Road Trip Day 1

For those of you who don't know yet, I'm driving to North Carolina! Wahoo! I have a summer internship and I need to get there somehow. My method is through an automobile. #throwback

First I needed gas. And thanks to my friend Mackenzie and the gas card she gifted me it didn't cost me anything!

And here's when I legitimately started crying thinking, "this is the last time I'll drive on White Bear Avenue before leaving!"

Obviously I wasn't really crying about the driving. It was more about leaving what was familiar and heading into the unknown and blah blah blah.

My last day in Minnesota meant goodbye to The Alley for the summer so I attended church one last time. Right after a Taco Bell visit with Jami. One last pre-church breakfast Crunchwrap (Bacon, if you want to know).

And because I put things off I had to go to my friend Esther's house so her mom could check my TB test and confirm it was negative. Which I suspected given that I've never had TB and wasn't showing any of the symptoms. Her mom had made lunch so I enjoyed my first ever popover!

As my friend Hannah would hashtag #homemadeisbestmade.

There was nothing to do after that visit except head out on my journey! Driving over the St. Croix River I said goodbye to Minnesota.

Somewhere along the drive I passed this beautiful scene. #Murica

I drove almost straight to Madison. I stopped a little bit before to try and stretch my legs in a state park, but it would have cost $10 so I got back on the highway.

My friend Brynn called me when I was a half hour outside of Madison! For those of you who don't know, Brynn attended UW- Madison so it's like, cool that she called when she did, okay?

I stopped at one of my favorite bookstores to compare and contrast with the one I'm used to in Minnesota.

I started driving past some really beautiful farm land. I found it so pretty, especially around sunset.

And then. I finally made it. On some fairly small country road I pulled over to snap a picture.

I spent the night with a friend from Youth Encounter. It was so nice to catch up on each other's lives. And she said she'd be okay if I stop by on my way back to Minnesota at the end of the summer.

I genuinely enjoy staying in people's homes. For now I kind of enjoy driving by myself. I can listen to what I want and stop wherever I want to. Sing along to Taylor Swift, or drive in silence talking to myself. But I think I would be really lonely if I had to stay in a hotel by myself. For me, after a long day's drive, I loved staying up chatting with a friend.