Into the Unknown

This is my last post for an unforeseeable amount of time. I could have access to the internet as early as tomorrow, or it might be a week or two... I really don't know. Tonight I am staying at the thoroughly pleasant La Loma del Chivo hostel in Marathon. I am in the "beehive" (which maintains its temperature very well, which is why I'm heating it up with a space heater right now, so I can sleep cozy all night!) and I feel as if the little space were made for me: from the simple, narrow bed, to the plain desk, to the beautiful writing that's painted on the window-filled walls. Not to mention its oblong shape. I love it: all simplicity, coziness, and inviting.

I spent the evening with Hans and Frances, a Dutch couple that is on a 6-month cycling tour across the U.S. We had great conversations from supper onward, and they truly are beautiful (and well-traveled!) people. They have cycled around South Africa, Morocco, Vietnam, and other places I'm sure! They complimented my few Dutch sentences, saying they liked my accent - and thought it almost Belgian-sounding. At least it's understandable.

In the morning there's fresh kefir and goat's milk in the fridge that they said I could share with them. Sounds delightful! I hadn't actually thought about breakfast, so it's good to know that there's something there. So to anyone traveling along, I highly recommend stopping here. It's free for cyclists and couchsurfers, and broke people. But they do have a donation jar in the main Hostel space. Lots of little living places to choose from, although there's only the one communal bathroom/laundry. Still, the staff is friendly and the rates are very reasonable.

All-in-all, I've enjoyed my journey thus far. My stay with Uncle Pete and Aunt Melinda was quite a blessing and I wish I could've had more time with them. Tomorrow, I will pack up my car one last time, and head into the park to start my latest adventure. Wish me luck!

~Jaclynn

Halfway? More or less.

I'm overnighting in Kansas City, Kansas with my friends Drew and Holly. It's always so much fun to stay with them, catch up, and generally laugh it up and have a good time. So far my trip has been fairly uneventful. The worst things that have happened to me while driving have been a triple-bird flip from an obnoxious car full of teenage boys, some minor windshield chinks from passing a semi, and a Check Engine light that wouldn't go away after I stalled my car in a Rest Area parking lot.

Chlöe, my Christmas cactus, is doing quite well so far on this travel. She hardly seems stressed at all! I think this bodes well. My car has been getting pretty good gas mileage on the highway, and this is encouraging for my life in general, since living in the middle of nowhere pretty much involves only highway driving.

The weather has been perfect - today it was actually too warm to wear my coat outside. With my layover day, I was able to get to a Trader Joe's and pick up some grocery essentials, as well as find an auto store that could check and turn off my Check Engine light. As I thought, it was related to my stall, and now that it's been turned off, it will hopefully not come on again.

I don't think we've got anything special planned for tonight, but whatever we do, I'm sure it will be fun. Tomorrow I'm driving to Arlington, TX, to stay with my great Uncle Pete and Aunt Melinda. I've been informed that she already has a menu picked out, so I'd better arrive in time for supper!

There's a good chance I won't be having internet for the next few days, or even the next week or so, because I probably won't be able to get it set up at my house right away. However, I will most likely have access to email at my workplace, so hopefully they'll give me a moment to check if anyone tries to get a hold of me. Once things get set up, I should be able to post pictures of my new home on here, as well as a mailing address, and the phone number ya'll will be able to reach me at.

Until then, please continue to pray for me: for safe travels, for restful sleep, and that God is preparing a place for me at my new job and a Christian community of some shape or form that will help encourage me in the weeks and months to come.

The Final Countdown

Busy, busy, brr.

Things are finally cooling off in Michigan and we've finally got some snow on the ground - just in time for me to leave.

I enjoyed my first (and hopefully not only) cross country skiing excursion when I was up at my sister's this weekend. With any luck, the snow down here will get deep enough to get at least one more skiing adventure in before I migrate again.

This past month I paid down my student loans below the $11,000 mark! Next will be the $10,000 mark, and I think I'll have to celebrate that one somehow since it seems like some sort of milestone. It will be nice to start making quadruple payments again once I start working. Of course, I'll be putting lots of my money towards other things this year, like rent, car insurance, and car payments. C'est la vie. But once more I will have the luxury of living in the middle of nowhere, which means almost no temptation for unnecessary purchases!

I've been pretty busy in my time at home. Aside from purging, I did a fair amount of crafting as well, from making a wedding present for my friend Kourtney, to knitting mason jar cozies for my sister and sister-in-law's presents, to lengthening the sleeves on a knitted sweater, to sewing a pajama shirt, to finishing my Botswana quilt, to knitting myself a new pair of mittens, to sewing a bag for my new (and beautifully woven) yoga mat, to knitting a shawl from yarn I wondered if I would ever get around to using. Things have been busy in the crafty side of my life, and it's been nice to get so many projects finished.

Now, of course, the main project facing me is packing for the next 6 to 10 months of my life, without taking too much or forgetting anything important. Oh, and I'd like to make some new hankies for myself. ;)

I leave on Sunday!