What is it about road trips that makes them so alluring? Reflecting on past trips brings back a flood of memories, and thinking about the next one brings excitement and anticipation. What will you see, learn and experience on the journey ahead?
Like many Americans, Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, John Steinbeck’s Travels With Charley, and William Least Heat Moon’s Blue Highways were a major influence on me in my formative years, and these classic road trip books remain personal favorites.
Family vacations when I was young were always road trips. We definitely fit the stereotypical image of Mom, Dad and two kids traveling the highways and backroads on a summer road trip. And visiting National Parks, crossing the country (southeast one year, midwest to New York another), definitely were educational experiences.
I suppose it’s no surprise that a road trip is one of the things I enjoy most. Heading out with a pack full of camera gear, a full tank of gas and a vente latte in the cupholder puts a smile on my face.
Sometimes the trip is about exploring new places. I love to study maps and pick out roads I haven’t been on before, wondering what I might find. Sometimes it’s about re-visiting a favorite place from a previous trip. Sometimes, it’s just about getting somewhere I need to be, but wanting to enjoy the journey as well.
And sometimes I just need to hit the road. When I’ve been office-bound too long, when my hands and eyes hurt from too many hours on the computer, when the inanity and insanity of the world get to be too much, I just have to get out, and a road trip, whether for a few hours or as many days as I can manage, is what I need to restore some balance in my life.
Often times on long drives, my mind wanders, comes up with an idea, and then wonders. The road trip gives me time to figure out if the idea might work. Sometimes ideas and inspiration come from listening to podcasts and audiobooks, something that I never seem to find time for when I’m home.
Hours behind the wheel, moving miles down the road, gives me the opportunity to think, to contemplate, and to reflect. A road trip gives me time to cogitate on where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where, both literally and figuratively, I want to go.
Where will your next road trip take you?
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Great blog entry Greg. And so true.
Thanks, Garrett. I’ll bet you’ve done some great road trips yourself.
Well said, Greg. I think you’ve captured the essence of what it fells like to be “on the road”.
Thanks, Charles, that’s high praise!
What a great piece, Greg. You took the words right out of my mouth. Unfortunately, I don’t get to go on road trips much these days, but the yearning doesn’t go away.
Thanks, Gerhard. Let’s hope our yearning to get out never goes away!
Way to go my very talented friend, I’ve cut way back on traveling but manage a few trips with a bag full of cameras. Since I started staying home much more I have taken up teaching digital photography for the local school district which keeps my mind active.
I’m not on the road as much as I’d like to be, but I love it when I am. Glad to hear you’re still teaching, as that has always been something you’re great at and a lot of photographers have gained from your knowledge.
Absolutely stunning photos, Greg!!
We would like to invite you to participate in the next edition of our Travel Photography Competition. Every week we publish 3 winning shots on our website and write a nice bio with a link to the photographers’ websites/FB/Flickr pages.
Find more details here: http://hitchhikershandbook.com/your-contributions/travel-photography/
Happy travels!
Thanks, Hitch-Hikers! I’ll check out your weekly contest, and hopefully so will some of my readers.
Wow!…
what a road trip. I would really love to do it…. maybe sometime. I love yor shots, specially the image of the se in the Highway 101… really good shot. Congrats for your work!
B
Thank you, Borja. Highway 101 on the West Coast USA is a classic road trip. Some day I hope to do Costa Brava, too.