For most of us, it’s money that we exchange for time exploring the world. Of course, to get that money, we have to give up a certain amount of time, usually at a job. We give up time on the road for time in an office, at a construction site, or waiting tables.

What if we could skip that step–shut off our computers, push in our chairs and leave?

This video gives us a tantalizing, if illegal, alternative to the grind. Serial-theft of cars to get across the country certainly has romantic roots set deep in the lore of the old west, when freedom came one rustled horse at a time.

And like so many of those old stories, this one ends in tragedy for the lone rider. Not at the base of the hang-man’s tree, but by being bested by a crafty drifter.

One rides into the sunset. Both live to drive another day.

Video by FAR from EARTH FIlms.

What's beyond that turn? Big Sky sunset in the Beartooth Mountains. Photo by Eric Warren.

THERE’S SOMETHING FREEING about following a road into the mountains to see where it leads, and letting it turn from highway to back road to gravel track. Nothing but time and the road conditions determine your fate. I took this road back to the East Rosebud Area of the Beartooth Mountains.

Under normal conditions, this road would be almost impassible in the winter. This year’s lack of snowfall left it dry (crossed with the occasional snow drift) and open to exploration, letting me stumble upon scenes like this.

Grand Tetons at Sunrise. Photo by Howard Ignatius

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE released the 2012 dates for free admission to all US national parks.

This weekend (Jan. 14th-16th) all 397 parks will be open in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Fourteen more dates will follow throughout 2012 including National Park Week (April 21 to 29), Get Outdoors Day (June 9), National Public Lands Day (September 29), and the weekend of Veterans Day (November 10 to 12).

Grand Canyon in winter. Photo by NPS.

If you’ve only visited America’s national parks in the summer, the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend is a great excuse to see one in the winter. The seasonal contrast is phenomenal. For example, seeing snow cap Bryce Canyon’s hoodoos can really changed my understanding of Utah’s high desert.

Even on a free-admission day, parks in the winter will be much less crowded. Yellowstone can feel almost urban during the high season, but skiing past Bison on an empty road, watching steam huff from their noses as they shuffle by in single-file, can be one of the most wilderness experiences you can have.

Whether you take advantage of the free dates, or you pay for admission, the national park system is a resource that deserves to be explored, and enjoyed.

Planning on traveling to a national park this year? Let us know by leaving a comment below or at our Facebook page.

SUNSET ON THE ROAD leading to Pictograph Caves State Park outside of Billings, Montana. Even on cloudy days in Billings, the sun sneaks out for a few minutes before it sets. This is a visible effect of the “big sky” the Big Sky State is named after.

Photo by Eric Warren

What the new year is really good for is dusting off last year’s road atlas and starting to trace the lines of the coming year’s adventures. Travel, like so many things that are fun to do, is one resolution that’s likely to succeed.

Winding through Zion National Park. Photo by: Wolfgang Staudt

Of course, I have plans for hitting the road this year, but I asked around to see what audacious plans other people are dreaming up.

“I’d have to say I’m dying to go out to go out West on a real, authentic American roadtrip, and to zigzag around our country’s amazing national parks,” says Kelley Ferro, editor and producer at Trip Films. “I’ve never seen ANY national parks and would love to see the sheer majestic beauty that is in our ‘own backyard.’ I find so many travelers, myself included, look overseas to find stunning landscapes and new cultures, but there’s so much right here, too. And coming from the East coast, exploring the parks out west would be so exotic and exciting.”

National Parks seem to be a big draw for people. The US Department of Interior projects over 287 million visits to national parks in 2012. That’s an average of almost one visit for every man, woman, and child in the United States, including Dave and Di Warren who hope to venture back to the parks of the American southwest.

“I want to get back to Utah and all of the National Parks,” says Di. “I want to hit Bryce Canyon and Zion. I’d also like to get back to Kings Canyon and Sequoia in California. We haven’t been there in years.”

See them before they're gone. Photo by Dan Nguyen.

Some New Year’s dream trips are about seeing natural treasures before they’re gone. Photographer Heather Laverriere says, “If I could only choose one place, it would be the glaciers in alaska. Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay. The expanse of ice on the blue sea is something you have to see to really appreciate – and of course capture – while they are still here.”

These glacial landscapes are only accessible by boat, but what about mixing both cars and boats for your next adventure?

Boats along Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia. Photo by: Eric Warren

“One [trip] I would die for: hit every ferry in British Columbia,” says writer and avid roadtripper Kij Johnson. “It requires all these tiny provincial roads, and in some cases, you have to take a ferry and then (because it leads nowhere except one tiny town across a lake) take it right back again. They range from two-car ferries to the big ferry that runs up the inland passage. Some are cable ferries. I took about ten of them a couple of years back, but to get them all would take a couple of weeks — all through some of the most beautiful country in the world. The ferries are all free. How fucking awesome is that?”

How awesome, indeed.

What are your travel plans? Leave a comment below or at our Facebook page.

Winter Road. Photo by Superior National Forest

Photo by Superior National Forest.

Timelapse video seems to encapsulate that roadtrip “feel.” Of course, there’s the beauty of the landscapes that photographers use to fill the frame, but what really give timelapse its magic is the way it plays with time.

Time is often the real measure of life on the road. As the hours pass by, the motion begins to feel seamless–sometimes dream-like. This is the time during the drive, where the trip fades into a timelapse of memory and moment. Of mountains, or plains, or ocean, all swirling together into one high-speed picture.

See more of Ross Ching’s work HERE.

I DISCOURAGE DRINKING AND DRIVING as much as anyone (more than some), but there’s something about putting miles down in search of great microbrews that fits what roadtripping is really about. It has to do with the regional nature of the craft brew industry. Not only does each brewery have a distinct style and taste, but several great beers are only available in the city where the brewery resides. You can’t just head to the liquor store and buy one bottle from every brewery in the US, you actually have to stop in the pub that makes it.

Ali and Daniel, livers fresh. Photo by Daniel Becker

Tasteless Beer Snobs Ali Kimbrough and Daniel Becker are putting the hammer down on just such an adventure. They’re driving from Tucson, Arizona to Billings, Montana and sampling as many craft beers as they can along the way. Their blog Tasteless Beer Snob chronicles the roadtrip as they drink, they travel, they drink, they camp in nasty storms, they drink, their Jeep breaks down, they put down long miles, they drink some more.

These craft beer connoisseurs describe the beers and the locals they encounter with humor and a delicate palate. Well, humor, at least.

Check out their blog as the epic unfolds: Tasteless Beer Snob

Packed up and ready to go. Photo by: Pete Prodoehl

AFTER GRADUATION, MY BEST FRIEND and I embarked on an epic journey. We’ve been friends since we were just eight years old, our families vacationed together, and now it was time for us to have an amazing adventure just the two of us. My parents insisted on throwing me a going away party and everyone gave me gifts they thought I might find useful or entertaining on my journey. Of course the best gift to receive while embarking on a trip is money. But there are so many other items that caught me off guard with their value on my journeys.

Our first real stop was Las Vegas. While we aren’t really into the club scene and aren’t big on gambling, we felt it necessary to visit Vegas as we had never been before. We stayed just two nights on the strip, hitting a couple of the legendary hot spots. Vegas isn’t a cheap town to hang out in, and the gift cards our friends gave us for their favorite west-coast restaurants [or a specific restaurant] were a big help. From there it was a short jaunt to the California coast, the real reason for our road trip.

Did I forget anything? Photo by: tomypelluz

The sunshine gave us a warm greeting and we were stoked to hit the waves as soon as possible. Surfing in California is more than just a sport, more than an art form; it is a lifestyle, a religion of sorts. We met up with a surfer friend from college and he showed us around, taking us first to La Jolla Cove. The beach was beautiful without many tourists and we caught some major waves. A friend of mine had filled a tote bag with a beach towel, Chap Stick, sunscreen, and flip flops.It was there that I realized that without it I would have forgotten at least one of those essential beach items.

After surfing our way up the coast, we did a wine tour in the Napa Valley and then proceeded up the coast. As we continued along, the canned goods in the trunk became quite the nuisance. For some reason a friend of mine thought that a box of canned goods would be beneficial. Unfortunately it just weighed my car down and was more of a hassle than a help, making it difficult to place everything neatly back there. Once we hit Sacramento, we parted with the box of goods. The volunteers at the food pantry were grateful, and we were happy to help out.

Once we arrived in Northern California and crossed into Southern Oregon, the weather was not quite so cooperative. Luckily most of our reasons for visiting Oregon were somewhat indoors. We visited Astoria, Tillamook, and VooDoo Doughnut on our trek north. During those stops we spent more money than anticipated and became very grateful for the plug-in cooler that had been gifted at my going away party. We had a Koolatron Voyagerthat we put lunchmeat, cheese, and condiments in. They stayed cool and lasted several days, saving us a ton of money on eating expenses.

Save money by eating in the car. Photo by fatseth

While my cousin had great intentions, I had no need for a bunch of books on travel. I was visiting the West Coast, not a foreign country. And having a smart phone with internet access at any given moment made them practically useless during my trip.

We made our way up Interstate-5 and headed to Seattle where another friend from college met up with us and showed us around. It became clear that, while my cousin had great intentions, I had no need for a bunch of books on travel. I was visiting the West Coast, not a foreign country. Having a smart phone with internet access at any given moment, and good friends showing us around, made them practically useless during my trip. We saw all the normal Seattle tourist attractions including the EMP (Experience Music Project), Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the Underground Tour. We also visited the lesser-known Fremont Troll and our friend insisted we try Dick’s Drive-In before heading back home.

The great memories we have of the trip weren’t because of the gifts we’d received, but they did add to the overall adventure, for better or worse.

Olivia Nicholas is a writer and traveler. She is always happy to share her passion for life and experiences through her work, and in her spare time works as a freelance writer for Storkie.

The aluminum Airstream trailer has long been an icon on the American roadway. I can’t think of a better (or classier) mobile office.

Source: Matador Network

Video by: WEREHAUS