Road trips are fun, but my passion for them has wane a little. Lately, I've been thinking about thru-hiking two of the 3 American long trails- Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), or the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). I prefer a more closer relation to nature, a more intimate journey to discover whatever there is to discover on foot rather than to pass by in an automobile. All the outdoor gear has been upgraded, and until they are utilized to their fullest, the gear will be used for camping on road trips. I'm not sure if I've changed a little or this is another dream which needs to be made into reality.
It's been roughly 4 months since I last embarked on the memorable trip to Canada and the Northeast United States, and I didn't really plan on taking off for another one this soon, but I'm not really the type to plan too much ahead- just accept things as they come because it's much more fun and interesting. It's also important to be able to work with a great group of guys, who can support each other's work; therefore, the boss is more lenient on vacation requests. And of course getting along with peers doesn't hurt.
This road trip was a little different than the rest because I would fly into Phoenix, rent a car, and then travel the western states. In the past, I've always started from home and returned home in the same vehicle. The main reason is I only asked for one week off, and it would take 4 days round trip to drive as far as San Fransisco (I did a roadtrip from Houston to San Jose in the summer of 1990.) Plus, the drive between San Antonio and Phoenix is mainly hot, monotonous desert.
Right now Phoenix is an exciting place to be since the Arizona Diamondbacks are in their first World Series in their short existence. I am actually rooting for the Diamondbacks even though I have lost interest in professional sports long ago- professional sports is too commercialized and generally only the affluent can afford the high ticket prices. Glad to be out of there to avoid any crowds and traffic, especially at the airport. Well, Houston isn't much better, considering it's the most polluted city in America.
Due to the recent September 11, 2001 terrorists incidents, people have been weary to fly, and as a result, airlines have dropped prices in order to attract passengers. Southwest round trip tickets between Houston and Phoenix was $178. I tried to get round trip tickets between Houston and Las Vegas, but all the flights coming home were booked solid; so I figured flying into Phoenix and driving the extra 5 hours into Las Vegas would not be a problem. This would also allow for a visit to the Grand Canyon.
This entire journal is based on recollection a few days after returning from the 9-day roadtrip. Now I'm home and working again, I'm feeling a little road sick. I cannot recall one single road trip where I wished I was returning home and leaving the land unexplored. That must mean something. Maybe it's the awe of almost absolute freedom with only responsibility to myself which calls me back.
Road trips are still fun and I will continue to do them until I take on the 160 loop mile Tahoe Rim Trail in the summer of 2002.