Earlier this month, I drove from Michigan to California and back, sleeping in my van along the way. Not only was it the experience of a lifetime, but I took a bunch of cool pictures too. Here are some highlights.
South Dakota

Davis Purtell
After the endless miles of corn in Iowa, we drove into South Dakota expecting the same. We were met with more farmland once again, but this time it was way prettier. In fact, the entire state of South Dakota was gorgeous and gave us our first taste of isolation.
Nebraska

Davis Purtell
Nebraska is pretty boring, but the further west you go, the better. Once the corn stops, you drive through these peaks and valleys and you're very much alone.
Hiland, Wyoming

Davis Purtell
The real isolation hits once you get deeper into Wyoming. This was the first road sign we had seen for miles, and it seemed to only be there to tell you that you are very alone.
Devils Tower, Wyoming

Davis Purtell
The flat isolation turns into mountainous isolation near Devils Tower in Wyoming. There's absolutely nothing out there, and the serene beauty gave me a sensation unlike anything I've ever felt before.
Random gas station, Wyoming

Davis Purtell
From what we saw, most of the gas stations in Wyoming were from this company. Each had a statue of a dinosaur just like this one, and they were all posed in different locations. I loved it.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Davis Purtell
We woke up to snow in the middle of June. We jammed out to Christmas music while I held the wheel with a death grip as I tried to not drive us off a cliff.
"Bears on Highway", Wyoming

Davis Purtell
Can you tell I love Wyoming? Part of its charm are the random signs telling you that you bears are everywhere.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Davis Purtell
When I saw this, the sheer magnitude of our adventure finally hit me. Just two days earlier, we were in Michigan, and now we're staring at mountains in Wyoming.
Oregon

Davis Purtell
The snow in the Wyoming mountains eventually melted in Oregon. While listening to some prime road trip bops, we drove through these mountains as the sun set. The vibes were truly immaculate.
Smith Rock, Oregon

Davis Purtell
We hiked through Smith Rock, and the entire time I was thinking, "I wanna climb it."
San Francisco, California

Davis Purtell
This picture was taken in the same parking lot we spent the night in. Waking up to this view was simply indescribable.
Highway 1, California

Davis Purtell
For a couple hundred miles, we drove down Highway 1. If this isn't already on your bucket list, you need to add it ASAP. The entire drive winds through mountains on the coast, and it all looks like this.



















