News & Updates

coming in may

In these next few weeks of May, here’s what’s happening at Blue Lollipop Road and what you will see:

1.) The launch of an entirely new site.
*Yep! That’s right! We have redesigned BLR and will be launching the new site this month with some new bells and whistles. We have worked very hard and can’t wait to share!

2.) Announcement as to whether or not we were picked to go x-country on the road with the Rand McNally/USA TODAY teams for Best of the Road, Rally 2012.
*VOTE FOR US HERE and spread the word as to why you think my Mom and I would be a great team to explore Small Town America!

3.) The kick off of a fundraising campaign for “BLR Play it Forward” (The Blue Lollipop Road Reunion Soccer Weekend Event and travel scholarship fund giveaway) happening August 18, 2012 in my home town in Vermont.
*This event has been 9 months in the making and means so much to me personally. I am so excited to reconnect with former teammates, honor lost friends, give back to the community I grew up in and reward a travel scholarship to a young person from my old high school to help them go on an adventure travel trip of their dreams. P(L)AYING IT FORWARD is what BLR is all about!

This sure has been a busy winter. Blue Lollipop Road will celebrate a 4 year birthday in October. I love working at all this more and more every day.

As always, I am so thankful for the support and fun from all of you out there. So much more to come and the rest of 2012 is sure to be better than ever!

 

0
0

can i buy you a beer?…

…do your laundry? Walk your dog? babysit your kids? Polish your shoes?

Done!

If you vote for Team Blue Lollipop Road HERE for the Best of the Road Rally 2012– I will do it all!

Turns out you can vote once a day until May 15th, so PLEASE vote fast and often. We need your help to go on the trek of a lifetime across the USA!

My Mom is going to my partner in crime this time around. What’s better than one Peacock lady on the road? TWO!

Vote for us!

0
0

vote for mr. herrington!

I know I should be soliciting votes for Team Blue Lollipop Road for the Rand McNally and USA TODAY Best of the Road Rally 2012 (and I still am of course)- but today I had to post about voting for someone else too:

My elementary school gym teacher Mr. Howard Herrington!

CLICK HERE to vote for him for the LIVE with Kelly (as in formerly LIVE with Regis and Kelly) Top Teacher contest! You can vote once a day Until April 30th.

Here’s a great article in our local hometown paper about the contest.

I could absolutely credit part of the reason why I have such an active and healthy lifestyle to Mr. Herrington. In my K-6th grade years growing up at Shaftsbury Elementary School, gym class was always my favorite. I’m sure most kids would say that, but I can say for sure that Mr. Herrington was one of those teachers you always trusted, knew really cared, and always made it fun to get moving. He has a 24/7 smile, and an energy that would make any kid excited to learn. He’s been teaching at my elementary school for 28 years now. That’s some serious dedication! Here’s this fantastic teacher we all love:

Shaftsbury Elementary School gym teacher Howard Herrington

Between this nomination for Mr. Herrington and collaborating with my old high school and other teachers on the 8/18/12 Blue Lollipop Road Reunion Soccer Weekend I am feeling some serious love and pride about the tiny little Vermont town I came from. I am one lucky kid!

Dear Mr. Herrington~

I know I haven’t seen you in years, but from all us “kids” of Shaftsbury Elementary School (including us 33 year old ones):

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Thank you for being the example of a teacher that truly cares! We hope you win. You deserve it!

0
0

VOTE FOR TEAM BLUE LOLLIPOP ROAD!

Team Blue Lollipop Road is leading votes so far, but we still have 20 days to go, so we still need your support!

CLICK HERE to vote for my Mom and I to be a part of the 2012 Rand McNally and USA TODAY’s 2nd annual search for the Best Small Towns in America!

Here’s the dish on this Road Rally:

Rand McNally and USA TODAY send amateur travelers (that’s us!) across the country From Washington DC to Seattle exploring the Best Small Towns in America naming the Most Beautiful, Most Patriotic, Friendliest, Most Fun, and Best Small Town for Food with blogs, photos, reviews and videos to take you on the journey from wherever you are. (As if you are riding in the car with us!)

Talk about the perfect trip and exactly what Blue Lollipop Road exists for! I have always been an advocate of not just “vacation” travel (like only seeing sights at sites) but the immersion experience, actively engaged vs. passively observing. The nooks and crannies where you nosh and spend time with local characters is where you find the good stuff.  Mom and I have always been fascinated with small town America (probably because we both grew up in a tiny town and appreciate where we came from so much) so we would LOVE to be one of the teams selected for this trip.

Here’s my mumsie and I:

Mom and I at Sea Dog Brewing Company in Maine

Pick us! The Peacock’s (that’s our actual real last name) are ready for adventure!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Mom and I and cracks me up. The guy behind us is really enjoying his food while were relaxing on the patio at the Sea Dog Brewing Company in Maine with my brother and sister. It’s pretty awesome to be best buds with your Mom and siblings as an adult. (I couldn’t resist adding this photo of my adorable smilin’ brother with his yummy Sea Dog samples):

My brother Brad at Sea Dog Brewery

During this trip we stayed in Bath, (The City of ships!) and wandered different spots in Brunswick and around the Portland area. New England in the summer is just absolutely gorgeous, and Maine is one of our favorites.

Bath Maine cottage summer

…even on a cloudy day it’s beautiful:

Portland Maine Coast

If you’ve been following here of any amount of time, you know I have photos  and stories galore of people, places and food from my 50 state adventures. But? I know I have only touched the surface of what the USA has to offer for small towns, so help Team Blue Lollipop Road get on the road this summer to go search for more!

 

0
0

what’s the best of the road for 2012?

Shall we go and find out? Whoop whoop!- We’d love to!

Rand McNally if you are reading this and want the most ridiculously fun road trippers ever- who love to explore small towns… BLUE LOLLIPOP ROAD IS YOUR ROAD RALLY TEAM BABY!

It is so ON.

Readers~ Check out what we’ve just submitted a team for:

The Rand McNally Best of the Road Rally 2012!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VOTE for Team Blue Lollipop Road!

0
0

stop making me wait woman!

…(that’s what a friend and reader said to me yesterday about not seeing the site changes here yet.) Believe me- I am very eager to share, but we have been working hard on getting it all just right. Beauty takes time people! 🙂

I just got the wireframe design/outline for the new site from my awesome web guy Bobby and I squealed when I saw it. It’s so cool to see hard work come to a visual life- especially when you’ve been working at something for years and finally feel like you’ve etched a great little spot for yourself. When I started Blue Lollipop Road in 2008 I never imagined It’d grow into what is is now. I also never thought I’d spend thousands and thousands of hours essentially running a full on entity for free, but It’s been worth every minute and then some. Growing and changing into this next phase of the BLR is the most exciting time yet for me!

You will see here:

*New tagline, mission/vision and BLR look

*Surprise big news about the BLR 8/18/12 Reunion Soccer Weekend in Vermont

*Launching of a fundraising campaign so I can keep this puppy running. (Yes, that means this site.)

*Introduction to a client I’ve been coaching through her process of  huge life change; Corporate high-powered burn out career to following her passion for working with animals.

*More

So yes, long waits and promised updates that have been delayed. Fear not. BLR is here to stay and growing bigger and better each day!

0
0

oh the places you will go

As I’ve been working with my talented, patient, and generous web guy Bobby sending him information, photos, links, etc. for the BLR face lift we are doing, I found this link from A Skirt! Magazine issue I was featured in before I drove to Alaska.

My, my, the things that have happened since this photo and article. Oh the places we have been.

This BLR-mobile got different license plates, added branding on the bumper, it drove all the way up to the Gateway to the Klondike:

The BLR-mobile at the Alaska border in Skagway

…and went through the Inside Passage of The Last Frontier, then all the way down the west coast spending nearly 5 months total on the road with an extended work stay in Napa, back east, then a move to Chicago, travels back east again, back to Chicago, back east once more and just back to Chicago this week. (With so much in between.)

Phew!

I don’t think I’ve ever shared here after that Skirt! photo shoot, I left the east coast headed for Alaska with only $600, a fresh oil change, a few paper maps, and all my belongings in the trunk. (As in everything I owned.) If you do any sort of calculations on mileage and gas, $600 is not even enough money for gas to get to Alaska let alone any other expenses. I made it there and back and then some as listed above because at the time I wanted to make that journey happen so badly I would’ve walked there if I had to. Not only was I safe, happy, and did I have an amazing time, but I didn’t have to walk there. Why? Because along the way things just happened. 

It’s so fun to look back and have those hell yeah- I did that! moments.

When you take a step towards life (and work your ass off) the universe responds. That is no joke, and this photo above is a perfect example. There are no secrets or superpowers I have that you don’t have too.

Is there a “place” that you want to be so badly, you’d be willing to walk there? What’s holding you back from starting that walk?

This calls for a little Dr. Seuss moment:

Oh the Places You’ll Go:

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.  And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets.  Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry.  Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

You’re right Dr. S!

We have brains in our heads, we have feet in our shoes, and we can steer ourselves in any direction we chose!

0
0

10 days out…

…from giving up my full time paying gig to focus here for free, and I have made more behind the scenes progress than I have in months.

That’s paycheck enough for me right now.

Timing, focus, and clarity are amazing things. Especially after laying a solid foundation.

Whoop Whoop!

Can’t wait to share the goodness very soon. It’s all coming together baby…

0
0

launching myself

Freedom Friday has arrived! So what’s the big deal and big announcement?

I quit my job.

Yep.

The one that pays me actual money.

Why?

Lots of reasons, but most importantly because it was a toxic environment, not aligned with what I want my future to look like, and it was getting in the way of my goals for Blue Lollipop Road. Full on dive-bomb jump time is now or never.

So I jumped and I don’t doubt for a second that I will find a parachute.

I’m coming up on 18 years of travel, 4 years of this Blue Lollipop Road entity and I am nearing 34 years old. I know what I want, what I don’t want, and what I am capable of. I also know now is the time to take my experiences and efforts to support and encourage other people to follow the best paths to reach their goals.

So this is Freedom Friday because we live in America people! Did you know you can actually do anything you want to do.

Awesome right?

I’m off to a celebration lunch, so more soon- but I will leave you with one question:

Are you somewhere you don’t want to be or doing something you don’t want to do with your time? If so, what decisions are you making today to move toward what you actually do want?

I don’t know about you, but I’m sure not getting any younger.

Write me if you’re ready to dive-bomb jump. I can help you find your parachute.

 

0
0

good timing

I’m feeling a great sense of this word as Freedom Friday is just 12 short hours away:

Word of the Day for Thursday, March 29, 2012

eudemonia yoo-di-MOH-nee-uh, noun:

1. Happiness; well-being.
2. Aristotelianism. Happiness as the result of an active life governed by reason.

What are you doing today to be actively moving toward your goals?
0
0