By Isaiah Bayardo, Courier Staff Writer

The idea of traveling through all 50 states seems like a very tiring feat, and frankly, a little too ambitious for the average person. Many people, American and foreign, have done this for many different reasons, ranging from doing it for fun to doing it for a cause. Many of us don’t ever get to plan a trip to visit every single corner of this gigantic country; but with intensive planning and preparation, it is really worth the time and money.

Thousands of miles of American land present infinite opportunities for experiencing different cultures, lifestyles, and ways to have fun. It truly reminds and further teaches travelers how diverse this country is. Traversing through a magnificent, bustling city such as New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago gives a much different picture than a slow-paced rural state such as Wyoming, Montana, or Nebraska. Taking a road trip is the perfect way to witness the slow transition as you change from one environment to another. “You don’t get plucked out of some place and then dropped off somewhere completely different like you would on a plane.”

In order to have a good and relaxing trip, you need to plan it to a certain extent. You need to know roughly how long it will be, and how much money you will have. A good trip, in my opinion, would take about a month to do, but that is an option that very few people can possibly plan. You need to know how long you can stay at your planned destinations based on the length of your expedition overall.

Experienced cross-country travelers will tell you that planning a main route is good to do. Apps like Roadtrippers are good at planning your route and adjusting it based on what you want to see when you go. It will tell you where you should go if you want to zip along the major interstate highways, or cruise along back roads. Couchsurfing is an app for staying at local homes for free. It is great for those who are trying to conserve money instead of spending it on hotels, hostels, or motels. If you don’t like the sound of that, you should use services such as Airbnb, Hotwire, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Priceline to stay at hotels on your stops. If you do that, make sure to plan in advance weeks to months earlier. Nature-dwellers who like to camp should seek out national parks, RV parks, and other campgrounds to satisfy their cravings. Glacier, Bryce Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks are three of the many great parks that you can camp at.

How and where to get your food is another matter. It, again, depends on how long your trip is and how much money you have. With little time and money, late night McDonalds and Taco Bell benders can become a common activity. With more money and/or time, eating healthier is easier. Many studies have linked food to the emotions, and healthier diets correspond with happier lives. So try to eat healthier, lest you turn into a eternally grumpy husk of your normal self.

Visiting all 50 states or the 48 contiguous states is something that very few have done. Much less than 1% of Americans themselves have completed the arduous journey; less than a thousand can boast about doing this. Everyone who has done this, or traveled anywhere, has come back to their home a different person. Chinese writer Ma Jian once said “Everything I was I carry with me, everything I will be lies waiting on the road ahead.” One common trait of long term traveling is loneliness. It can swarm any traveler’s emotions and bring homesickness to their psyche; wishing to be home with family or friends after being apart for long periods of time. However, a sense of adventure and excitement can be brought back just remembering the very purpose of the trip. As Terry Pratchett, an English writer, once proclaimed: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” Lasting memories can be had from meeting people along the way. Once strangers, they are now friends. Do not hesitate to travel anywhere, if it is your own country, or a different land. The feelings, memories, and experiences of such a great trip can never be left behind.