As I headed north out of Tucson, Sam had never sounded better. The not-so-subtle whomping in the tire was gone. With the exhaust leak fixed, the engine purred like a kitten. Even as I chugged along at highway speeds, the … Read More

I rolled into California in early February, expecting to spend four to six weeks traversing this massive state. After well over three thousand miles, I was finally leaving. From north to south, the state is roughly eight hundred miles long. … Read More

After another quiet night out on the desert flats beyond of the village of Joshua Tree, I headed into Joshua Tree Coffee Company to try their signature nitro cold brew. Normally, I keep it simple with a medium or dark … Read More

Our time in Manzanar marked one of my last days with my mom. After spending the day wandering Los Angeles with her, I dropped her off at the airport for her flight home. Even though we didn’t get to visit … Read More

After three full days of exploring, I figure that my mom and I had only put a dent in the list of potential adventures that make Death Valley so spectacular. I’ll just have to add it to my list of … Read More

With our time in Death Valley drawing to a close, my mom and I prepared for one last adventure in the park. Deterred by the ranger’s warnings of snow and ice on the upper reaches Telescope Mountain, we decided not … Read More

Having spent the previous day exploring the southern reaches of Death Valley, we decided to head north for our second day in the park. Running north to south, Death Valley is about one hundred miles long. That means that there … Read More

Since we arrived late at night, both my mom and I had absolutely no idea what we would wake up to in the morning. The night before, we had visited multiple campgrounds hoping to find a secluded spot off the … Read More

Those of you who have been tracking my adventures from the beginning will remember that my mom joined me for a week of hiking, boating, and a ton of driving throughout Maine and Nova Scotia. Ever since then, we have … Read More

I finished up my time on the Pacific Coast Highway driving through Malibu and ended up in Santa Monica. There, I found Christy, a friend from my abroad program in Barcelona. We immediately jumped into a multi-hour attempt to catch … Read More

At this point, I am very used to hopping on the Pacific Coast Highway (often called the PCH or the One) for very long stretches. Despite my familiarity with the road at this point, I still get excited every time … Read More

Crisscrossing California has allowed me to see many different sides of the drought that threatens this state’s urban centers and agricultural enterprises alike. As I still have much of California to cover, I won’t share all of my conclusions just … Read More

California’s immense size isn’t the only thing that makes visiting its natural treasures so difficult. Anyone who has been following my path down the west coast can only describe my route south as serpentine. When I envisioned travelling through California, … Read More

Although I think we sometimes lose sight of its importance as we move through our fast-paced, lives flooded with artificial light, there is something undeniably inviting about patiently watching the day draw to a close as the sun slowly drops … Read More

After my extended day of exertion and exposure, I decided to sleep in a bit before beginning my second day of activities in Yosemite Valley. Sleep had not come easily either night, which surprised me. I had chosen what I … Read More

Despite San Francisco’s allure and all of the smiling faces that I left behind, I couldn’t help the excitement that ushered me eastward. Yosemite National Park lay just three hours away from me. Alongside the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and few … Read More