BDAA - Things I learned along the way

• Everyone loves the Olympics
• Kansas is ugly
• East coast is gorgeous
• Rocky mountains are the best
• When driving thousands and thousands of miles, it is a good idea to check your oil every time you fill up
• I love seeing my friends, where they live and being in their homes
• I love being a part of family prayer
• Twilight is as bad as I thought it would be - even worse (we can still be friends - don't be offended)
• Steven King isn't much better
• The key to sleeping well in other people's beds is to drive 8+ hours every day
• There is a bus company named Peter Pan - huh?

• Traffic in the east sucks
• I probably shouldn't text and drive but I do
• There is hope for love
• America is beautiful
• West Virginia has mean mechanics who won't look under my hood
• Pennsylvania has nice mechanics who helped me right away
• Everyone is connected to the internet although not everyone has wireless and not everyone uses Firefox or Macs
  
• Hush puppies are yummy
• I can usually make friends with kids using my "give me 5" popping trick and if that doesn't work stickers will
  
• Paying tolls is lame - you have to do it all over the east coast
• I heart my beetle bug
• I can't buy t-shirts for Sam cause I just didn't have time - I did get him this one in Lexington, KY
  

• I didn't buy postcards for my nieces and nephews at every stop cause I didn't have time - in fact the last batch got postcards from Utah

• I need to go back to each stop and see more and stay longer
• I enjoyed hearing the accents from the various parts of the country
• I don't have an accent being from the moununs - you betcha
• There are lots and lots of kinds of roadkill including armadillo
• My dad will rescue me if I really need to be rescued
• Texas is hot and humid
• I really enjoyed learning about Abraham Lincoln and his wife's family, the Todds
• It is easy to adjust to different time zones when you are driving - not as easy to do when flying
• Ann Dee thinks I'm brave - but we all know that I'm a big baby when it comes to roller coasters
  
• I love my friends - If I told you that you were my favorite stop and I wanted to stay there longer, I meant it
• I love Utah
• I love my family

A lot of people have asked me if I'd do it again or what I would do differently.

Yes, I'd do it again but I wouldn't do it alone and I'd have fewer stops and stay longer than one night.

I did this trip by myself although I wasn't ever alone. I took some wrong turns and missed some exits but I never felt lost. I had lots of resources to get back on the right path - maps, GPS, telephone. I learned how important it was to stay focused and keep my eye on the road. You can make the analogy.

I am also glad I documented the whole experience on this blog and by videotape. I want to be able to remember as much of this adventure as I can in the future. Thanks for following along.

Here are some posts from a few of my hosts:
Linds
Erica
Ronni
Macy
Kenon