Statement of Purpose

Hand-drawn map from Jack Kerouac's diary (Source)

Journey With Maps. In part, an homage one of my favorite writers, Graham Greene, whose first travels outside Europe led to the travelogue Journey Without Maps, as well as Jack Kerouac, John Steinbeck, and others.

As one of the worst winters in memory fades away comes the urge to get outside and explore the neighborhood, the city, and further afield. My goal is to inspire, to chronicle trips planned, trips taken, and to look forward to those all-encompassing journeys that take more time and planning than we may have at the moment.

Expect entries of the following types:

• Day and weekend explorations around New York City and environs;
• Feasible weekend getaways (i.e. short rides or cheap flights);
• Long odyssey-type trips spanning multiple days and stretching across multiple states or countries;
• Maps and other travel curiosities.

In general, I'm more interested in the possibilities of non-car based trips, since you tend to meet people, notice the details, and relax when you move at a slower pace. This will include walking, biking, bus, train, and some combination of the above.

From what I've found, the travel blog genre mostly consists of tips on how to travel on the cheap, hotel, event and restaurant reviews, and the dreaded "listicle" (e.g. 5 Public Restrooms You Never Knew Existed, 17 Types of Backpackers You Will Meet in Thailand). Since I'm not the the first person to sail those waters, I'll try to keep the content fresh and unique and not reproduce what can be found on Yelp or in your typical travel guidebook.

Each entry will likely be a trip idea with a special focus on the path used to get there. I will not purport to have the answers on how to get cheap airline tickets. Since I love maps, I will try to scan some of those that have inspired me that are unavailable elsewhere on the internet. In the course of developing a story, especially one about a potential trip, I may link respectfully to the work of others that have done a better job than I ever could.

Please comment freely, positive feedback is what keeps me going.

Kyle