Instagram photo by Dakota • Feb 24, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Walking up New York’s Park Avenue in 2010, I saw this Island Company-sponsored sticker posted to the window of a brownstone undergoing renovation. Having just spent my early twenties in Paris, I was undergoing a re-adjustment to my hometown.

I held on deeply to Paris’ cobblestone streets and tried to imagine them as I strolled the grand boulevard of the upper east side. I was overwhelmed with fear: fear that I wouldn’t explore somewhere new again, fear that that with my youth would end my journey, fear that I would lose what I learned about myself during those impactful years.

In my youthful naïveté, I didn’t know the amazing things that would await and surprise. I had discovered Brooklyn through friends who trail blazed before me. My second home was in DUMBO – back when it was empty DUMBO with Forager’s, Vinegar Hill House and Superfine.. and of course late night trips to Peas & Pickles. It was ours. And so began my move to Cobble Hill and a love of the adjoining neighborhoods – living with my love and neighboring among the best of friends.

“Crazies always recognize each other.” That’s what Hunter S. Thompson told Craig Vetter in November 1974. My, or I should say our love for exploration drives us to the next chapter.

There is a tradition which has been carried by American writers, and that is to explore. The lost generation. Beat. Gonzo. Compelled to wander through cultures and landscapes, to chance upon the traditions left to us from an earlier time and the makings of this generation, it’s time to pack our bags.

My fiancé Andrew and I are embarking on a six-month trip through the United States following my heart to travel, write, and discover new crafts and old traditions and exploiting his ability as a techie to work from the road.

So, call us crazy. Or join the ride. Or both.  I’ll be sharing our findings all along the way here on Maidstone Buttermilk.

*Quote in title from the works of Robert W. Service.

The Route

The Great American Tour of 2015 on Roadtrippers

Our westward route is plotted in the map. Please feel free to make a note in the comments or reach out if you have recommendations for any stopping points along the way.