Hitting The Open Road

What if you could just drop everything.  Leave all that you know and your creature comforts behind.  Quit your job with no new job on the horizon.  Pack only what you can carry on your back.

You, the open dirt road as far as the eye can see.  All there is to think about is where you fill your tank up next, grab a snack and maybe where you will lay your head from time to time.

Sound fun?  Would you do it?

I am not sure that I could given I have a family.  I don't think that would be very conducive to family life however I have a colleague that I have worked with for several years that is doing just that! And I am so excited to follow his journey.

Yup, he quit his job, no new job in the works, nothing.  Now grant it he is not married, nor has children so this is the perfect time for this cross country adventure that he will be embarking on starting Monday, July 23rd.

He, along with a few others are taking their dirt bikes and crossing the US on the Trans American Trail.  A trail of back roads, dirt roads, gravel roads, old forest roads, farm roads.  You get the just of it.  This is not your normal run of the mill trip on highways, freeways, interstates, etc. 

Why on earth is he doing this?  Let him tell you:

You're probably wondering why in the world I would do this?? I've got a great job with a great company, living in a peaceful town in a nice home that happens to only be an hour away from everything.  Well some would say I'm bored, stupid, crazy, a fool, etc... The truth is honestly that I miss doing what I truly loved to do.  I miss trips to the mountains, freedom of traveling, and most of all, my photography skills. 

   

Years ago I felt like I could produce some beautiful work. It was amateurish at best, but people seemed to like it.  It's been YEARS since I've printed off a photo.  I haven't felt proud of a picture since college.  The inspiration has left me and with that life began getting grey.  Last summer I started browsing some images online and felt that inspiration coming back. The images were taken with some junky scratched up point and shoot, so it wasn't the quality that I was seeing, but it was view that someone else got to see that captured those "stunning" photos.  I use the quotes because the photos were crap, but what the eye must have seen, well I couldn't imagine.  Therein lies the problem, I couldn't imagine the scene.  I want to see this with my own eyes.  I want to be there and capture those moments that only a couple hundred other pairs of eyes have seen.  I'm not going that far off the grid, but still, to capture the scope of what all can be seen with this trip is truly going to make me happy.  The heat, the blistering heat will suck and there is no doubt about that, but I think it'll be worth it.

Trip: Wilmington, NC àPort Orford, Oregon…It’s gonna be fun!

To my family, friends, and co-workers: Thank you for everything…the concern, the laughs, the angry looks and disbelief when I first told them about the trip.  So much love, so much life, so much everything! I’ll deeply miss you all!

Want to follow his journey?  Maybe he will be in your neck of the woods?  Make sure to watch his blog and follow along.

Good luck Zach on this awesome adventure!  It has been nice working with you and I wish you the best!