The Plan I

May of 2019 was our 10th wedding anniversary (going on 12 years together). In all honestly though, we've been planning this trip since our 8th anniversary; and that's where the story begins.

We were winding down from a night out celebrating our two favorite people, us. I had casually mentioned that our 10 year anniversary was quickly approaching and we should do something epic. We have always wanted to visit Belize, Thailand, and Iceland, so naturally a trip surfaced to the top of the list. But trips like these are usually short, and extending them beyond the standard one or two weeks can be cost prohibitive. This is 10 years, a big milestone. Don't get me wrong, spending a week on the beaches of Thailand or the atolls of Belize would be pretty epic. But I wanted something a bit different, and if there is one thing I know about Bri....she's always down for an adventure. The bigger the better.

Bri and I love travel and we love road trips. During our time in Los Angeles we would road trip back and forth to Arizona to see our family. We loved these trips and would often extend the six hour drive to eight or more, stopping along the way to explore long abandoned buildings or little towns that dot the landscape. Even before we moved we road tripped as much as possible. Someday I'll write down the two weeks we spent bombing through Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and all the beautiful views along the way.

So, what could we do that would earmark this anniversary for us? A road trip would be cool, but where to? Then I realized I have always wanted to go to Alaska, and that would be an amazing trip. We've admired the views from afar. Could we do it as a road trip? Lot's of people have. I threw out Alaska that night and the wheels immediately began to turn. I'm not sure we decided that night, but it wasn't much longer before our minds were set. Alaska, it just made sense. We'd get to see a massive expanse of the west coast of  North America, spend time with each other, and visit friends and family along the route. We'd get to explore the wild spaces and test our mettle. We'll be able to disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with our surroundings. And with that the planning had begun!

-Wes