I’m a woman, and I drive cross country(actually, across two countries) on my own at least once a year. People are always surprised by that. I guess it’s a bit unusual, but it’s not scary, particularly dangerous, or  difficult for me because I’m a girl. I’ve tried having friends or family tag along, and although that’s often a lot of fun, I prefer going solo, and following my own agenda. Sometimes I have my dog with me, and for a while I was driving with two ferrets as co-pilots. Loki (my rescued Cocker Spaniel mix) is good company, but a pet in the car does tend to limit the possibilities a bit. It can be difficult to stop for any length of time if it’s very hot or cold outside, if your dog is in the car. Much of the fun of a good road trip is in the freedom to stop whenever and wherever the spirit takes you. I love to check out natural monuments like caves and national parks, weird road-side shops and rest stops, and to eat at real local, non-chain restaurants…the weirder the better. I stop to eat when I’m hungry, to stretch my legs when I’m bored or the dog wants some exercise, and to sleep when I’m tired. Life is very simple on the road.

My family lives in Ohio, which is also where one of my employers is based. I spend months there every year, and the rest of the time I live in central Mexico, in a beautiful little town called San Miguel de Allende. I drive back and forth between the two once or twice a year. It’s a 4 day drive, which I take in 8 or 10 hour segments, and I get to see 5 states in the U.S. and 4 states in Mexico. I find the drive to be a bit tiring towards the end of day 4, but it’s always a beautiful trip and it’s really freeing to be driving down the road, with your only responsibilities being to get from point A to point B(eventually). I always have some of my best inspirations and revelations on the road. I am an artist, and sometimes it’s difficult, in the daily grind, to save some time and space to think about my art, and where I’m going with it, and what I might want to try. When I’m driving, my mind is free to spend as much time as it wants following the rabbit down its hole.

I would encourage every woman to try roadtripping alone. These days, you’re never really alone. If you get lonely, call a friend (a hands-free set up is a must). If you have car trouble that you can’t take care of yourself, AAA is only a phone call away. Dealing with the flat tire or dead battery on your own only makes you more self-reliant. Time alone to think, without the distraction of Netflix or Facebook, is important for growth and self-realization. When you’re tired of yourself, you’re free to dance in your seat and sing along to the radio at the top of your lungs, listen to “Great Expectations” on audio book. Hit the road. Go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. Take a trip to Yellowstone National Park, or the Corn Palace in South Dakota, or Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Take a drive down to San Miguel de Allende! It’s only 10 hours from Laredo, Texas. You’ll love it! I promise.