Hello everyone,
Well, it's been a hectic three weeks on the road and a very relaxing one
week at home. Don't think I'll be able to do something like that again
for a long time. It's just too draining, but on the other hand, it was
extremely fun.
Okay, the statistics and cost breakdowns...
Trip Duration: 22 days on the road. 7 days at home.
Total Mileage driven: 12,312 miles
Total Fuel Consumption (Regular Unleaded 87 Octane): 389 gallons
Average Mileage per Gallon: 31.65 mpg
Average Daily Mileage Driven: 560 mpd
Average Speed Driven: 70 mph
Fastest Speed Driven: 100 mph (for 15 minutes following other cars)
Longest Stretch of Driving: 15 hours in one day
Longest Stay in One Place: 1.5 days in Seattle, WA
If you want to know about any other aspect of my trip that was not
mentioned above or noted below, please feel free to drop me a line and
let me know. I'll try to answer.
Well, now the more complete story.
I suppose this trip was borne out of desperation, sort of like a
mid-life crisis, although not as bad. I had wanted to do this
cross-country trip for a long time, ever since after High School
graduation (about 10 years ago). I had thought about doing it from time
to time, but the feeling wasn't right. It might have been the fact that
this year happened to be the 10th year reunion of Hunter High of the
class of 1985. That may have brought the old feelings back to the
surface in a strong way. What helped was that I work for New York State,
so the job could do without me for a month. It also helped to have six
weeks of vacation time saved up. Since it seems I'm a person that lives
so much in the past, it would be beneficial to put some of my past
ambitions to rest.
Well, like I said, the time felt right, so after thinking about it for a
couple of months after the reunion, I started planning it out. Sat down
with a map, figured in the current hot and coming cold weather, traced
out a route, gathered info on things I'd like to see, checked out the
mileage, compared that against an average 65 mph rate, and came up with
a rough idea of my trip. The date of the trip got bumped around a few
times, but finally settled on October 7 - November 5, with October 30
being the "back in NY" date. Basically, it was a plan to drive from NY
along a northern route to Seattle WA, then down to Los Angeles CA, then
over to Orlando FL, then back up to NY. This way, I would stay north
while it was still warm, then in the south, which would become warm.
Gotta stay ahead of the cold weather.
Over the next few months, I would be talking it over with some friends
and family, and some of the expressed an interest in joining me on my
journey, although at certain spots for a few days to a week. Most of
those plans fell through, but two friends and my sister managed to
stick with it. So the plan got changed around a few times so we could
coordinate the dates and locations. The dates of the travelling
companions were set, but after fiddling with the schedule so many times,
I just gave it up and decided to go with the flow. Besides, the schedule
already shows my dates and location based on average driving times. If I
fell behind somewhere, I'd just make it up with a day or two of hard
driving. If I came ahead, fine, I'd just pull out the map and see what
tourist trap I could kill time with.
Finally, the day came. All packing was done the night before. Sleep was
a little hard to come by. Woke up an hour early. Loaded up and, with my
sister, proceeded to Newark Airport to pick up the rental car. At 10:30
am on Saturday, October 7, the long journey began.
First stop was the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I had
heard about this place a few years back, and was intrigued why someone
would build the biggest mall with a theme park inside in Minneapolis.
Anyway, my sister thought the same thing, so she planned to drive out
with me to the Mall and take a flight back later. (She would also meet
me in Atlanta, GA.) Took a day and a half of driving (1300 miles), but
we got there in time to check out the Mall for Sunday afternoon and
Monday morning. Then over to Minneapolis and St. Paul for a short walk
around the twin cities. Then over to the airport for her flight back. At
6pm Monday, I was back on the road. Stopped at a rest area for the
night. Boy, was it cold. Woke up at 6 am to continue the drive.
My friend had suggested to stop be the Badlands, but I thought I might
not have enough daylight to do so. In retrospect, I should've stopped,
but this'll just give me something else to go back to on the next
journey.
Next was Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Got there about 10 am. Spent an
hour there wandering around soaking in all the info about the monument.
Very nice. Then got back in the car and proceeded over to Deadwood, SD.
Had lunch in Deadwood, but was kinda disappointed at what was there. I
thought it would be some kind of Western Town, but it was a mini-Las
Vegas, with slot machines in every store and a couple of pure gambling
halls. Got back in the car shaking my head (after spending $5 on slots),
and proceeded over to Devils Tower, Wyoming. Got there around 6 pm,
spent a half hour at the base, wandering around and looking up. Then I
realized, I was gonna hit Seattle, WA at least 4 days early. Sat down at
the visitor's welcome station, bought an ice cream cone, and opened up
the map and itinerary.
"What to do for four days?", I thought. A half hour later, I came up
with a plan. I would shoot down to Las Vegas ahead of schedule. This
would save me some time on the southern route, and also give me extra
time in Florida. So it became a straight drive through the rest of
Wyoming. Stopped at a rest area for the night, again very cold.
Back on the road and down to Denver CO, stopping at Vail for lunch. Into
Utah for a while, then stopping for the night at another rest area. Not
as cold this time.
Made it to Las Vegas at noon Thursday October 12. Checked into the MGM
Grand hotel ($90/night) and spent the rest of the day wandering around
the Strip, checking out each place for a while, getting bombarded by
guys in the street handing out pamphlets and booklets advertising sex,
having a $2 Steak and Egg lunch and an $8 Burger dinner. Checked out
VIRTUAL WORLD, which was very good. Wish it didn't cost so much though.
They tell me there are plans to open up in New York. That'd be nice.
Drove around and checked out the hookers on the street and the strip
joints. Just like NY. Went back to the hotel for the night. Next day,
checked out, put all the bags back in the car and finished checking out
anything else that I may have missed. Back in the car after lunch, and
proceeded to the Grand Canyon. Ended up spending about $50 on games.
Well, stopped at the Hoover Dam along the way. Nice. Made it to the
Grand Canyon about 10 pm, which was a good thing. During regular working
hours, they make you pay $10 to get in. Gates were wide open because it
seems they operate a few hotels on the grounds. Pulled over at a Lookout
point with a couple of other cars and went to sleep. Woke up in time to
catch the sunrise over the Canyon. That was nice, but boy was it cold
there. Spent the morning going to various lookout points and taking a
short hike. Made some calls, had lunch, and proceeded to make my Seattle
rendezvous. Shortest way was back through Los Angeles and straight up.
Made it Los Angeles around 10 pm, and stopped at a rest area north of
LA. Sunday morning, woke up and drove up to San Francisco. Had a few
hours to kill, so had lunch in Chinatown, and wandered around some more.
Then drove a little while more, and stopped at a motel for the night.
Watched my regular Sunday FOX shows, took a long needed personal
cleansing routine, and slept in a comfortable bed.
Monday morning, checked out, and continued on to Seattle. Straight
through Oregon. Made it about 3 hours south of Seattle before I had to
stop for the night at a rest area. Tuesday morning, made it into
Seattle and met my two friends, Henry Wong and Kevin Tang, at the
appointed time. We checked into the hotel, went into Seattle for some
food and sight-seeing, then sacked out for the night. Wednesday, we all
went up to Vancouver BC, for a day trip. Wandered around the Chinatown
up there, had lunch, wandered around some more, and came back to Seattle
for dinner. Sacked out back at the hotel. Thursday, we packed up and
checked out of the hotel. Spent the morning at the Boeing plant, then
spent the afternoon at the Seattle Waterfront/Pike Street Marketplace.
Then started the all night round the clock drive down to San Francisco.
We had a lunch date with some friends in San Francisco, and it was about
a 13 hour drive, so we decided, since we've got three people, we could
drive round the clock. So drive round the clock we did. Don't think I'd
do it again, but we made it to San Francisco in time for lunch with our
friends. Then back into the car to make it to Los Angeles to have
dinner with our other friends. Made it just in time.
Well, had dinner, and then to sleep at another friend's place for the
night. Saturday morning, drove Henry and two others to LAX for their
flights back to NY. I dropped my bags off at another friends place where
I would be spending the night, then slipped back out to spend the day
driving around LA. Made plans for dinner, which went very well. Had a
good time with some friends whom I haven't seen in a while. It was good
to catch up. Well, back to sleep.
Sunday morning. Bags back in the car, said goodbyes, and back on the
road for the start of my southern route. At noon, stopped at a truck
stop to do laundry (remember, wait for the water to fill all the way up
before adding the bleach), had lunch, made some calls, and caught up on
some reading and thinking. With Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon done, I
could proceed straight across to Florida.
Well, over to Phoenix AZ, stopped for the night at a rest area, then
through New Mexico all day, past Amarillo TX, into Oklahoma City OK,
then halfway to Dallas TX. Spent the night in a rest area, which was now
quite warm. Up at first light, and down to Houston TX, where I spent the
afternoon at Houston Space Center. Nice. Back in the car and over to New
Orleans, then over the border into Mississippi, and into the last rest
area of the trip. Wednesday morning (October 25), made it into Florida.
Stopped at Pensacola, and visited the Naval Air Station museum. Spent
the morning there, then had lunch, and back on the road to Orlando. Made
it to Orlando at 9pm. Checked into a hotel, and slept. Thursday, spent
the morning wandering around Orlando, then over the Cape Canaveral to
spend the afternoon at Kennedy Space Center. Dinner, and then back in
the car.
My plans got a little ruined when I noticed the signs in Florida
rest areas that said "No overnight parking permitted". I couldn't sleep
at the rest area. I thought it might be different when I got into
Georgia, but they had the same signs. I didn't feel like meeting my
sister and having to search for another hotel room, so I decided to try
and kill two birds with one stone. Drove all night till I reached
Atlanta. Silly me for forgetting about the World Series. I was getting
into Atlanta at the same time as the Braves - Indians game number 6.
Frantic calls were made at 4 in the morning to various hotels in the
area gave the same reply - "Sorry, all booked". Tried through my travel
service, who told me they had just spent an hour with another person
doing the same thing, and came up with nothing. I almost gave up hope
when suddenly, I turned around and saw a hotel across the street. It was
an ordinary hotel chain - Red Carpet Inn - but with one difference. The
sign out front said "VACANCY". I checked my maps. I was still 25 miles
from downtown Atlanta, but at this point I was not being choosy. Hopped
back in the car, shot across the road, and got a room for two nights at
a reasonable rate. Apparently, they didn't care about the situation in
Atlanta, but that was alright by me. Slept from 5 am to 2 pm. My
sister's flight wasn't due in for another 8 hours, so I just decided to
spend the day in Atlanta and wander around checking things out that I
wouldn't be able to with my sister, Julie. Spent 6 hours walking all
over Atlanta, five of those hours being the only time it rained on me
during my trip. HEAVY rain. Good thing I brought a sturdy umbrella.
Well, met my sister at the appointed time and place, although we lost
each other when her flight came in a different gate, and I didn't find
out till 20 minutes after her flight landed and deplaned. So I caught up
with her at our alternate meeting point at the baggage claim. Went to the
car, straight back to the hotel and straight to sleep.
Next morning, packed up, checked out, and back to Atlanta, where we
spent the day at the Coca Cola Pavilion, Atlanta Underground, CNN
Studios, and a short walk around Atlanta. Then back on the road at 6 pm,
back to New York. Drove till 10pm, had dinner, and checked into a Motel
6. Up the next morning at 8 am, with an extra hour of sleep, thanks to
daylight savings time. If everything went right, we could have made it
home in time to catch the Simpsons Halloween Special, but as soon as we
hit the Jersey Turnpike, all traffic ground to a stop. So at 7 pm, we
pulled off at a Service Area, made some frantic calls to find some
friends who could tape it for us, and then sat down for dinner with
about a couple of hundred other travelers who probably had the same
idea. Well, I mean dinner while they could instead of being stuck in
traffic, not the Simpsons, although they could have been thinking the
same thing. You never know. Anyway, back on the road, and back home at
10 pm, Sunday night. Brought the bags up, went to sleep, and returned
the rental car the next morning, with 12000 miles extra on the odometer.
And now I'm all rested up from the drive. I figured I'd probably need a
one week vacation from my three week vacation. Which turns out to have
been a good idea. The three week drive was hectic. Most of it was
driving. Figure I spent about 180 hours driving personally. The longest
stretch of free time was about 1 day, day and a half in about five
places. On the run, that's what it felt like. But I got a lot done. Saw
a lot of things that I wanted to see. Most of them I only need to see
once. Some things will require me to someday go back for a better stay.
But overall, it was a great trip. Noticed that most cities looked like
New York, most towns looked like Long Island. It was great to see all
the flat landscape. Was like you could see for miles. Open desert.
Cities that could have been New York except for the mountains in the
background. Towns and cities surrounded by high hills and mountains.
That was great to see. At nights, with the clearer air of some
locations, I was able to look up at a star filled sky. It was nice to
just lean back on the warm hood of the car and stare up, lost in the
cosmos.
Well, that's the trip. Don't think I'll be doing anything like this
again for a long time. Just too draining. But someday.
Thanks for listening.
Later...
Wayne
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