July 15, 2013
ABOUT ten miles west of Rexburg Idaho lie a hidden gem of sand dunes just off highway 33. This is where I awoke after an evening in the sand by a fire pit with some mormon twenty-somethings. Mormons are interesting folks. I immediately sensed the christian vibe, and it quickly turned into a latter day saints vibe. These guys and girls were perpetually stuck in twelve-year old naivety, but they offered us smores and soda in a typical friendly fashion. After an introduction of everyone in the circle, we quickly came into conversation about our travels. I informed them that this was the last state on my list of continental states to visit, and one of the girls spoke up saying "thanks for making us last!" To which I digressed.
Indeed Idaho was the last state amoung 48 that I would putter into after years of travel and a goal that began in the summer of 2006. I cant even count the times I've been across this continent, both the US and Canada. The highlighted map of where I've been since 2006 looks a little like a highlighter exploded.
It is now the summer of 2013, and there I was, standing at the Idaho sign, my head racing just as fast as my heart on this calm, sunny, warm day at the continental divide on highway 20 from Yellowstone NP. I teared up a bit, thinking of all the road, all the friends, all the mountains, all the excitement and all the boring and all the stories I've had from travelling the way I have. All the highlights came rushing back, from the first time I saw the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to the beauty of White Sands NM in New Mexico. The East coast had been kind to me, with its Nags Head sunset and wild chickens of Key West, to the history of Boston and the tall buildings of New York City, but the West Coast was where I found my home. The coastal mountain range of Washington state and Oregon, the Redwoods of California, Death Valley, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon have all left me with some pretty epic sense of adventure.
Today it's road trip life back to normal. Waking up with the sun, and once again finding a river to clean my dirty self. Did I mention I was travelling with a girl named Rachel? She's pretty good with this road trip thing. It's not very often you find an incredibly good looking woman who is'nt annoying as hell to accompany you in a frugal quest across the continent for two months. Minimal showering and maximum sweating, unstable sleeping conditions, and absolute unsuredness is not typically what a girl can call enjoyable. You may think thats pretty ghetto and not a lot of fun at all, but I assure you, it's the best way to travel!
- Previs
