Fast Cars & Freedom

Cya later Florida!

     Ok so its july 21st, time to head out to montana! Im due in gardiner on july 28th. my original plan was to go to daphne alabama to see my mom, then camp in arkansas, then camp on a lake in middle of nowhere kansas, find somewhere to sleep in colorado, camp somewhere outside of jackson wyoming and then arrive in gardiner on the 28th. 

There’s a reason i never make plans, its because i have a really hard time keeping to them. So i head to daphne, stopping for an adventure at cellon oak park, the largest living oak tree in florida. i climb around, take some pics, admire the shit out of this thing and then get back on the road. As i approach tallahassee and remember the old saint augustine highway is supposed to be beautiful, so i make another detour and cruise this gorgeous oak tree tunnel road just outside the city. I land in downtown tallahassee, make a wrong turn and end up at a night market on a lake. this is awesome! grab some food from a puerto rican food truck, eat by the lake, get harassed by a duck, and head out. finally get to moms, stoked to see her! she’s doing well, we have some beers and catch up. i stay there for 2 nights. 

Cellon Oak

Old St. Augustine Rd.

   

Watermelon Selfies!

     It’s July 23rd and now I’m officially yellowstone bound! I say goodbye to mom, she cries, of course. My plan for the day: get to mt nebo state park to camp for the night. first stop: watermelon patch in seminary missouri to take a selfie sitting in a giant watermelon on the side of the road. theres a store, i pop in, lots of weird clothes and trinkets. that was fun, now on to pinnacle mountain state park, where i hear there’s a great view of sunset. drive thru insane rains in mississippi and arkansas. nothing but corn fields and storms. always thought florida had good thunder and lightning till i drove thru arkansas. when you spend this much time alone on the road you have a lot of time to think, reflect, and feel. this day was full of that. Lots of tears, remembering how the last time i drove across country it was under completely different circumstances. A song came on that took me back to a moment i shared with my ex on our trip and i lost it. funny how music can do that to us.. 

Pinnacle Mountain Sunset

Anyhow, I finally arrive at pinnacle just in time for an amazing sunset. got a little lost but saw some great views along the way. sunset was gorgeous, this was the first time i really noticed the terrain changing from flat florida to rocky forests. pretty stoked. hike around a bit, take it all in. arrive at mt nebo state park at night. laughing out loud by myself on the drive into the park. pitch black up steep switchbacks. its setting in that I’m actually doing this! get to the campground, can’t see a thing, can’t find my campsite, drive around aimlessly for a bit. finally find it and set up in the dark, excited to see what I’m waking up to in the morning. so many cicadas singing me to sleep. its hot out, walmart kids tent doesn’t have cross ventilation. oh well. sleep like a baby.

Mt Nebo State Park

     Ok so July 24th was so much fun! I wake up to an amazing view. gotta decide if i want to stay and explore the park or head out to kansas. long day of driving. decide to head out because weather. drive drive drive. oklahoma is HOT! I plan on staying at a campground in scott city kansas. get to wichita, where i see a mini horse at a gas station, and decide to say f*ck it and go to kansas city to see jordan! what a great decision! So i drive 3 hours out of my way but finally arrive in KC and am so stoked. Me and Jord have been friends for a solid 10 years, haven’t seen each other in like 3. her place is awesome. get to see pops, poo man and brodie (her dad and 2 dogs)! we go to sunset at a park downtown, meet all her friends, head back to her place for bbq.

Kansas City Sunset

I’m quickly falling in love with this place and these people. after quite a few pbr’s we go to this pirate ship playground. it starts to lightning. we play in the rain, soaking wet, laughs, funs, these are good people. life is good, i could stay here! a few more adventures downtown and then sleep.

     July 25th. gotta leave KC. Jord takes me to get the first good coffee I’ve had in days at a place called mud pie and we get bbq at some dope spot in kansas city, kansas. we say our goodbyes and I’m on the road again. this time headed towards colorado. this is my longest day of driving.. 12 hrs. i go about 30min out of the way to visit monument rocks in oakley kansas. what a cool spot. drive thru cow pastures, get stuck in a few cow jams (a traffic jam but with cows). so these rocks are made of sediment, this whole area used to be underwater at one point. its one of those things you can’t really explain, you’ve just gotta see it for yourself. massive rock formations in the middle of flat farmland kansas. 

Monument Rocks, Oakley Kansas

Ok so I'm back on the road, tired but I’ve still got 8 hours to go and the colorado mountains are calling my name. the excitement from monument and a beautiful kansas sunset give me a good second wind. i pass thru denver and decide i'll pull off to sleep somewhere around breckenridge. find a dope mountainside pullout with a bunch of rv’s and truckers and decide this is my spot for the night. set up bed in back of jeep. and pass out. this is the first time I’m feeling the climate change. started the day in 100 degree kansas and ending it in 50 degree colorado. stoked!

     

     July 26th. wake up for sunrise and holy cow is this beautiful. One of my most favorite things do do is to arrive somewhere at night with no clue what ill wake up to in the morning. its like christmas looking out the window or tent and looking around to see you’re surrounded by beauty. its an amazing thing. 

Breckenridge Sunrise

get coffee and gas and crappy road trip breakfast food and I’m faced with another decision.. one of my greatest friends ever who just moved to phoenix will be in moab.. so do i stay on my course or drive 8hrs out of the way to see her? i hear moab is a must and its my bestie so yolo, I’m going to moab!  TO BE CONTINUED…