Girls Write Out
Friday, March 23, 2012
Mel and I have been told by most of our friends that we need to take a vacation. I think that sounds like a wonderful idea and would have made plans long ago if I'd had any idea about where and when. We still aren't sure. I'd love to go to the beach--and to me that means the east or west coast, preferably the west, since I was born there and have a lot of family up and down the coastline. It all depends on time. We simply won't have enough time to drive to California in the short time we're being allotted.

Right now we're trying to save as much money as possible, so flying is out. Besides, I hate flying. I think, instead, what we'll do is take a slow vacation.

To me, a slow vacation means packing a couple of bags and hopping into the car, taking a two-lane road and looking for beauty along the way. When there's no destination in mind, every turn in the road reveals something new and interesting. When we're not in a rush, we can stop when we see a pretty stream and jump out of the car to explore, even wade and splash each other if we want to.

To me, a slow vacation means putting a cd of an audio book into the player and listening to a favorite author. It means stopping whenever we see a neat place to stay, using our AAA card for a discount, and turning in early if we wish.

I love I-40 west, and there have often been places we've passed up in our rush to "get there." I'd like to find the old Route 66 my parents used to drive to get back and forth from our home in California to their hometown in eastern Missouri. Since I'm writing some historicals now, driving west into Kansas and beyond might be good research for our next novel. And then there's always been this wide open space in New Mexico where we drove for miles and miles without ever seeing another car.

Another thing I love to do is find a pretty, small town and walk around exploring it for ideas for a new series.

Right now, I just can't decide. I could use some help. Have you seen any beautiful places you'd like to share with us? Where to you like to go on vacation when funds are tight and you just need to be calm and rest for awhile? We could use some help.

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Hannah Alexander  
posted at 2:19 PM  
  Comments (7)
 
 
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7 Comments:
At 5:30 PM, Blogger Jasels said...

I do not know where your starting point is, but Bryce and Zion National Parks in Utah are two of the most spectacular sights to see. And at this time of the year you will not have a whole lot of tourists to contend with. Hope your vacation refreshes the both of you.

 
At 9:18 PM, Blogger Tracy Ruckman said...

Your idea of a slow vacation sounds AWESOME. I think we might try to do that at some point.

Almost everywhere I've ever been has been beautiful in some aspect - if I slow down enough to find it. :-) (There have been places I didn't like, but not many.)

Wherever you go, have a wonderful, restful time.

 
At 11:55 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Jasels, yes, those are wonderful places. I love hiking in Utah. We spent a week there just exploring the Canyonlands and wearing out our knees. The wide open spaces are a balm for the spirit.

Tracy, thank you. Mel knows I'm a beach girl, so he's trying to talk me into taking a cheap flight from Springfield MO to Orlando, if the cheap rates still exist. Then we can drive from there to the east coast. It's a thought...but flying? Ugh. How much do I want the beach?

 
At 8:08 AM, Blogger Cyndi said...

If you want the beach, the Gulf Coast has some beautiful spots and would be closer, it'd seem, than the East or West Coast. I AM a little partial to the Alabama and its coast :-) and there's a bunch of neat places on the way there.

Having said that, I haven't ever been out West and would love to one day go that direction if I had a sizable chunk of time. Your idea of a slow vacation sounds great!

Hope you ARE able to take a vacation! Have a great time wherever you go!

 
At 6:21 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Cyndi, I love Alabama. Mel mentioned last night that the Atlantic ocean has more shark activity, though. I'm so glad I hadn't seen Jaws when I was growing up. That ruined so much for me. We may do the gulf. I'm curious about when the jellyfish come out the most. I've been stung, and it's no big deal, but we did see what looked like a man-of-war washed up on the sand. That freaked us out. And here I grew up playing on the beach.

 
At 5:32 PM, Blogger Beverly said...

Cheryl, you have probably been to the Precious Moments Chapel, but if not, it's a soothing place near you. :-), if I remember correctly. What about Kansas City or St.Louis with a goal of hearing some good jazz, or finding famous art or restaraunts? My husband and I traveled RT 66 toward OKC, and found a lot of reviews about places along the way, and a "following" of RT 66-ers if you will. We ate at one place, chatted with a guy, then found he was the mayor of the town, lol! Good luck!

 
At 11:33 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Beverly, yes, we've been to Precious Moments several times, and it's very close to us. I would advise anyone who is driving by Carthage, MO, to stop and visit this wonderful place. Take a tour of the chapel.


We've also considered the Katy Trail, which is a former railroad track that crossed Missouri from Clinton, near KC to St. Charles, near St. Louis. There are several places along the trail to rent bikes, or we could hike it. There are also bed-and-breakfasts at stopping places all along the trail, and the trail is very level, so no difficult hills to traverse. I can personally recommend this one. Hmmm....that might be just the ticket....

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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