20 things I've learned......

1)God blessed us on this trip. His hand was certainly present and no doubt helpful in our safety, health, and emotional wellbeing.

2)The Asian population keeps United States tourism alive in well….a special thanks to them.

3)I actually can handle Derek Sipe for more than 1 day at a time and would actually encourage anyone to spend a good amount of time with the kid.

4)JD packs his life with him wherever he goes- and thus is always prepared.

5)The radio can provide a sense of freshness on a long trip when you don’t know what song or station you are going to land on.

6)ANYTHING can be a bed.

7)People are generally friendly, helpful, and hospitable. (At least out west)

8)Driving through the night is the best use of your time

9)JD likes taking pictures of dead trees- don’t ask me why but he took like ten pictures of dead trees. Nothing like God’s creation at its darkest hour.

10) Three 20 something year old guys in a minivan for 3 weeks can manage not to stink up the van or kill each other.

11)Adventures are not nearly as good without great friends to share them with.

12)JD writes far better than I do but I can get the point across without nearly as many analogies and similes.

13)I now know how to read a map. It sounds strange but lets be honest, who reads a map when you have mapquest and GPS? We didn’t have either so we had to make due.

14)I am incredibly blessed to have the friends I do and the support I do back home. (JD, its been a good 4 years, have a good life. Hope you find a job someday)

15)Life is what you make it. We have to make the most of the opportunities we are given.
16)I know more than 4 people read this blog which is about the total I was shooting for so that’s a small victory.

17) Snack food can sustain a person for days

18)Hiking is as hard as you make it- trust me we lived on both ends of the spectrum

19)America the beautiful is an understatement- this country is incredible if you take the time to explore it.

20)Three weeks on the road with 2 other guys in a cramped minivan can be one of the best experiences of a person’s life.

COMING TO A BLOG NEAR YOU...

For you blog faithful out there I will be posting one last blog documenting Derek and I's trip home from Illinois and a recap of the highs, lows, and humors of the trip. Also, keep a lookout for the road kill, pull over, and license plate count.