Lady Travels across America ~ From Sea to Shining Sea

November in Florida
Florida Keys

Though I have seen the oceans and mountains,

though I have read great books and seen great works of art...

there is nothing greater or more beautiful than those people I love

I'm taking an 'intermission' from blogging about our 

6,000-mile California Journey

to write about the most important part of our trip.

Sixteen states.

Six thousand miles,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific,

Two months of the mountains of Tennessee, Colorado.

The Kentucky lakes,

The plains of Kansas.

The deserts of

Utah, Nevada

and parts of California.

The blue Pacific in southern California.

Each state breathtaking and

gloriously majestic,

unique in their own way.

With that said,

the most rewarding part of our journey

was sixteen states filled with beautiful people

from all walks of life.

Retired professors, doctors,

firemen, policemen,

truck drivers, electricians,

military men and women of all ranks,

from privates to generals.

black, white, hispanic, asian.

We chatted about our families,

our travels, our future,

and our country's future.

Without fail, with no one knowing one another's political background,

everyone agreed that our country needs change, 

someone who will bring jobs back to the USA, 

who will protect us against our enemies, against terrorists,

on and on. 

We have a country full of people who know what they are talking about,

not just rattling on about what the news media tells them,

but citizens who have done their research, their homework.

Morning walk with Popcorn in the Florida Keys

We arrived in the Florida Keys on November 6th,

and we heard the same words from these 

great people from different backgrounds.

My new Florida Keys friends

One week ago, November 8th, we had an election

and the majority voted for president-elect Donald Trump.

Now it is our duty to pray and hope that he will be the best choice for our country.

We need to come together with respect and kindness for each other,
to work together,

whether we agree or not.

That is our privilege in this country.

May the Lord make your love for one another

and for all people grow and overflow,

just as our love for you overflows.

I Thessalonians 3:12

I wish you oceans of great days ahead!

www.sharonleaf.com

Lady travels across America, one state at a time, Part 5

Lady Traveler in Surf City

Huntington Beach ... Surf City ... Sunny Southern California

Life is what we are alive to.

It is not length but breadth ...

be alive to ... 

goodness, kindness, purity, love,

history, poetry, music, flowers, stars, 

God, and eternal hope.

I'm sitting outside our motor home, Moon River,

in a lovely RV campground,

listening to the birds ...

No.

Listening to the thunder of traffic off of the I-35W

at the I-35 RV campground in Waco, Texas.

We've been in many RV campgrounds on this journey,

but this is the loudest, due to the constant roar of the nearby traffic.

I don't mind sound at all.

Nearby trains and their horns blowing at traffic crossings is soothing to my soul.
Laughter of children and their parents makes me smile.

But this campground takes the gold star for traffic noise.

Otherwise, its a nice place. So I shall stop complaining.

Now I must go back a few days,

or has it been a few weeks?

I've lost track of time.

We're on Day 59 of our journey,

but let me go back to Day 36.

We left Hurricane and Zion, Utah

and stayed the first night out at the Walmart Casino in Mesquite Nevada.

 Day 37 and 38 we stayed in Hesperia, CA

at Desert Willow RV. Clean. Lovely pool. Sun. Yum.

We had Mexican brunch on Sunday with my niece, Christy, and hubby Todd.

My high school buddies. Lunch and Laughter. Friends Forever.
Teresa (Prissy), Barbara Jo, Me, and Marilyn in Huntington Beach CA

Day 39: we arrived in Surf City!

I'm a beach bum again! 

RV-ing right on the parking lot next to the HB pier.

The days that followed were filled with

sunshine, silliness, eating at Simmzy's in Pacific City

overlooking the blue Pacific.

Friends galore. 

I'm so blessed to have them all in my life.

Rob agrees.

Just a sample.

Food galore.

Rob totally agrees!

Happy to be at our old stomping grounds.

The Sugar Shack.  Ruby's on the pier. Avilla's on Main.

Chronic Tacos. Surf Taco.

Salty air. Afternoon breezes. Friendly faces.

But ten days later, 

it was time to hit the road.

Good-bye Surf City.

See you next time. Friends. Family.

Morning coffee. Now it's time to hit the road.

Next blog:
Arizona, New Mexico, Texas.

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father,
who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

www.sharonleaf.com

Lady travels across America one state at at time, Part 4

Lady Traveler's Book Shop on Wheels

The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality,
and instead of thinking how things may be,
to see them as they are.


I'm back.
Finally.
I find it hard to write while traveling.
There is so much to take in.
By nightfall, when we settle in for the night,
I'm quite tired.
All I want to do is shower
and climb into my comfy queen bed
with Robinski and Popcorn.

We were happy to arrive in Hurricane, the foot of Zion.
For many reasons.
To visit my brother, John, and his wife Ger.
To meet up with the ACA Rally at the Zion Resort in Virgin.
And to find out what is wrong with our air conditioner #1.

Main Street Cafe, Hurricane, Utah
the best little cafe in town!

One of my first stops for breakfast is the Main Street Cafe,

the place where I used to come when I visited my Daddy 

when he was in the local assisted living home.

Outdoor breakfast on a sunny morning with brother John and sis Ger

Family morning breakfast

Brother John, me, Rob, Xyla, and son Jason

Although I've been here many times,

Zion's majestic beauty still captivates me.

Always will.

His mercies are new every morning.

Hiking trails.  Waterfalls.  Rock climbing.  Biking.

Cute shops.  Delicious cuisine.

 Zion has it all.

My next blog will take you to our west coast destination:

Huntington Beach, California

Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.
John 20:29

sharonleaf.com

Lady travels across America one state at a time Part 3

Happy!
Canyonlands, Moab Utah

For those of you who follow my Facebook page,
you get a day-by-day peek
at our journey across America,
one state at a time.
More details and more pictures.
Otherwise, you have to settle for my
quickie blogs, so here goes.

We're so happy to be in Utah.

this is our first time to visit Moab, Utah

and we're so glad we did.

Millions of years of history can be seen here.

Our first day was spent in Canyonlands.

Canyonlands in Moab Utah

Beauty beyond words.

Dead Horse Point

Dead Horse Point

Colorado River 2,000 feet below

Dead Horst Point

Colorado River

This is my favorite place in Moab.

I could have stayed most of the day.

Yes, we did eat.

Rob got his first Mexican dinner, 

but not his last I'm sure.

Fiesta Mexicana, Moab Utah

And we ate healthy too!

Peace Tree Health Food Cafe

Moab Utah

I highly recommend both restaurants, 

plus many more that the town of Moab offers.

We ate el fresca at all of these restaurants.

Eddie McStiff's

Pyro and pizza.

Moon over Moab

Too many pictures to post.
When you travel,
remember to cherish each moment,
and when 'hiccups' come along
(like an air conditioner going kaput)
you take a deep breath, pray,
and know that everything will be okay.

Next blog:
Zion, Utah!

Happy trails to you
until we meet again.

Lady travels across America, one state at a time. Part 2

KOA Route 66, Springfield, MO
with son Shawn, Bass Pro Photographer

Go forth seeking adventure.

Open your eyes, your ears,

your mind, your heart,

your spirit,

and you'll find adventure everywhere.

Day 1: Rob and I pulled out of our driveway

on Saturday, August 27th.

Today is ... lets see ...

...what day is it?

You see, when you travel,

you have a habit of losing track of time.

Which is kind of nice,

as long as you remember to pay the bills on time.

I write this on Friday, September 16th,

Day 22 of our journey from

South Carolina to

Southern California.

Oh, the beautiful sights we have seen

along the way.

From the hills of Tennessee,

to the plains of Kansas...

Farewell Kansas. I love your simple beauty.
Thank you for giving us corn and other fine products.
Besides Dorothy and Toto, I don't know anyone else who lives in Kansas.

...to the Rockie Mountains of Colorado.

It's almost too much for the human senses to handle

in such a short time.

But I'm doing my best.

My new friend in Aspen CO

Many ask me,

How is life on the road?

I answer,

It is so freeing!

Less clothing, less kitchen ware,

less everything.

And I haven't missed anything, yet.

The Summit in the Rockies, CO

There are challenges, 

similar to those at home.

For example,

our front air conditioner went kaput

right after we departed

Springfield, Missouri.

I had my first experience with ANTS

in Colorado, of all places.

(a few traveled with us to Utah

but they are slowly dwindling)

But I choose not to complain.

After all, I remember when we traveled for a month through Siberia in 1992

on the former Youth Communist Propaganda train

with no air conditioning, and we fought man-eating mosquitos.

And what about when we volunteered on the 

WW2 ship Restoration for 14 months in 1994-95

and traveled the seven seas and a few oceans 

without air conditioning and fought varments from rats to bugs of all species.

So how can I complain?

The Summit, Colorado
September 2016

The weather has been almost perfect.

We had a few hours of rain upon entering Springfield, Missouri

so we took the wrong turnoff due to the downpour and to my 

iPhone's wrong directions.

It took us 45 minutes to finally find the KOA that

was only 12 minutes away!

What stresses me the most?

When my iPhone and our RV GPS

gives us different directions and we must

decide quickly which direction to take.

Rob: "Should I turn?"

Me:  "I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

Ugh!

And so it goes.

We laugh later, but it's quite stressful when its pouring and

you're not familiar with the area.

Here are a few photos of our journey thus far.

Gorgeous scenery. Delicious food,

Good sleep.  Meeting new friends.
Next state, next blog: UTAH!

"Rocky Mountain HIGH, Colorado!"
John Denver Sanctuary

I stumbled upon an artist colony in Redstone, a
small town north of Glenwood Springs,
not too far from Aspen.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:2