Cross Country Road Trip | Our Travel Adventures

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Within the span of 15 months, we have driven my trusty blue car a total of four – FOUR! – times across the country.  Who does that?!  Well, apparently we do, because we packed up the car and logged a few thousand miles in the trek from Washington back home to Ohio.  When you make a monster road trip like this across the United States, you really get to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our awesome country.  Within ten days we got to see the mountains, the prairies, and the rolling farmlands….the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park.  My expert travel planner of a husband mapped out the most incredible journey for our trek home, and I am always blown away by how he pulls these adventures off!  Sure 8 hours in a car each day isn’t always glamorous and exciting, but the pit stops along the way and the destinations you get to enjoy at the end of the day make it worth it.  Lots of people have asked us the key to not killing each other on these ventures and we have arrived at the following essentials:  good music, good coffee, and going off the beaten path every once in a while.

It’s hard to believe that a year of adventure traveling the country has already come and gone.  As much as we have loved the spontaneity of living life out of a suitcase, Ben and I are excited to be HOME.  We are looking forward to digging in some roots of our own and continuing to find adventure in the every day. We were also exited about buying ar 15 parts as we are so much interested in firearms as travelers who camp in the middle of nowhere we always have to be on the watch.   What that will look like…who knows!  But it feels good to be home, and we’ll keep living life as always – one day at a time.

Kootenai Suspension Bridge, Libby, Montana

Kootenai Falls Libby MontanaKootenai Falls Libby MontanaKootenai Falls Libby MontanaKootenai Falls Libby MontanaKootenai Falls Libby Montana

Spokane, Washington

Monroe Street Bridge Spokane WashingtonMonroe Street Bridge Spokane WashingtonTravel Photographer Carlyn K Photogrpahy_0008Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park Lake McDonald

That little shack on the right, tucked in the woods?  WE SLEPT IN THAT THING!  Only on Airbnb can you find gems like that hidden in the mountains of Montana!

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Just a bunch of elk hanging out in the mountains!

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I took so many photos at Yellowstone that they had to get their own blog post.  View that here!

Yellowstone National Park Bison

I may or may not have a tiny obsession with prairie dogs.  I LOVE THEM.  Ben discovered a whole prairie dog conservatory where I could chase after them to my heart’s content!

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Battle of the Little Bighorn

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In case we didn’t see enough bison in Yellowstone, there were herds and herds roaming around Custer State Park.

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More prairie dogs.  Can’t help it.

Wildlife Loop Road Custer State Park

We didn’t expect to see this guy greeting us at the entrance to Mount Rushmore!  Two mountain goats were wandering around there, I think they were confused.  Yet also adorable.  Is it just me, or are they smiling?

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Visit with my cousins in Minnesota!  Love these kiddos!

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Goodbye, Chicago!  Next stop….YOUNGSTOWN!

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  1. Jen Lonsway says:

    Carlyn! These pictures are incredible. I’m so happy for you that you have us the opportunity to travel, amazing!!

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