Blog post by Pete Jackson

I remember a few months ago when Joe and I were imagining the timeline for this trip. It was exciting to map out the locations we would hit, the amount of time we would be in each city and the fun things we would do. We even went so far as to make sure we had a full day of rest once a week so that we could sleep a little and maybe even have some time to enjoy ourselves in any given city. But again, we were imagining.

It may seem unfortunate that we’re on the first (and probably last) cross-country road trip we’ll ever take in our lives and we haven’t had time to really experience the places we’ve been. But this was a conscious decision. This trip was never about sightseeing or lollygagging. It was always about working our asses off for something we believed in.

But on a drive through Texas the other day we accidentally stumbled over a gap in time. I had to take a restroom break but there were no rest stops for miles, so we pulled onto a side road and stopped at an abandoned gas station that looked like it was at one point in time the only place to stop for gas in this part of the country. After we got back into the car, we missed the entrance to the freeway and had to drive on the side road for a few miles. Suddenly, we stopped.

We were in the middle of nowhere - nothing but an empty highway and a barren side road. There was silence. It was magnificent. We may have only been there for a half-hour, but it seemed an eternity. Time stopped, and so did we.

It’s moments like these that make this whole crazy endeavor feel right. We were able to get into the car and continue working feverishly, but this time with the hint of a smile on our faces. You might say, “Well, the best moments come along when you least expect them.” That’s probably true, but sometimes it’s nice to believe that the best moments come along because you really need them.

-- Pete

                 Joe and I threw a baseball around during a break in Texas