On July 15th, 2015, one year ago today, I hit the road in a teched-out van. I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing, only that the journey itself was the destination I sought. And now here I am.
This whole time I've been telling people that I'm on "a year-long road-trip," because it was easier than explaining that I was just taking off and I'd figure things out as I went. Connected States isn't over, it's just hit a big mile-marker. If you ask me what the plan is now I'd be lying if I said I had any more idea than I did this time last year. For now, I continue on down the road.
Most of what I want to say I already said in the video above. I will add, though, that I regret not writing more and producing more video for this series. When Connected States started out it was a travel and tech series for Gizmodo, but Gizmodo is owned by Gawker Media, and Gawker Media is being sued by Hulk Hogan (and several others who are being helped out by billionaire Peter Thiel), and well, the budget dried up. Since then Connected States articles have appeared in a number of other outlets, including WIRED, Outside Magazine, Deadspin, and Conde Nast Traveler, but assignments related to Connected States became more sporadic and if I wasn't being paid specifically for a video it was tough to carve out the considerable time it takes to film and edit. Case in point, I just pulled an all-nighter to finish this video, and I have two more deadlines today.
That said, I still wish I'd shared more video. I probably have over a hundred hours of footage at this point. The best stuff will see the light of day, eventually.
Even though the one year mark was arbitrary, I'd be lying if I didn't say that it felt good to hit it. I wasn't technically obligated to do it for that long but at least I didn't make myself a liar to all the people to whom I gave the one-year spiel. Or maybe I did, since I still don't know how much longer I'll go. I'll be tromping around the northeast for the next few weeks before I start making my way west again (I think) along a northern route (I think). We'll just have to wait and see where I end up.
Regardless, I thank you for reading, for your questions and comments, for your moral support, and for sharing my stories/videos/photos with your friends and family. You guys are awesome.
More soon, compadres,
Brent
July 15th, 2016