Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and Boats) AKA I Don’t Get Out Much

Warning: This may be long, very long post.  I’m sorry in advance with few pictures because I’m probably one of five people in this world who does not have a camera in their cellphone.

I left Idaho Falls on May 19 for Norfolk, Virginia flying through Minneapolis and Detroit, when I was standing in Minneapolis Airport when it dawned on me, I don’t get out much. I’m a country bumpkin that obviously has not been off the farm as I stared in fascination at the Minneapolis/St. Paul skyline.  This was my first trip east of the Mississippi.  I’ve never seen the Atlantic Ocean, never been to our nation’s capital, never seen New York City.  I’m not an experienced air traveler.  I can count on one hand the number of times I had flown before this: 4.  Yes, and one of those times I was 3 months old so I doubt it counts.  I’m a road warrior up there with the best of them.  Long road trips I can plan, execute and still be standing afterwards.  I’ve driven to Alaska and back, California, Arizona, Canada, I do them all again in an heartbeat if I could afford the gas bill.  But, all in all, I’ve pretty much stayed in my neck of the woods.

Air travel doesn’t really seem like traveling to me; you get on a narrow airplane, an abrupt lurch and before you have a chance to get your stomach settled down, you are in the next big city that is several states away from where you started.  You don’t get the fun of watching the scenario gradually changing, finding your way through countryside, small town America, big cities, and even have a few misadventures along the way.  You may not get there right away but you have a chance to adjust yourself as you go along.

Minnesota, I think your count of 10,000 lakes is at least a factor of 10 too low.  I lost count at 115 near Minneapolis alone. Flying from Minneapolis to Detroit was my first view of the Great Lakes.  What do you guys do with this much water laying around?  Coming from a state where every drop of water is fought over and we are always one rainstorm from a drought, this much water was mindboggling.  I’m use to lots of water, being originally from western Washington, but generally in the steep Cascade Mountains there is not many places for water to sit around.  

Virginia was beautiful but something was wrong I kept thinking to myself as I got off the plane.  It took me a moment to realize what it was: Southeast Virginia has no mountains!  None, almost flat as can be!  I’m use to mountains in at least 3 directions.  Also, your guys obsession with putting tunnels under major bodies of water is flat out scary.  The thought of being 200+ feet under sea level was enough to give me a panic attack if I was not driving in said tunnel under major body of water.

I went to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens one evening to explore. I love Japanese Gardens and try to find them wherever I go:

Compared to my Idaho, where winter was still beating the daylights out of spring, Virginia was lush and green…and my heavens you guys can grow stuff down there!    Wisteria is an annual plant or houseplant in Idaho.  In Virginia, it is a weed.  I’ll trade you guys my tumbleweeds and sagebrush for your wisteria and rose bushes.

Another evening since I was all ready close to Yorktown, Virginia, I sent out exploring yarn shops in the area.  I found Coordinated Colors Yarn Shoppe.  There was much damage to the credit card so bad I’m sure they are still talking about the yarn raid there.  (You can’t see all the yarn in the picture since I strategically stacked the yarn to do damage control.)

From Coordinated Colors, it was on to Ewe Knits and Kits where I got to join the ladies for Knit Night.  It was a blast to have a chance to knit with knitters from across the country.  We share the same passion for knitting and it connects us across the country.  Even though Virginia was foreign and new to me, I had something in common with them; knitting.

Thursday, Alaska.