| My fascination with traveling all began two years ago. | | | | it. I would drive for days and the landscape always |
| I was at a Barnes and Noble and came across | | | | remained the same. I was starting to wonder if I |
| Kerouac's legendary novel, "On the Road." I figured | | | | would ever escape the flat, cornfield-lined highways; |
| enough people have recommended it; I might as well | | | | until I hit Colorado. I basked in nature's beauty as my |
| see what all the hype is about. Sure enough, they | | | | truck climbed through the Rockies. That John Denver |
| were right-the book is awesome! The plot is based | | | | knew what he was talking about. The mountains |
| on Kerouac's pickup-and-go attitude and everything | | | | were gorgeous. I continued on to hit Utah, which has |
| he encounters while exploring all that America has to | | | | the bluest skies I have ever seen. From there I was |
| offer. I was fascinated and I wanted more. Next, I | | | | on to Northern California. |
| got my hands on a copy of "The Electric Cool-Aid | | | | After a few days of tasting my fair share of wines |
| Acid Test," which is of the same flavor. These | | | | and relaxing in the vineyards of Sonoma, I continued |
| stories fascinate me, so I did what every other | | | | on down to San Diego. Overall, I had a great trip. I |
| recent college grad does-traveled. While most people | | | | met a lot of characters, heard a lot of accents, and |
| want to backpack through Europe, bouncing between | | | | ate a lot of different foods. And I encourage you to |
| hostels and drinking absinthe, I instead decided to | | | | get to know your own country because each city |
| take a deeper look at America the beautiful. | | | | has something to offer. I also recommend two |
| Hitch hiking is something of the past. With all the | | | | products to anyone considering embarking on a |
| crazies and nut jobs out there today, you would | | | | journey of this magnitude. |
| have to be out of your mind to catch a ride with a | | | | First, for those who have trucks, a hard truck bed |
| complete stranger. Plus, I just got a new truck. And | | | | cover is really helpful. It covered all my gear so I |
| what better way to break in my new ride than by | | | | didn't have to worry about it falling out along the |
| taking a nice long road trip. I didn't want to plan my | | | | way or being left out in the rain. Personally, I |
| trip too much. You need to leave room for | | | | recommend Undercover tonneau covers because |
| adventure and spontaneity. | | | | they have hinges that allow you to prop up the back, |
| I was starting in Northern Maine and all I knew was | | | | turning your truck bed into a nice shaded hang out. |
| that I wanted to taste the salty water of the Pacific | | | | Secondly, for those of you who don't have trucks, I |
| Ocean. So I packed some clothes, blankets and food | | | | recommend a set of rubber floor mats. I was always |
| into my Toyota Tacoma and hit the road. It was | | | | getting out of the car and exploring-walking through |
| summer, so rather than staying in a hotel, I laid down | | | | fields, trails, dirt paths-and tracked a lot of mud and |
| a blanket in my truck's bed to rest my bones at | | | | funk into my truck. My mats stopped the gunk from |
| night. | | | | my shoes from staining my carpet. And I hosed |
| I saw a lot of new things and really got to | | | | them off easily when they got dirty. |
| experience Middle America, because there is a lot of | | | | |