On Friday it’s time for me to continue driving and Jeff gives me some good recommendations for the route of today. We say goodbye and I drive to a cheap gas station that I found on Google Maps. I’m really happy that gas prices have gone down again since last year, my record on this trip is now $3.40 for a gallon of gas, which comes down to about €0,80 per liter and that’s about half the price as back home. It surely makes it easier to drive thousands of miles here.
Travel
Coffee, books and tea in Denver
When Jen and Jeff go to work in the morning, I drive to the cozy neighborhood Littleton. It’s one of my favorite areas in Denver and there is a great coffee place called Dirt. Last year when I was here, I worked at this coffee place for a full day. I don’t plan to work the whole day here today, but stay for a few hours to work.
Colorado roadtrip
Last night I got a text from travel friend saying she might be in Aspen, Colorado. I look at the map and see that it’s a nice mountain town about three hours from here. Even though I’m not sure if she’ll be there today, I think it might be fun to check it out. First I hang out with Wes and Amy in the morning until Wes leaves for a golf game with friends and Amy gets to work. I pack my car again.
Turning around again
I wake up with a beautiful view of the mountains. As I drive out of the area this morning, something pulls me right back. It feels like a rocket wanting to take off, but being held back by gravity. By now I know best to follow that sense and so I drive back to Telluride. I park my car and walk along the river that runs along the town and go back to the coffee place. The baristas are laughing, because I keep saying that I’m leaving and keep coming back the next day. I’m getting a cappuccino with a blueberry scone and sit down on the terrace. I’m reading for a while and take some time to think.
Riding a steam train through the Rocky Mountains
I wake up two minutes before the alarm clock, at 4:58am. I love it when that happens. After a quick shower and putting my stuff in the car and say goodbye to my friend Ana. I hope it won’t be another five years before we meet again. The last two days were a lot of fun and it’s always a bit challenging for me to leave friends behind and continue traveling alone.
Hollywood hike and long drive
I wake up before the alarm clock around 3.15am. I slept well, even though it was a short night again. I freshen myself up and get dressed and pack a small backpack for the hike. I bring my camera’s as well, because I plan to take some beautiful pictures of the Los Angeles skyline from the mountain. With my headlamp on I start climbing the hiking trail. It’s very exciting to hike in the dark and I’m glad that I still have plenty of time before sunrise. Last year when I did this, it was a race against the clock and I actually had to run parts of the hike to be at the Hollywood sign before sunrise. Not this time. It’s still dark when I arrive at the first lookout point, wisdom tree.
The start of the road trip
Just as always when I travel to America, I wake up super early at 3am. I love that effect of the jet lag, making me even more a morning person than I normally am. I’m still feeling a bit tired though, so I keep laying down for a while, but I know I won’t fall asleep again so I get up for a shower and get dressed. The earliest breakfast restaurant opens at 6am, so I have some time on my hands. I use the opportunity to post yesterday’s story and pictures. Just like last year, I don’t think I’ll be posting on my blog every day, but I do enjoy writing again. One of the goals of this trip is to relax, so I’ll try not to be on the computer too much.
Go West My Friend
It’s raining outside. Of course it’s raining, it often does when I’m leaving for a long journey. In the quiet early morning I do a last laundry round, have a shower and breakfast and then I’m ready to go. Just like last year, Uber isn’t working and there is no driver showing up. This’ll be the last time I’ve tried that in the Netherlands. I walk through a drizzling rain with my heavy luggage to the train station, but fortunately about halfway there is a bus stop with a bus scheduled in a few minutes. With just a few minutes left I arrive nice on time at the station to catch the train.
Traveler’s doubt
When I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night, it’s the strongest: travelers doubt. At the moment that I just want the comfort of my bed, my mind comes up with questions. ‘Why are you doing it?’, ‘Why are you spending so much money on a roadtrip where you’ll be sleeping in your car?’ and ‘Why would you challenge yourself that way and getting uncomfortable if you could also easily stay home?’ When I’m half awake and just starting the day I don’t have answers on those questions. They usually come a bit later in the afternoon when I see a picture of the expansive nature or when I think of the people I meet during my journeys.
Have fun booking
“Have fun booking, because I already know what you’re gonna do anyway”, my sister says on the phone as we end our conversation. I talked with her for a moment, because I had the usual travel doubt. I love going on adventures, but the time before booking is often filled with a lot of thinking.