Main fundraiser photo

7,500 Miles & 27 National Parks

In March of 2017 during my "spring break" in Seminary I took the opportunity to spend a few days with family in Phoenix, AZ. During this time I loaded up my dad's van and spent two days hiking and exploring in Sedona, followed by two days of hiking in the Grand Canyon. Since that experience I have been thinking about what I want to do when I graduate from grad school. What job am I going to land? Where am I going to move? The other day at the gym I had a conversation with a gentleman where he asked me "what kind of experience would you like to have?" which is a totally different question than I had asked myself.

Being a photographer and someone who is captivated by mountains, the light, the dark, and what you can see through a lens, I have this life goal of visiting and photographing every National Park in the U.S. Because of this goal I have been thinking about taking some sort of road trip to visit the National Parks when I graduate (before I am tied down to a job or a wife). And in this conversation at the gym I thought to myself "what if I take a 6 month adventure to visit the National Parks of the west?



This would require nearly 7,500 of driving.
But it would result in 27 National Parks visited.




I would live out of my Jeep driving between the parks. Camping in and out of the parks while journaling, writing, photographing, and having conversations with people along the way. I wonder how that experience, how that dream, would shape me in ways that I can't imagine. To spend 6 months on the road is a frightening task to say the least. 

I have no financial capacity to take a trip like this. 

I posted the story of my conversation at the gym on my Facebook and have since been flooded with support to "follow the dream".

So this is my attempt to fund the dream.

Supporting this dream is risky. Basic calculations show that the trip would cost, at minimum, $1,250-$1,500 per month. I have had people ask me how they can support this dream, so here it is, a GoFundMe page.

Basic monthly calculations look like this:
Food per month: $400
Vehicle/Camera Insurance: $125
One restaurant meal ($25) per week: $100
NP and other Camping Costs: $125
Backcountry Permits: $75
Backcountry Lotto Costs: $30
Estimated Weekly ($70) Gas:  $280
Garmin Inreach Subscription: $35
Emergency Fund: $75
Total: $1,245

If I can fund the first half of the trip, my intent is to just go and have faith that the remaining funds will work out to continue the trip! And if all goes well I hope to provide everyone with a beautiful feed of images, as well as the intention of writing a book about the experience!

It's funny how it all works out! Roughly 7,500 miles, and roughly $7,500. Would you be willing to support my dream/trip at $1 per mile?

Don't forget. By moving up a reward level, you'll still get all the rewards for the lower reward levels! For example, if you choose the $100 Wallpaper Set you'll still get the Postcard and the Digital Photos!

Organizer

Ted Webb
Organizer
Louisville, KY

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