So I know it’s been awhile but I’m going for quality posts and not a large quantity of posts. Also, brainstorming consistent ideas to follow this theme for my blog is more difficult than I thought it would be. Also…most of my ideas come when I’m in the shower and I forget to write them down. Note to self: write down everything.

Like the title says, I went on a road trip! It feels like I left a month ago but I just got back a couple of days ago. Before I have panic-attack about school and forget to write this post, there are a couple (or a lot because this is Part 1, oops) of things I want to share about my trip. And I have pictures! Everyone loves pictures.

So as far as road trips go, I think this was pretty “spontaneous”. We had planted this idea about a month ago but the actual planning didn’t come until the week before. I had never planned a road trip in my life so naturally Google became my best friend those couple of days. Road trip tip: try and ask people you know who have been to the places you are planning to go to, it might be faster than shuffling through countless Google posts.

One of my “bucket-list destinations” was White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, NM. Inspired by Invisible Children‘s Spring 2010 Legacy tour video of “jumping first, and fearing later” that was set to the soundtrack of my life (“Cosmic Love” by Florence + The Machine)- I knew we had to stop there. And I have never seen anything like it. Where did this white sand come from? Why does it feel like I’m the only person on what feels like another planet? Why didn’t I bring a sled? Probably the #1 tip I’d give to you if you come here: bring a sled, cardboard box, something to slide in- it will be worth it…from what I saw from the smiling children anyways. Kids – 1; Me – 0.

So that’s our tent in the monument. You can camp inside if you hike to your camping spot. There are only 10 camping sites and on the usual, they fill up quickly. That day? None. We were the lone backcountry hikers that glorious day. Night 1- done. I’m betting that there was a mountain lion circling our tent at the top of the dune at night but that is something I’ll never know…except for the PAW PRINTS! It could easily be a dog too but I’m pretty sure it’s the mountain lion. We woke up early to drive to our next destination: Colorful Colorado**

**To be continued in Part 2!

A suggestion for camping food/road food: breakfast tacos. Make them ahead of time, wrap them in foil, put them in the freezer. On the road and you’re hungry? Take one out and let it defrost. They are good cold or you can throw them in your campfire to warm them up. Breakfast tacos are a beautiful thing.