One week on the great American interstate system. I’ve met some great people, some funny people, and some creepy people. I’ve heard great music, listened to amazing stories, and saw beautiful sights. Today we are on our way to San Francisco, I am finally letting go of the driver seat and letting my comrades take a turn at the Subaru.

Yesterday we drove through Big Sur, probably the most beautiful part of America. In the five hours we spent driving through the landscape, we met an ASU student who stood on his jeep to help us get a group shot, then continued to tell us about all the paces we have to go in San Francisco. We met a pair of girls that were driving their way through to Yosemite that night. We even met a group of guys that were from Germany, there to shoot a commercial for Mercedes.

To top it off, last night I struck up a conversation with some strangers in a coffee shop, asking where we might be able to car camp. They directed us to a country road a few miles into the farms, where a stretch of road miles long was inhabited by trailers, campers, and RV’s. The sight was a different kind of beautiful, and to join them as a community of bums evoked a certain kind of patriotism in me.

We set out on this trip to see the trademark views the west has to offer, but we completely overlooked the power of people. While the memories of the views and the photos of the sights was the reason this trip started and will finish, it is the people we have met along the way, and the stories they shared, that will stand out most. And as we meet more people, I know I am growing as a person too. It is becoming easier for me to be personable with people, and especially revealing to me that there is a great amount of good in people; they want to help, share their stories, and most of all just share their life with someone else. After all, isn’t that what this is all about.