Getting There

The Grand Canyon, viewed from the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim, 2011

A road trip is maybe 10% the destination and 90% the ride. I say this because having just done one with a friend, I feel it's safe to say that who you do it with and how the whole ordeal is executed has everything to do with the overall fun factor of the destination. There are exceptions, of course. The Grand Canyon, for instance, has to be taken as an isolated phenomenon and will trump even the worst case of road trip fatigue or disaster. It is entirely it's own experience.

I'd never gone on a road trip this side of the US before, so the plan was a simple one: try to see all the major hotspots within relative proximity to each other; a very limited budget; and time. So we decided on taking Highway 1 as far down as San Diego, stopping by Big Sur, Santa Barbara, and Venice Beach. A nice mix of activities that included redwood hiking and camping, toy town exploring, beach bumming, hosteling, city shopping and burrito hunting. The ride down the coast is always a magical one, meandering through amazing foliage and cliffs that take you dangerously close to the blue abyss.

Part Two of the road trip took us inland where we explored the Mojave desert, Death Valley, Nevada, and the small towns in between, before arriving in Arizona, at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This was a paralyzing moment. What I had once jokingly referred to as just a "giant hole in the ground", presented itself to me in all its glory. With its crimson wash of reds, violets and blues, the canyon opened itself up for us to bear witness to millions of years of geological history, cultivation and astounding natural beauty. This is the most beautiful hole I've ever seen. And yes, it is huge.

Now, despite the fact that a destination like the Grand Canyon can make the road trip from hell seem bearable, there is still much to say about the nature of the journey versus the destination. Road trips are all about discovery in motion: opening up your mind and body to new triggers and wonders. What allows for this kind of environment, and what makes the entire adventure stimulating boils down to a) who you're sharing this experience with, and b) your levels of expectation and flexibility. For me, both a) and b) were on top notch form. Not only was I traveling with someone I knew from the inside-out, she was also someone who knew me from the inside-out. No surprises or spooks waiting to come out in that department. As for b) All that was to be expected was that some crazy unexpected things were bound to happen. They most certainly did; and we conquered.