Chicago:,Before the Trip: Blog Philosophy/Statement of Purpose

---

---

Sat. July 25th In Which the Author States his Travelblog’s Statement of Purpose:

Firstly, thanks for viewing my travelblog, which covers a summer cross-country driving trip originating in Chicago, Illinois (U.S.) on July 25, 2009 with a final western destination occurring on August 14th in Salt Lake City, Utah, with various yet-to-occur adventures in between. I invite comments, suggestions, grammar corrections, etc.

As I’m beginning, it’s certainly relevant to provide a “state of purpose” for the blog—to seek and state the objectives of not only the trip, but the notion of believing that it’s important/interesting enough to want to share with others.

I certainly want to capture the “nuts and bolts” of traveling, adding travel tips that I find useful and that others may find helpful. In addition, I’m allowing myself room for “sidebars,” thus freeing me to comment on any topic which I find interesting or relevant to the travels. Capturing the trip and “putting it on wax” is also appealing, as the efforts put into this blog will pay off in the future, as the blog will continue to be available on Travelblog.org.

The routine may change, but at present, I will probably be taking notes and possibly dictating thoughts, etc. into my MP3 player to help recreate the days’ activities in the blog posts. I have a Sprint “aircard,” which allows wireless internet access, but currently do not know how strong the signal may be in “East Bumble, U.S.A.” I will try to post as often as possible.

Regarding travel, I’ve been very lucky to have the opportunity to travel, often in 2 week jaunts throughout my adult life. Being a college teacher, which, by the by, is the best profession in the world, allows 11 weeks of uninterrupted time between mid-July and late September. When traveling, I often get the question, “Why is a 42-year-old man traveling by himself?” The answer is, of course, “All of my friends/girlfriend have a ‘real job,’ thus keeping the ‘tied to their towns.’”

Past trips/travels: 2 weeks driving/camping around Alaska, two previous cross-country driving trips (one in the late 1980s, post-graduation from University of Georgia, from Athens, Georgia to Seattle Washington and the other from Chicago, Illinois to the Rainbow Gathering in Arizona in the 1990s). I’ve also been to Europe for 2 weeks (France, Amsterdam, and Germany), and I’ve visited all states except: Hawaii and North and South Dakota (S.D., at least, will be tackled this trip). I’ve also been to Canada. Interesting fact: My first plane trip occurred as a Junior in college.

This trip, traveling in a 1997 Toyota pick-up truck with 104,000 miles, is my favorite method of travel, as it allows a certain amount of freedom. If one has the time, vehicle access, particularly in the United States, is paramount to seeing “the real America.” Another benefit: I will be carrying my 6 year-old dog, Sophie, with me. She will, for better or worse, probably be the “star” of many of my photographs, if for no other reason than to have something in the “foreground” of the pictures. She is a “mutt,” having shown up at our apartment in Pilsen, a Mexican-American community in Chicago. She is a worthy traveler, small enough to relax in several different positions in the front seat of the truck. She’s also been on at least 8 canoe rides. Although I’ve offered to let her drive several times, she’s yet to accept.

So…please enjoy the trip as it unfolds…

---

Photos

Sophie, the dog
Performing her trick

Camping in Denali National Park, Alaska
No people = good!

Comments

[RobHargadon]

Diggin It...
Dave, Ben turned me on to your blog. Just got back from a vacation myself (up to Canada) and will spend some time over the next few days catching up on your exploits. Safe travels!