Prologue - Part V: Outer Banks Expedition

Driving Time : 17 hours - Distance: 1000 mi.

I had never been to the Outer Banks (aka OBX) before this weekend, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I drove up there to meet up with some family who were camping out with a group of 20 or so off-roaders from the Olde North State Cruisers. This is a club of Land Cruiser and other Toyota 4WD owners who were getting together for their annual Spring Tide Ride there in the OBX. They meet there because the beaches are one of the few beaches that I’m aware off on the East Coast that allow vehicles to drive around on the beach itself. The annual outing is a very relaxed, family atmosphere that consists of camping, multiple beach rides (including a few night runs), lots of great food, and a fair bit of sight-seeing.

Prologue - Part IV: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Is it the journey or the destination that is more important? In my case I think it’s both. The destination is an excuse to have the journey, and the journey makes finally getting to the destination more meaningful. It’s the stops on that journey that will determine whether or not that is true. So, what is it I’m planning on seeing on my journey? How about the remains of Styx River Water World amusement park in Robertsdale, AL? Or the world’s largest rocking chair or Ronald Reagan statue? Or making several stops along the Mississippi's Tamale Trail? Or a giant dime in a box in Dime Box, TX? These are the kinds of paces I want to see, but I didn’t start out knowing where these things are.

Gear Porn Part I - The North Face Tadpole 23

From time to time I will make quick posts on some of the gear I'll be using during my trip. Since camping is integral to the trip and I will be spending the night in some potentially hot and/or humid locations I decided I'd need a new, climate appropriate, backpacker friendly tent. I wanted to be able to use it on more than just this one trip so I began searching for a 2-person, 3-season tent. Lots of searching, review reading, and bargain shopping later I settled on The North Face Tadpole 23, which I got from the friendly people at Hermit's Hut.

With my shift (I work 3rd) and my schedule (10 days on, 4 days off) I wasn't going to get to test the tent in the real world for at least another week. Being the impatient person I am, I decided to camp-in. Yup, I spent the "night" in my bedroom, on my bed, in my tent. It's pretty spacious for one person, looks like it will be comfortable with me plus gear, but rather cozy with 2 people cohabiting. In the blacked out, climate controlled comfort of my own home it made for a comfy nights sleep. Hopefully I'll get to test it out for real in the Outer Banks this coming weekend. For the hell of it, click on for pictures.

Prologue - Part III: Knowing what you don't know...

I honestly thought when I first set out to do this trip that I would be able to just pick a destination and hit the road without a care. I really thought I could do that and still adhere to all my other goals like avoiding interstates, finding bizarre roadside attractions, and hitting campgrounds at the end of every night without any pre-planning. For shits-and-giggles I decided to look at an online roadmap, mostly to prove myself right. I was wrong. Even a quick, unscientific look told me I was going to get my ass lost before I even crossed the first state line. My dreams of a Jack Kerouac roadtrip were quickly dashed. Instead I had to resort to using multiple tools to plan out my impending trip.

Prologue - Part II: What's the point?

In two months I will turn thirty. In my almost thirty years I have never lived further than thirty miles from my childhood home. I lived in a house where both parents and an older sister lived and loved one another. We had pets, I had toys, and I went to a decent public school. Now days I live in a nice little three-bedroom bachelor pad with two unintentionally adopted cats. I have a good paying job, even if I don't like it that much. In short, I live a spectacularly average life. Not fantastic, but far from rock bottom.

Prologue - Part I: It's not a crisis

I’m not having a crisis. I just want to state that up front. I’m not contemplating suicide, buying a Porsche, or running away to Thailand to get a sex change. If anything, I think I’m preventing a crisis. I’m going on a walkabout - by car. A roadtrip walkabout.