Chapter Six: In which we cross the country and learn that driving 50 hours is actually possible.

The morning of our move had arrived. We'd spent the past week getting me epilepsy medication, spending time with friends and family, packing the Penske truck, selling our car and some last few pieces of furniture, and cleaning. And then suddenly we were done. We woke to an empty apartment and a full truck (and the delicious breakfast one of our home teachers had brought us). It was surreal to realize we were actually leaving. Nothing was holding us back, we just needed to start driving. I wore my "Oh, the places you'll go!" shirt for the occasion. But honestly, it was a rather sobering realization, full of potential but more nerve-wracking than exciting. After my moment's hesitation, I hoped into the passenger's seat, and Spencer drove away.

As we drove away from the Spanish Fork Turbines and the red rock of Southern Utah, I felt flooded with memories of hiking the Hot Pots with Jon and Abby; going to Canyonlands with Brittney, Tanner, Spencer, and Anne; the many family reunions I'd enjoyed in St. George. I was grateful that we'd chosen to go through Colorado on our way out. It wasn't so different from Utah in a lot of ways, and that familiarity helped mitigate the homesickness that can grow from nostalgia.

Stop #1: Amanda, Wes, and Blue!

So our first stop was in Durango, CO. Why Durango? Because that's where Amanda, Wes, and Blue live! Amanda is one of Spencer's best friends from high school, so it was a really big deal to us that we get to see her (like I got to see Sarah) before we headed out. We missed Wes, Amanda's husband, who was in Salt Lake (oh, the irony) at the time, but we got to spend a wonderful evening with Amanda and Blue. We spent a lot of time catching up after our initial barrage of hugs. We then donned our rain jackets and took a lovely stroll through downtown in the rain and mist in search of food. We got to see the store that Amanda and Wes work at, and I got a free calendar of beautiful Colorado scenery (a big deal when you're as crazy about scrapbooking as I am). The old-town feel with the whistle of the train in the air was extremely idyllic. I'll just put a plug in for Durango, it is a beautiful place and worth a stop for anyone! I'll certainly be going back: Amanda, mentioned us coming for a week of hiking, and I was like, "heck yes!" Anyway, for dinner, we ate the most delicious burgers at a place called Steamworks. And let me tell you, it was pure savory delight! We finished off our evening together with ice cream and RENT, which I had never seen. I also tried to snap a picture of blue, but he wasn't exceptionally obliging.

The time we have with those we love never feels long enough, but after sleeping off our first day of travel, Spencer and I said goodbye to Amanda and Blue with love for Wes and headed out into the fog of a rainy day in the mountains. This was the long day. We were going to be driving for 14 hours (which ended up being 16 due to time zones, slow drivers, and stops). Fortunately, our longest day was accompanied by lovely scenery. Yes, I think Nebraska is lovely. :)

So I spent most of the day reading. As you know, with my recent seizure, my license had been suspended, so it was up to Spencer to drive across the country. I had been meaning to read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan but hadn't gotten to it yet. So I decided a 50-hour road trip was a good opportunity. I had the paperback as well as the audiobook, so I hunkered down in my jacket, raindrops streaming down my window, and set to reading. It really only would have been better with a cup of hot cocoa . . . and maybe a little bit less guilt at knowing Spencer was driving because I couldn't. It ended up being really interesting for both of us, though. Every time I'd read a profound or thought-provoking part, I'd stop, read it to Spencer, and then discuss it with him. Seriously, this is one of my favorite things about our marriage. We are pros at discussing current issues, philosophies, trends, movements, you name it. I even have a mental list of my favorite discussions that we've had. Anyway, so hours upon hours, bathroom breaks upon bathroom breaks, gas stations upon gas stations, and fast food restaurants upon fast food restaurants later, we made it to Omaha, Nebraska. It was 2:00 a.m., so of course we watched some of the Olympics and, only then, went to bed.

Stop #2: The Henry Doorly Zoo!
Growing up, Spencer had lived in Blair, Nebraska. One of his favorite memories had been going to the Henry Doorly Zoo, so he thought he'd share the experience with me on our way through. Now the Henry Doorly Zoo is considered the best zoo in the world, and I definitely think it deserves the title. Among the amazing exhibits was the Lied Jungle, one of the world's largest indoor rainforests; the Desert Dome, the world's largest indoor desert; the Kingdoms of the Night, which is the world's largest nocturnal exhibit and indoor swamp; the free-flight Aviary, an aquarium, an indoor Butterfly garden; and an IMAX theater. The also had a section for cats, bears, gorillas and monkeys, a lagoon, African grasslands, and a whole section dedicated to children (animal petting, a carousel, a water splash pad/park area, etc.) To say the least, I was excited! We had the whole day set aside for the zoo, and I was going to see an elephant!

So since this was a full day, I'll just give you the highlights.

• The Lied Jungle was incredible. Walking on rope bridges was definitely cool and the relative free-reign of the animals was awesome, except for the snakes, I ran away from all the snake exhibits.
• The aquarium was stunning. We wandered through a glass tunnel and stared as all the sharks and fish and turtles and other sea life swam around us. It was legitimately beautiful. 

• The Skyfari (essentially a ski lift over the park) was really nice. And the train around the park helped break up all the walking although the grasslands and other areas were rather inactive. The elephants were new and shy so not being able to see them very well was the only real disappointment.

• The IMAX was soo cool! The screen was six stories tall, and it was in 3D. We saw a documentary about the National Parks in honor of the Centennial this year, and even though the connecting story could have been better, the footage was absolutely breathtaking!
• The butterfly indoor garden was a delight. Nothing is more magical than being surrounded by butterflies in flight.
• I saw a baby sea lion! And it was the cutest thing. It kept imitating the big sea lions.
• The free-flight Aviary made me think of Anne. And for the first time, I didn't feel afraid of birds. I was just happy to be able to watch the birds fly around me and think of her. 

• The cats and bears and gorillas were mostly sleeping, which is their prerogative I should think. But the monkeys were super active. The way they swung from branch to branch was astonishing. They were so graceful and even freakishly limber. Also, a few of the monkeys were cuddling, which was obviously adorable.
• I got a pressed quarter imprint of an elephant! I guess that kind of makes up for the elephants being so shy . . . kind of. ;)
• I touched a starfish! So so weird!
• We saw a bunch of statues inspired by the raccoon spirits of Japanese Shintoism. Think Miyazaki's Pom Poko.

So yeah, that was our day at the Henry Doorly Zoo. It was great! But the day was not done. We still had to drive to Iowa. So we jumped in our truck, stopped at a Dairy Queen (where they gave me country gravy with my fries!) and drove on to Des Moines. We stayed with Preston, Kiki, and Pearl Hatch in Des Moines, although Kiki and Pearl were in California at the time. Even so, having a place to stay and go to Sacrament Meeting the next morning was really nice. 

Stop #3: Schaumburg and Chicago

After church, we traveled across Iowa and into Illinois where the dreaded tolls started. >:( All the trees started too! There were some trees in Iowa, but I feel like the scenery really started to change from fields to trees in Illinois.

It was only a five-hour drive to Schaumburg. My Aunt Margo, Uncle Corbin, and cousins Katherine and Stephanie lived in Schaumburg, and we had so much fun with them! The first evening we talked and joked over chicken nuggets, taquitos, and fish sticks. Katherine pulled out some old photo albums and that was a good laugh. We also watched a Danish film called Babette's Feast. I really liked it; it was just a film telling a story, a segment of someone's life. I like films like that. It was also an old classic from BYU's International Cinema, so that—along with the popcorn—was fun. 

The next day, Margo loaded us up with food and Corbin made sure we had directions, and we jumped on the Metra to Chicago. Coming out the Chicago station into the streets was stunning. The skyscrapers were so tall! Just walking down the street you couldn't help but feel alive and invigorated by all the life and purpose around you. We first walked to Millennium Park where we saw the skyline and the "Bean". Then we headed to Buckingham Fountain and ate lunch on the boardwalk by the edge of Lake Michigan. It was beautiful (and with the boats and gulls around, I definitely thought it was an ocean at first. Silly me!). Then it was time for the Chicago Institute of Art!

Spencer and I quickly discovered that our museum-going styles were quite different, so we split up in order to each be able to peruse at our own pace. For the next five hours, I immersed myself in exhibits. Some of my favorite sections were 1) the impressionists. I've always adored impressionism, and their section was a perfect addition to the impressionist work I'd seen in London. 2) A photography exhibit combining black and white photography of Harlem and excerpts of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. 3) An exhibit showcasing the art that emerged from the Great Depression and Second World War era. It was extremely sobering. 4) The section on Japanese art. It included wood block, my personal favorite. As well as jade pieces of art, beautifully designed snuff bottles, folding screen art, and so much more. 5) The modern art. I've always thought modern art was really cool, but I particularly like Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Salvador Dali (though he led surrealism). And finally 6) the Thorne Miniature Rooms exhibit. Go check it out if you don't know what it is! It was so incredible. The mini rooms were set back in the wall, so it was like looking at a painting that was actually a diorama. The artist had even made outside scenery for each room so that as you looked around the room and changed your perspective you could see outside the doors and windows to the world outside which was as equally intricate. It was astonishing.

After five wonderful hours at the museum, Spencer and I briskly walked to our train back to Schaumburg, we made it by two minutes. Back with Margo, Corbin, Stephanie, and Katherine, we had Lou Malnati's Deep Dish pizza. It was the most delectable pizza I've ever had! So so good. :) Can't do Chicago without trying deep dish pizza. We finished our evening together by playing Masterpiece, a game about buying and selling art in the Chicago Institute of Art. So appropriate. Oh! And they own a cat named Steel, who really liked Spencer. He also liked having his bum scratched. And then it was time to move on. I think Spencer is going to miss Steel. 

Stop #4: Marblehead Lighthouse

Day six was also a long driving day. We drove through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and up to Niagara Falls, New York. (p.s. Indiana has super super nice rest stops.) It was about 10 hours with only a stop at the Marblehead Lighthouse. The Lighthouse was on Lake Erie in Ohio. It is the oldest lighthouse still in operation in the nation. We weren't there long, but it was tranquil, calming. I love lighthouses. My grandparents served a couple mission in Connecticut and brought home a lot of lighthouse figurines. I loved having that lighthouse sitting on our piano blowing it's horn when someone would move past it while it was switched on. It was a long time ago that I first decided I loved lighthouses. They're beautiful, often simple, and safe. For some reason I find lighthouses to be deeply calming and even moving at times. I'm glad that I'm moving somewhere where I'll be able to see more lighthouses.

Stop #5 that wasn't: The Niagara Falls Disaster

So the Inn just outside of Niagara Falls was the seediest place we stayed at the whole trip. Seriously, I would only walk around with socks on, the AC unit was mangled, and when we opened the half fridge the door fell off. Well, after sleeping fitfully, we woke to find that their "free breakfast" was nothing more than a small coffee pot with a tiny packaged sugar roll. So we walked to the truck with no breakfast. It was then that I noticed that my wallet was missing. Spencer and I kept relatively calm, simply looking for it, till 15 minutes had passed, we'd searched every possible place, and we still couldn't find it. I was beginning to panic. I prayed and kept looking. I decided to recheck everything. I went up to the room although we'd already checked out, and luckily, it was unlocked. After looking around a bit, I checked under some sheets and there it was! Disaster avoided.

Well, by this point, Spencer and I were less than cheerful, so we grumpily headed toward Niagara, our first stop for the day. After getting lost, we finally found the area. But it was much more touristy and commercialized than we had expected of a State Park. We tried to park but were told our truck wasn't allowed in the lot, only to be led to a truck lot that cost $45 to park! So without ever seeing the falls we gave up and left. I was so miffed; Niagara Falls had been one of my most anticipated stops. I even cried and dramatically proclaimed, "Cruel fate has robbed me of a memory!" Yeah, I was distraught. I did my best to read and sleep off my bad mood. After all, we'd be in Palmyra in a few hours, and I wanted to be happy for that. 

Stop #6: Palmyra, New York

Once we arrived in Palmyra, we set about seeing all the sights that were there. We started at the Smith Farm and the Sacred Grove. This was probably wise because it immediately set the tone and helped us calm our spirits from the effect of all the disasters and near-disasters of the previous night and morning. Spencer read the first vision account in the Grove, and we just walked and meditated, for a little while, occasionally speaking. Then we tried some General Tso's Chicken at the local Chinese restaurant because of a Netflix documentary we had watched called Searching for General Tso. One iron-clad rule of travel: no matter how small a town, there will always be a Chinese restaurant. After our lunch of General Tso, we toured the Book of Mormon Publication Site and visited the Martin Harris Farm and Alvin Smith's grave. I've felt really close to Alvin since I was little, probably because of reading about Joseph Smith's feelings for him in the scriptures, other accounts, and The Work and the Glory series. Regardless visiting his grave was really special for me.

 We ended sightseeing with a stop at the Hill Cumorah. We climbed the hill, which was flipping steep, and sat at the Hill Cumorah Monument. Back down at the visitor's center, we got to talk to a really nice senior missionary, who told us where to go to change for our temple session later that night. 

After leaving the visitor's center and changing, Spencer and I headed to the Palmyra Temple. It was such a lovely way to end the day. We watched an older temple video, the one that I saw and hadn't seen since my first time going through. And by the end of the evening, I could look back and say that it had been a wonderful day. 

The next morning, we finished our experience at the Palmyra LDS church sites by visiting and touring the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized. That sight was probably where I felt the spirit the most, so I'm glad that we went. 

Stop #7: The Women's Rights Museum and National Historical Park   

I stand with them.

Seneca Falls and the Women's Rights Museum was our last stop before reaching our new home in Belmont, Massachusetts. Because the museum is run by the National Parks, I had the opportunity to become a Junior Ranger and get a badge! I filled all the requirements in the little book as we took a tour and saw the Wesleyan Chapel where the First Women's Convention was held in July 1848. Then I was sworn in and felt so proud! Anne introduced me, Brittney, Tanner, and Spencer to the Junior Ranger program in Canyonlands back in April, and I was going to make her so jealous! That probably isn't very nice, to make a missionary jealous, so I'll have to promise that we can go back and get her a badge too once she's home.

After the tour, we ate lunch at Cafe XIX (named for the 19th Amendment and decorated with pictures of and facts about the women who championed the women's rights movement), and went to see Elizabeth Cady Stanton's home. 

Stop #8: Our New Home!

Then we were off to Massachusetts! So by this time we are really really used to the dense trees that began in Illinois and grew denser through Ohio and New York, but Massachusetts was even more so! Equally surprising was that the landscape became craggier with rocks lining and shaping the forests to each side of the highway. After an intense downpour, the worst rain of our whole trip, we were suddenly there. We had reached Belmont. After an eventful intersection where we broke three or so laws in our confusion, we arrived at our apartment. We had done it! I was nearly done with The Feminine Mystique, and Spencer had survived. Now I know that driving 50 hours across the United State is possible. What's more, it is possible for one person because that is what Spencer did. 

We had made it with very few incidents: a small scratch on the truck and the few moments cruel fate butted in. We had survived the time zone changes, the seedier hotels we'd stayed in, and all the stops that I'd added into the trip in an attempt to make it fun. We'd traveled through nine states and watched the landscape of America evolve from the West to the East. Our trip, that I had once felt would never come and then felt would never end, was over. Now, all we had to do was settle in and begin anew. Simple enough right?