Jason Lupei

8/25/11 to 8/31/11 Highlands Ranch, Colorado Denver, Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado What I love most about this cross-country journey is how it has allowed me to spend time with some friends who are scattered around the nation. I formed my route around these stopovers, with plans to spend the most time with the Hayes family: Dave, Kristy, Mackenzie (5), Josie (4) and Frankie (2). Kristy and I have known each other since we were 11-year-old seventh graders at Jordan Intermediate. We maintained a close friendship... even went to prom together... and continue to be, well, family. Her husband Dave is as easy to love and we all have always have a fun time just hanging out. Aspects of this part of my trip were the most relaxing, some, the most chaotic. I'm not use to being ... read more

St. Louis, Missouri 8/21/11 to 8/22/11 Independence, Missouri 8/22/11 I was told the 323 mile drive from Nashville to St. Louis was pretty, and I have to concur. It was a different kind of pretty, though. There were a lot of what appeared to be small, rustic farms. When I was little, I use to do a lot of puzzles, and the scenery reminded me of those puzzles. There were rusty, tin sheds and weathered silos, alongside of dilapidated, wood-slatted barns and crooked weather vanes. I definitely felt like I was driving through the country. I arrived in St. Louis at 4:05, checked into my room, and was at the Anheuser-Busch beer tour by 4:30. I was pretty proud of this achievement, as I received two free beers at the end of the tour AND learned ... read more

Atlanta, Georgia 8/16/11 to 8/19/11 Throughout the 257 mile drive from Savannah to Atlanta, I was super excited to be going to a city of my heroes. My first hero is Laura, a friend of mine from high school who allowed me to stay at her home in Atlanta. Laura is a free spirit who follows her convictions and intuitions. I admire and support that so much. She is a raw foods chef who is in the process of starting her own catering truck business. She believes in the healing power of raw food and the messages delivered through angel numbers. On a silly, personal level about my history with Laura, she is the first person I ever sang to. I was always very insecure about my singing voice, but loved to sing. I sat next ... read more

8/3/11-8/14/11 Southeast Vipassana Meditation Center http://www.patapa.dhamma.org/ I have written this blog a million times in my head. I didn't feel it was complete until I wrote it in my heart. For the last 11 days, I have been participating in a Vipassana meditation retreat in Jesup, Georgia. I first learned about Vipassana meditation four years ago when I was returning from my trip to Myanmar and Europe. My travels made me curious about mediation, and as fate would have it, I sat next to a woman on the airplane who had just completed a Vipassana meditation course. I jotted it down in my travel journal. The following week, I heard two more mentions about Vipassana meditation and knew I was supposed to complete the 10+ day course. All I knew about the course when I ... read more

7-31-11 to 8/1/11 Little Rock, Arkansas I can’t express how exciting and refreshing it has been to drive across this beautiful country of mine. This 350 mile stretch took me from Oklahoma City to Little Rock, Arkansas. I think what was cool about driving through Oklahoma was passing through all the Native American lands: Shawnee, Creek, Cherokee and my favorite—Kickapoo (just to name a few). It would be fun to do a Native American themed drive across the nation to learn more about the various tribal histories. I think it would also be pretty cool to do a music-themed tour of the U.S. (I guess I’m a thematic person). Oklahoma boasts a few musical greats. I drove past Okemah, home of Woodie Guthrie and through Checotah, made famous by American Idol winner and country superstar, Carrie ... read more