Back on the road, back on the blog

Hi everyone,

Wow, it has been a LONG time since I last wrote on the blog. Life got kinda crazy with the last few months of school and I fell out of the habit. However, I am back on the road and there’s nothing like a road trip and new adventures to get me writing again. I’ve started thinking about what motivates me to write and create art and I think that they have different catalysts. What exactly those are, I’m still not sure.

Here’s where I am right now: It’s 9:30am in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and I’m sipping my double Americano at The Summit Coffee House. There’s a local bookstore across the street and I’m hoping it opens up soon so I can grab a copy of the Sunday NYT. I guess that’s one of my luxuries and I think if I keep it to just the Sunday Times, it’s something I can afford each week.

I’m a bit disoriented from the time changes and altitude. I’ve driven over 1,600 miles in the past two days and crossed two time zones. It’s around 5,750 ft here, compared to 879 ft in Ann Arbor and I peaked yesterday at the Loveland Pass, 11,995 ft, which is also the Continental Divide. If I were a drop of water, I’d now be flowing towards the Pacific Ocean. Eventually.

I feel like an example in Nick Tobier’s class about perceptions of time and distance. Isn’t it strange to think that we can travel a mile in under a minute while driving? And that the fastest mile I ever ran was 5:19. And that 65 mph seems slow when everyone else is driving 75. And that 65 in the curvy mountains feels fast compared to 65 on the open desert interstate. These are the crazy thoughts that go through one’s head when driving long long hours on the road.

This is the fourth cross country road trip I’ve taken, the third one by myself and I’d like to think that I’m somewhat seasoned at this type of travel.

Today’s going to be fun. I’m only three hours away from today’s destination, Moab, where I’ll be staying with my former NOCA supervisor, Nancy Holman and meeting up with another friend. I won’t be leaving until Wednesday so I’m looking forward to exploring the area (Canyonlands and Arches National Park). En route to Moab, I’ll be stopping at Colorado National Monument to take a hike and/or do some drawings. Still, I can feel myself getting antsy and wanting to continue westward to my final destination. I have to keep reminding myself to slow down, take a vacation because 1. Once I get there, I probably won’t be returning to this area for awhile and 2. I have spent the last year living inside my studio and it is time to finally reward myself and get OUTSIDE.

I think that’s it for now!