Where in the USA is Todd Delaune?

Where in the USA is Todd Delaune??

I am back in Atlanta, GA - the trip is over! Hard enough as it is for me to believe, I'm done (this time) travelling the country. (For those of you who don't already know, I left Feb. 19, 2004 and headed west. I got back to Atlanta on Nov. 12, 2004 - 268 days later.) I can't begin to describe what this trip meant to me, or how I've grown from it. I'm still absorbing it all, still witnessing myself. For now the best I can do is thank everyone who made it possible:

A clip from my last day's journal entry:

"How in the world do I encapsulate my thoughts, feelings, emotions, changes, lessons learned, etc? It was the best thing I've ever done with my life. I learned an amazing amount of lessons, from the small (like how to survive in your car for weeks on end), to the big stuff. Simplicity, that you can live a very simple life and absolutely love it. That in that simplicity is peace and calm. That by stepping outside of society's norm you see everything differently. I don't think I'll ever fit into society again, I'll never think career and put myself into a job, and sell myself to the system. The system is flawed. The system supports itself, not its people, it uses them. And most people go right along with it. Success is measured by your possessions, the size of your bank account, how big your TV is, the car you drive. ... It's very strange, overwhelming really. Hell, the fact that I'm done journalling, that I don't have to do this every night. And the fear that my days won't be unique enough that I'll have anything to journal about. That it'll be day in day out work work work. I've got 2 conflicting personalities, ways of living, attitudes, and it's time to witness how they blend together. Hopefully the best of both will survive. I've grown and changed a lot in the past 9 months - 268 days. And as always, life goes on."

Thank You's

This trip would not have been possible were it not for the generosity of many, many people. Thank you to everyone for their hospitality (in chronological order): Thanks to everyone I met on the way, like Bob at Yosemite for the topo map (it probably saved my life while hiking through a snowed out trail), Bob at Zion, the guy at Arches (I have your picture, your email address didn't work - please contact me at delauti at gnc dot net!), the newly engaged rock climbers (Luke and Lauren) at Joshua Tree, Gita at Rocky Mountain, and everyone else that currently escapes my memory.

And most of all, thank you to Kirsten Bucher and Bassel Hatoum for helping make this trip possible. Thanks guys, I seriously could not have done it without you. Thank you.

Trip links

Trip Map

What are you talking about?

On February 19, 2004 Todd packed the important things: mountain bike, skiis, camping gear, yoga mat, journal, camera, and his Mom's ashes. He loaded up an SUV to travel the country for a year, plus or minus (wound up being ~9 months). Occasionally he uploaded his current location and pictures from the trip.

How did this come to be?

Once upon a time there was a woman and a man with a twinkle in their eyes. 9 months later Todd Delaune was born. He grew up, learned the ways of the world, became responsible, earned degrees and jobs, made himself a place in this busy world, and started to blend in with the rest of middle-class America. Then he realized there was more to life, and he put everything aside in order to find out how much more there was. So he packed his bags and off he went! And this summarizes the first 29 years of the life and times of Todd!

Feel free to visit my old homepage, though be warned that the views and opinions expressed may not reflect accurately on the Todd of today. Or check out my next homepage or my next next homepage or my current homepage.