A week in Colorado
It all started on August 1st. My friend, Trevor Laslo, came into my room and spontaneously asked me to take a road trip to Colorado the next week. As a massive fan of the mountains and being able to be outdoors, I said yes.
I worked the next week but knew that my internship was ending soon, so I asked my boss if I can have off and work an extra week. He said yes. Unfortunately, the good news did NOT keep rolling. When I got home, Trevor informed me that his work told him he has to come in two days the week of our road trip. So, our road trip became just my road trip, but I wasn’t upset.
I have always wanted to take a solo road trip. I thought this would give me the opportunity to get to know myself. Only being able to talk to myself, hang out with myself, drive by myself, sleep by myself… All of these things were new to me. I live with 30 other guys in a fraternity house, so being alone was not something I have done since coming to school.
I have always thought I knew myself. I found my passion for photography and videography during my junior year of high school and since then it’s been my identity. I eat, sleep, and breathe photography. So, I have always had that be my ‘thing.’ So when I created this opportunity, I thought I would be nervous taking on this new adventure, but I wasn’t. I was thrilled, I couldn’t wait to hit the road and start this new journey.
On Sunday, August 7th, my tires rolled out of 1320 34th street and started the long drive through Nebraska’s never ending corn fields, and to the beautiful state of Colorado. To this point, I have done no planning. I knew I was staying at my cousin’s that night in Denver but had no other hotels, beds, or even locations I wanted to go to. Now, this is VERY unlike me.
I am the kind of person that plans out everything. From an on-campus meeting to a month abroad, I like to know exactly what I am doing and have a backup plan if something doesn’t work out. But, I can’t grow as a person or know myself better without doing things differently. By going with the flow on this trip, I felt free. Something I have never felt before. I could stop where I want, eat what I want, and sleep where I want. I didn’t have someone to please, an accommodation to meet, just me, myself, and I.
On this trip, I got to see so, so, so many mountains. I went to Red Rocks, Garden of the Gods, The Great National Sand Dunes, and so many other parks that I don’t even know. These places will always hold a special place in my heart and they thought me something that SOMEONE could never teach.
These places taught me. About me.
