a new place, those signs are invaluable...and nonexistent in California and other states, at least on the highways/freeways I traveled.
5. Traffic is traffic no matter where you go. There will always be idiot drivers, smart drivers, rude drivers, polite drivers, fast and slow drivers, lots of drivers or very few on the roads you travel. Choose which one you will be...
6. Take the time to stop and see the world you are traveling through! I’ve been through Arizona before, but on this most recent trip I found that some of the landmarks are no longer there or have been defaced beyond recognition! It was sad but I smiled at the reminders of a previous trip.
7. In my now 2 trips to the Grand Canyon, I was struck by the differences in the atmosphere of the two visits. In one word...Selfies! I am a photographer so you know both times I had my camera. What struck me was the seeming inability of some to just stand there and soak in the beauty of the place without constant selfies or 'ussies' (whatever) being taken. I'm sorry but your eye/brain combo will always see more than your Iphone/Samsung will ever capture! The gentleman standing next to me just kept mumbling 'you're going to miss it...' They did.
9. I was completely mesmerized by the ocean and cliffs at the coast near Monterey/Big Sur! It is some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen and I know I will return for another visit.
10. I passed through two more states I had never set foot in - Oklahoma and Arkansas. There are lovely parts in both and I'm sure the backroads would prove even more interesting. I could be a road trip travel photographer and enjoy it for awhile, but I also love being home.
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