Roadie Day 1: I Spy Something Flat

The good news?

I cranked through 10 hours, 590 miles, 2 states, and 23 gallons of gas as I made my way to western South Dakota today!

The bad news?

I still have 2,347,864 miles to go...

Okay not quite, but 1,200 miles still separates me from Tacoma, WA.

So...

Instead of thinking about that, how about a recap of how I got here?!

Background:

About a year and a half ago I was reading through Donald Miller's book "Through Painted Deserts", which recounted the story of how he, as a young man, decided God had bigger plans for him, but it involved taking a road trip in pursuit of a fresh start from Houston, TX to Portland, OR. It's beautifully written (I dare anyone to finish it and not want to take a road trip of their own), and reading it was basically the most important thing I've done in the past 2 years.

Why do I say that?

2 reasons:

At the time I was reading the book, I was in my second year living at home after graduating college, working at a job that didn't relate to anything I studied, and basically questioning pretty much everything about God and His plans for me. Then came this book, and this specific quote:

"And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you about learning to love a woman or a man, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it? 

It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out. 

I want to repeat one word for you: 
Leave. 

Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn't it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don't worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed." 

6 months later, I was in a car to Delaware about to start the most influential year of my life.

The second reason?

The first time anyone asked me "so what are you going to do after this year?" my mind instantly went to Through Painted Deserts, and how amazing Donald made the west coast and the city of Portland sound. So my gut reaction every time was "uhhh I don't, probably move to Portland!" Well when you have a temporary job, you get asked that question alot, and the more I said Portland, the more I started to believe that's what I actually wanted to do. By the time I actually started applying for AmeriCorps positions, I was basically searching within a 200 mile radius of Portland.

Within a week, I had an offer to drive 3,000 miles to Tacoma, WA to work for Habitat.

God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? 

Now, at this point you've probably realized I'm incapable of writting short blog posts, but stay with me as we fast forward to the present day.

After making my way back from Delaware and spending a much-needed week and a half in Wisconsin with friends and family (and a slight detour to Minneapolis to visit my amazing friends Chuck, Renee, Rob, and Liz) I found myself with a packed car, full tank of gas, and the open road calling.

Here's a few highlights...

Morning:


Knowing that my day was going to consist of 600 miles of Minnesota / South Dakota highways, I was expecting the worst...and flattest...and boring(est)...trip imaginable. Couldn't have been more wrong. The first few hours as I made my way southwest out of Minneapolis were some of the most beautiful hours I've ever spent in a car. Rolling hills, winding roads, and trees about to peak with their fall colors were more than enough to keep my spirits up as I watched towns whose names I'll never know roll past outside my window.

Afternoon:

As I crept closer to South Dakota, the land began to flatten out, the towns got further apart (and much smaller), and the songs shuffling on my ipod started blending into one giant experiment in hipster music. It was time for a pit stop. I pulled off the highway into a gas station in Reliance, SD, and quickly realized 2 things: That it was suddenly 94 degrees, and that my car is a death trap for bugs...

I've re-named it "the Flyswatter"

Ran in for a quick bathroom break and cold beverage, and couldn't help but smile when I saw 5 or 6 old-timers sitting around a table shooting the breeze, with accents that would put residents of Fargo to shame. My favorite part of any road trip is the chance to explore parts of the country I've never seen before, and I always seem to find myself drawn to Nowhere, America, and guys like those at the gas station. America is still a farming country at its core, and these small towns, kind people, and honest conversations are the best part of what makes America an awesome place to live and discover.

Evening:

I compare driving in South Dakota to driving on the moon. It's very flat, there's no trees, you can see for miles in every direction, and most often you're the only person in sight.

Well, it would look like the moon if not for the several thousand billboards along the road telling me that Wall Drug has 5 cent coffee. I've heard Wall Drug is a can't miss for any traveler going through, and had fully planned on stopping today, that is, until I got my first glimpse of the Badlands National Park from the highway. What started out as me telling myself "I'm just going to drive through", turned into a 2 hour stop-and-go trip through one of the most beautiful places I've never seen. Not to beat a dead horse (named "cliche"), but these pictures simply do not do it justice...

it looked like this at every stop for 40 miles

The best way I can figure to describe it is something like a mini Grand Canyon, except you can drive through it, and the Colorado River is replaced with cattle herds and dude ranches.

I couldn't have driven through at a better time. The sun was setting, the temperature had dropped, and a cooling breeze was whispering it's way through the formations jutting from the ground. My windows were down, sunglasses on, and The Avett Brothers were providing the perfect soundtrack as the sun set over the hills in the distance. My camera couldn't take pictures fast enough.

God's voice is never louder in my ear than when I'm out in nature, and with views like this, it's like He was practically shouting. And not to mention showing off. What a blessing it is to be able to experience a day like today. 

I wasn't the only one enjoying the sunset

Wall Drug was long closed by the time I got to it (don't worry, I'll be doing a little backtrack bright and early tomorrow to check it out) but it was well worth it. 

Well, that about does it.

Day 1 is in the books, and as I sit here at my hotel in Rapid City, SD, I can't help but look forward to the adventures to come tomorrow and beyond. Keep checking back for more updates and photos as I go! And last, though absolutely anything but least, my thanks go out to everyone for the love and support I've received over the past few weeks. I was able to raise well beyond my goal of $600 because of your generosity, and I couldn't be more thankful. I am humbled to know that so many people are praying for and thinking about me, and I promise to make your support worthwhile. 

God is good. Alex is tired.

Goodnight everyone.