US Roadtrip, the trip that maybe changed my life
September - November 2020. When I quit my job and headed out for the open road, on what would become a 2 month solo roadtrip all around the US. Where I took the northern route out to New England and the southern route back home to California. A trip that felt like I was living out all my dreams. A trip met with both the most freedom and contentment I had ever felt, and a trip where I was met with unexpected hardship where pushing through taught me that I can truly do anything I want to.
Week 1: Meandering up the CA and OR coast
Freedom along the coast: Redwood National Park, Bandon, and Astoria
An absolutely amazing introduction to the trip. A week marked by the feeling of freedom, contentment, and meaningful human connections.
Windows down, chilly, damp air blowing against my face, Vance Joy filling the car, and smiles consuming my face. Cruising along Hwy 1, I’d find myself smiling for no reason at all. That is, no reason except just a very simple freedom and joy that we don’t get to experience all too often.
In a trip where you set out for time alone, I was surprised and grateful to have experienced the most meaningful human connections I’d find all trip within the first several days. From staying up into the wee morning hours with a stranger camping across the way while talking about all aspects of life, to a full-day interview that I was in no mindset to take that ended in an unexpected rejuvenation of energy and excitement, to yet more late night conversations with a friend that I had apparently only scratched the surface with before, and now had shared more thoughts around life than I had most people.
Week 2: Natural beauty and challenging myself
In awe of the grandeur and beauty of nature: Glacier, Yellowstone, and Teton National Parks
This week was significant and I’ll be forever grateful for what I experienced and discovered. As I reflect on this week, I realize it was the beginning of how the trip would change me.
The first noteworthy recollection was how simply breathtaking and spectacular nature all around was. I felt absolutely in awe and at peace. Taking it all in, with no distractions around. It’s indescribable how clear your mind can be, how content you can feel, out alone in nature. And while peaceful, it was also amazing. It was the first time of many, that I’d find myself exclaiming “Wow!” aloud to only myself.
Not only did I feel deeply immersed in nature, but I also challenged myself in so many ways and discovered how much our minds and body can do when we push ourselves. Before this, a 6 mile hike felt like a feat to me, especially solo. This week, I nervously embarked on my first 13 mile hike, and after feeling an immense sense of accomplishment, found myself now in a mindset where I’d spontaneously and nonchalantly tackle an 8 mile hike the next day.
Another challenge I met was camping in the coldest weather I’d ever slept in. It snowed overnight in Yellowstone, leaving me sleeping in 20 degree weather and breaking down an ice-covered tent. I think back to how nervous I was, frantically googling how to stay warm camping, all the way to the later weeks of my trip, where I’d fearlessly and confidently confront any cold and discomfort that came my way.
Glacier National Park
Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
Week 3: Long drives, cold nights, and friendly midwesterners
This week started to defeat me. It had taken things that I had loved and turned them into chores. The long drives and many cold nights camping turned two things I loved most into obstacles to overcome. And while it felt like an accomplishment to push myself against, I realized I didn’t want this vacation to turn into a chore. I needed to figure out a way to shift my mindset.
Week 4: Upstate New York + the start of fall foliage chasing
Leaf peeping in New England was one of my main goals and expected highlights of the cross-country trek. I was set on catching as much peak fall foliage as I could, and I incited a good amount of stress in myself in the weeks leading up debating whether I should book it out quickly as planned, or take my time and explore spots that I was enjoying.
When I finally made it to the East Coast - through Watkins Glen, NY - I felt a sigh of relief that I could finally stop moving for a minute and enjoy the destination! However, on one hand, it was a sigh of relief, but on the other, it turned out to also an entry into what would be weeks of unideal East Coast fall weather that would put quite a damper on my experience.
East Coast Part 1: Upstate New York is hard to describe. While there isn’t the hustle-and-bustle pace of the city, there’s still a “New York” vibe and attitude about it. Not exactly coldness, but at the same time, not exactly friendliness.
East Coast Part 2: I ended up reaching New England past peak leaf-peeping time, but having not really experienced it at all before, still thought the beauty was abundant! Beyond leaf peeping experiences, I also found New England towns charming in their own sort of way. A large contrast to larger urban sprawl towns of California filled with friendly neighborhood small talk, were smaller New England towns that were a tighter-knit community that was more difficult to forge into.
Week 5: Coastal leaf peeping + the city that never sleeps
East Coast Part 3: I’m a sucker for a cute downtown and harbor towns, and I must say, I found a lot of allure in coastal New England.