The Trip – Part 3 – Touring for Inspiration

A friend of ours moved from Washington to Maine and couldn’t take all of her stuff. We’d been storing it. Part of this trip was to take her stuff to her.

We have a new grandchild in Maine, and so we decided to make the drive. Along the way, we’d see friends as we could, see my husband’s niece and nephew, see one of my nieces and two of my brothers.

My husband also wanted me to see Prince Edward Island, something that he knows has been on my bucket list. Or my “Things I wouldn’t hate to do” list as my friend calls it.

He also put Niagara Falls and Mount Rushmore on the list.

My niece had just moved to almost next door to the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum. That had to be on the list!

And so, we drove.

My husband and I both work long hours. We haven’t had an extended time together in… too long. We spent 2 weeks driving across the country. Exploring. Talking. Enjoying being together.

I admit, I’d been a little worried we’d tire of each other. We didn’t. Coming home was hard, because we’re both back to our usual schedules, working long hours, snatching moments together when we’re usually too tired to remember our own names.

It was good to be reminded… I love this man and he loves me.

When we could, we choose back roads. The amount of wilderness that still exists in this country amazed me. After watching huge spaces in our area filled with tract housing, it was refreshing to see so much open space. Driving around the outskirts of cities, we saw beautiful country in every state we passed through.

We also heard stories over and over of city folk moving to the country and trying to change the culture. Those were hard to hear. Some areas are losing the battle. Others are winning. Anyone who spends much time around me knows that I’m fascinated by these crashing ideologies and what they mean for the future of the communities.

Much of the trip for me became about trying to connect to my writer’s heart. I saw the desk where Laura Ingalls wrote, and drove through much of the land she traveled as a child. I saw some of the furniture Manly built for her, and toured the house that Rose built.

The beauty of where Lucy Maud Montgomery grew up struck me. The colors that day were intense. We managed to hit the area just ahead of tourist season, so almost everything was closed. We drove through quiet countryside and imagined what it was like for her. Walking hand-in-hand down Lover’s Lane with my love was delightful.

But surprisingly, I didn’t find the magic writing enchantment in any of those places. Instead, I learned from them that inspiration is everywhere. This is a beautiful continent, and I enjoyed hours spent staring out the window and just being with the man I love.

I’ll leave you with just a few pictures.