Hi Folks,
Well this road trip has come to a close, I've made it home. Late yesterday after getting my last fill-up which would enable me to drive the last stretch home I reflected on this wonderful trip and the wonderful people I had a chance to meet on it and I wanted to cry as I am now.
It was just another trip. Just one more of many I've made before. Yes it had a goal just as the others have had. The only one that made it special was that it would complete a long held goal of physically being it all 50 states of this United States of America. Not many can make that claim but now I can. That was my only goal. Yes, I planned on visiting my friends in Missouri and my niece in Pennsylvania and possibly a cousin in Michigan, but those are just normal things to do when I travel. Nothing special.
What began to make it special was when a dear friend I'd never met from these pages mentioned that she would love to meet me if there was anyway I could make it happen. This woman, Moni, even with the surgery of her life looming wanted to meet me. I resolved to do my best to make it happen. As usual though, my fear of commitment kept me from actually promising that I would. It is to Monica that I owe this wonder experience Without her I would not have thought of starting this thread by asking if there were others along my route that would also like to meet. The response was greater tan I expected and I was surprised and flattered that so many others were interested in meeting. It was almost overwhelming. Dang it I was going to have to do a little actual planning and scheduling in order to make it happen. Things I actively try not to do as I prefer the spontaneity of the moment when I travel, but again I resolved to try and make it happen.
Again had Moni not inspired this request to meet it would not have happened. Another thing her asking caused was the thought that I might meet a couple of you in Laurie mode. This was reinforced by Liz, Davina and Kathy urging me to leave the guy clothes behind. (As it turned out I could have done that.) I decided to leave here in girly mode thinking I could probably manage to meet with both Jane and Randy as myself. Which I did. Eating in a restaurant with Jane dressed as myself was a first for me. (One of several on this trip) I found that with someone being in public was not a difficult thing to do. Jane and those to follow were my security blankets. Talking with Jane allow the others around us to fade into the background and talking to her in person allowed us to share as this forum does not. Thank you Jane.
From there I enjoyed the hospitality at Randy's home for the evening and the morning. Randy and her better half made me feel at home and we shared many of our thoughts and feelings I almost could not believe the welcome openness to their home and lives they shared with me, a virtual stranger. Thank you Randy and Jacquie.
Having made it that far I decided another day in Laurie mode wasn't too much and continued my trip to Missouri full of (well maybe only a little) confidence. But then before I could escape Colorado there was that disturbing gas station incident. I did discover that I could survive being outed in public from it though. In Missouri among friend as myself for the first time I discovered I did not actually need my male clothes after the first day going fishing (in male mode) After that day I did not bother to Don my male persona. I did though one more time for dinner out with my niece in Pennsylvania after driving to her place as myself. Why I change then I do not know. By this time I had resolved to do all my traveling as myself.
I proceeding on to meet Amber and again had a security blanket making all okay in the public world as we ate and visited. Amber and her wife are very nice people in what appears to be a very comfortable relationship with each other. like randy and Jacqui it was refreshing to see couples still in love with each other in these difficult situations.
Then it was on to see "Devilish Dev" A whirlwind on the move and though she talks funny, she's a great host whisking me off to Downtown Boston via train keeping my distress caused by crowds and cities at bay by ever distracting my attention from them. The best security blanket this insecure lady could ask for. She's fun, confident and full of grace towards others. At the same time she's a rough edged New England scamp. What a combination. I'll not soon forget her and her generosity.
On to Maine and the fulfillment of my quest. Emotional with a feeling of accomplishment yet anticlimactic too. Maine is just another place with good scenery like all the rest. A place to say I have been. There was no other motivation or attraction. It was done.
Back to Massachusetts to hunt down the first of two late additions to my visit list. If she had requested it any later she would have been missed. Sadie. Sadie was a surprise as we hadn't really corresponded much at all on the forum. Sadie is not your typical mtf that I was expecting for no good reason. Sadie is my first gender fluid person with a female presentation to meet and talk to. I enjoyed our visit and she presented me with a different perspective on gender. Thank you for that Sadie.
Next was another public meeting with my #1 fan, p or Patty as I now know her. Had she not been available to meet for breakfast I may have missed her. As it was we only had 2 short hours to visit. From the very start she lived up to my image of her being my number one fan by waving at me excitedly from inside her car as she parked and giving me an enthusiastic hug as soon as she could all with a huge smile on her face. I asked but I still don't understand why she has become so enamored with me. She's a pretty young lady of 29 years with a bubbly personality and was a joy to visit with. I would have liked to have visited longer with her had her scheduling permitted. Thank you Patty.
Then it was time to visit "Her", my nemesis, my anticipated prey, That Woman, my foe, Monica. I was heartbroken I was going to miss here at the Gaia House where I thought she was due to the horrible location of the place. It is a quaint little tourist town, picturesque place with narrow streets and absolutely no place for visitors of those vacationing there to park especially if you drive a full sized crew cab pickup. It even took a couple miles to find somewhere to turn around. I suppose it is fine for those with small cars and reserved parking spots but for me it was decidedly hostile. If you read the rest of this then you know I was ready to leave without meeting Monica because of this. I was not happy but then after I had texted Monica my regrets I got a response from Anne her partner telling me they were still at the hospital and would be there long enough for me to visit. So I did get to meet the one responsible for me meeting all of you I did and culprit responsible for giving me the opportunity to have people to meet along the way dressed as myself. Being able to meet with Monica was the highlight of the meeting as I owed so much of this wonderful experience to her for the snowball she set in motion by asking to meet me in the first place. Meeting with her as a good friend grown from all of our banter was great but the results from that one expressed wish had a more profound affect on me. Thank you sooo much Monica.
After a good visit (for me, she was still in a lot of discomfort) I went on down to the DC area to try to meet with Georgette and Terri (MaybeBaby) This was the most stressful part of this trip for me. They are both in high population areas with altogether too many people and cars. Lots of buildings confusing roadways, narrow streets (many of them one way). In short everything about a city I do not deal well with. It did not take long for me to go into overload. It was afternoon when I arrived and got a hold of Terri and due to her scheduling I would have to wait for the morrow to visit. I don't think I attempted to contact Georgette at that time (I should have though) Any way I scouted the area (building stress) thinking of possibly getting a motel but opted to leave the area in search of a highway rest stop (did I mention I'm cheap when I travel) after finding a McDonalds and trying to get lost in the old city I fought traffic out of town about 20 miles out and found a crowded rest stop to spend the night in the morning I fought my way back into town, found the same McDonalds to get breakfast, tried contacting Georgette, Bought a couple tops, a pair of jeans and leggings at a nearby Costco and got a call from Terri telling me She could now visit with me. During that time I had a couple more failed attempts in contacting Georgette and wound up missing meeting her altogether due to sensory overload for me for too long, I needed to get out of there by then and sticking around another night was not going to happen. We did manage to talk on the phone for about 30 minutes though. Terri and I did have a very pleasant visit though in her high rise apartment. I has a very very nice view.Terri is a nice lady and is a bit apprehensive about her own pending GCS operation coming up soon. She's a sensitive loving lady that cherishes her two sons. It shows. Thank you for the visit and conversation Terri.
Having exhausted my visit list, and in crown distress I headed back to my niece's place as I had promised a couple more days visiting with her. It was somewhere about this time I got another visit request from Anne (Tia) back in Colorado or it may have happened after I got back to Missouri. So I added another to my list. From the onset she invited me to stay the evening with her and her wife Debi. I initially consented to just a few hours but was persuaded to stay the night by the prospect of meeting another of Susan's denizens that sadly did not happen.
But I got ahead of myself. I visited my niece going out to dinner en femme both nights and then returned to Missouri for more servitude as breakfast chef to Peggy and fishing abuse from Jim all en femme still. Several days of this and it was time to head back to Colorado and my stay with Tia and Debi. I found them to be gracious hosts and we went out for lunch, dinner and breakfast in the morning at their local favorite restaurants. I must say I enjoyed each meal they treated me to.and the conversations we had during the whole visit. Again it very very nice to see a couple staying together and working the trails out. Thank you Tia and Debi I really enjoyed your company.
Onward to Idaho to visit a couple niights with a non forum friend and look at her Mom's and her computers for a couple of minor issues. From there it was time to go home. Kendra had requested to meet and although I do want to meet her I knew that once I got that close to home again, home would be my destination. She is close enough that I will make a special trip to go visit her very soon. Sorry Kendra.
I've made a special point in thanking Moni as being responsible for causing this road trip to become something special for me and I feel she deserves the credit. But she is not the only one that has made this trip special. I owe each and every one of you that commented on this thread for the encouragements, the suggestion, the friendship and well wishes from those I could not visit. I owe each one of those I did visit for being there for me and wanting to meet, for the friendship, food, the beds and showers but most of all the sharing of yourselves with me. The same goes for my non forum friends who have accepted me as Laurie.
A very different person left home a little over a month ago than the person that has returned. I feel I left to accomplish my goal of visiting all the states but I feel I also left in search of myself or more specifically in search of Laurie. I may have found her. She's still pretty shy but she is present here more than she has ever been. I have not been in male clothes for almost a month now and still going. I think I may be full time now. At least that is what I am going to try. I think Leonard left home in a virtual dress and Laurie has returned. I could not feel this way without all of you. Thank you all.
Love,
Laurie
