It's been a while but everyday is a new adventure

So, It's been a while since I last wrote...

I completed Marine Combat Training and my MOS school where I was trained in my job. I also got promoted June 1st to Lance Corporal. More on that later. It's not nearly as exciting as where I'm at now...

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Nashville, TN right now on my way across the country to my first duty station Camp Pendleton, CA. It's the end of Day 1 of my 5 day journey through 12 states. I covered 843 miles through 6 states only 2,037 miles and 6 more states to go. I started at 0730 this morning from my house in New Jersey and made a stop along the way to visit my grandparents in western NJ before I left. Getting on Rt 81 in Pennsylvania I started making my way south. A short 85 miles later and I was entering Maryland and shortly after West Virginia and Virginia. 530 miles down Rt 81 and I was in Tennessee.

I lived in Northern Virginia near DC for over 2 years and saw some of the Virginia country but it did not prepare me for what I saw today. Western Virginia is filled with rolling hills, farms and Appalacian mountains. They are some of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen in this country. Once I got to Tennessee there were forest covered mountains but not so many hills but all just as beautiful. The photos I took do not do them justice. I fell so deeply in love with the country today and definitely would not mind living there someday.

My goal was to drive to somewhere between Bristol and Nashville. I decided to try and make Nashville tonight. I'm glad I did. Just as I was entering the area around the city (~30 miles) the sun was setting more beautiful than words can describe. It was like looking at heaven. Something that probably gets more breathtaking each time you see it.

I set an ambitious goal for today so there wasn't much time to stop and see anything. Tomorrow it's off to Oklahoma City. Not much to see along that leg of the trip either but once I hit Rt 66 it's going to get fun!! Be prepared for some great pics and experiences!

Here's a link to the photos I took today...

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.935860760424.2439106.5321460&l=be9b9c3c1f



Enjoy!

LCpl Chelsea Rohrbach