Road Trip!

As you may know, I am currently a graduate student. I am in a two-year program, and as luck may have it, I have the entire summer off! I had quite a bit of time to consider what I wanted to do with my break, though once I started thinking about taking a road trip back East, the idea would not go away. I grew up in Massachusetts, and my immediate family and half of my extended family are still there. Trips from Boise are expensive, so I don't get home as much as I would like and I hadn't seen my family since last August. 

It really hard to think about not using these three months to work and put aside a little money for the upcoming year. However, in perspective, I have it pretty good as a student. I have a graduate assistantship, which cuts my tuition and fees in half in addition to paying a little bit. I also obtained an internship position with a stipend and was awarded a bit of scholarship money. Okay, a little easier to compromise with those things in mind. But ultimately, what it came down to in my consideration was that this is a unique time in my life- a time where, as an adult, I have a summer with no obligations. It seemed like a good time to do something memorable. Plus, once I pitched the idea to my mom that I would get to hang out with her all summer, there was no taking it back. 

I originally had thought I would leave Boise as soon as school released, but I had a friend's wedding, a conference, and an ultra worm their ways into my schedule. I hit the road on Thursday, June 19th and made it back to Massachusetts on Sunday the 29th. I stayed with some friends and family, but camped for the majority of my nights on the road. To find camping spots, I laid out my trip on a map, and zoomed into the green spots (public land) and figured out where I could pitch a tent. We have some beautiful places in this country, even in unexpected places. I am going to write a few posts to detail my stops along the way, should anyone's interest be piqued.

I am only halfway through my summer, but I am already so thankful that I am taking time for myself. If you have an opportunity to explore, don't let it pass you by. It doesn't have to be for a whole summer, or even a week. There are little green spots everywhere, and your couch will always be there when you get back. 

Not all of the numbers correspond with a stop- but this is the general idea.

Boise, ID

Riggins, ID

Missoula, MT

Custer National Forest, MT

Palisades State Park, SD

Great Bluffs State Park, MN

Racine, WI

East Harbor State Park, OH

Poe Paddy State Park, PA

Uxbridge, MA

Days on the road: 10

States crossed: 13

Cost of gas: $304.84

Cost of camping (6 nights): $140.83