Road Trips: The Best Way To Let the Road Be Your Life Guide

May 13, 2015 | Posted at 8:00 am | by Alexandra (Follow User)

After a two-hour commute home, it is hard to find the light at the end of the tunnel while behind the wheel. The highway becomes everyone’s worst frienemy. It gets you from place to place, but at what cost?
 

Hours of your life.
 

As a faithful patron of National Public Radio, sure, some of the extra listening time is enjoyable, but I can only take so much. Last month my boyfriend, Steve, presented me with a last minute opportunity to drive across the country. I jumped at the chance to travel and see states that I had never seen before. New York to Chicago, Chicago to Kansas City, Kansas City to Boulder, Boulder to Provo, Provo to Napa.
 

In five days, we traveled over three thousand miles. Being on the road for about ten hours a day sounds daunting, but it was the experience of a lifetime. The road, my frienemy, the strip of land that caused me so much agony and frustration, became the experience. 
 

Steve (whom drove the ENTIRE way) never asked for help driving. He made a point to go into each day thinking it was the journey and experience of driving that was meant to enrich our travels. This soothed him in the hours spent in the driver’s seat. Although some long days with no signs of human life for hundreds of miles became difficult, Steve showed no signs of being worn out.
 

The journey of driving through the Rocky Mountains, the Utah wildfires, Arches National Park, Lake Tahoe, became the experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. It was those important journeys that I am so grateful for witnessing…
 

I implore you to forget the frustration and repetition of commutes and heavy traffic and take a few moments to drink in your surroundings. The scenery, people, establishments, even traffic, each possesses interest that is often and easily overlooked.
 

Also, it doesn’t hurt to have someone you love by your side…