So, I started out with this very aggressive, large itinerary that spread across the entire U.S. and parts of southern Canada. I fully intended on completing it. I began my trip by visiting my friend Eric in Fayetteville, AR. To complete the whole trip I was going to have to spend a limited time at each destination. Immediately, I felt like a day with Eric wouldn't cut it. I think I stayed two nights and we were able to do so much more and catch up like we needed to. After a couple weeks on the road, I was talking to my girlfriend, Chelsea, and we decided it would be a good idea for me to visit the west coast which wasn't originally on my itinerary. So after Laughlin, NV, I rode to San Diego with my uncle Keith. From San Diego, I rode up to L.A., then up the P.C.H. to San Francisco. At this point, I was staying in each city or park until I felt like I had seen and experienced everything I could. I spent 4 days in San Francisco, applying for jobs, looking for apartments, hanging out with my cousin and his boyfriend, and fixing a flat tire. I had a great interview with a potential employer, and days after, I started getting more calls from salons that had my resumé. This really started making me think about my time frame and if I was ruining job opportunities by continuing this trip. That may not have stopped me. By the time I got to Moab, Utah, I had driven through snow a couple of times (Yosemite and Bryce Canyon) and was beginning to worry about the weather. I checked the forecast for Rocky Mountain N.P., Yellowstone N.P., and Glacier N.P., and they all called for snow and freezing temps. Naively, I wasn't planning hitting snow this late in the spring. I didn't have the gear or the will to withstand it. With the weather and the job opportunities, I decided to make my way back home. When I look at the original "plan", it's almost embarrassing the way the new route turned out. I know I didn't complete half of what I thought I would. But, for me, that wasn't what the trip was about... I feel like I've experienced so much and seen so much in these past two months. I am very satisfied with the adventure that I had and wouldn't have done it any other way. Thanks guys for following the trip and for all of the encouragement!
Ps. I will be adding stories to all of the old posts. Many more details and fun stories of what happened at each stop. So if you'd like, scroll back down through the old posts in a week to see all of the stories!
Ps. I will be adding stories to all of the old posts. Many more details and fun stories of what happened at each stop. So if you'd like, scroll back down through the old posts in a week to see all of the stories!
