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Published: June 23rd 2009
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The HHR
Or as the Breadman calls it, the Homo Hot Rod. I began to like this thing by the end. I'd still never buy one, though. 24 days. 5,175 miles. 18 states. 14 destinations. One helluva trip.
Many people have asked me the natural question - what was your favorite spot? I’ve rode the fence on that one as it’s tough to pick one. Every place I went had its own unique characteristics. To compromise, I’ve thought about some of the “bests” and “mosts” in a number of categories:
Best nighttime entertainment - New Orleans
Best food (single meal) - St. Louis (Pappy’s Smokehouse)
Best food (overall) - San Antonio
Best drinks - New Orleans
Best music - Nashville
Best people - Houston
Best company - Houston
Best new friends - New Orleans and Nashville
Best scenery - Raleigh-Durham (UNC and Duke)
Best for tourism - San Antonio
Best tourist attraction - Atlanta (World of Coke)
Best looking girls - Houston
Best ballgame - Atlanta
Best museum -Fayetteville (Special Operations and Airborne)
Most foreign - Houston (Wild Wild West)
Most outlandish day - Nashville
Most outlandish night - New Orleans
Most relaxing - Raleigh-Durham
Most likely to be better the next go around - Pittsburgh (though the hospitality was great!)
Every stop along the way was a new experience. They all have impacted my life in some way, which is partially what I’m hoping to accomplish through my travels. From skills like surviving on my own, making new friends and planning without assistance, to actually doing what I resolved to do, this trip was all I hoped it would be. And more.
As I spent more than 70 hours on the road alone, I naturally had lots of time for reflection. Concepts like time took on new meaning. A drive lasting a few hours became short. Schedules were non-existent. Mondays were just another day and weekends were for the poor and unfortunate.
I wondered why it is that the typical American works like crazy throughout his best years with only the hope of surviving to a time to pursue his dreams. Is it because of his family? And is he just perpetuating that cycle for generations to come?
Throughout my travels I spoke to many people that envied what I was doing and what I planned to do. They expressed their interest in doing something similar but always found limitations to justify it.
I can’t. The more I thought about this, I realized it’s not that they can’t, it’s that they choose not to. There’s some sacrifice to be made and they’re not willing to make it. That’s not to say that the sacrifice would be too great and their decision is wrong (for instance leaving your family to go gallivanting around would not be responsible). It’s that people automatically dismiss many of their dreams that fall outside this narrow path that is their walk of life. But sometimes venturing off the beaten path is the most fun. At least it has been for me.
In the coming couple months, I plan to part ways with New York City and head to Fort Lauderdale for some R&R with my family. In late July and early August I’ll probably do some camping and anything else that comes up that sounds fun.
I’ll also be using this time to prepare for the next big adventure - backpacking through Europe. I’m planning to go for over two months, leaving in mid-August and returning in late October. The one known destination is Oktoberfest in Munich in late September. Anyone wanting to join me for Oktoberfest or anywhere else along the way is more than welcome. I’d love to see familiar faces.
If my European adventures even remotely compare to those down South, I have no doubt I’m in for an exciting few months.
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Jo Taylor
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Great travelblogs
I am glad this trip has given you a new outlook on life. I personally follow the belief that it is better to experience life without a necessarily set path. Of course there is always a time and place for that, especially once you have the responsibility of a family and mortgage, but the trick is to do it before that stuff happens. So many people I grew up with haven't seen much of the world and consider a holiday driving an hour south to the Gold Coast. It is all career, career, career. I guess what ever floats your boat. More specifically, New Orleans was an awesome and our two nights of drunken debauchery will long live in my memory and is a definite highlight of my 3 months travelling through the USA. I would love to join you in Europe and if you were doing it next year, I would be there with bells on, but alas I am now a poor, unemployed bum looking for a home and job in Vancouver. Wish me luck and hopefully I can catch up with you during my 2 years in North America.