Dear Phoenix,
The artistic journals of Dan Eldon are an inspiration to me. Someday, I want to take the initiative and travel to a different country (far, far away from Phoenix) on my own. It’s nothing personal, Phoenix, but sometimes I just want to get away. I’m sure you understand. So, here is who Dan Eldon is and why I feel this way about him and adventuring as a whole.
Love and long adventures,
Amanda
Dear Phoenix,
The first time I hiked the Grand Canyon I went with a group of friends from church. We took the South Kaibab trail down, camped at the bottom of the canyon, and then took the Bright Angel trail up the next day.
I was amazed by how peaceful, beautiful and refreshing the hike was, even though I was sore and unable to walk well for the next few days.
I had the opportunity to return this past October for a simple day hike, and was just as amazed by the beauty that was such a short drive from Phoenix. My trip in October was even more beautiful as I was able to make the 5 mile return hike from Indian Gardens to the Bright Angel trail head by myself, at my own pace, where I could enjoy the nature around me on my own terms.
Keep on trekking,
Amanda
Dear Phoenix,
I’ve been planning this blog for a few months now. As soon as I heard I would be creating and managing a blog for my Online Media class, I knew I wanted to spread the love for traveling in and around Arizona.
I made a list of places to visit and things to write about including Arcosanti, Jerome, the Salton Sea, road trip planning and music selection, and I plotted out when I would be traveling where.
That being said, I want you to know that I was supposed to go to Arcosanti this past weekend (the 7-9 of February), and then blog about it. I had contacted Arcosanti and almost made my reservations to stay there overnight, then I was offered the opportunity to go on another adventure.
Arcosanti: 60 miles from Phoenix.
The United Students Against Sweatshops annual national conference was in Austin, Texas and ASU needed another representative. I was essentially offered a free trip to a city I’d never visited before, where I would attend a conference that would teach me how to organize and mobilize people to fight for the rights of workers in other countries. How could I turn that down?
Exactly. I couldn’t.
Austin: 1,000 miles from Phoenix
So this is where I stand. I ditched the Arcosanti plans to go to Austin instead. I figure this would be a great note to begin my blog on: Plans are never ever set in stone.
If you’re going to be the traveling, adventurous type, you need to be ready to be spontaneous. You need to go with the flow. Greater, grander surprises could be waiting around the corner than whatever you may have planned.
I ran into musician Daniel Johnston’s famous frog mural without even looking for it.
This trip isn’t the first one I’ve embarked on after very little planning, and it sure as heck won’t be the last. If you’ve never gone on an adventure sans-planning, I implore you to give it a try.
Right now.
Stay audacious,
Amanda
Postcards to Phoenix 