5 months
20,760.7 miles
39 states
3 oil changes
A half-dozen pairs of sunglasses
Got my car stuck 3 times: in sand on Pismo Beach, CA, in stones off the Flathead River in Glacier National Park and in Mississippi mud in the Homochitto National Forest. Somehow, whether through the kindness of a stranger or my own ingenuity, I got it unstuck.
I've slept in hammocks, tents, casinos, peep-hole motels, and even a marijuana grow room. I’ve had peaceful nights, scary nights and even nights laying in the dirt under a tree. But every place was home, even if just for a short time.
I've hung out with liberals, conservatives, yuppies and hippies. I’ve had conversations with the rich and the poor, gay and straight folks, priests and prostitutes and every ethnicity under the sun. Throughout it all, I ran across very few people with whom I couldn't find common ground.
I traversed majestic purple mountains, fiery-red deserts, expansive beaches and misty green forests. I’ve climbed rocky cliffs with powerful oceans crashing against them and stopped in almost every large city in the country. All of these with a 1-ft tall, 10-year-old pup by my side. No matter where we went, there was something inspiring about each place that we found.
I’ve driven on interstates, local highways and mountain trails. I’ve crossed through dark tunnels, on massive bridges and even rode a ferry into Vermont. I’ve ridden in buses, cabs, subways, and trains with each one bringing me to a new exciting place to explore.
I’ve eaten out of aluminum cans and bags of dehydrated food. Had steak in fancy restaurants and tacos on street corners. I ate more pickles in one day than any one person should in a week. And sandwiches. I ate more sandwiches than I could ever imagine. I have tried everything Subway offers. Everything.
I’ve been ecstatic and depressed, surrounded and lonely. I’ve laughed till I have cried and have cried until I laughed. I’ve seen things so breathtaking that I couldn’t capture their beauty in a thousand years.
But throughout it all, there was this one common thread that only intensified in its truth as the miles rolled on the odometer:
Each person is given one life. That life is theirs and theirs alone. No matter what they do, or who they choose to be, that is their most precious gift. But as with every precious thing, it shouldn’t be locked away, hidden from sight. No, it should be brought out, in all its shimmering brightness because life itself was made to be lived.
From here, I am writing a book about my adventures. I have so many stories to tell and cannot wait to share them with the world. America is truly a great country filled with beautiful landscapes and equally beautiful people. I will continue to update this blog with media now that I have consistent wifi and will drop a few teasers along the way.
This has been the greatest adventure of my life. Thanks for sharing it with me.
Ry