When I was a young kid in Fresno, my dad would pile us kids in the VW bus and head out of town many Sunday afternoons.

When we’d come to an intersection, he’d ask which direction to go.

Sometimes we’d end up in the mountains. Sometimes we’d pass miles of fields before turning back.

It was about the adventure.

That idea stuck with me.

My early teens in San Mateo (on the San Francisco Peninsula) were spent exploring the area by bike. My wanderings took me as far as Half Moon Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf.

The people and places fascinated me.

Then I got a car.

That old wagon took me all over the area. I learned all the back roads between San Mateo and Santa Cruz.

I was able to explore the natural beauty of the mountains and coast.

When I moved to Virginia at 16, I could not afford to explore much in my gas guzzler, but our neighbor’s land bordered the National Forest.

I would explore on foot for hours.

Decades later, the exploration bug still bites me regularly.

I’ve driven coast to coast several times.

My favorite trips were when I took the time to explore.

I don’t mind flying but if driving is a practical option, I’m all over it.

Last year, to get to a writer’s conference in Wheaton, IL, I drove the old Lincoln Highway from Cheyenne to Wheaton.

I took three days to cover the distance that I had to cover in one on the way back.

I loved it (the three-day part that is).

This summer, we are heading to Oregon.

Most of the family is flying.

I’m driving.

I’ll take three days to explore the country between here and there (along with my youngest daughter).

If course, it helps that we’ll be saving airfare and a thousand bucks on renting a minivan out there.

But those benefits are just my justification to take the time to explore.

We plan on taking the old highways when we can, going to places like Steamboat Springs in Colorado, Promontory Point in Utah, Mount Lassen in California, and Crater Lake in Oregon.

If I’m lucky, I’ll drive through Yellowstone on the way back.

If you have suggestions for other places to check out between Denver and Portland, let me know!

I plan on posting video from this and last summer’s trip on my soon to be refreshed YouTube channel this summer.

Be sure to join me there.

In the meantime, comment below about your greatest adventures.