Roadtrip-a-Matic crush | PA is STILL for lovers

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PA Tourism for SocialSpark. 

All opinions are 100% mine.

You can probably tell by now that I am so ready to hit the road.One summer, back in band camp...
okay...it was longer than band camp.
  it was 4 years of my life.

But back in the day, I lived in Upstate New York.
  In Ithaca.
  Which is gorgeous (or gorges) beyond all belief.

It wasn't until close to my senior year,
  when I was doing the Miss America local pageant scene
  (now THAT is a story for another time)
 that I took a bunch of road trips across Northeast America.

Hands down, my biggest regret is that I didn't spend more time in Pennsylvania.

It was just salt in the wound
that I met my husband
only AFTER he had completed grad school at Penn State.

We've said many a time that we would like to go back for a football game.
Or two.

Essentially, there is nothing like fall in the Northeast.
Football, Foliage and Fun all around!

So while we talked about it
and just didn't make it happen before all heck broke loose
in God's Country
(which, yes, as a Texan, I still smirk at that assertion especially in relation to football).

I really have no excuse now that
You can look up all sorts of pa-roadtrips
  by visiting the VisitPA.com website's Roadtrip-a-Matic.
  They have compiled lots of just get in the car and go
  pre-planned roadtrips for visitors to Pennsylvania.

I was checking it out the other day and here are a few of the things I love about it:

1. Theme travel!

Photogs, shoppers, hikers, history buffs and lovers.
  Something for everyone!

2. Maps included

Some of us are a bit...uhhhm...
  "directionally challenged"

3. ADHD Friendly

They have "worthy detours"
  aka, distractors, sidetracks...ways for me to get really lost

Even if you're like me
and you live about as far from Pennsylvania
as you can get and still be in the continental US of A
you should AT LEAST check out the Roadtrip-a-Matic
  to daydream about bucket list roadtrips a little.

And I can personally testify that it is worth every bit of taking a flight out east, renting a car and making a long weekend of it. I might have some points I need to use just for that.

I need a job where I travel a lot again.
Need further convincing?

Here are my top three picks for trips I would take:

With my mom:

Civil War Trails and Beyond - All Roads Lead to History roadtrip.
Main Street Farmers' Market and the 
highlight of our trip would be the Blairsville Underground Railroad. 
We're both history buffs and this is the part of PA history
we have not explored as much. 
Gettysburgh we've done.

With my puppy:

 Trails Mix All Natural Pennsylvania roadtrip.
Bald Eagle spotting in an even more historic setting than the PNW.
My puppy could hit the trails with me
and bird spotting is totally her thing.

By myself:

Shutterbugs - The Picture Perfect Roadtrip.
Route 6, Route 120, Route 144
I LOVE just driving on non Interstates and seeing the countryside.
Especially if I can just pull over whenever
to take a photo. Or a Nap.
Or just take in the beauty of it all.

It is a given that hubby would be on any trip to PA
(even the one "by myself")
because really, there is no way I'm going to be
on that side of the country
(aka, airfare already covered)
with a place to stay
(aka, hotel already covered)
and then us NOT
find a way to get him out there too.

I'm publicly committing right now.
Within the next 3 years.

Even if I have to pay for the whole trip out of pocket.
I will make it to PA and a roadtrip will be part of the adventure.

10 Reasons Why Traveling to Tibet is a MUST - Listable Life

Still playing along with Nicole 

over at Moments That Define Life,

for the Listable Life meme

So here we go:

10 Reasons Why Traveling to Tibet is a Must

The shopping

We traveled to Tibet via Beijing.

The markets in Beijing are OUT OF CONTROL.

I would go back just to shop for gorgeous blinged out statues, fantastic fabrics and, of course, vintage cameras.

The Facilities

(or lack thereof)

                   

These are pretty self explanatory.  

And if that second photo doesn't demonstrate what you are NOT

to do (do) in public restrooms, then click on the first photo and enlarge it.

And that is all.

The tea leaves

I didn't truly know what tea was until we drank the most delicious stuff on earth.

On the highest altitude train in the world.

In the dining car/viewing car.

Chinese breakfast...that was something else entirely.

The Incense

        

You have NOT LIVED until you smell a yak butter candle.

You can skip the yak butter tea. Or live dangerously...

Seriously one of the most delicious smells I've ever smelled.

(the candles, that is)

And it gets sickening after a while.

But don't worry, every day, multiple times a day,

in the middle of Lhassa, they will light up the biggest incense burner you have ever seen.

And singe the smell of yak butter candles from your nostrils.

The Stylists

   

The shop owners are fantastic!

From the prayer flag ladies who will tend the jewelry shops and style you pretty,

to the little boys who come equipped w/comb to try to brush

that strange looking woman's (that is a woman right??) hair.

The Faith

Prayer wheels everywhere.  

And prayer flags.

The sounds of them spinning (wheels) and flapping (flags)

still rings in my ears.

The Architecture

     

The first photo is actually Nepal.

Which we exited through and was HIGHLY worth it.

The second photo is why you really go to Tibet.

Lhassa in particular. Potala Palace.

The Perspective

     

     

Americans are really tall.

And warm blooded.

And rich.

And, did I mention, tall?

The Unspoiled Beauty

On the plateau, you come across deep valleys,

farm land,

and spectacular peeks at that amazing peak.

It's Tibetan name is

ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ,

Chomolungma.

Which our guide kept saying to me,

and I could not, for the life of me,

figure out what he was talking about.

Which was a bit unusual (he had impeccable English),

given that it was usually the driver that I totally could not understand.

Especially when he started chanting over the high altitude passes

When you are going over the passes, you are closer to God

 and he can hear your prayers more clearly. 

Clearly, that is why it was necessary to shout them at the top of your lungs. 

Which scared the pee out of me (maybe literally) the first time our driver did it.

The Paparazzi

     

Have you ever wondered 

what it was like to be Beyonce?

Maybe just for a day?

Well, in Beijing and then ESPECIALLY in Tibet,

I imagine I got a glimpse of that.

People couldn't figure out if I was a girl or a guy 

(upper bouyancy is the first thing to go when I'm in shape)

and not only did I have black girl hair,

I had WEIRD black girl hair.

Oh.

And I'm black.

Clearly,

there have only been 4 black people in Tibet.

And because they don't really have much TV,

they don't even get to know my people via Cosby.

It was intimidating.

Which is why I have to go back.

I was so busy avoiding the cell phones 

and crowds that were dragged clear across city squares

to "meet" me,

that I completely missed out on experiencing some cool stuff.

The Bucket List

     

     

That first picture? I am Tobogganing down the Great Wall of China.

Is that wild or WHAT?!

Of course, I had to add to my postcard collection

and ended up sending lots of loved ones

postcards from the highest post office on earth.

I got into the best shape of my life

(and need to do it again).

I researched the cultural history of an area 

and then went and lived it.

We went to Tibet in April of 2007.

You can see more of our photos

and read our diary

at our Tibet Portfolio website.

It was truly the trip of a lifetime.

I hope to go back.

Once we have kids.

Yes.

Seriously.

Linking up at the Listable Life Meme again.

*** 

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Just Go Already | Monterey Peninsula

If you ever check out our about us page 

or our FAQs

you would see that we claim to be the traveling type.

To that, it only makes sense that,

occasionally at least,

I write about that.

So here goes nothing!

Ready. Set. Go!

Where are we going?

Monterey | Pebble Beach | Pacific Grove, CA

Who goes to the Monterey Peninsula anyways?

Lots of rich people go there.
And live there.
In gorgeous gated communities.
And for us rich gawker/stalkers,
this is a rare chance to actually drive through
one of those gated communities
(at least partway through)
as 17 mile drive takes you
through one of Pebble Beach's gated communities.


If you like great views

of spectacular coastline,
this is one of those US drives that should be
on your bucket list.


Don't forget to take a $10 spot.
They now charge you non-resident types
to drive through the gates.


Also, if you like squirrels

and by "like" squirrels,

I mean,

are okay with them jumping up on to you

to get at the food

they are so accustomed to people feeding them.

And.
Hopefully.
YOU have not just watched a story
on the local news
about attack squirrels in the local park.
Like I had.
Before I ever knew what Robert had planned for me.


Live. And. Learn.

The air is crisp
and if you're game for it
(we will never be again)
you can even stop at Pebble Beach Golf Course
and grab a bite to eat at the Gallery Cafe.


I loved my deli sandwich 
(veggie, of course).


Poor Robert's Roast Beef did NOT
agree with him.


To the point that this is a really great time
to remind people
that even if you are traveling domestically
you should check to see what kind of medical coverage
your health insurance provides.


Let's just say that if your husband
doesn't want to go in the ambulance you call him
because he looks like warmed over death
and there is no way in HELL
you are getting on a plane with him
puking all over the place,
his insurance might not cover that.


And the 24 hour nurse hotline is pointless
from 900+ miles away.


I know these things.
I know these things
because I learn them the hard way.

Why are we going to the Monterey Peninsula again?

So that we can gawk at how the fortunate ones live.

And drive 17 miles

(which reminds me, if you're not local, you'll need a car)

along the prettiest stretch of coastline

you never did see.

Especially if you are afraid of heights

(for part of this drive)

or you have heard horror stories

of driving along the coast on Highway 1.

That's where you'll think you are.

So hold on tight.

Also, even if you are not a golf buff,

it is kinda cool to stand on the course at Pebble Beach 

where some of golf's greatest have had 

pretty spectacular moments.

Kind of cool to be somewhere that you can see on tv.

And for the family types

there is always the Monterey Bay Aquarium to check out.

I also want to see the Monterey Presidio when I go back.

When is the best time to go?

On a clear day, of course.

Good luck timing that one.

We got up early enough to do the drive in the morning

with a "landing time" close to lunch time

at Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Then we had a pic nic on one of the

MANY gorgeous viewpoints

of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the seaside cliffs.

From there, we completed the loop.

IF memory serves me correctly

(and that's a BIG if)

then we stayed in Seaside, CA at the Sand Castle Inn.

Or maybe it was the Seaside Inn.

Don't quote me on that.

What you CAN quote me on is how much

CHEAPER

it was to stay outside of Monterey proper.

Just. Saying.

Stop babbling and just show me more photos:

Our first trip

(which is what this post is about)

was cut short

(scroll up, see food poisoning incident).

Just a couple pics before we made it to Pebble Beach

Remove the permanently embedded 

camera from your eye

just long enough to look through

those vintage beach binoculars

Of course the whole purpose of the trip

is to get a shot (or two or 300)

of the Lone Cypress.

Awesomeness.