From Kansas to Denver (way too tired for clever title)

Saturday August 13, 2011

On old bucket list: Drive across U.S.A. – from east to west coast.  Amended version (as of today): Drive across Kansas.  Then halfway through Colorado.  Fly everywhere else.  Quite sufficient.  Check!        

964.2 miles in.  About 3 miles east of Ellis, Kansas.  Wherever.  Adina (3) is stoned -  lollipop overdose - and Caleb (6) has been talking to himself for the last hour or so. 

Wait, we are passing the most gorgeous field of sunflowers – looks like millions, maybe a mile or so of sunflowers.  Am I hallucinating?  No, Larry says he sees them too.  “Caleb, Caleb, C-A-L-E-B!  look away from the screen, away from the screen, LARRY TURN OFF THE DAMN DVD PLAYER, CALEB LOOK OUT THE WINDOW!  

Right, as I was saying, I think Caleb is delirious.  (I’m obviously fine.)  He’s been making all sorts of weird sounds back there, talking to Diego, Olivia, Tyrone.  He just yelled out, “dinosaur!”  The deprogramming could take a few days. 

Remember that lovely thing I posted yesterday morning about life being good ‘cause I was with my husband and my children and my dog.  Ha! 

I have been reading the lonely planet Colorado book a friend gave me though and have decided its best not to leave anyone in a corn field because I’m getting pretty excited about hanging out with them in “adventurous, cosmopolitan” Denver.  Re: outdoor life - -  “Other destinations may offer a different mix of mountains, rivers, rock-climbing routes, hiking & cycling terrain, but no other place offers more or better outdoor adventure than Colorado.  Winter or summer, snow, rain or shining sun, there is always somewhere to go or something to do that will crack open your mind and buckle your knees with wonder, pump your bloodstream with adrenaline – or all three at the same time.”  Re: the city of Denver - - “Spirited, urbane and self-aware, Denver is the west’s cosmopolitan capital."

And from my eat.shop.denver book …"What I find to be Denver’s greatest feature, is the sense that the city is on the cusp of 'something big.'  Maybe the modern equivalent of a gold rush, but one that values quality of life over riches. It’s more a rush of energy, a rush of ideas … Maybe it was the altitude-thinned air one whole mile in the sky, but I felt a lightheadness bordering on giddiness being in this place where the people know how to blend modern and historical, rural with city, independence with communal, and work with play.”

Now how many miles have we gone?  1000!  Seriously?  Now that has to mean something right, just as I’m asking, it’s a cool number like 1000.  Whats that you say, you know I’ve been asking every five minutes so it was bound to happen at some point?  Fine.  Still, Yay!  Deep yoga breaths.  Gotta pee.  Hanging in there … 

I’m back.  We just crossed into Mountain Time Zone.  Wow.  This is really happening.  Just booked a hotel a mile away from our house for tonight & tomorrow night.  (Movers come with our beds Monday morning).  We’re going to make it.  Smelly and agitated, but we’re going to get there.  More sunflowers.  They really are beautiful.  21 miles to the Colorado border …Stopping for Adina to "poop."  Too much information?  Been wondering if I should address the signs every 5 miles through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas encouraging me to “Save the Unborn” in a blog post?  What do people want to hear about - politics, my 3 year old's toileting needs?  I know this is supposed to be about my journey to Denver and all, but at some point we might have to discuss this region's banner issue. 

COLORADO!  Team Becker-Schwartz breaks into cheer.  We have just crossed the Kansas/Colorado border.  Almost home.    

1225 miles.  We are very, very close.  Larry is grinning from ear to ear.  I feel, at peace.  Looking out the window at wide open space.  The Garmin shows the elevation climbing; climbing; climbing.

Getting choked up.  It is beautiful.  I am deep in my heart excited. 

Mile 1260.  Minutes from our new home.  Just watched an amazing sunset over the Rocky Mountains.  This is insane.  Just as we’re driving in.  The light behind the mountains.  The colors – orange, yellow, pink, purple.

And just as the word "poetic" crosses my mind, from Adina - "Mommy, I have to throw up in the potty."   

I hand her a bag, and Caleb and I take pictures out our windows.  As soon as I unpack the thingy that connects my iphone to my lap top, I will post them, along with others from the last few days.  In the meantime, believe me when I tell you it looks something like this picture someone else took to the left.  Purple Mountain Majesty.

 Last stop of the evening before heading to the hotel - our new house.  My heart swells and my shoulders relax as Caleb runs to the front door calling out, "We're home.  Look Adina, we're home."