Awwww, memories. Here is a look back at our trip around the United States in our quest to record aha moments! We still have a couple more blog posts to drop in the next week, so don’t abandon us!

Here are all the cities we visited on this amazing journey:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
OMAHA, NEBRASKA
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
CHEYENNE, WYOMING
BILLINGS, MONTANA
IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO
RENO, NEVADA

Video highlights from our trip:
hoover dam from the air
the hoover dam
frontier restaurant - albuquerque, new mexico
day at the zoo - omaha, nebraska
dixie quicks restaurant - omaha, nebraska
lambert’s throwed rolls - ozark, missouri
digging for diamonds - crater of diamonds, arkansas
the sloss furnace - birmingham, alabama
lookout mountain - chattanooga, tennessee
sunrise over the atlantic ocean
laura’s tea room - columbia, south carolina
washington d.c.
fried brain sandwich - evansville, indiana
irishfest - la crosse, wisconsin
spam museum - austin, minnesota
jack-n-grill - denver, colorado
mount rushmore - rapid city, south dakota
lake tahoe food and wine festival - lake tahoe, california

The highway is becoming my friend. Let the sailors have their seas, I have my stretch of cracked concrete. I am familiar with all of the various truck stops and oases - knowing that Flying J is usually our preferred stop (they have my sew-on souvenir patches, which in good time should cover my backpack). We have already covered over a thousand miles, and it will be a many more thousand before we are finished. Sitting in my seat - occasionally stretching my body out the window to grab a photograph - I work away on my laptop either editing a video, modifying a photograph, or working on the blog. But above all else, being on the road gives me plenty of time to contemplate and reflect. Look for this weekly blog post to review the places we’ve been, sights we’ve seen, and things we ate. That way you’ll be all caught up on our travels (in case you get left behind somewhere on the highway.)

Cities we visited this past week:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
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Upon being asked what I thought of Oklahoma City, a single word came to my mind: “comfortable.” I have never visited this particular intersection of latitude and longitude lines, but it felt very familiar. Perhaps it was the constant spring rain that reminded me of my family trips to Seattle. Perhaps it was the brick buildings that reminded me of my birthplace, Sacramento. Perhaps it was the fact that not a single stranger seemed stand-offish, that I could ask a quick question to a person on bicycle, and after a hard brake and a short skid, they would turn around and humor my inquiries. In any case, I stepped into Oklahoma City like a pair of old sneakers and ran off to go have some fun.
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During our time in Oklahoma City, we asked everyone we met what we should do during our stay. The universal answer, without fail, was to visit the bombing memorial. So this morning, we did.

The memorial was built on the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, where the bombing occurred on April 19, 1995.

There’s a large reflective pool between two monuments reading “9:01” and “9:03.” The bombing occurred at 9:02 a.m., so we asked a guard about the significance of the two times. She said the first represented the last moment of innocence and the second was the moment the healing began.

We all agreed that they did a really nice job memorializing the victims and paying tribute to the thousands who assisted with recovery and rebuilding efforts. There’s not much else we can say about the memorial, except to suggest that everyone go home tonight and enjoy the company of the ones you love.

After months of preparation, the aha moment tour has officially begun!

Our first stop was Oklahoma City, a town that combines Midwest hospitality and good-old Southern charm. We pulled the Airstream into the Mickey Mantle Plaza near the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, home of the AAA Oklahoma City Redhawks, and began our day with the anticipation of a first-grader in new shoes. The weather didn’t completely behave – it was gray and rainy during our stop – but that didn’t dampen our spirits.

We each have our own reasons for being here, which I’m sure will be told over time. Personally, I’ll admit that mine is partly selfish. When I began to grasp the meaning of the aha moment, I wanted to slow down, hear people’s stories and gain some perspective on what really matters.

After only two days on tour, we’ve already heard some amazing stories:


Meet Toni. After the tragic and sudden loss of her 18-year-old niece, Sara, Toni fulfilled a promise that led to the creation of a community of support, healing and companionship - in the shape of a cupcake bakery.
Click here to see Toni’s aha moment.

Meet Thomas. While training for a race in 2000, Thomas and his friend, Chet, decided to start a local marathon in memory of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. It wasn’t until after the race was up and running that he fully understood the purpose of its creation.
Click here to see Thomas’ aha moment.

Toni and Thomas are just a few of the tremendous people we met in Oklahoma City. We were so moved everyone’s willingness to share deeply personal moments with us, and I was completely flattered to be able to witness their rawness and honesty. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead.

Thank you to Toni, Thomas, and to everyone who welcomed us in Oklahoma City by sharing your aha moments. Please check this blog post again later to see Toni & Thomas’ aha moments!