Find Your Unknown

Two photographers and their trailer set out for an epic adventure across the Southern United States.

By Joseph Gulizia

Our objective was the Grand Opening of the REI in Chattanooga, TN. Our departure point the Eagle Creek HQ in Carlsbad, CA. In between was 2,000+ miles and no plan, just a handful of ideas and a willingness to wander and to find the unknown.

Nights were spent in a variety of places. In the West BLM land was our best friend. Providing sanctuary in the remote parts of the US. In the East where BLM land is sparse, a Walmart parking lot or two became our best friend.

The Eastern bloc of the US really surprised me. The endless beauty, the greenery, and mountains had me on my toes looking for more. I had no idea that Chattanooga, especially, was such an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Climbing, hiking, biking, SUP’ing, and swimming were all apart of the daily rituals.

The desert, though, is where I truly felt home. Growing up in the American Southwest, I will always have a place in my heart for it. There is nothing like the diversity of landscape in the Southwest. The colors equally as stunning, as sunrise and sunset are constantly battling to out perform one another with ever changing gradients in the sky.

The trip was epic, adventure filled, and full of new experiences. Something I will never forget, and, for me, reinvigorated the idea of domestic travel after so many years exploring internationally.

With Special Thanks to Eagle Creek and REI