I’ve been trying to find a way to share my solo road trip that I took in the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 and it’s taken me so long to put the time together until now. I’ve been struggling (as many) with all of the events of 2020 and personal struggles over the past year.

At year’s end, I knew that I didn’t want to celebrate the one holiday I really enjoy, New Years, alone, and luckily a friend offered to take me in and celebrate with me . The friend, someone whom I’d never met in person, but met online early in 2020 had been so compassionate in a time when I needed compassion. The fact that she lived in Northern Maine, well that even inspired me more to venture north and drive more than 10 hours from my empty apartment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

She took me to Acadia National Park for an afternoon with snacks and conversation filling our time. We jammed to awesome tunes in her car and talked about life. It was an awesome afternoon. I will return when it’s warmer for more hiking! I did get some awesome photos and a little video!

As I drove through states I’d never visited like Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine, I dove into podcasts, music, and at times, just silence while watching the mountains disappear behind me. I’d been looking forward to a road trip like this for a long time. The last solo road trip I’d taken was a year before, driving down to Atlanta, Georgia, to visit my cousin and do some work. This time it was all about finding calm during a chaotic time in my personal life.

Struggling to keep my self-care and relationships together, I ventured to Maine and discovered a new friendship that had the feeling of someone I’d known all my life, yet I’d just met. That feeling will stay with me forever. It was the best few days of this year (so far) not just because of the beautiful views of Maine, but of the friendship forged.

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”
― Linda Grayson

Portland, ME

The road trip continued to Portland, ME. This town was on my list for about five years and I’ve finally gotten there. Filled with interesting shops, amazing restaurants, and fantastic views of the ports, Portland held up to all that I was expecting. The only complaint I’d have is the parking is challenging in the city. My cute airbnb was awesome and a great deal for a few days, but the parking was challenging. I ended up paying a ticket rather than parking blocks away on a snowy day before my checkout.

I took to the city on my first day in town, after a virtual zoom chat, to explore the area. I walked from one side to the other, and back over a few hours, just in time to arrive back at my car before getting a ticket. Since I was traveling alone, I decided to order food in and have it delivered. I enjoyed trying new dishes and even had a lobster tail taco. (yes, that’s a thing) The next day I took to the shops and picked out some cute clothing at some local shops.

More to come… stay tuned