By Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
As we sat down together to write our final thoughts regarding the whirlwind that was the last two years, this poem immediately came to mind. After we read through each line together, Amanda excitedly said “That’s it!”, because it perfectly sums up our decision to pursue the ever uncertain but always exciting life of travel PT.
It was not the first road we thought to go down, but the road less traveled was the best choice for us. We knew we could save the road of “normal life” for another day. Let’s be honest though, it is very evident that normal life doesn’t really suit us, further validating our decision. Because we took that second road, the yellow wood that Robert Frost speaks of could refer to anything from a campsite in Kentucky, an old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest, a black spruce lined trail in Alaska, or the scraggly junipers of the Colorado Plateau. Just as Robert Frost was walking alone down this path, we left our friends and family behind as we set out on this journey. Deciding to spend two years alone with your spouse can be a risky proposition, but it has definitely brought us closer together and made all the difference.
Alright, enough of us trying to sound overly intellectual with our literary reference, complex metaphors, and philosophizing. Let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the issue: favorite memories, our final thoughts, and take home messages from the last two years of life on the road.
A brief summary of our favorites –
(Each of us compiled our list independently)
Favorite Overall Travel Placement
Charlie: Olney, IL
Amanda: Homer, AK
Favorite Place to Live
Charlie: Homer, AK
Amanda: Western WA
Favorite City Visited
Charlie: Missoula, MT
Amanda: Missoula, MT
City I Plan to Return to
Charlie: Sedona, AZ
Amanda: Sedona, AZ
City I Would NOT Return to
Charlie: Spokane, WA
Amanda: Gatlinburg, TN
Favorite National Park
Charlie: Yellowstone
Amanda: Yellowstone
Best Hike
Charlie: Harding Ice Field in Seward, AK
Amanda: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb
Best Weekend Excursion
Charlie: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb
Amanda: Hiking and camping at Exit Glacier/Harding Ice Field
Unexpectedly Great Weekend Excursion
Charlie: City Museum in St. Louis, MO
Amanda: Nashville, TN
Favorite Restaurant
Charlie: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL
Amanda: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL
Best Brewery
Charlie: Midnight Sun in Anchorage, AK
Amanda: Deschutes Brewery in Portland, OR
Favorite Hangout
Charlie: Alice’s Champagne Palace in Homer, AK
Amanda: The Gypsy in Olney, IL
Most Memorable Drive
Charlie: The glacier-lined road to Stewart, British Columbia
Amanda: Driving into Stewart, British Columbia surrounded by avalanche warnings, bears, and glaciers
Side Note:
Having to give only one answer for each of the above questions was NOT an easy task. I (Amanda) felt the need to explain each answer and apologize for not picking something different. Therefore, I need to clarify that in reality there are no “favorites” because each experience was unique and memorable in its own way! Although it was not a bad experience, I will confirm that there’s really no need to ever return to Gatlinburg, TN.
Without further adieu, our closing remarks about life as nomadic PTs are as follows…
Amanda:
When we explain that we were travelling with work for approximately two years, people don't initially think much of it. In the scheme of things two years is not a very long time. However, when we continue to explain the places we lived and the numerous locations we've visited, the scale changes. We really crammed a lifetime worth of adventures and memories into just 22 months. This was exhausting at times, but the energy that was required to make it happen was most definitely worth it. Having the opportunity to live and work in many of the places we explored gave us a better understanding of the areas and allowed us to intimately interact with people from these towns. We will never forget the generous people we had the pleasure of sharing our time with. We were welcomed and accepted as more than transient therapists. Thanks to everyone who helped make the last two years as enjoyable as they were. As for my travel buddy, Chuck and I have come a long way in the eight years we've known each other. I don’t think there could be a better test for the strength of a relationship than putting all of your belongings into storage to spend 22 months working, living, and playing together – in one vehicle, while sleeping on an air mattress. As we move forward it is exciting to think about what new adventures we'll tackle. Let the fun continue...
Favorite Overall Travel Placement
Charlie: Olney, IL
Amanda: Homer, AK
Favorite Place to Live
Charlie: Homer, AK
Amanda: Western WA
Favorite City Visited
Charlie: Missoula, MT
Amanda: Missoula, MT
City I Plan to Return to
Charlie: Sedona, AZ
Amanda: Sedona, AZ
City I Would NOT Return to
Charlie: Spokane, WA
Amanda: Gatlinburg, TN
Favorite National Park
Charlie: Yellowstone
Amanda: Yellowstone
Best Hike
Charlie: Harding Ice Field in Seward, AK
Amanda: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb
Best Weekend Excursion
Charlie: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb
Amanda: Hiking and camping at Exit Glacier/Harding Ice Field
Unexpectedly Great Weekend Excursion
Charlie: City Museum in St. Louis, MO
Amanda: Nashville, TN
Favorite Restaurant
Charlie: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL
Amanda: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL
Best Brewery
Charlie: Midnight Sun in Anchorage, AK
Amanda: Deschutes Brewery in Portland, OR
Favorite Hangout
Charlie: Alice’s Champagne Palace in Homer, AK
Amanda: The Gypsy in Olney, IL
Most Memorable Drive
Charlie: The glacier-lined road to Stewart, British Columbia
Amanda: Driving into Stewart, British Columbia surrounded by avalanche warnings, bears, and glaciers
Side Note:
Having to give only one answer for each of the above questions was NOT an easy task. I (Amanda) felt the need to explain each answer and apologize for not picking something different. Therefore, I need to clarify that in reality there are no “favorites” because each experience was unique and memorable in its own way! Although it was not a bad experience, I will confirm that there’s really no need to ever return to Gatlinburg, TN.
Without further adieu, our closing remarks about life as nomadic PTs are as follows…
Amanda:
When we explain that we were travelling with work for approximately two years, people don't initially think much of it. In the scheme of things two years is not a very long time. However, when we continue to explain the places we lived and the numerous locations we've visited, the scale changes. We really crammed a lifetime worth of adventures and memories into just 22 months. This was exhausting at times, but the energy that was required to make it happen was most definitely worth it. Having the opportunity to live and work in many of the places we explored gave us a better understanding of the areas and allowed us to intimately interact with people from these towns. We will never forget the generous people we had the pleasure of sharing our time with. We were welcomed and accepted as more than transient therapists. Thanks to everyone who helped make the last two years as enjoyable as they were. As for my travel buddy, Chuck and I have come a long way in the eight years we've known each other. I don’t think there could be a better test for the strength of a relationship than putting all of your belongings into storage to spend 22 months working, living, and playing together – in one vehicle, while sleeping on an air mattress. As we move forward it is exciting to think about what new adventures we'll tackle. Let the fun continue...
Charlie:
Before we started travelling, we made this great list of places we expected to find work and what time of year we wanted to be there. That list quickly went out the window, which gave me heart palpitations and made me question whether or not travelling was the right move. However, in hindsight, I’m glad things didn’t always go according to plan. It is what made our two year adventure even more exciting and helped Amanda and I grow together while better relying on each other to get through the stressful times. The uncertainty also caused me to evolve in ways I never thought possible. For instance, I went without owning a TV or having cable for 2 years!! Crazy, I know. I was also forced to be more adaptable and creative as our work and home life was always in flux with few resources at our disposal. Living out of your 4 cylinder Ford Escape, especially when it is packed like a clown car, gives you a whole new perspective on things. Most importantly, I became comfortable living outside of my little Philadelphia bubble. It was hard to leave because I had been there so long and developed a routine that was great for me. Yet I was quickly able to realize that it wasn’t great for us. I wrongly had just tried to insert Amanda into my already created life hoping it would transition smoothly. Travelling allowed Amanda and I to build a life together and I am incredibly grateful to have had that opportunity. That, combined with all of the ridiculous places we travelled to, wild adventures undertaken, and fantastic people we befriended along the way made this easily the best years of my life. As we begin the next chapter of our lives together we will have new adventures to look forward to, new challenges to face, and new people to help us along the way, but I can’t foresee anything topping these past 22 months. If something does though, you can bet I’ll want to blog about it!
Next up, we have some words of wisdom to share.
The Top 10 “Take Home Messages” from 2 years on the road:
10) Never underestimate the comfort of a double high air mattress (just make sure you have a warranty).
10) Never underestimate the comfort of a double high air mattress (just make sure you have a warranty).
9) Alaska is far away. It will take a long time to drive there.
8) You need to pack a tent to go tent camping.
7) 4 cylinders won’t cut it if you want to climb the Canadian Rockies at speeds greater than 20 mph.
6) A GPS is only as good as the atlas you use to double check the directions.
5) Everything tastes better when cooked over a campfire.
4) Adventures are fun. Adventures with friends are better. Adventures with friends who own good gear are the best.
3) Camping knives are frowned upon as a carry-on item when flying.
2) There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing.
1) Always plan a road trip based on the location of National Parks and breweries. Panoramas and pints resolve the inevitable moments of tension.
Unfortunately it is now time to bid you a fond farewell. We thank all of you for following this blog and sharing in our adventures over the last two years. Being able to document and share with you our escapades as we gallivanted across the country has been a memorable undertaking in and of itself. Your positive feedback has also given us the motivation to continue blogging in the future as we embark on new endeavors. So while we are saying goodbye to the O’Malley’s American Adventure (for now), the birth of a new blog could be just around the corner…
Thank you and goodnight.
Charlie and Amanda
Unfortunately it is now time to bid you a fond farewell. We thank all of you for following this blog and sharing in our adventures over the last two years. Being able to document and share with you our escapades as we gallivanted across the country has been a memorable undertaking in and of itself. Your positive feedback has also given us the motivation to continue blogging in the future as we embark on new endeavors. So while we are saying goodbye to the O’Malley’s American Adventure (for now), the birth of a new blog could be just around the corner…
Thank you and goodnight.
Charlie and Amanda
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