West Coast Road Trip…5,000 miles, 50 days, 6 states, + 21 friends

July 17, 2020 – September 6, 2020

You can’t hold me down COVID!

I see you Rona, and I raise you an impromptu road trip across the United States.

And, I shall name you the 2020 West Coast COVID Road Trip.

I embarked on this road trip, because I was supposed to be jet setting around the world until you know who graced us with their presence. I’ll give you one guess. Yep, fucking COVID. I know I’m not the only one COVID fucked over – it’s been a real motherfucker for all of us in so many different ways [huge sigh of disappointment]. Is this shit over yet? For real!

My journey started on July 17, 2020 and ended on September 6, 2020.

• 50 days on the road
• Visiting 7 States
• Driving ~5,000 miles in a Tesla
• Connecting with 21 of my closest friends

50 days on the road gave me ample time to get all deep and shit while… 

• Taking the scenic route via PCH1 [windows down & Spotify bumpin]
• Driving through the vineyards of Calistoga [wondering why I quit drinking]
• Breathing in the breathtaking views of Yosemite [fuck Mother Nature is BEAUTIFUL] and nearly escaping Yosemite Prison [I haven’t confirmed it exists, but it seemed real scary in my mind]
• Almost getting stranded in Ely, Nevada without a fucking charging station [EV charging has come a long way, but when you least expect it you’re reminded it still has a long way to go]
• Counting the endless trains coasting through the yellow meadows of Wyoming [where are all the choo-choo trains going, and what r they carrying?]
• Crossing the Continental Divide twice
• Carefully navigating the super narrow roads leading into Aspen [it’s like playing a game of chicken]
• Admiring the stunning red rock formations all the way from the Colorado National Monument to Moab all the way through Northern Arizona [you have to experience it for yourself – just WOW!]

For those of you that are interested, here was my route:

Arizona

• Scottsdale

California

• San Diego
• Santa Barbara
• Lake Chachuma
• Atascadero
• Big Sur
• Oakland
• San Fran
• Calistoga
• Berryessa Lake
• Sacramento
• Truckee
• Lake Tahoe

Nevada

• Lake Tahoe

California

• Bridgeport
• Yosemite

Nevada

• Ely

Utah

• Park City/Deer Valley
• Salt Lake City

Colorado

• Denver
• Aspen
• Grand Junction

Utah

• Moab

Arizona

• Scottsdale
• Heber Overgaard

New Mexico

• Gallup
• Farmington

Colorado

• Durango
• Youray
• Silverton
• Durango

New Mexico

• Farmington
• Gallup

Arizona

• Heber-Overgaard
• Scottsdale

50 days went by in a blink of an eye. I walked away from this trip with countless stories & memories, a number of firsts, and a heart so full it could literally explode.

With my hands glued at 10 and 2 for hours on end [or, no hands at all – thank you Tesla auto-pilot mode], I dove head first into introspection land. 

It got a lil crazy up in the noodle, but these 7 themes were the ones I doubled down on:

1. Exploration + Human Connection
2. The Ultimate Life Skill
3. Disconnect to Reconnect
4. Decompress with Alone Time
5. Patience is a Virtue
6. Unlearning to Relearn
7. Accepting people for who they are

In the following blog posts I’ll explore each of these themes in more detail.

But, I’ll leave you with my Trip Highlights, Trip Lowlights, & Unexpected Stops [aka Blessings].

Trip Highlights

• DJ Sunset Set at Torrey Pines Gliderport
• San Diego California Hikes/Bikes/Run
• Light Show at Decoy Dockside Restaurant in San Marcos
• Sensorio Field of Lights in Paso Robles California
• Mushrooms & Masks in Oakland California with my bestie
• Super cute Bungalows at Calistoga
• Cameron meeting Lexi [my super sexy long hair wig] in-person for the first time
• Hike | Lake Berryessa California
• Enjoying the Sacramento Street Art
• Business Brainstorming & Sexy Sunsets in Lake Tahoe
• Beating Cameron at Connect 4 in Yosemite at Rush Creek Lodge
• Two Day Conscious Copywriting Workshop
• Nearly going to Yosemite Prison in order to catch a glimpse of El Capitan & Half Dome
• Lovely massages in Deer Valley Utah
• Yummy Sticky Toffee Pudding at Stein Eriksen Resort
• Summer Bobsledding at Utah Olympic Park
• Downhill Mountain Biking in Deer Valley Utah [yes, I still have all my teeth]
• Hiking [more like skipping & dancing] Armstrong Trail in Park City Utah
• My boyfriend being a good sport and letting me put makeup on him
• This to-die-for Krispy Kreme dessert with a whiskey caramel sauce from High West Saloon
• Snowbird Mountain w/ friends – I did my very first assisted back-flip on the trampoline, rode the mountain coaster, alpine slide, took the tram to the top [~12k Feet], and hiked through this super old mining tunnel
• Enjoyed some Pho in downtown Salt Lake City & treated myself to the Kimpton Hotel Monaco
• Crazy bright orange Sun through the clouds on my way to Denver
• Denver | Chilling and meeting like-minded peeps at my friend’s neighborhood BBQ
• Completely taken by surprise by the Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction Colorado
• The nicest Airbnb hosts in Grand Junction Colorado
• Found the cutest Coffee Shop, Copeka Coffee, in Grand Junction
• Staring at the crazy beautiful rock formations in Moab Utah
• Listening to these Audible Books | Shoe Dog, Mary Trump, & 5AM Club
• Listening to countless podcast episodes & recorded Facebook Live sessions

Trip Lowlights

• Logistical nightmare
• Recalibrating after scooping my boyfriend half-way through for 2 weeks
• Dealing with crazy car noises & going to Tesla last minute
  • Bolt in between the brake and dust shield – that sounds super safe!
• Friends bailing on me – for some it might have been the last time I ever see them
• Shitty pull-out bed & shitty sleep at Yosemite Hotel 
• Shitty wifi for Jenn’s Conscious Copy Workshop in Yosemite
• Not getting a pass for Yosemite Valley – having to lie to get back through and barely escaping Yosemite Prison
• Ely – almost getting stranded without a car charger; walking 2 miles to the hotel
• No A/C in the Airbnb in Deer Valley, Utah
• Long ass drive from Salt Lake City to Denver, Colorado
• 4 Fires in Colorado – Glenwood Springs & North of Grand Junction [there were ashes floating in the air]
• Avoiding a tweaker named Austin asking me for a ride in Holbrook