The point of no return

Current location: Coeur D' Alane, Idaho.
The drive here from Seattle, WA was so pretty, a bit boring for awhile there, but very pretty. I went over the Snoqualmie Pass which was equally as pretty, there was snow on the sides and on the mountains but the roads were perfectly clear. They reminded me of The Table Rocks in the Rogue Valley, one of them is steeper and faster and the other one is longer but flatter. The Snoqualmie Pass was the flatter version, and more sprad out than the passes I'm used to, so that made it a pleasantly nice, not as scary experience for me :)

I think one of the most memorable things on this leg of the trip was the wind power generator windmills....I know, sounds lame but they fascinated me so much! I even stopped on the side of the freeway to look at them and take a picture!

(Don't ask me why I was so intrigued by these things, as I'm not quite sure myself, but - I do know that I like how big and productive they are, it was the COOLEST sight to see them on the hillsides just standing there, doin' their job, lookin' cool.)

So on the way from Portland to Seattle, I made a discovery. I left my MP3 player at my parents!! oh, the sadness. thats almost as bad as leaving my camera....music and camera: two most important things for a road trip. So, my mom is sending it to Colorado, thank God for resources like that!

I had a little time to think, during the not-so-eventful area today, and it hit me, I think it specifically happened in Spokane, WA. "

I have reached the point of no return" I'm out here, it's too late to turn back."

and let me tell you, that's a weird feeling, knowing that you're really that far involved in something that you just have to face it, do it, gung ho, all the way...and face your fears the whole time. I have had many fears so far on my journey, including being alone, eating alone, driving in the rain/snow, wondering what will happen after this trip...but, I just get strong and do it.

"there's no turning back"

and it feels good. knowing I am facing a new fear every day and conquering it, all on my own, getting stronger.

I have never felt more free, than I have on this trip. I knew that this trip was about self discovery and independance but I didn't really know, until I got out here. I'm learning so much about myself, and the world I live in...This is something that I can already tell will be something I will talk about and refer to for years and years to come, probably my whole life.

I hate that people can't see exactly what I'm seeing while on the road, I see so many cool things that a camera wouldn't be able to capture, like the rolling/flat, green/slightly brown hills in between Seattle and Coeur D' Alane, the farms, the random waterfalls on the sides of the cliffs, the lakes and rivers I pass by so quickly, the 3 planes I saw flying in a close line, circling the valley, or all the other planes I saw in the air, flying low to the ground while in that area (it was so bizarre it actually caused me to think out loud, "what does it MEAN??"

...but, I guess some things will just have to stay memories :)

So for the rest of the night tonight I plan on relaxing, reading a little, having a toast to myself and this trip with a little sparkling wine (that I will drink out of the glass champagne glass that I brought specifically for celebration toasts), treating myself to a cupcake  and dreaming about tomorrows adventures. oh, what awaits me!

I will leave here around noon and head to Yellowstone National Park!

Goodnight!