Well I feel all super important, I have a blog! Who'd a thunk? I have opinions about things and stuff, yee-haa!
Anyway, I would assume that if you're reading this, then you know about my plans for the next month, which will all be documented here in cyberspace. Me and Mitsy (the car) are going to travel the hell out of this country for the next however long. As far as planning, I have a very vague idea of the places and people I'll be seeing. Part of the greatness of a real road trip has always been the freedom to do whatever strikes your fancy. So, it's certainly possible that my route will change multiple times, and hopefully it will.
A few questions that I'm sure you may be asking yourself:
Who are you going with?
Me, myself and I. Now that's not to say I'll be alone for this trip, certainly not. In most of the large cities, I'll be meeting new and old friends and staying on a lot of couches. Part of this is because I'm cheap, but also I don't think that you can really understand a place until you see it through the eyes of someone who lives there. Luckily, I have some great friends dispersed across this country who are really generous, and I'm sure I'll be able to add a few new names to my buddy list when I get home.
As far as not actually having a 'travel companion' so to speak, actually I'd never have it any other way. Sure, there are a few people who I wouldn't mind having with me. However, most of you know that a lot of the things that excite me are boring as hell to most everybody else. Also, anyone who's been in my car for long also knows that my taste in music is eclectic at best. Going on my own means that I'll see just what I want to see and move on when I'm ready. I have a tendency also to feel responsible for everyone on a trip; I guess its the ESFJ in me but if something doesn't go right and it only affects me, its not a big deal, it happens. If my planning (or lack thereof) causes others to have a bad time though, I'll feel responsible. I'm neurotic, I know. Going by myself means that I'm not worried about what'll come. I'm pretty quick thinking and the unexpected is all part of the adventure.
Where are you going exactly?
Good question. I have a basic itinerary thought out, sorta. Again, a big part of the whole feeling of freedom is that I don't exactly know what I'm going to see or when I'm going to be there. That being said, there are a pretty decent list of things that I want to make sure I see and experience. I'll be going through a lot of America's modern metropolises: Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas, Houston, etc. Some of these places I've been before, most not, and certainly not since I was old enough to really know what was going on.
More than the cities though, I'm hoping to see the natural wonders of this country. Anyone who's known me for very long knows that I have a tendency to randomly drive out to mountains whenever I can. I've always loved seeing natural wonders and this country has a hell of a lot to explore as far as that goes. Whenever I take a long vacation, I realize that however fun a city is, it's the natural parts that really stick with me. I guess its the simplicity maybe, or that it makes me feel really small...either way you'll see that a lot of the itinerary isn't anywhere close to a city. The plan is to go to places like Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Badlands, Black Hills, The Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, The Painted Desert, Monument Valley and Carlsbad Caverns among other places. I'm bringing a tent and sleeping bag with me too, for the southwest. We'll see how much 'roughing it' I'll take, I'm fairly sure I'll wimp out but maybe not.
But it's March! It's cold up there!
::sigh::Yes, I know this. I have to start the new job no later than 4/2 so this is the time I've got. There are worse things though. Furthermore, a lot of the places I'm going will be in the 70's whereas they'd be 110+ if I went during the normal 'roadtrip' season. One other nice thing, I don't really need to worry about overbooked motels and higher rates either. You'd be amazed how cheap you can stay in some of these places. Either way, this is the time I've got, and I'm using it for all its worth.
Hopefully I'll be able to update this most every day on the trip. I just bought a new camera thats fly as hell, so new pics will go up on here too. I'd love to get feedback, questions, comments etc from everybody, so feel free. I'll have the cell on although I'm not sure I'll get much reception in South Dakota. Wish me luck, my next entry will be from the road!
