night drives in arches || the road is home



arches || moab, utah


we were gone for almost two months, but there was something about that particular night that made it one of the most vivid of the trip for me. I remember that warm Moab, Utah air rushing in through the open backseat windows. Abbs and I were like two newly adopted shelter dogs, hanging our messy heads out the windows. mom was in the passenger seat, dad had his hands on the steering wheel; i could see the wind dancing in his curls.

we rounded a corner and a motorcycle streaked past my window. no helmet; a ripped tank top filled up like a sail, flapping. he revved his engine and the sound ripped right down the belly of that canyon. the kind of sound you could probably feel in your chest if your feet were attached to that same ground.

"that's like the ultimate freedom" i said. mom reminded me of the dangers of motorcycles, but still got what i meant.

it was so dry. dust bellowed up behind every passing pick up like plumes of smoke. The light played hide and seek with the rock formations, and the shadows of the sandstone walls swallowed us in and out of lower temperatures, looming like giants. we got out at park ave's trail head, and it was twilight and silent. and we were staring down the wash at purples and reds.

and i stood there like the wee, starry-eyed child i be, staring up up up at so much big big big.





lOVE,
kATE


there's something about late night drives, isn't there? (and late night cereal eating... but that's beside the point...sorta.) when was the last time you went on one? solo, or with sibs/pals/a dog hanging his head out the window? what's your idea of a fun late night adventure? 



night drives in arches || the road is home
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  1. Love love love. My heart has flown away
    This is beautiful<3

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  2. why are night drives so magical?
    so much love for this, Katie x)
    ps love these pics so much!

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    1. Right?? There's just something about them. There's some magic to it for sure. Thank you so much, Abby

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  3. Replies
    1. Thank you SO much :') that means so much to me

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  4. *laughs cuz mooooommmmmmmmms* but in all seriousness these photos are goals and this post is even more goals bc FINALLY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT NIGHT DRIVES ARE AMMMMAAAZZEEEBALLLSS

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    Replies
    1. MOMS R DA BOMB. And dude, yES. YES I KNOW RIGHT? So underrated

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  5. wow that Utah landscape is so beautiful and haunting! love how you can make a single night on a road trip into something so poetic.

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    1. Thank you so much, Andrea! The landscape was just like....jkhfdsjjfbesjkf whaatatt. I tried to describe it a little more coherently in the post though. Haha.

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  6. Those photos are beautiful, Kate!

    With love and all joy,
    Allie D.
    www.alliesblogdesigns.blogspot.com
    www.friendlovesatalltimes.blogspot.com
    www.sincerelyallied.blogspot.com
    www.spreadingmyjoy.blogspot.com

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  7. Woah, this is so beautiful. You really make me want to visit the desert, wow. Late night adventures are my absolute favorite things ever. ♥

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    1. Thank you Grace Anne! I think if I wasn't already in love with the desert, this trip clinched it for me. I loved hiking there and adventuring there so much

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  8. I could feel it. The dust, the bumpiness of the road, my heart full of excitement and adventure. I will never not love you and your writing, Kate.

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    1. Your comment filled my heart with joy, Hannah! That really means so much to me, thank you

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  9. Those are nice photos. :) It's amazing how you can share the stories of your trip, and put so much feeling in-between the facts, and make us want to go wandering in the desert post-haste.

    Yes, trips at or after sunset are something special. We were actually traveling home through dusk and later last night, and it's amazing how different the world can seem - the city lights up, and the country hushes and every shadow becomes a possibility.. Anyway, now you've made me nostalgic - but in case I've failed to convey this: I really enjoyed this slice of your traveling life. Thanks for sharing. :)

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    1. YESSSS exactly... There's just something about it. It's like seeing the world through new/different eyes. Thank you so much, Jessica

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  10. What a gorgeous piece. I so adore the canyons & the mountains & the feeling of real, infinite freedom that comes with driving through the darkness, whole only in the most fleeting sense. There is such truth in that, no? Such wonder of knowing oneself in the night, before day picks itself up off the pavement & begins again. Thank you infinitely for sharing with us, my love. <3

    Topaz (Six Impossible Things)

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    1. Canyon scapes never cease to take my breath away. Thank you, Topaz!

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  11. Dang, your writing is on FIRE. Reading this took me to that feeling of being young and feeling almost invincible, a bit reckless; starry-eyed, and sad. So visceral. I admit I haven't been on a road trip in some time, or a nice night drive. There's nothing like it.

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    1. :''') Erin, thank you so much! Like aggghh... That just means so much to me. Hope you get to go for a night drive again soon. I couldn't agree more. There really is nothing like it

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  12. My most recent late night drive was Wednesday after hanging out with two friends till late and I drove home and it was cool and I listened to blurryface after too long and knew every word like the back of my hand.
    OR WAIT. Maybe it was Thursday after a graduation meeting with my mom and two youngest siblings and we stopped at dollar general and got oreos and made funny videos and played them backwards and died laughing.
    this post made me happy. you make me feel your writing so deep every time.

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    1. both of those sound like pretty much amazing :') especially the Oreos thing oh man. that is beautiful.

      and thank you Olivia, that means crazy lots <3

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  13. honestly reading this post and your blog in general has made me come to the fact that when you publish your book i'm going to like buy 100000x copies of it and hide them in my room or something drastic like that. YOUR WORDS ARE GOLD.

    also your pictures are sooo beautiful...gahh I WANT TO GO THERE NOW. I must.

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    1. oh my gosh, I'M GOING TO CRY OVER HERE. Autumn, thank you so much! And I hope you get to go there sometime, it's amazing!

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  14. Kate, I ADORED this post!!! Late night drives are the bomb! (well...unless your tired and fall asleep and then wake up cramped...but that's beside the point. :P) These pictures are lovely though, and made me feel like I was riding in the car right there with you! <3
    XOXO

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    1. ugh I feel...I remember times when I would be driving late at night with my dad and I would keep dozing off in the passenger seat and every time my head lulled, I'd snap back awake and it was so uncomfortable! But oh man, yeah, most of the time its amazing. Many good adventures

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  15. These are such stunning photots! I miss that place so so much.

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  16. your shots are absolutely flawless <3

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