trip planning

June 1, 2022

Today I am taking some time to plan my trip west to Oregon. I’ve been looking at my road atlas, setting intentions, and dreaming up the path that is unfolding before me. A few things remain on my checklist to do before beginning the journey.

I have been inspecting an old film camera that my mother sent me. I bought it ages ago. Maybe in high school? I can’t remember exactly. I only used it a few times. I remembered that I liked how it looked through the lens. The photos that printed — a little grainy, a little grungy — perfect for a road trip. The experience of getting the camera, cleaning the camera, shooting a roll of film to see if it works, getting the film developed, waiting over a week for the film to develop, waiting an extra three days for the film to develop, and picking up the photos reminds me how differently we pass the time these days. I have thousands of videos and photos on my phone. But to hold the print in my hand, is entirely different.

Next on my checklist is to plot out some places with my atlas where I would like to visit. I like finding parks and roadside attractions. Old towns. Rocks. Ancient forests. Signs of the ocean. The road less traveled is good for stargazing, so that is the one I like to take.

I enjoy looking at maps — tracing my finger along the page and finding lakes, campsites, and places where I might like to stop for the day. I have barely made it through Kansas and I can’t understand why I’ve always driven straight through…