Adventure is Still Out There.

37, 912 Miles Driven in Bertha
9 Months and 23 Days on the Road
48 States Visited
46 Couch Surfing Hosts
41 National Parks
2 Countries Visited
1 Flat Tire

95 National Park Sites, Total
55 National Forests
32 State Parks
15 National Monuments
13 Oil Changes
4 National Lakeshores
3 States where I drove Route 66
2 National Seashores
1 Break-in

Last week I said that the adventure is over and I am totally about to contradict my own statement. I've been thinking about that a lot now that I'm home for a little while figuring out what my next move is going to be and finally, I've come to a conclusion. Being outdoors all the time and exploring natural wonders is only one kind of adventure. I've done something not many people can say they have and what I've always wanted to do. I've seen how beautiful this country is, toured its hillsides and cities, and ventured through its mountains and caves all by myself. The past nine and a half months have been nothing if not exciting, surprising and, at times, exhausting. In the beginning, it was definitely hard waking up every day and not giving over to the immediate instinct to worry about where my next bed or shower may be. I got used to it though, after about a month or so I sank into a rhythm of calm and collected. I now know Bertha inside and out; the way she should sound, the way she should feel. I've overcome, for the most part, my fear of heights, but definitely not my distaste for the dark. I have come to find a patience in myself that I am without a doubt still working on, as well as a drive that I always knew was there and I can't wait to tap into. I think I'll start with my next adventure, trying somewhere new. Now, whether my next stop will be as amazing as going to church for the first time to see the Al Green preach and sing to me in Memphis? Only time will tell. It will probably be somewhere I discovered through my travels where I won't be swallowed by a crowded city or bored in a suburb. Somewhere where the outdoors are right at my doorstep and the atmosphere is relaxed, inviting, and musically entertaining. Somewhere in this amazing country I call home, that place exists. In a few months, I plan on finding it.

When asked what my favorite part about the trip was, I always respond with the people I got to meet. It's true, there's no way I would have made it to all 48 states without a little help from my friends, new and old. On that note, thank you to everyone who reached out to offer a place to stay, took a chance on hosting me after reading a few references, enjoyed a meal with me, hiked with me, dodged bears with me, camped with me, and became a new friend.

Thank you to my family for being so supportive through every stop, being excited to hear where I was going next, trusting that I knew what I was doing, not panicking when I informed you I'd be staying with strangers, and welcoming me back home with tons of balloons. I loved that so much.

Thank you to my friends for still being there for me even in my absence and making me feel like I never left.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who has followed along. Whether all you did was read one post or all of them, writing this blog and being able to share my journey with you all has been one of the most rewarding things I've done, maybe ever. It's opened up a whole new world of creativity for me to explore and I can't wait to dive in head first. I've been contemplating the idea of selling prints of my photos, making them into postcards, and even making a book out of this blog. The possibilities are endless and whenever that happens, you'll be the first to know.

You know what the most important thing I got from this trip was? To be yourself. It sounds cliche, I know, and it is. Out of the forty six surfers I stayed with, two of them were inspired enough to quit their jobs, step out of their comfort zones, and pursue something they actually love to do, traveling or otherwise. The greatest compliment I will ever receive is that one right there. They saw something in me that I hadn't yet and jumped at the chance to create their own adventure. It's a humbling feeling and it makes my heart so full and means more to me than they will ever realize to know that by simply being me, I could make them happier and inspire them in some way. How crazy is that? It's a thought that still takes me a minute to wrap my head around. Who knows, maybe I've inspired some of you to go out and travel and see what's in your own backyard.

Anyway, enough about me. I feel like all I've done is talk about me for the past nine and half months, haha. So, if you're reading this, I have one last request. Please send me a postcard from wherever you are. You can email me in the "talk to me" section in the menu and I'll give you my address. I would love to hear from everyone in the best way I know how, a good ole' fashioned postcard.

It's been a hell of a trip and in case you were wondering, I am still not sick of driving. Time to dry my eyes and get my camera ready for a new day. I plan to never stop exploring and you shouldn't either.

Adventure, I promise you, is out there.

The Photo:
Cooking with Big Bertha.
Taken by Thatcher outside of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Sometime in June when more adventures awaited.