50th Post! OR One Year Later (Please Don't Do the Math)

I went to write a post about visiting Turkey Run State Park. But then realized that I'm on the big 5-0 of posts. So I moved that post to next week, and decided to do a bit of a retrospective. Because sometimes perspective is a good thing.

Back in June of 2012, my wife and I sold a bunch of our ungainly things, shipped a lot of smaller things (mostly books), and jammed the rest of our stuff in our car. Then we said goodbye to our old street in Montrose, CA...

Goodbye, Trader Joe's at the end of the street!
I'll miss you most of all!

...and hit the road for Indiana.

Including the long, straight, empty road across Nevada.

Since our two cats were in the backseat (and, it should be noted, freaking out the whole time), we decided to take the trip a little slower and stop several times along the way.

This picture features our packed car (complete with cats),
and the only gas station/anything within 80 miles of the Nevada/Utah border. Seriously

So, we thought, why not take pictures? And what if I put them up on a blog? It would sure beat the hell out of showing everyone a boring slideshow of our road trip.

Our trip took us across Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, and into Indiana. Some roads were more exciting...

The canyons of Utah certainly made for colorful driving.

...while others were "very, very relaxing."

By which I mean, "boring."

At this point, we had vague ideas about me doing a blog. Possibly as a way to keep in touch with those still living in California. Possibly as a place to practice writing. Or, most likely, as a way to spread the random things I tend to see around me. Whether they were picturesque...

Scenic old town Glenwood Springs, Colorado

...or bizarre.

Also Glenwood Springs.
Because who DOESN'T need a random Bavarian restaurant?!?

Then we arrived in Anderson, Indiana, where we still live to this day.

Home of Strange Prehistoric Mounds

Not gonna lie: I wondered how I'd still find things fascinating enough to write about. After all, it's not like I'm constantly driving cross-country. I kind of expected the blog to slowly die away as I got too busy.

But it didn't. Quite the opposite. The blog's regular schedule forced me to constantly keep exploring the world around me. (Don't do the math on my 50 posts and "weekly" schedule. It just makes me look bad.) We officially arrived in Indiana in early July 2012. We've now been here slightly over a year. In that time, I've explored a great deal of my new nearby metropolis...

Turns out Indianapolis is an actually real city with actual neat things to do.
Who knew?!?

...I've re-visted old haunts...

Including landmarks that I totally didn't climb multiple times.
That would have been stupid, and unlike everyone else, I didn't do anything stupid in college.

...and I've explored my new state.

Which, yes, does include tractors in parades.

But you know what? I've learned a lot, and seen a lot of neat places.

And read many informative plaques.

They're just so damn informative! Informative, I say!

In retrospect, this blog has been one of the greatest decisions I've made. And it was almost totally made on a whim.

So for those who have been following the blog this whole time, I hope you've had as much fun as I've had. You all have a standing invitation to join me for coffee.

After all, I know quite a few good coffee shops.
And I'm finding more all the time.

But enough of this think. It's time to get back out there and find more fascinating things.

Possibly involving dinosaurs.

So stay fascinated, people! I know I certainly will.