Senior Photographer

Fall quarter is coming to a close, so why not let the adventures begin? Sometimes we need to get out of the classroom and explore the world to gain knowledge. How about an epic road trip up the west coast?

I know what you are thinking it sounds like a lot of planning and money.

Let me help you out with that. Pink Floyd said “money it’s a gas,” and your road trip will be no exception.

You will burn most of your money on gas, so be sure to pick the most fuel-efficient car you have access to. Additionally, I found it helpful to download the Gas Buddy app on my iPhone, which tells you the cheapest gas prices based on your location.

Another way to ensure you will not waste your gas is to map your route ahead of time, and you can do this with another app I used on my recent road trip called Roadtrippers. The next most expensive part of your trip will be lodging.

Now, of course, the best way to save your cash is to utilize people you may know that live on your journey’s route. This helped me and my trip buddies save a lot of money, but if you do not know anyone fear not.

Another app came to my rescue for a place to stay in Seattle it’s called Airbnb. The app allows you to rent anything from whole apartments to just a room in someone’s house depending on the kind of money you want to spend. I rented a basement apartment in Seattle on my road trip and it made me feel like a local.

Also, if you rent an Airbnb with a kitchen it will help you cut back on food cost. You can always rent camping spots for cheap and get in touch with Mother Earth.

One of my trip companions and fellow CSU Bakersfield student Senior EMS major Jordan Portillo said, “My advice would be to go with friends who share the same interest and motives. Bump good music and get drinks wherever you go.”

When choosing a route you will have to decide what is most important to you and your fellow road trippers. There is plenty to do on the California coast, but on my road trip we jetted straight for the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Ore. continues to grow in popularity and honestly it’s no surprise to me.

From hiking to skyscrapers to breweries galore PDX (Portland) is an adventure all in itself. If you take the trip up to Portland, see all the bridges it is after all called the City of Bridges, and also hike Forest Park in the morning after the fresh taste of local Stumptown coffee.

For me, there’s something mystical about Portland from all the interesting people to the peace I feel surrounded by cloudy skies and giant trees.

You can continue into the Northwest to Seattle, and then if you want to get a passport you can head into Canada.

Traveling is a different kind of learning experience and something you will remember for the rest of your life. It is important to plan, but also be prepared for sudden changes.

Plan time to stop whenever you see something interesting, take lots of photos, and allow yourself to be engrossed in the culture of wherever the wind may take you.