Roadtrip West, April-May, 2010: Summary

5654 miles, through 13 states. I've spoken to a few people who look at us like we're crazy. Locked in the front seat of their car all day sounds like torture, even with their loved ones by their sides (or especially with their loved ones by their sides). But Jim and I seem to enjoy the "stillness in motion" -- spinning a bit of planning into a wandering exploration, making a game of avoiding interstates, matching maps with roads, and finding something of interest in every landscape. Is it really any different from river rafting or hiking a trail? It may not seem athletic, but you are still operating heavy machinery through unknown territory. It does take energy, stamina, and an overall sense of harmony with the world.

The map below give you our nightly destinations. I'm frustrated that the route mapping turned out to be too buggy to use because it is the roads that tell our story. My daily blog entries are listed on the right. The slide show above shows our best photos -- also available full screen here at Picasa, where you can see the labels.

View Trip West: Spring 2010 in a larger map

5.18.10

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TRIP LOG, with links to blog entries

Rochester NY to Springfield OH (555 mi)

Springfield OH to St Louis MO (about 400 mi)

St Louis MO to Council Grove KS (384 mi)

Council Grove KS to Las Animas CO (443 mi)

Las Animas CO to Colorado Springs CO (160 mi)

Colorado Springs CO to Taos NM (219 mi)

Taos NM

Taos NM to Farmington NM(222 mi)

Farmington NM to Chinle AZ (243 mi, incl. local)

Canyon de Chelly

Chinle AZ to Grand Canyon AZ (293 mi incl all GC local)

Grand Canyon: mesmerizing

Grand Canyon: jeep tour day

Grand Canyon AZ to Gallup NM (286 mi)

Gallup NM to Amarillo TX (435 mi)

Amarillo TX to Fort Smith AR (454 mi)

Fort Smith AR to Tupelo MS (403 mi)

Tupelo MS to Franklin KY (252 mi)

Franklin KY to Charleston WV (388 mi)

Charleston WV to Rochester NY (494 mi)