Recently, a lot of people have been asking me, “why road trip? Why drive around the country?”
I am not too sure I have the perfect answer. I just want to say, “why not.” I have this opportunity to see everything. I have the chance to hike through valleys, summit mountains, explore canyons, swim in lakes, and see animals in person that I have only had the chance to view as pictures. Some people want a beach for a vacation; some want a mountain lake, why not have it all! This summer I look forward to seeing the mountains (The Cascades, Rockies, and the Appalachians). I look forward to seeing water (The Pacific Ocean, major rivers, and glacial lakes). I look forward to making lifelong memories in some of the most beautiful places in the United States, if not in the world. I spend all year teaching my students about the environment, how societies impact the local ecosystems, and what we are doing to preserve what is left, yet I have only really experienced the East Coast where close to 40% of the population lives. I have experienced historic cities like Philadelphia, I have seen what it is like to be stuck in traffic routinely just because so many people live in the area, and I want to see what else is out there. I plan on using this experience of driving from National Park to National Park to better myself. I plan on taking everything in, and then using this experience to share with my students.
I teach my students cliché after cliché. The sky’s the limit… Never give up on your dreams… good things come to those who wait… I figure it's time I cash in my chips and I go out and explore. I figure it’s my time to never give up on a dream. We have been loaned a beautiful 2016 Rav4 Hybrid from Toyota and we are packing up our bags, tents, and hiking boots. We are going to travel close to 9,000 miles as we leave from Bucks County, Pennsylvania out and across the country and back again over 49 consecutive days. There are going to be sights which I can’t even quantify; experiences that can’t be measured, and memories that will last a lifetime. I look forward to what the road has to offer, and I look forward to sharing the experience when possible through here.
