Love

You know, the longer I've been here, I notice what is and isn't different about Hawaii and Indiana/Kentucky. Some things are good (beautiful scenery, good weather, more breaks off school) and the not-so-good things (seriously, where else does milk cost 5 bucks a gallon? And why are we paying more for food grown a mile away than what you pay on the mainland?) But the biggest difference is... love.

I mean, sure love isn't non existent on the mainland, but there is a big difference over here. I remember when I had Dakota, my first horse. Trying to get help and constructive criticism and people who really cared about my training/riding was impossible. They didn't want to help me - all they cared about was how good they were at training horses and how they compared up to me. (A 14 yr. old who had never had a horse before. Yeah, you guys were REALLY impressive) Here, people commend me on what I'm doing right with Shannon(my horse in training) and offer constructive feedback when I need it. And me and Shannon could never be happier! She's doing great and I am gaining more confidence. And the reason is love. These horse trainers weren't haughty and stuck up, even though they are probably the best horse trainers I have personally ever known.

And school... I don't know where to start! Even though it may be different in other schools, my school is so supportive. The teenagers don't make exclusive cliques and they don't judge other people. Sure, we have the very few who do, but that is expected anywhere you go and anything you do in life. I have made a few good school friends who are great - and I have known them for like what, a few months? I've had friends before in the past who would stab me in the back for the dumbest things. And I would be upset, but now I realize why? Why I should I be upset if someone is unkind to me? It's their problem - I've got people who are actually going to be there for me and if someone is going to be a jerk for a really dumb reason, then I don't need friends like that. Nobody does. Everyone deserves people worth their time.

Hawaii is by no means perfect, but in general it isn't every man for himself. People care about each other, the elderly, children, and people who would be disrespected on the mainland are actually treated like people here. And really, what could be better than that? It's definitely worth paying a couple dollars for milk.

November so far

So, November. Nothing overly interesting going on in Hawaii. I've been doing the usual. Riding Shannon, school (ugh), hiking, swimming, and reading. Dad replaced the carpet in my room. (It's wood now!!!!!!!) And I went shopping a couple times since I have way too many jeans, not enough shorts. Who would have thought shorts would be impossible to find here? I have found one pair in the million times I've gone shopping, but that just aint enough. Maybe I'll try Walmart. I like their stuff. Oh, and Macy's, charging 40 bucks for a pair of cheap shorts won't sell them. Just to let you know.

We went to PoliPoli Thursday. It is a state park with... what you ask? Cedar, redwoods, pine and other forestry trees. You would never know you were in Hawaii if someone just dropped you off her randomly. It's cool and usually foggy. Here's a site: (it says ten acres, but there are way more trees than that)

http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/sites/polipoli_springs_state_recreational_area.html

I feel like I'm forgetting something this month. o.O

La Perouse Bay

'La Perouse Bay? Lindsey, you nitwit, that's French'

So true. Why on earth do we have a place in Hawaii with a French name? Does it look like France or something? Not quite. The area is an untouched field of lava and it is huge. The lava goes on forever and there is nothing along the way. If you go a little farther up, you can drive along it, but there isn't much to see. So what's so special about this place? It has three things going for it.

1.) Snorkeling, when it's not closed down, is amazing.

2.) Dolphins are very regular here.

3.) The a'a lava fields are pretty monotonous, but they are still amazing because of how diverse they are.

Also, a little bird told me that there is a trail to a secluded beach in the middle of these lava fields. We have never gone there, but I've seen pictures and hope I get to soon.

Makena Ranch is a great place to ride at sunset for anyone who wants to.

What else? Oh yeah, the reason this place has a French name is because of the French explorer who found the Hawaiian islands. Was he the first to discover them? No. Did he land here in this cove? I don't know, do a little research if you want to know.

Hmm. This is embarrasing

I really hope I haven't lost readers to my... unroutine (don't care about grammar at the moment) blog entries. Hey, Hawaii is cool every single day but that doesn't mean something new happens every single day. But I have a few things I can share from the past couple weeks.

I went surfing! Yep, I feel like I am higher on the awesomeness scale now. I conquered that 20 foot wave like it was nothing, gliding around like the water princess I was born to be...

Pfft. Not likely. I surfed 1-2 foot waves (which, surprisingly, are bigger than they sound) with an instructor yelling things at me to keep me up for 5 seconds before falling into the water. But I did surf the second wave I ever rode. And I did do pretty well. It was so much fun. Well, except for the fact people in helicopters were searching for sharks in that area. And the water is waist deep with rocks underneath so you may come crashing into a poor, unsuspecting fish. I saw the reef below while I was surfing - saw a big fish and it was just awesome. And I honestly think I could help someone surf already.

We've also been hiking on trails a lot. Some are worth the constant uphill climbing, some make you stop and think "Whose idea was this again?" But after all is said and done, when you look back on hikes you never have bad memories not matter how painful it was at the time.You may end up with scars though. *Puts on another band-aid*

Been hanging with my horse a little less. She hates when I come 3-4 times a week (I have to come every. day. before she is happy) But when I finally get land for her I'll see her 3-4 times a day. Maybe then she'll get sick of me.

If you are still reading this blog, which I really hope you are, please leave a comment letting me know you're still here ;) Or vote in my new poll.

Aloha!

Hana

I decided to dedicate a whole post to Hana. Not because we went there today or anything (I wish) but because I think I will start making posts about different places on the island. And since Hana is my favorite, I'll do it first.

So what is Hana? Hana is actually a little town that never has much going on. So, why on earth is it so popular? Is it the very odd general store in the town - selling anything and everything? Is it the greenery, stretching as far as your eye can see? Or maybe it's the quietness of this little town - so laid back you may wonder if it's made any movement in the last 100 years.

Actually, it's none of those. It isn't even Hana. The reason Hana is so famous is because of the amazing road you have to drive to get there. This is no normal road. It has so much to offer. For such a relatively short drive, you will see and experience a lot. Take your pick: Some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, hikes to secret pools and tropical gardens, exotic colored beaches, bamboo forests, lava tubes, history, culture, swimming.... The Road to Hana has it all and more.

Even though trying to list every site on the way to Hana is nearly impossible, I'm going to describe some of my favorites. Warning: There are LOTS!

The first would have to be the Twin Falls and the Twin Falls fruit stand. Some say this is overrated, but I don't agree. The waterfalls themselves may not be the best you'll see, but the hike is wonderful and when I went there was a rope swing into a pool. It's a great way to start the road to Hana. Next is a stop whose name fails to come into my mind at this point. It isn't someplace you're gonna stay for more than a half hour, but it has bathrooms, picnic tables, views, and wild cats and roosters. Pretty neat.

Pretty much all of the waterfalls along the way are amazing... I couldn't name them all here. (Neither could I remember them all) One of the most picturesque, however, has no spot to pull over for a picture. Another thing that there is a lot of is hikes. We have gone on many; all have their own charm. If you like hiking, poke us on the way and remind us of the promised (and sometimes easy) hikes you can take. We will be happy to take you to what we've found.

Some of the sites are located in Waianapanapa park. You'll be greeted by some road side fruit stands, most empty and on the honor system, and then pull into a parking lot. Yes, you do have to hike to some of the better sights (darn) but don't worry: most are easy and worth it. If you feel like swimming in water that is so cold it will take your breath away, enjoy some freshwater cave swimming. This hike is very short and you will love the little caves. We also have the * da - da- da- da!* black sand beach! The sand is coal black, not grey or some weird shade, but the current is usually strong. A lot of people swim in it, so apparently it isn't too dangerous, but I stick to swimming elsewhere. You will enjoy an unusual sea cave... well I don't know how to explain this one. Come over to see it.

When in Hana, actual Hana, we will make you go to the red sand beach. That is, if you're sure-footed. If not, this can still be hikeable but follow our lead and don't believe any idiots that say going over, not across, the beach at the bottom is an easier way to get there. Don't want you leaving with broken bones... and we definitely don't want you staying because of a very unfortunate accident. ANYWAY. The red sand beach is said to be clothing optional but has been only clothes friendly when we went. The snorkeling here doesn't have great coral but the fish are prettier here for some reason. I even saw an octopus.

Hmm, what else could there possibly be? A lot more, most of which I have yet to write about/explore. But I'll end this with Oheo Gulch. AKA... Seven Sacred Pools. A lot of people come for the pools but the more I swim in them the more I think how overrated they are. A must see for first timers, don't let us convince you otherwise. But the trail in the same park is great. It's two miles each way but it is well worth it. You can hike to an Infinity Pool, very tall waterfall, and through a huge bamboo forest. I don't care how much you hate hiking, you are going on this one. End of story.

I guess I should stop before I lose attention or give away all the surprises and secrets Hana has to offer. You can never overestimate Hana; it's impossible. You can say it's the most beautiful, exciting, diverse place in the world and it's true. Hana rarely disappoints. Come on over, I can't wait to share it with you!

Hawaiian Dictionary

Here is a list of the Hawaiian words I've been using. You can link back to this post whenever you need to by the labels on this post. (dictionary, hawaiian, and words) This post will just be updated, I won't continually make new ones.

A'a: (Ah-ah) Sharp lava rocks, the ones you don't walk on barefoot
Aloha: (A-low-ha) Love, hello, goodbye. You may hear people refer to the 'aloha spirit'
Pali's: (Paul-ee) Cliffs. Most are high. Some Hawaiians used to (and still do) jump off them to symbolize different things

Wild West Maui

I know. I said I would update this Thursday and it's Monday now... but hey, I'm pretty bored right now so I thought I would go ahead and update it.

We decided to head out pretty early in the morning, around 9 AM. We went to our favorite resteraunt (McDonalds) twice that morning. No, we aren't pigs. We got drinks first and realized we forgot lunch so decided to run in and grab some McChickens. For the record, McDonalds isn't our favorite resteraunt, just the most visited. Anyway...

Most people want to know what's in West Maui. We all know of Lahaina and even Honolua Bay, but few people go past that area. Simply put, you can find anything from high pali's (sea cliffs) to blowholes. The trail to get to the blowhole is really neat. It's being eaten alive by acid. Of course, the trail is steep and not for the un-sure footed. (I hope that's a word) It's definitely worth the hike down there. If you want to be boring and lazy, there is another trail down there a little more than half the way of the other.

Next we visit the Olivine Pools. We discovered this in a book called Maui Revealed. Maui Revealed says and proves that there is much of Hawaii still left to be discovered if you want to explore a little. Me and my dad are hikers, so we really liked this. (Mom isn't a hiker but she tagged alone too) The pools are mostly protected from the ocean. They have a lot of algae on them which always freaks me out. I hate the slimy feel and not knowing what I'm stepping on. There is one very deep, too, but I didn't explore that one. Yet again, we are waiting for some guinea pigs to help us explore some of these places.

I wish we could have explored Lahaina a little more than we have! We haven't really explored it since we've been here. Somebody come visit so we can. ;)

Lindsey

Death sentences

...are about anywhere on the island. And being the paranoid freak that I am, every little bug, cliff, and tiny (but painful) jellyfish washed on shore freaks me out. Oh and not to mention the centipedes here. The bites are so painful it can feel like a bee sting or being shot by a gun. The doctors here say the only cure is being drunk for three days. Not pretty.

I can't wait till someone visits us. (Although the previous paragraph may not be the best persuasion to come visit) We have been going out and exploring and some of the sights I just have to share! We're also getting ticked at the naive tourists around here who say they don't have time or interest in going to Hana. These people shouldn't be on Maui. If you want sand and ocean, go to Florida or Califonia. You're in Hawai'i now! Make the most of it!

Ok. So it seems we go to beach about once a weekish. Yesterday we went to this beach we thought would be sooo cool and it just ran into the beach we've been to a lot. (But there is a reason we go to that beach a lot) so I stayed awhile and did some bodysurfing since the waves were pretty good. But this morning we tried out three new snorkel spots! The first was cloudy and a little rough - we may try it again sometime when we have more guinea pigs (haha aren't we just the best hosts ever?) The second one was awesome. It's not really amazing when it comes to diversity but it's clear and you could stay there for an hour and not see it all. Getting out was very difficult though and I have scars to prove it. The last was on the reddish black sand beach in Kihei. Getting in was much easier here but the there wasn't many fish. We swam a good way - probably a half mile at least.

So we are going to explore West Maui Thursday. Updates then!!!!

Lindsey

(P.S. I am so inconsistent with this blog. I reccommend checking it weekly)

My everything

You may ask what my everything is... this is a pretty broad term. But I can't narrow it down to one thing! My everything is no less than my horse, Hawaii, my friends, family, and of course the friends at the congregation. So here's a little about my 'everything.' AKA... life. Basically.

First, exciting news! I have talked to someone from a magazine about writing about Shannon and our journey to Hawaii! For anyone who wants to know, it's the RMHA official magazine. I hope I write an article that will be published with flying colors. I wonder about my writing skills though. All my stupid ideas and words don't like coming together in just the right way. But I will keep everyone updated on whether it will be published or not.

School is really easy. I turn in work and get an A+ I never really realized how challenging my school was until I came to Hawaii. This is all pretty boring to me. (psst... don't tell me teachers. I don't really want extra work) I only go to school 2 1/2 days a week, with virtual work on the other two days. I do like that. It gives me time for... well pretty much anything I have better to do.

Today we were going to have a perfect day at the beach. Snorkel gear packed, hoping for a long and lazy day. It rained. Yep. Makena, which rains about 2 days out of the year, decided to absolutely destroy our day. Oh well. We are going back in a couple days. I really want to learn how to surf but I have to wait. Not only do you have to buy the very expensive surfboard but the needed surf lessons so I don't kill myself and everyone within 100 yards of me. Someday.

Lindsey

More time w/ Shannon

A lot of my time has been put into school and Shannon.

I like school well enough, but it doesn't compare to my old school. We go 2 1/2 days a week, and I have to say, that is a plus. We do virutal work on Tuesday and Thursday, and juniors (me) go to what they call a junior seminar for half a day on Friday. It helps provide valuable life skills to guide us into the real life. At least, that's what they said.

I rode Shannon for the first time yesterday since we had the farrier out to fix her feet. Considering there were three horses near the fenceline the whole time, she did pretty well. She can have problems settling down sometimes but she did really well, I was proud of her.

We are going to a beach party that the Kihei congregation is giving on Sunday. ( I think it's sort of a goodbye thing because the congregation is spliting ) I am really looking forward to being with friends, but not saying goodbye.

Until later, Lindsey

Shannon's here!

Shannon arrived here a few days ago. We went to the dock around 9:30 but didn't get to see her until 10:00. She look pretty... confused. She was dropped off in a small stall in the middle of nowhere and just looking like, where am I? Sad to say, it was pretty comical. But she saw me and perked up right away. It was like "Oh, there you are. Everything is ok now!" It is the most amazing feeling in the world for a horse to love you like that.

She likes her new home too, I think. Of course, she would probably be content with my backyard right now compared to what she went through. I let her out in the arena the first day she got there. I swear she must have rolled 10 times, once while I was leading her! She just loooves to roll. She also let off some built up energy when she got a little warmed up. I took her down to graze in a big section for the horses but I didn't secure the gate right. She galloped to her equine buddies. She just didn't feel safe down there, away from them. She still seems a little apprhensive down there. I don't blame her, it freaks me out sometimes with weird noises from the wind.

She loves to follow me around. I'll go over and start scratching places I know she loves to have scratched. She also went galloping for a short while yesterday and galloped back to me, veering a little to make sure she didn't hurt me. I'm glad she knows how to not trample me over.

I hope you enjoy the pictures I posted! I'll keep updating everyone about her progress. Someday were going to start doing fun things like trail rides, competetions, and island adventures! Can't wait!

Lindsey

By and by

Well plenty is going on this week.

Monday, I started school. It was ok, Iguess. Like any other school. I actually couldn't tell any differences. Sometimes I even forget I'm in Hawaii. Scratch that - I always feel happier and even healthier here, so I guess I DO know I'm always in Hawaii.

Also, Monday, our furniture got here. Blessing or curse? Eh... we can barely move around our condo since we have only arranged a few things. My room is purplish blue now, and I got a bedspread with horses running through water (so pretty!)

Wednesday I jogged on the beach before school. It was so beautiful. The West Maui Mountains have so much glory when they aren't covered in clouds. Not only that, there was a rainbow above the ocean. Now how cool is that?

And tomorrow, Shannon gets here!!!!! I'm so excited but I feel bad for her. She probably doesn't understand anything that's going on and she just wants to be home. (and with me, I hope)

Lindsey

Through a rainforest and home in one day

I have plenty of interestingness for you all!


OK so where do I start? Did I update the blog yesterday? I don't think I did. We got really bored yesterday and hit McDonald's, looked at some paint samples, and got a few things at Pier 1. Maybe they doesn't sound exciting, but you have to remember I could see beautiful mountains and palm trees while I was doing this! Which makes everything interesting.

But today was the most interesting. We went through Maui's rainforest. You wouldn't believe what you can see on the Road to Hana as they call it. We saw beautiful waterfalls, black sand beaches, fresh water caves (some I got to swim in), red sand beaches, huge bamboo forests, tropical flowers, trees, fruits and The Seven Sacred Pools. You may be waiting for an explanation to why they're 'sacred.' Well here it is: The tourist industry wanted to attract people to it, so they gave it that name. Very interesting :)

The Red Sand Beach was really cool, though, because I went snorkeling. The sea around it is very, very rough but what makes it nice is that there is a lava rock border across the two sides of a small valley. It's hard to explain, I'll have to post some pictures. Anyway, when I went snorkeling I saw a small octopus! Not to mention some of the most beautiful fish on Maui, it's a new favorite of mine. The hike to get there is only for the sure footed, though.

Until next time

More adventures!

We all had a lot of fun today! We went to the Maui winery (I didn't get to try any) but they tried four and even bought one. I think it's pineapply wine and everyone tells me it's delicious. Sigh. Five more years.

We also went to east part of Maui, and I figured why you never hear of it. It's very dry. Dry actually doesn't justify it. What does? Hmmm. I know. Dead.

We went on an afternoon beach walk. Pictures attached! I feel so proffesional! Oh and Beth, there is even one of mom with the palm trees behind her. She is, indeed, alive.

Lindsey

Hey everyone! I need YOUR help :)

Hi everyone!

I'm already starting a business over here... it's a photography business and the website looks great so far. Except I need testimonials. Could any of you give positive (but truthful) testimonials about my photography? Here is my website:

www.libsphotography.webs.com

They need to be written in "Thank you Lindsey for your photography, you have such a nice way with..." or something like that.

I can't thank you all enough.

Lindsey

Who's Ready for Pictures?

I went out to take pictures of the sunset today. Enjoy the pictures and imagine the crashing of the waves, the salty sea air, and the warm breeze blowing in your face...

Getting to know the ways of the island

First and foremost I want to clarify something... many people seem to think I won't write the blog just because I'm in Hawaii or that I will stop once I get settled in but that's not the case. I am writing the blog to keep touch with friends and improve my writing skills. I'm also really bad at keeping a regular journal so when I know I have an adoring public to write for it keeps me motivated (lol....jk) So anyway....

Island is just different. And better.

We see roosters everywhere (they like to crow at 3 AM by the way) And even the accent/dialect is different. I'm catching on very fast to these street names and pronunciations, as well as where everything is. I hope someday I can speak just like the locals. For example, they don't say "flip flops" they say "slippers." And while we say "goosebumps" they say "ckicken skin." It's really cool! There are other differences too that I can't quite remember. It's too late and I'm tired.

I went walking along a nature preserve trail. It said that Maui has changed a lot and that a past postcard would have shown the native plants and species; mostly birds. Today, it shows tropical but not native plants. And the future postcard would have cities, pigeons, feral cats, and none of the tropical things we see now. It would be such a tradegy. I hope Maui never gets to that point.

Lindsey

Falling in love all over again

I guess you can judge this post by the title.

Maui has been amazing me since we got here. Everyday I love it more. Looking at the beautiful mountains and ocean and thinking "wow... I live here." Never gets old. I can't wait to share this island's wonders with my friends. I wish I could say I've been here all my life or that my roots started here, but I can learn the language. I am pretty much teaching myself, since Hawaiian is such a dying language.

I got to do something today not everybody gets to do at home. I swam with a sea turtle! Since laws protect the turtles, I couldn't ride, touch, or even get very close to him. He was still amazing. They have such a kind and pretty face. I didn't even have my snorkel gear (me and dad shared his) and still saw him. I love to swim out there without anything on my face - meaning no snorkel/mask - not sure why.

We also drove around the West Maui Mountains. This is a road not really known by tourists, but it's a lot like the road to Hana. There is a tiny town about half way, with friendly locals, fresh fruit, and smoothies. It's old and timeless - you almost feel like your in old Hawaii. I really can't wait to show this part to friends. We also saw a waterfull - pictures later!

A hui hou - Lindsey

Visiting the stables

Today is the third day. We've been doing a lot of 'scoping out the island' I guess you could say. I checked out two stables and found the one of my dreams. It overlooks the ocean and the people are very friendly. Shannon will love the enviroment and I know I do!

I made dinner tonight and it was delicious.

I'm also having writer's block, so until tomorrow...

Lindsey

A little more settling

Day 2!

I woke up at 5 AM this morning - I guess I'm not adjusted to the time change. Somehow I managed to go back to sleep and woke up around 6:30. I had breakfast and me and dad went off to the beach. The two beaches are right next to eachother and named Ulua and Mokapu beach. The snorkeling here is just wonderful. It's mesmerizing to see a beautiful, different world and being close to it.

After ditching the snorkeling gear, I headed to the waves for some body surfing. It is not always easy. Catching the perfect wave is hard enough - try catching the perfect wave in the perfect way! I managed to do it a few times, though. I love seeing the joy of people enjoying the Hawaiian beauty and fun. Even adults find their inner kid and play in the waves!

We also checked out a school here. It's called Kihei Charter and it's a little like my old school. I am having a terrible time trying to decide between it and Maui High School. I mean, the logical part of me says to go Kihei Charter since it's what I'm used to, and 11th and 12th graders only have to go to the school twice a week - the rest of the work is done online! On the other hand, I do like school and Maui High School will give me the oppurtunity to meet more people in the area...

Lindsey

Arrival in Hawai'i

Aloha! Finally! At last, for two weeks we've been waiting for this moment and it's finally here. We're on Maui, and I want to tell you about our first day:

The airport in San Francisco was hectic and I am still amazed we made it out in one piece, but the plane ride was actually kinda nice. Not too long and I didn't get sick at all. We touched down on Maui 11:20 local time. As soon as you get off in Maui, you can feel a difference. If you breathe in real deep, you can smell a warm, faint smell of tropical breezes.

We ate then went to our condo - it was left in good condition, which was a relief. I started unpacking and got bored - it was beach time! I walked down there and was completely blissful. I don't know how else to describe it. I just ran in and out of the waves like a little kid, completely and utterly having the best time of my life.

We went to the store a little later. It's amazing how much you take for granted - we were surprised by the sheer neccesaries we had to buy! Our cart was filled to the brim and we have a LOT more things to get, later. Tonight, we grilled out by the pool and watched the beautiful sun set behind ocean, mountain, and sea. Just wonderful. I was able to swim a little in the pool.

Until tomorrow....

Lindsey

p.s. Sorry about missing the last couple days. Apparently the thought of complimentry Internet still bothers some hotels. Nothing happened to report.

EDIT: How could I say there was nothing to report!? I totally forgot to mention I saw Shannon (my horse) Sunday! She was... exhausted. I guess. Kinda out of it, but I don't blame her. I was kinda hoping for the OMG YOU ARE HERE GIVE ME KISSES reponse she usually gives me, but I could tell that after I got there she felt she could relax. It was almost like "Ah, you're here. I can relax now." I think she will be here mid-August but the shipping companies are unsure themselves at this point.

Day 13 - San Francisco

I do NOT like the big city. That includes San Francisco and its outskirts. I think we all got stressed just thinking about driving, and Dad actually had to! Still, we dropped the car, furniture, and uhaul where they needed to go.

It's weird how cold it is here! I can hardly stand outside without freezing. The wind chill factor makes it really bad. What's weird is it never really gets cold in the winter here - I think Dad said never below 50...

Another thing we saw a lot of in California, at least in the area we drove in, had dry grass and lots of vineyards. There are hills no matter where you turn, and the water here seems browner than most I've seen. And it's different than Chicago. Chicago seemed to cleaner (to me) than San Francisco. And maybe it's just me, but Chicago seems more... modern?

Lindsey

Day 12(wow) - Cali

I can't believe it's already the 12th day already! I had a nice time today. We saw some redwood trees. It wasn't the ones you can drive through, but they were still huge! It seems like that two or three (or more) will grow together and make a huge tree.

I guess when you think of California, you think of the glamorous Hollywood or big cities like San Francisco. It is so different where we were! It was mostly hills, a lot like the Floyd Knobs, and they had towns with an exact population count of like 300. Teeny tiny towns, no phone service. Kinda crazy!

Tomorrow, we're taking the furniture from the uhaul and packing it or something for Hawaii. Then we get to ditch the uhaul(thank goodness). Saturday, the car gets ready to leave, and Sunday I get to see Shannon before I leave! Monday - we leave. So I will keep everyone posted on the last few, hectic days before the first day of the rest of my life comes!

Lindsey

Day 11 - Oregon

I think that is how you spell it.

I can't really talk much tonight as I am working on getting my Algebra II done (yay) I can say that we got into civilization again and it feels nice. I love the feeling of the old Western towns, but I don't feel at home there. Yet. I hope to love in one someday... but that is another story.

Lindsey

Day 10 - Montana/Idaho

We left Yellowstone this morning and went to this old Western town called Garnier. (I think that's how they spelled it) It was so cool - like old time Western towns!

So, besides that we did mostly driving. I could tell a difference between Montana and Wyoming - I think it's because Montana seems so dry. Everyone there seems to live life in a Western style, though. Even people who lived in little sub divisions had horses in the backyard. Very cool.

Now we are in "Scenic Idaho" and 3 hours behind Indiana. Haven't seem much of it too much, I'll report more tomorrow.

Lindsey

Day 9 - Yellowstone

Wow, still in Wyoming.

I got to see many interesting things today. We went to the Grand Teton National Park. It was pretty, but there wasn't much to do. And then we went to like this Mexican restaurant? In the Wyoming mountains? Kinda odd, but my chicken quesadilla was delicious.

We also saw Old Faithful! It's such a shame that the new visitor center opens a month after we leave. It was neat though. They can predict Old Faithful within ten minutes of when it will erupt. For of those of you who don't know, they got the name Old Faithful because it has kept this predictability for many, many, many years. It was quite interesting to see, and I read today that people used to use it for washing their clothes!! Anyway, there are more little geysers we should see tomorrow. I'll keep everyone posted.

Lindsey

Day 7 & 8 - More and more Wyoming

Forgot to update the blog yesterday. Oops.

Yesterday, I got to do something great! I was able to ride for about 5 hours straight with a personal guide! It was so enjoyable. There is so much beautiful land that you can't see in the car. I rode a paint horse named Cookie. (See the picture!)

Today, we entered into Yellowstone. We saw some geysers - not Old Faithful, yet, though. They were so neat. Some were different colors, some were very murky, and some were so clear you could see the bottom, even though it had to be more than 12 feet deep. It is very tempting to dip your feet into the clear blue ones with a gentle steam coming off them, but some are almost 200 degrees hot! Also, it's illegal. They may be beautiful, but the stench is very strong. Sulphur. (It smells exactly like rotten eggs)

The lakes here are gorgeous too! I got a few amazing pictures of the waterfall. Sadly, they are on my other camera and can't be posted. But be sure to check out the pics I was able to upload! If only the elk turned her head... I would upload more but the devil we call a laptop refuses to upload more.

Take care all...

Lindsey

Day 6 - Wyoming Again

Maybe the title suggests I'm tired of Wyoming, or at least that it seems common place, but not so...

I am still loving it! We only drove about an hour from our last destination. Here, there is nothing to do (today) but tomorrow, me and my dad are both heading off for adventures! Me? What else? Horseback riding! 6 hours of straight riding, roaming the untouched mountains of Wyoming. And Dad is going Four Wheeling for awhile.

That's all there is to say today. I even got to write the blog earlier since I doubt the only thing I will be doing from now until evening is read. What's really neat is I'm sitting outside without the rush of the traffic, and I have a sweater on. (And still cold!)

Lindsey

Day 5 - Wyoming

Today we came into Wyoming - it is my favorite state so far! The mountains are so beautiful and the nature is so unspoiled. We went to a national monument called the Devil's Tower. It's a huge, random, towering, rock slab. It was 875 feet tall and people were climbing it! I got pleny of good pictures, but I still cannot upload them. I may not be able to until I get to Hawaii...

Anyway, we are staying at a nice place in the mountains. We are looking for a guest ranch to go real horseback riding - not that lame nose and tail trails you usually ride on. I bought the coolest bracelet in the world. It's real horsehair, tightly bounded and currently one of my favorites.

I will keep everyone posted on how the ride went. (Hopefully we'll get to ride tomorrow)

Lindsey

Day 4 - Mount Rushmore

EDIT: Pictures!!!!

Today was a looong one. We entered into the Black Hills. You may wonder why they're called that. We were thinking was the color of the rocks were black, or at least some other dark color, but it was the trees. From far away, they looked black. I guess I better tell you what they are too. They aren't really hills as the name suggests. They are mountains - not big - and it's the location of Mount Rushmore!

Mount Rushmore is amazing. You've likely seen pictures of it, but it just can't compare to the real thing! Unfortunately, it was extremely foggy so it was kinda hard to see George, Thomas, Teddy, and Abe. I got some amazing pictures, though! I have found a way to upload them, but I probably won't be able to since we were all very eager to get settled down tonight.

Anyway, I can't close today's entry without talking about Custer! It was so amazing. We went into the state park, and wild buffalo just got on the street, right next to the cars! There were also deer, prairie dogs, and "wild" burros we got to feed. I guess some of the burros have figured out humans mean food, but others stayed away.

When we left there, we went to an amzing place... in the middle of nowhere. It's really hard to describe the beauty we saw, but I guess I can put it this way: No matter where you turn, there is trees sitting on mountains everywhere. The biggest town was only a block long, and there were only log cabins around. The valley was hidden in a misty fog that transfixed you into a different world....

Lindsey

Day 3 - South Dakota

Today we left Minnesota and entered South Dakota. At first I wasn't all that impressed, it looked a lot like Indiana.

But when we started going out further, I could see how unique it was! Hills and valleys flooded the area, as far as the eye could see! There was so much hay, it was bundled on the side of the highway. What was really interesting, though, was when we entered the Badlands National Park. I don't really know how to describe it. There were HUGE pillars of what seemed to be dirt and sand, some hundreds (thousands?) of feet tall! I can't wait until I can show everyone the pictures. They were absolutely beautiful.

Before we entered Badlands National Park, we entered an "old" town. It was set up like you would see in the 1800's, very cool! It said some of the buildings were originals, from like the prairie times and travelled from different places. There was a saloon, school, homes, barns, firehouses, post offices... you name it. There was also a homestead with long horned cattle. Not to mention a horse (he was soooo sweet!) and get this. A CAMEL!

Didn't get to Mount Rushmore today, actually. I am almost 100% positive we will make it there by tomorrow. It's probably less than an hour away from where we are staying now. Until tomorrow night...

Lindsey

P.S. I am two hours behind you guys right now. So if you are looking for someone to talk to when it's late (your time) feel free to!!

Day 2 - Driving!

The name says all. We drove a lot, all day, rather. We went through Wisconsin and got to sample some cheese. It was odd. Kinda an eggy texture and very salty. Not sure if I would pay close to 6 dollars for a small bag, but it was kinda neat to try it!

We also went through Minnesota. Like Wisconsin, there was a lot of corn and farms. Really, they both reminded me of Indiana, except for one thing. It's not nearly as humid here, thank goodness! It's actually kinda nice!

I was able to get a picture of the Mississppii (never learned how to spell that) River. I may be able to upload it later. We ate dinner at a locally owned resteraunt. It wasn't very good. The meat in my spaghetti was processed and Dad said his fish was tasteless, and the mashed potatoes were instant! Oh well. It was clean and warm.

Tomorrow we're heading off to Mount Rushmore. I will try to take plenty of pictures!
Until tomorrow...

Lindsey

Day 1 - Heading out

July 18th, 2010 - Today I woke up at 6:45 AM. It was such a weird feeling to wake up in an empty room with no sunshine coming through the windows, but it matched my mood perfectly. Since we already packed the Uhaul the day before, there really wasn't much to do. Take a shower. Clean the house. Say goodbye. It was bittersweet leaving, but when I was on the road, there was no going back.



The ride to Indy was not all that great. I worked on some schoolwork, and did a little reading. We hit a bad storm when coming out of Indianapolis but we (thankfully) got out of it quickly. We got stuck in traffic for at least an hour, the GPS had us going around in circles, and we were pretty hungry. To add to the stress, we entered Chicago. It was very, very busy and there had to be hundreds of people and cars no matter where you turned. Despite this, the city was beautiful. You didn't see a lot of smog - the skies were blue and Lake Michigan sparkled at the edge. Yet, I learned I am, no doubt, a small town girl.

Out of Chicago, we grabbed a bite to eat and now we are at the hotel. I think I will be heading down to Wisconsin tomorrow.