Last summer I went on my first long road trip. From Ohio, Patrick and I drove through the flat lands of Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska to arrive in Colorado. After spending a few memorable days in Colorado, we drove into Utah and spent a week traveling around to four national parks. We spent countless hours in the car, many nights sleeping under the stars, and we were pushed out of our comfort zone on a daily basis. This road trip was memorable for so many reasons. Besides experiencing new places and seeing so much beauty the United States has to offer, I learned lessons that I’ll keep for a life time. Here’s my list of five lessons I learned while road tripping across the country.
It’s possible to live less
In a world that can be so materialistic and consumer focused, it was hard to imagine at times I would have to live with less on a two week road trip. This was one of the biggest lessons I learned throughout the trip. I couldn’t pack everything and I realized did not need to. One of the most beautiful parts of the road trip was experiencing and making do with what nature and the surroundings had to offer. It was inspiring to experience how quickly we could adapt to our new surroundings and fall into a routine while making the car our home for two weeks.
The small things become big things
With any experience that’s out of the comfort zone, the small things begin to feel like big things. For me, it was paying for a hot shower after a long day of hiking, a hot cup of coffee in the morning, shelter from rain, a flush toilet and a home cooked meal even when we thought we were too tired to make one. The things I often took for granted suddenly felt so seen throughout the trip.
Flexibility is key
Speaking as someone who enjoys having a routine and a plan, I learned most times on the trip this wasn’t always possible. I learned to make some room throughout the days of our itinerary so we could have time to rest or time to adjust for the unexpected. There were several days we experienced unexpected weather, trail closures and overall fatigue we didn’t plan for but we were able to adjust.
It’s not always about capturing the moment
Throughout the road trip we were constantly surrounded by incredible beauty. As someone who loves to capture the scenery behind the camera lens, I found myself becoming consumed with ensuring I got the picture instead of truly taking in the moment and enjoying the scenery. By the end of the trip, I caught myself enjoying the surroundings first, then getting the “perfect” shot.
The experiences I had in between the bucket list items
There were so many things on our itinerary and bucket list we wanted to be sure and see. Those sights, towns, and parks were amazing but I also remember all of the in between moments and experiences we didn’t expect. We met so many friendly and kind people in every place and park we visited. These encounters were just as much of a highlight as the sights and parks we visited.
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