Thirty, Nerdy, and Driving

Abby Harris Start Date: Apr 17, 2018 - End Date: May 16, 2018
  • Denver, CO, United States of America
  • Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, AZ, United States of America
  • Yellowstone National Park, WY, United States of America

My Travel Story

by: Abby Harris Start Date: Apr 17, 2018 - End Date: May 16, 2018
For nearly a decade it has been my goal to visit all 50 states by my 30th birthday. For the last 5 or so years I have become somewhat obsessed with visiting National Park sites across the country- sometimes  ad nauseam of my fellow travelers, I’m sure.  There’s something to be said about learning your place in the world from our nation’s Public Lands and to bear witness to how powerful and beautiful the natural world is.

Here we are, within 30 days of my 30th birthday and this bucket list item is about to become a reality- almost. Given life constraints, I am modifying my original goal of visiting all 50 states and “settling” for the lower 48 states (for now). I have 9 states left, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. To accomplish this goal I have planned a 2 week road trip of epic proportion which covers these states, and then some. Starting in Colorado on May 4th and ending in Nebraska on the last day of my 20s, the route has been mapped around National Park sites in every state. In total, over the 14 days I will have covered approximately 3,500 miles, visited 11 states, taken in the beauty of 12-15 National Park sites, and sung countless numbers of songs badly in my rental car. The RoadTripper map is included on this page for anyone who geeks out over stuff like that like I do.

Solo travel isn't cheap, though. Flights, a rental car, gas, overnight accommodations, park entry fees, supplies, food... it adds up (the majority of which I have not included in the price here, the amount is really just my estimate for gas). So for my birthday, I'm asking for a little help to offset some of the costs; every little bit or lotta bit helps. In lieu of a coffee ($5), a beer ($10), a meal ($20), or some kind of event/gift ($30), consider “chipping in” for my trip. I honestly couldn't imagine anything that would mean more. To show how much it truly means to me, I have planned to do something very special along the route for everyone who helps out.

This trip is going to mean a lot to me personally, as I undoubtedly will learn a lot about myself, this country, and the hidden gems along the way. I could not think of a better way to start my 30th year of life- 30, Nerdy, and Driving.

Thank you in advance!

Abby

(Also, if you are not into using this type of platform to share funds, let me know and I can give you alternative solutions. Also, also, there is an anonymous function on here if that matters to you.)
  • Denver, CO, United States of America
  • Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, AZ, United States of America
  • Yellowstone National Park, WY, United States of America

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