I love making plans but it’s really fun to throw them out the window.
I’M STILL TRYING to figure out the reasons I’m on this trip.
I have what I call my “trip encyclopedia”: I planned day by day what my dream trip would look like. It has driving destinations, the parks or places where I want to be on a certain day, and a list of potential hikes. I starred the ones I really want to do and I made notes like, “This one’s really busy” or “This one has gorgeous alpine lakes.” I planned ahead for where I could stay overnight. Most days have two or three options. I didn’t map out the whole trip, because I ran out of time.
I’ve realized that anything could happen: what if I hit a big heat wave in the desert? I’m starting to go with the flow. I love making plans but it’s really fun to throw them out the window.
I’m nervous about the end of this trip. I think about it almost every day. I love being able to pick up and go when I feel like it. I thought that being on the road would bring me some clarity, but that’s a lot of expectation to put on a trip. Two and a half months sounds like a lot of time, but maybe it’s not enough.
ELLYSA EVANS
