Those Were Some Good Memories

 

Though I'm sure I don't know how, it has now been ten years since I took my final single-girl road trip! I had no idea, of course, at the time, that it would be my last single-girl trip, but it was, and yesterday I looked back at the pictures and stories with much fondness. Want to reminisce with me today? 

Here are some of the things that popped out at me as I looked back over my trip:

* Apparently this was the first time I had taken off work (in multiple days) since I started working at WBCL. It had been almost one full year since I started that job, so you can tell how dearly I loved it. When you can make it a year without a vacation and be more than okay...you have a good job!

* This was the first and last time I have ever rented a car! What!? Back then, I was driving the little Bekah-mobile, which was a Ford Focus that was ten years old. Fun fact: it was injured and I didn't know it. It had been hit (while it was parked in a friend's driveway, and said friend was the one who backed into it - going about 5 miles an hour) and I took it in for repairs. There was a hidden injury they didn't see, and as I look back now, I am so grateful God prompted me to rent a car for this trip. I drove through mountains and was hundreds of miles from home, and having my car stall would really have put a damper on the trip! I actually did get caught in a jam that would have been the very kind of thing that would have made it overheat. God went ahead of me, and that boosts my faith, even today! Anyway, I rented a Honda Civic that I named Sammy. I loved that car. It was so much fun to drive. 

* I drove through mountains, which was a huge step in bravery for me. I have never been a confident driver and actually still dislike driving to this very day! This trip was a huge moment for my self-confidence, my faith, and my story. I am so, so grateful for what God helped me do on this trip!

* One of our first stops was to see the Biltmore. Neither of us had ever been there, and it was a JOY to behold. I was exceedingly sad that they had a ban on indoor photography, but we enjoyed our outdoor pictures! I had no idea I would be back in a few years...in the winter...with a husband! I fell in love with the Biltmore that day. What a gift! (I threw in some memories from both trips here, just for fun.)

* We also drove part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and now I have it on my someday-list to travel the whole thing. I had never even heard of it before this trip. This may have been where my love for actual road trips began. And now...I want to drive back and forth, up and down, all over the country!

That last picture makes me want to do that road trip RIGHT NOW.

This was such a fun trip. I loved being with Lynnette and loved the freedom and confidence I found in my travels. I had no clue that before the year's end, I'd be traveling and standing beside her again, but this time she would be my matron of honor at our beach wedding!