When I originally started writing this post I was just over 5 months on my journey. Then I got distracted, re-wrote some of it and added to it after I was on the road for 6 months….. Then I went to Europe. Now I’ve been on the road for 8 months, and this time I will actually post this.
I have driven over 26,500 miles. I have driven over 560 hours. I’ve gotten 4 oil changes. I have been to 38 states, Washington D.C. Canada, and a quick trip to Europe (Amsterdam, Germany, France & Switzerland). Even though I’ve already been to them, I will be going back to Utah, Colorado, and California. I also have been to 22 National Parks, and 95 other National Park Service sites including Monuments, Memorials, Historical Parks, etc.
I have finished parts 1-3 and am currently on the last state in part 4 (Florida). I split part 5 into two parts (for easier planning), so the new part 5 has me going through Texas, and part 6 gets me back to California. I’m done planning part 5, just solidifying the last dates in Texas.
The coldest night and the hottest day so far on my trip have both been spent tent camping. The hottest being 106 and the coldest going down to 18. *** Edit, this was the case until I got back from Europe and was in Boston during a blizzard, now the coldest I have been in was -5, but I was indoors for most of that. ***
Holidays & Special Occassions
I was lucky enough to spend my birthday with my dad who flew into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my first cousin once removed and his wife’s family in Portsmouth, Virginia. Finally, I got to spend Christmas & New Year’s Eve in Europe with most family on my dads side.
I have learned and retained more information on United States history than I did in all years of my education. I always “hated” history growing up. Now I wouldn’t say I LOVE history, but I definitely have a better appreciation for it and have thoroughly enjoyed gaining all this new knowledge.
One of the first questions I get asked when people hear what I’m doing is “What is your favorite thing/place/state?” I don’t have one answer for this…. I have found things that I have enjoyed and some things that I haven’t in every state I’ve visited.
Some fun facts so far:
- Most driven states (30+ hours): Washington, Wyoming, Minnesota, Virginia, and Florida
- Least driven states (<3 hours): Michigan, Iowa, Rhode Island, Delaware & West Virginia (& D.C.)
- Utah has very interesting laws in regards to alcohol
- Each state has a different shape for the state highway signs
- Washington is George Washington’s profile
- I LOVE cheese curds
- Customs & Boarder Patrol Officers haven’t been the nicest (except entering Vermont)
- I have met amazing people almost everywhere I go
- I had a bald eagle fly directly overhead while at Acadia NP
- Maine is beautiful
- I am slowly learning more and more about my camera (like taking pictures of the night sky!!!)
- I got my camera stolen in Minnesota
- The guy deleted all my pictures and pawned the camera
- Bloomington PD got my camera back and were able to recover most of my pictures! (I now download much more often)
- Big Sky Country makes SOO much more sense once you have been to Montana
- Flight 93 National Monument affected me much more than I ever expected
- The fall colors in New England are everything you would expect and more
- Florida in February = wonderful weather
That’s a lot of miles and a lot of hours of driving. Do you ever get lonely? Whi’s The most interesting person you’ve met? Good luck as you continue.
Typically I don’t get lonely. I have so much to do that I don’t get the chance. I have to either plan the next part, go through pictures, work on a post, or set up camp etc. I have met many interesting people, I’m not sure who would be the most interesting. One thing that I have found very interesting is the amount of people that I’ve met that are doing something similar to what I’m doing (but I haven’t met anyone doing it alone).