Homeward Bound

We spent most of Thursday driving from Socorro to the Grand Canyon with a brief stop in Flagstaff, AZ. We had plans to camp in the park and finally found a suitable campsite, albeit with snow on the ground. After setting up Chris’ tent, we hunkered down for a bitterly cold night that brought a few inches of snow and temperatures in the single digits; whoever thought camping at 7,000 feet in December would be that frigid? The sun finally freed us from our icy prison and we set out for first views of the Grand Canyon. While some national monuments and attractions are over-hyped, the Grand Canyon doesn’t disappoint - it’s one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen. The beauty and enormity of the place are really impressive and not done justice by pictures. This, however, didn’t stop me from snapping a few shots:

Panorama From the South Rim (Click for Full Size)


Me and the Grand



Observation Station


Chris Against the Void


Our Freezing Camping Spot



After our morning tour we drove toward Salt Lake City, our destination for the evening. It’s surprising how quickly the landscape can change in the American Southwest. One minute you’ll be dwarfed by massive red cliffs and the next you’ll be half-way up a mountainous slope with snow and evergreens. The last few minutes of fading daylight illuminated this skyline which I stopped to capture much to Chris’ annoyance:

Twilight (Click for Full Size)


We arrived in Salt Lake late around 9:30 that evening. While Annie had already left for Montana to spend Christmas with her family, she let us stay at her home and made us two extremely happy travelers when we discovered sandwiches she’d left us. Arriving so late after a long day, we spent the evening relaxing before calling it a early night.

After a quick bite at my favorite Salt Lake City breakfast cafe, Chris and I were on the road. The 200 miles slipped quickly away and before I knew it I was back home, and the trip at an end. It was bittersweet pulling into the driveway where my car and I had begun only a month earlier.

A few stats from the Great U.S. Roadtrip Extravaganza of 2007:

- 7,751 miles, doorstep to doorstep
- 27 days on the road
- 15 cities / campsites
- 34 tanks of gas costing $903.34
- Lodging:
Couchsurfing 7 nights
Hostels / Camping 6 nights
Friends / Family 13 nights


This trip has been an incredible journey and I feel amazingly lucky to have experienced our country in such a manner. Driving across the country gives you a perspective of America that, I believe, is unattainable jetting from city-to-city via air. Additionally, Couchsurfing and staying in hostels allows you to form friendships and gain insights you’d never get staying in hotels (as well as saving you a bundle!).

I get to spend the next week with family and friends over Christmas before hitting the road once again, this time for Mexico. I’d like to thank everyone who spent time reading and commenting on the blog, as well as for people’s thoughts and prayers as I traveled. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and please check-in after the holiday for continued postings as I head South.........