Writing on the Road refers to an idea I have to spend some time solo roadtripping around the US—preferably for a week or more—as a way to escape daily life and focus on contemplation and writing. In some ways, this is a cross between a writing retreat, Think Week,[^1] and a road trip. It's an effort to recreate the creativity and reflection I have while in the shower, but on a larger scale. You know, those moments when you're lost in thought and have some of your best ideas. I want that, but for days on end. The goal would be to eliminate some of the usual distractions: no meetings, no ubiquitous wifi, no social media, no hosting friends for happy hour, no figuring out what to have for dinner with Jen. Just me, my thoughts, and the basic activities of life and travel. My intention is to [camp in my car](https://rscottjones.com/how-i-camp-in-my-car-during-road-trips/)[^2] with no specific itinerary—just heading wherever sounds interesting, staying as long as makes sense, and enjoying the small details of the places I'm at. I won't be visiting epic destinations, like Yosemite Valley, or even marking off a bunch of [quest objectives](https://rscottjones.com/quests). Instead, it's really about using the inspiration of natural places to provide a canvas for introspection and contemplation. And by experiencing new places, I can further prime the mind for new thoughts and insights. Will this work as intended? I have no idea. After all, it's just [an experiment](https://nesslabs.com/fail-like-a-scientist). [^1]: Bill Gates famously spends a week in seclusion twice a year to read and think about big problems. He calls these retreats "Think Week" and credits them for some of his best work. [^2]: I think this style of travel is the only way to really make this trip work for me. I need to be highly mobile, but also self-contained. Or maybe just staying in a cabin somewhere all week would work too?