There is Life After Hollywood...

Hey Everybody (if you haven't stopped reading this yet...)!

Caulherflower & Dandylion do still exist and not in Hollywood either. We may have gotten a little burned out with the traveling and the blogging, but thank you so much for following us on our journey, as intermittent as it may have been for you. :)

We spent a day at Yosemite and managed to only see a fraction of it...the sequoias, the half-dome. This could be an entire post in and of itself. All we can say is that big trees can really change your life. And look for the people in pictures! They are the specks at the bottom!

After California, the trip went really fast as we had to be back to New York by the beginning of February, so we'll just sum it up and throw some pictures at you. Highway 1 may be the only words necessary to do that. This highway takes you all the way up (or down) the west coast, so you can peek at gargantuan white waves crashing against enormous boulders between the openings in the redwood forest that envelops your car on every side. Absolutely gorgeous, it is a trip in and of itself. Of all the things people tell you that "you should do," this one was really valid.

We also stopped in a little hippie town leftover from the sixties, called Arcata. Sure enough, there were the old hippies lighting up in the sanctuary of the redwood trees. Then further up Highway 1 to Seattle, where we stayed with Kendra's cousin, Iris Chamberlain. That was great because Iris was great and Seattle is a very unique city. All the skyscrapers are confined to a small area near the Space Needle (yes, we watched Sleepless in Seattle) and the area is very driveable. Pike Place Market was the highlight though! A maze of small eclectic shops, fish throwers, street musicians, restaurants and fresh fruits and veggies, we went two days in a row and remained lost for hours. And even though we have spent practically zero dollars on anything (except the San Diego Zoo), we did manage to spend $12 on pastries. But, ooohhh, so good!

Following Seattle, we had our longest drive on the trip - 13 hours to Salt Lake City, Utah. (Yes, the Mormons really do run the place.) Surrounding the city, the mountains are absolutely breathtaking on every side. We went to a place there called One World Cafe, where all the food is organic and you choose your portions and what you want to pay for them. Or you can work it off in the kitchen! Their mission is to end world hunger because it just isn't necessary. Simple, huh? But it was great. If you google them, their website can tell you more.

Then we basically drove straight home through the mid west. We sort of rested and debriefed for a few days at a resort in Colorado (thanks again to Wanda). The day came to leave and we kept looking at one another, feeling so not ready to leave our gorgeous room, our real kitchen (no offense to the campstove), the big bed, the hot tub....you get the idea. Call the trip a vacation if you want, but all those new experiences wear you out. But we left because we had to. Tear. Tear. But we weren't even on the road ten minutes when we got a phone call from Lianne Turck, offering us a hotel room for the way home.....!!!! The timing was impeccable. We took it that night! That was so amazing - thanks so much Kurt & Lianne!

We also stopped in Kansas City for a day at IHOP. That was phenomenal as well. From there, it was pretty much straight home. Our worst weather was on Tug Hill our last day....ahhh, good to be back in Lewis County!

So 12,000 miles later and $1,500 poorer for gas expenses, we have come full circle (with "plans" to go global!). Stay tuned and send financial support to.....just kidding :). Thank you all so much for coming with us. Hopefully, you are left a little inspired and the world seems as accessible to you as we found it to be for us. Maybe next time, we will be going with you on your journey.

Who knows?