Over the last 5 days we’ve covered another 2000 miles going from Richmond, KY to Rapid City, SD. Our trip has taken us through 7 different states as we’ve crossed through the Midwest. We’ve seen some awesome sights, met some wonderful new friends, and enjoyed all the lush colors of Fall.
While planning for a road trip, there’s always that long list of items that we all want to pack. Over the years I’ve found a lot of things to be cumbersome and not very useful, while others are completely necessary. Here’s a road trip packing list I’ve compiled with some items that I consider absolutely essential!
Today we are embarking on our next Epic Road trip. On our last journey, we were two wandering souls who had just quit our jobs and went seeking a new life. As we leave this morning on our next trip, we head out with a different mind-set and a different mission. We are going on a grand adventure and driving from Key West, Florida to Dead Horse, Alaska. We planned a loose itinerary and aren’t sure if the weather will allow us to reach our final destination. Somehow that makes us happy. We are more interested in the journey along the way and the adventures it will bring. We could have planned this trip in the Summer when the roads are clear and there isn’t a threat of snow or ice, but we didn’t. Without a sense of the unknown it’s not truly an adventure, is it?
I woke up the morning we had to leave New Orleans with a sense of impending doom. We were leaving the seediness and debauchery that we enjoyed so much in NOLA, and heading towards the wholesome goodness that is visiting my father. I had a heavy heart that morning, because I hadn’t spoken to him once since I had quit my job and started aimlessly driving around the country. I knew that my visit to the gulf coast and Pensacola wouldn’t be filled with the partying and drinking or solitude of nature I preferred on vacation, but rather serious talks and reflection.
Have I ever mentioned that there is one piece of interstate in the country that I absolutely despise? I do everything I can to avoid I-10 through Texas. I plotted our whole trip around avoiding it. Thanks to Lauren’s reroute to Vegas the other day, this is now the fastest way to San Antonio. We’re booking it there so we can see my brother Mike, his wife Blythe, and my nephew “Prince” Leon. I had to suffer 560 miles of the longest, straightest, flattest, hottest stretch of road to get there, but it was worth the trade off. In return for my suffering we had 4 more days of fun with family and spoiling my nephew rotten. As a bonus we got to see the Alamo and try out some amazing restaurants!