Open Road: Destination=Clover, South Carolina
“Sometimes a girl just needs wide open spaces.” – therebelchick.com
When I was a kid, I was not a huge fan of hopping into the family car and driving. I have always loved traveling, but I just wanted to reach my destination. When I drove from Massachusetts to California, that changed. I realized how magical road trips can be. I will forever appreciate the freedom, adventure, and growth the open road provides.
Last week, I spent my final night in South Florida at an Empire Executive Offices party in downtown Fort Lauderdale with Myhanh. When we got home, I was wired and spent some time organizing myself for my big move from Florida to Massachusetts. I hit the sheets at 1:00 a.m.
At 5:00 a.m., I was woken from a deep sleep by an unexpected text. When I finally got up, I was cranky. I had a minimum of 10 hours of driving ahead of me. I had been looking forward to my trip, but all I wanted to do was crawl under the covers and shut my eyes.
Off I went. I had a few things to wrap up in Florida, and I was moving at a snail’s pace. I listened to “mediation music” to balance me after getting off to a late start.
As I drove, I read the signs. Some gave me warm, fuzzy feelings as I reminisced about previous trips; others gave me goose bumps as I realized there was still so much more to explore. I made a mental note of where my future travels to the sunshine state could take me.
I stopped for gas, and the creepy stares I received propelled me to keep my head held high, skip the bathroom, and leave as quickly as possible.
Back on the road. More signs. More memories. More dreams.
Florida is a HUGE state, so a wave of excitement surged through my body when I crossed the border. I switched my tunes, and music from my college days soothed my soul. I was finally relaxed and happy.
“With the right music, you either forget everything or you remember everything.” – Spirit Science
As I got closer to South Carolina, the itch to explore grew strong. I kept thinking about Charleston. I had been advised by many not to spend too much time driving in one shot. I wanted to make decent timing, and I was already behind schedule. But…
I remembered a conversation I had with Leann. She said, “what was so wonderful and special about [me] was [my] lack of stress and fear in life.” She said worrying would hold me back and I need to stop listening to people. I knew she was right, but I was stuck in the pattern.
I knew Brian, a fellow adventurer, would not care if I got in late. I knew I had the energy to add a few more hours to my trip. What was holding me back? What did I want to do? Why did I care so much about what others thought?
I knew what I wanted. I knew what I needed. I discarded the advice I was given, even though the intentions were good. I knew this decision would be a turning point in my life. I knew I would get back the carefree, fearless attitude I once had.
Off to Charleston I went. I did not have a plan. I had a good navigation system and a great network I could tap into via Facebook.
I asked, “Depending on time, I may stop in Charleston, South Carolina for a quick dinner. Any suggestions on where to eat?” The options I received were Fish, The Macintosh, Union Provisions, Prohibition, The Grocery, and Hyman’s. I chose Prohibition because of the ease of getting out of town, the great bar I could eat at, and the killer food. Parking was easy, and the area was safe. What more could I ask for? (Thanks, Katherine!)
The place was extremely cute and inviting. I sat at the bar, and a friendly bartender came over to help me. He recommended the fried, green tomatoes with shrimp, cheese, and jalapenos. The dish was oral heaven.
Did I add a lot of extra time to my drive to Clover? Yes. Was I happy with my decision? Absolutely. After all, what is a road trip without a little bit of adventure? The beauty of doing a solo road trip is having the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want. What did I lose? Nothing. What did I gain? A sense of joy knowing I was true to myself, a little adventure I will always remember, and a little piece of the fearless girl I once was. I felt alive and free.
What have you learned from your road trip? Share your story below.
More blogs from this trip:
Pictures
Inspiring! glad I came to mind! you listened to yourself. Btw- dinner looks and sounds incredible! And so glad you had fun in clover. Perfect way/people to get you to where you once were.
Awww… Thank you for checking out my blog. And thank you so much for telling me how it was and helping me move forward. You are an amazing friend! 🙂
Enjoyed your blog as always! Fried green tomatoes look yummy! Glad you are feeding your adventurous soul 🙂
Thanks, B! I really had a great time on my road trip. We will create some new adventures together soon. 🙂