East Coast Road Trip
Proof of Concept…
I had this grand idea of going on a huge cross-country road trip by myself; I felt that I needed to see and do new things to figure out new things about myself. One small hitch, I’ve never been on a proper road trip before, let alone by myself. I've never even driven more than a couple hours continuously before; now I would be doing it for weeks across state lines.
So before this dreadfully cliché self-induced "spirit quest" of mine, I decided to take a practice run: I would visit my friends in North Carolina and come back. Though this test trip was only a fraction of the duration and distance of my cross-country trip, it was a proof of concept, making sure I wasn't going in over my head before the real deal.
I planned out my itinerary, bought some basic camping gear and set forth. My first leg of the drive was from Boca to St. Augustine.
I ended up camping out on Flagler Beach celebrating my birthday with some retirees from just outside Quebec drinking a single Budweiser. Afterwards, I ended up renting a room in an old-folks home in St. Augustine. I spent the walking the city and climbing its lighthouse, all the while learning about churches and Fresnel lenses.
Peace and Quiet…
My next notable leg was Savannah, Georgia, but I would have to go through a quaint little town called St. Mary’s, named after the river that separates Florida and Georgia. I stayed at a cafe/hostel called the Blue Goose which was surprisingly homey despite its relative isolation. In fact, I distinctly remember thinking how unsettling this place was, quiet and austere, almost secluded in the marshy countryside.
Ultimately, that thought was more a reflection on my lack of worldly-ness and embarrassingly forgetting that not all people live in cities. Thinking back, it was one of the most peaceful places I had been.
Southern Charm…
Savannah was much more metropolitan and by extension, much more fun. I spent the day visiting the Wormsloe Historic Plantation and walking through Forsyth Park. Savannah's historic district is incredibly vibrant, with old and new buildings weaving a rich tapestry of the city's identity.
In the evening, the Night Market was packed. The local street vendors, the outdoor restaurant seating, and the various DJ blasting classic pop gave the nightlife so much energy; it was impossible not to just find a spot and dance.
More than a Beach…
The next stop was Myrtle Beach, SC; my only knowledge of Myrtle Beach was its iconic beach boardwalk which I quickly got tired of. Coming from South Florida, you learn quickly that a beach is a beach.
However, what I didn't know about Myrtle Beach was its incredible suburbs that made me instantly want to make sure this was the place I would raise my children. It wasn't as rich or manicured as Boca Raton, but it had a certain hometown charm mixed with pleasing new commercial development to meet any needs of a new family. In fact, the family I stayed with felt just like the type of people I would want to live next too: unassuming, kind, and thoughtful.
North Caroline…
After driving into North Carolina, I camped out at Croatan National Forest. The weather was mostly overcast during the day but cleared up in the evening. In a pitch black forest, I stumbled around in bush and beach to take some of these starry night photos. Here I clearly remembered how lonely I was on this trip, solo traveling had got to me. It was bad in several of places but none worse than here.
Salvation! I reached the Winners' household in Rocky Mount, NC. I stayed with them for a couple of days drinking sweet Muscadine wine and sneezing my brains out in what had to be the worst pollen bloom I had ever experienced; imagine yellow pollen sludge covering the sidewalks.
Lessons Learned…
By the time I needed to head back, I was sick of driving so I kept my stops to the bare minimum: camping in Francis Marion National Forest and Airbnb in Jacksonville. There were a lot of lessons from the trip. Driving sucks. You need to be fairly economic with food and lodging. I don't want to do it alone.