Overview Map - The Dark Blue States Were Visited
My 2009 Cross-Country Road Trip included 25 states and took 28 days. Here are some of the notable places and statistics.
| Trip Highlight |
Visited 21 states for the first time (Added to my refrigerator magnet collection) |
| Low-Light #1 |
Food Poisoning |
| Low-Light #2 |
Bad Weather in Florida (Disney cut short) |
| Most Scenic Drive |
CO-82 Mountains near Aspen, Colorado |
| Distance Driven |
6787.3 Miles |
| Gas Cost |
$645.61 |
| Longest Day's Drive |
652 Miles. Amarillo, Texas to Forest City, Arkansas |
| Shortest Day's Drive |
95 Miles. Grayson, Kentucky to Lexington, Kentucky (got ill) |
| Free Hotel Rooms |
6 Nights at Harrah's properties, Thanks to the Total Rewards Program! |
| Least Expensive Hotel |
Rodeway Inn, Lake City, Florida. $43.55 (including tax) |
| Most Expensive Hotel |
Ramada Limited, Green River, Utah $84.71 (including tax) |
| Total Hotel Cost |
$1182.47 (22 nights, plus 6 free) |
| Average Hotel Cost |
$53.75 per night ($42.23 if including free room nights in the denominator) |
| Highest Elevation |
12,095 feet. Independence Pass, Colorado |
| Best Free Souvenir #1 |
I Survived Highway 50 Certificate (The Loneliest Road in America) |
| Best Free Souvenir #2 |
Free Disney Buttons |
| Free Tour #1 |
Tabasco Factory (okay, it costs $1 toll to cross the 'bridge') |
| Free Tour #2 |
NPS Mississippi Riverfront Walking Tour (from the French Quarter) |
| Biggest Regret |
Not making a U-Turn to go the Woody Creek Tavern |
| Best Cultural Art |
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas |
| Most Interesting City |
New Orleans |
| Best College Town |
Lawrence, Kansas |
| Best Meal |
Lunch at Commander's Palace, New Orleans |
| Least Time in a State |
Ohio: About 17 minutes in Chesapeake |
| Favorite Road Snacks |
Banana Chips and Punjabi Mix (Tasty, but a bit prone to spilling) |
| Best Investment |
Garmin Nuvi 260W GPS Unit (I am now a GPS believer!) |
| Most Played CD |
Chronicle by Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| Preparation Mistake #1 |
Not checking the CD's in my changer before leaving home |
| Preparation Mistake #2 |
Not bringing Chinese Medicine (for Food Poisoning) |
| Most Amazing |
The History of Mike the Headless Chicken |
| Most States in a Day |
5 States in a Day: NC, VA, WV, OH, KY |
| Best $1 Spent |
Tour of Genoa (Colorado) Wonder Tower |
See all of the Road Trip postings (with a minimum of page breaks).
Or, for postings by state, click on an underlined state in the table below:
It was a good trip, but it would have been better if:
- I had more time,
- I did not get food poisoning,
- I had better luck with the weather (particularly in Florida).
