After nine months on the road, I headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats to reflect on the ups and downs of solo travel. The salt flats are 30,000 acres of nothing but salt in the middle of the desert flanked only by mountains in the distance.

Unexpectedly, one of the hardest parts of life on the road is making friends.

Let’s face it: as far as mom’s go, there’s no one better than you. You’re caring, creative, and compassionate - and taught me to always tell the truth, always make your guests feel welcome, and always do your best ✨

My first week in Salt Lake City has been filled with forests, friendships, and plenty of outdoor adventures. I’ve rubbed elbows with bison in Antelope Island, hiked a challenging seven miles through Cottonwood Canyon, and spent an entire day soaking up the Great Salk Lake.

Southern Utah is an incredible place where the desert meets the mountains. I will miss waking up to its towering red cliffs, desert landscapes, and the rust colored mountains on the horizon. But above all, I will miss the friends I made along the way.

Before leaving St. George, I plan to hike Angel’s Landing - an exposed hike along a narrow rock formation 1,500 feet above the Zion Canyon floor. The summit rewards you with incredible views, but it’s considered to be quite dangerous.

Utah affords endless supply of outdoor adventures and beautiful scenery. From the emerald pools of Zion National Park, to the vast and unique shorelines of Lake Powell, to the diverse and majestic hikes of Snow Canyon State Park - there is always something interesting and breathtaking to explore.

I’ve been spending a lot of time out in nature recently, hauling a jeep wrangler through some rough trails in the middle of nowhere. ⁣I often get nervous of what might happen if something were to go wrong out there alone in an area without cell service. But I can’t let fear stop me. It’s all part of the adventure.⁣

A few months ago, my friend Stephanie and I traveled through the desert together on my way from Austin to Santa Fe. At the end of the trip, she handed me a gift - a copy of the book Into the Wild. She said there were lessons to be learned in there.⁣

After two days of trekking across the Navajo region of New Mexico and Arizona, I’ve settled into a nice little town called St. George.

Today is my last day in Santa Fe. You would think that having to say goodbye to friends you’ve made along the way gets easier over time. but it doesn’t. And this goodbye is especially hard, because I’ll never see my friend again.⁣

Over the last couple weeks, the news of places opening up across the country has been my light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve obsessively kept a list of all the dates that gyms, parks, and restaurants will open. I’m excited to be around other people again, even if those interaction will be limited. ⁣

When i left the corporate world several years ago, people thought i was foolish. I had a great job, at a great law firm, and lived an objectively great life. But that wasn’t what i wanted. I felt stuck.

The world has come to a screeching halt. People are stuck at home, out of work, and going out of their minds. Some of us are sick. Others are dying. This is definitely a low point in all of our lives.

The pandemic hit during my last few days in New Mexico right before I was set to take off on a Colorado road trip to deliver a speech. From there, I planned to explore Utah, Nevada, and end up somewhere in the Northwest. Needless to say, plans changed.⁣

After six weeks in Austin and a week trekking through the desert, it was time to settle into somewhere where i could rest, recharge, and refocus on my passions - and Santa Fe was the perfect stop.⁣

I ask myself this question all the time. It helps me focus on what’s important and to try and live the best life possible.

Austin is HUGE. There’s over two million people, dozens of cool neighborhoods, and great live music seven nights a week. There was seemingly endless nightlife, countless food trucks, and so much culture to explore. Even after six week I never felt like I made a dent. It was overwhelming in a way, and I did my best to experience as much as I could.

After six weeks in Austin, it was time to step away from social media for a while, go off on an adventure, and reconnect with some of my passions.

We all have these grand plans for how to live our lives but sometimes life gets in the way. I feel frustrated sometimes, as I want to keep you in the loop of all the ups, downs, and adventures that come with life on the road, but I just gotta accept that it can’t be perfect.