#hwiac

[hannahwritinginacar]

Why see the world, when you've got the feet?

Feeeeeettliiiiiiiiiiifeeeeeeee...

[hannahwritinginacar]

(Not actually) Coral Sand Dunes State Park, UT

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The Narrows with the dentists, Zion National Park, UT

[hannahwritinginacar]

Figure 8 Loop (Queens Garden, Navajo Loop, and Peek-a-boo Trail) 8 mi RT, Bryce Canyon, UT

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Green River Overlook, Canyonlands, UT

[hannahwritinginacar]

Hiking with my 17-year-old sister Pt. II at Yosemite National Park, CA

[hannahwritinginacar]

Celebrating America by seeing... America!!!

So as I begin this, Katelyn and I are discussing how difficult it is to begin journaling. But if nothing else, this trip is about accomplishing life goals. 

We're driving on Hwy 285, Santa Fe to The Great Sand Dunes National Park, and the temperature has dropped 15 degrees in the last 15 miles. 

So far, Katelyn and I have covered various important topics on the road, including:

our shared love of spicy things

our shared distaste for chocolate

the benefits and bummers of being oldest siblings

the awesomeness of having little sisters that double as best friends

holistic vs. detail-oriented teaching styles in collegiate education

how taking a class taught by Professor Stuart Reichler was one of the best decisions ever

the peculiar objectivity of describing a human being to an alien (and vice versa)

that if you were to take the movie Thirteen and mix it with The Jungle Book = Peru

the difference between engineers and the rest of us

the pervasiveness of the protestant work ethic (PWE) mentality on American youth - how much plastic is ruining the earth

and how power-ballad vocalists are preferred by people who like to sing.  

You know, the important stuff. 

Conversation rarely dies, but its frequently punctuated with phrases like "this is so freaking beautiful" and "I'm so happy we're doing this."

The scenery around us can only be described as utterly remarkable. As we drive through New Mexico, the window seat reveals all the 1960's era homes, faded neon signs, and rusty junkers that litter the 20 miles or so outside of each town we pass. But outside each industrial bubble is the most breath-taking scenery... AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED YET. 

Occasionally, as like now, we'll pass through vast expanses of farmland with skies dotted with blue-bottomed cumulous clouds that resemble Portuguese Man-o-Wars pulling along hazy purple rain shadows like lazy tentacles.

As we're pulling up to the park, driving steadily on one of many straight-aways we'll encounter here in the flatlands, we find ourselves surrounded by a ridge of mountains looming over the distant dunes. 

If I sound overly poetic, it's because that's exactly how I feel.

It's all I can do when I so badly want to transport you here with me, to this place and this feeling, as I witness the purple mountains majesty first hand. 

How better to celebrate America Day than by going out and seeing it, amirite?

This is about to get awesome. 

HP. 

[hannahwritinginacar]

I spent the summer collecting data.

Me, explaining the last month in an job interview.