Driving across the country is an awesome experience, albeit strenuous. Actually sitting and wrestling the RV for hours on end can be incredibly tiring and almost headache-inducing.

However, if you power through and settle into the drive, you get to see some really great sites. It's fascinating to watch the miles tick on by. First you're 300 miles from your destination and then suddenly, there you are! It seems like forever and instantaneous all at the same time.

Mostly pictures in this post, interspersed with some notes from the road...

One of the first pics on the trip!

 A lot of our driving happened at night. With Alexis trailing us, we made sure to try and keep a steady pace. The poor girl had to deal with our inability to exceed 40-50 mph on many of the mountainous inclines.

Dirty windshield, pretty sunset

 We ate at a LOT of truck stop food. Usually about 2 meals a day with snacks in between. Driving and not physically moving around a lot meant that we weren't awfully hungry during the bulk of the trip but little things like beef jerky, pretzels and cookies/brownies made by Alleigh's mom sustained us!

The wind was certainly sweepin' down the plain!

Texas! Whole lotta nuthin'

Yup, Texas....

 Once we hit the Southwest, the sun came shearing through the sky. Suddenly, 40 degree weather was tempered by a beaming light that warmed us up from the inside. The kitties even noticed it immediately, coming out to lay in the sun on the dashboard even as we were traveling!

Oatmeal enjoying the newfound sun

Winter across the country comes in many forms. As we would change elevation, we would see little bits of snow flecking the mountains or hills we were driving through. Then we would descend towards a lower elevation and watch as strong winds and warmer weather melted the snow and turned it into rain.

Snow in the mountains!

 Overall, even though it was incredibly grueling, the gradually changing scenery, the good company and the improving weather helped us greet each day with a newfound excitement. It's refreshing to do something like this from time to time. It reminds about the impermanence and changing nature of the world. While something may be one way in one place, it is a very different way in another place.

It's a great exercise in broadening one's scope and perspective. To see the world as the ever-changing, always-adapting and ever-new place that it is.

Another day, another sunset