Throughout my journey across the U.S. and back I passed a lot of state lines, most with huge signs that said “Welcome to [state name here]” equip with parking lots and tourists pushing the air in front of their cameras indicating for their kids to move closer together for a photo. The sight became a regular occurrence on nine-hour drives and passerby never thought much of it. I never really wanted to stop to take any pictures with the signs, although I must admit the state signs in the Rocky Mountain states are far more impressive than those in New England. However, when I stopped to take a picture with the sign at the state line of Maine and New Hampshire (no parking lot here) I was a little surprised when every other car that drove by honked at me. For me, the gesture was a big “welcome home,” one I wouldn’t have wanted any other way.

As July Fourth approaches so does summer for most people. I’m amazed a whole month passed since I got on the road but for everyone else it doesn’t seem like much changed. The weather is still cool and all is still green with spring. But I’ve touched my feet on so many different types of soil and so many places. I drove approximately 9,800 miles in 30 days.

My home moved between friends, family, campgrounds and the back seat of my car. My constants became the warmth of my sleeping bag, the small notebook I wrote my thoughts and directions in, and whatever voices were always inside my head. Physically, I feel much less stressed and more comfortable in my body. The biggest changes I feel are in my thinking. Although I was constantly seeing beauty around me, my trip was a mostly an introspective experience. I wasn’t a giant party on wheels and I didn’t make a ton of friends, but that wasn’t my goal. My goal was to reflect and decompress from the ups and downs of college, and be confident in myself and my direction.

In my discussions with people about my trip, many like to ask me superlative questions; what’s my favorite place I’ve visited, what was the best moment, the place I’d like to live the most, the hardest challenge. If I learned anything on this trip it comes down to three ideas:

1. Rely on yourself—you are enough.

2. Nothing is better or worse than anything else. It’s only a matter of perspective.

3. The main obstacle between you and doing what you know will make you happy is yourself.

Besides this, I don’t have the answers to superlative questions. Yet, I am an observer so I’ll tell what I figured out so far. I don’t want to sound preachy. These are just lessons I’ve learned along the way, each backed by a story.

A General Sense of Things: 

• Following set journeys, trails or paths are good for paying reverence—be able to make your own adventure. Don’t feel stuck to your original plan.
• Letting go of schedule is hard. Really hard if you’re me. Focusing on what is around at each moment, even on the road, helped me practice reducing my worry about what’s next.
• It is easy to remove facial loneliness with a cell phone. But it’s harder to cure the deeper loneliness the phone creates.
• Be comfortable being with yourself.
• Being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely.
• Shut up. Listen.
• Let choice liberate, not paralyze, you.
• Sometimes you have to drive into the lightening storm at 10 p.m. in the rain up a mountain. You’ll be okay.
• Think best case scenarios not worst.
• Take mostly memories not things.
• Give yourself permission to be who you are.
• Take the road that has less cars on it.
• When you go to places that have songs written about them, listen to those songs. (Example listen to Sufjan Stevens’ “Come On Feel The Illinois,” when driving in Illinois, esp. listen to his song “Chicago” in Chicago).
• Keep reminders of home.
• Let buffalo eat the grass at your campsite.
• Listen to good podcasts.
• Follow written directions, maps and your own intelligence to get you where you’re going.
• Laugh at yourself.

I may not be traveling as far physically in the next few months but my adventures won’t stop here. The effect of going against the grain, being alone or exploring doesn’t require months or miles of driving, it doesn’t even require new states, just your willingness to look in a different way. The impact is obtained by looking inside, not out.

Despite my road trip being over, I still intend on having adventures and writing about them on this blog. Thank you for following me this far. There’s more to come!

DMW