Spring Cleaning

"Then came spring, the great time of traveling..." pg 6

My interpretation of a road trip is a time for cleansing the soul. I believe people embark on road trips to clear away the clutter in their minds and discover what has been hidden by that clutter and to lighten their minds so that they may be more free to explore. The main character in this novel is attempting to cleanse himself of the clutter in his life. He is weighed down by the memory of his wife and his depression. By taking to the road he is throwing off all of his connections to the petty rules of the city and rather taking to the purity and freedom of open air. He is heading west, to a place stereotipically known for its kind people and raunchy good times. He is intriued by all things uncivilized and animalistic because he has been trapped in an unnatural state of civilization for too long. He pines for excitement because his life has been dreary and dull lately. In taking to the road he is freeing himself of mental clutter much the same way many people clean their homes in the spring to make way for the new life and the warm comfort of summer (by "comfort of summer" I am refering to places where summer is not a new type of hell with pavement and bazillion degree weather. The main character's summer is an actual pleasant time with little likelyhood of heat stroke or melanoma). I would like to know what other people expect to gain from a road trip. A new crop of memories? A new perspective on life? Or some combination of the two or something else entirely?