Traveling my own backyard: the southeastern United States!
I remember sitting in a college class one spring semester. The window was open because the air outside had suddenly turned warm. Smelling of flowers, this spring air slipped into the room and brushed at my hair. Come away, it said. Travel. Explore. Escape.
I imagined rolling down my car window somewhere on a back road. I imagined a chapel somewhere in the woods with the sun streaming in huge windows along its sides. I imagined listening to night sounds beside a lake. I imagined traveling not by plane, but on the ground, close enough to stop and touch what was around me. I imagined the great southeastern road trip.
College was a long time ago. Since then, my job has taken me to all kinds of surprising places that initially I wouldn’t have had much interest in, but found to be lovely once I arrived. But I usually traveled by plane, and few places I went were actually in the southeast. The urge to explore my own back yard by car was still strong. So I planned, on my two-week vacation time sometime in 2017, to make it happen.
I didn’t really realize how big this region is and how quickly two weeks passes. 2017 was halfway over before I was able to start. But when my friend Juan had a rare free weekend and could meet me halfway between Georgia and D.C. (where he lives) to explore Virginia, it was ON. We commenced the great southeastern road trip.
Phase 1: The Virginia Phase!
On this most northern part of my journey, I went north as far as Richmond and west as far as Cumberland Gap, Kentucky. I circled back through Tennessee and North Carolina as well.
Phase 2: The Florida Phase!
Basing out of Jacksonville for work, I got to explore the places on my list I thought I was least likely to go: the Devil’s Den natural springs, Cumberland Islands, and St. Augustine.
It was summer. It was hot.
Phase 3: The Mountains Phase!
To Grandfather Mountain and The Road to Nowhere outside Bryson City, NC. I loved this phase. Grandfather Mountain was a bit challenging because of VERY heavy fog on the mountain and insanely cold temperatures… and snow! But the snow was beautiful, the coffee was strong, and I’d brought fairy lights to the cabin. What more could be asked for?
The weather cleared after a day or so in time for The Road to Nowhere… possibly the most perfect fall day excursion of my life.
Phase 4: The Final Phase!
“The Rest Of It” phase ending in Charleston by midnight on December 31st, 2017. I was so proud of my little 2000 Honda Accord for making it all that way!
I put over five hundred photos in my Facebook album, but it still felt like just the highlights. I’m so glad I chose to hit the open road and explore my backyard. There’s so much to see out there! And I learned so much.
Now, to explore beyond.
~The Dauntless Princess~