It always starts out about the destination. You think about the things you'll do there, the things you'll be able to see and experience, the good times and the amazing memories to be made at the end of the journey. The long miles and countless hours of traveling are never really something you'd look forward to. But when you arrive at the destination, do the things you planned to do and start to head back home, you start to realize that it was never about the destination but instead, it really was about the long hours in a car and the endless miles. It was about the journey not the destination.

It is the classic road trip; cruising with friends…

…racking up the miles…

…and seeing the sights.

I've previously mentioned, in the journey across the United States with the Roegge S14, that the road trip is like a grown up's version of exploring the neighborhood. That feeling of going into the unknown is a high that cannot be replaced. It's about knowing when to pull off the interstate to do some real exploring. You never know that the most dusty and empty of freeway exits can yield something truly spectacular.

While on road from Southern California to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, my fellow travelers and I pulled off the main freeway and stumbled upon a fantastic abandoned town near the boarder between both states. We could've spent hours walking around exploring the town's ruins, but as the light started to fade, an uneasy and creepy feeling started to come in. That rush of curiosity, jubilee and fear is something that neither of us will ever forget that day.

This beautiful lake while I was on my way to Bonneville last year was stumbled upon by pulling off the wrong exit for gas. A few twisty corners later, I found myself greeted with a cresting morning sun and an absolutely gorgeous and tranquil lake.

But when you're actually in the car, behind the wheel and pounding away the miles, you'll find that your mind will start to wonder. You'll think about the destination, or if you're actually hungry, if you want to eat that few hours old beef jerky, about home, or work, or what else is going on in your private life. I find those few quiet hours to be very precious as that is time to mentally file things away that need to be filed and things that need to be contemplated to actually be contemplated. 

I find driving these long miles to be a visit to the spa but for your brain. 

We're all human and we can only stay up for so long before tiredness starts to creep in. 

When we reach that wary state, our first inclination would be to stop and grab an energy drink. Road trips area also a great way to try out all the other energy drinks your normally would not try.

During the last leg of the road trip with Will Roegge's S14, both of us were extremely tired. Will was more so than I as he drove a good portion of the trip. So the last few major hours of the journey in a dreamlike state, I experimented with with energy drinks like I've never done before. I had a Monster Energy drink  before I took over driving, a 5 Hour Energy right after I started and an after an hour behind the wheel, I didn't feel any more awake. Looking around the car, I gulped the rest of Will's unfinished Red Bull shot, and polished off a medium sized Red Bull immediately after.

To say that I was wigging out would be an understatement. I would not recommend trying that at home or on the road. If you're ever that tired, pull over and sleep. 

No matter where your destination is, you'll find yourself frequenting gas stations and know which snacks and energy drink you prefer during the trip.

My road trip snacks and drinks preference? Smartfood White Cheddar pop corn, Reese's Fast Break, Naked Juice Superfood, and a small can of sugar free Redbull. 

With every road trip, there are its ups and its downs…

…but that's all part of the journey.

We live in a time where we experience a lot of the world through our computer screens.

But actually being out there to experience the physical world is a whole different kind of experience. Think about what sounds better in a dinner conversation, "So, I saw this thing on the internet…." or "So, I was on the road and saw this thing…." ?

Out on the road you get to create your own experiences and come up with your own stories. Things like that cannot be replaced by experiencing things through the world wide web. 

After the journey is good and done, you'll look back upon the trip. You'll think about the various trials and tribulations you went through to get to your destination and to get back home. You'll remember the horrible convenience food you consumed during the journey, the energy drink experimentation, and of course, the people that your spent the journey with.

At the end of the day, it never really matters what car you take a road trip in, or how cool it is…

…what matters is who you spend that journey with. Those are the people you will be making life long memories with. During those long hours on the road, you'll have lots of laughs, you'll have memorable conversations and you'll gain a lot more understanding and respect for each other.

When you've aged beyond your years with a million grandkids running around, what fantastic stories will you be able to tell from your days as a youth? To captivate them, you need to captivate yourself first. Get out there and experience the road. The destination is trivial as long as you're out there. See the world and be captivated. 

-Linhbergh