Aug 23, 2010 | 3530 miles and more to go

The trip across the United States from Massachusetts to San Jose will likely be long and unforgiving, but there are many aspects I’m looking forward to.

1. Being so bone sore and achy I’ll have a hard time getting out of the car.
2. Trying my hand at couchsurfing for the first time
3. Gaining a couple of pounds in weight because of fried chicken, barbecue, and sweet tea.
4. Seeing my girlfriend in the 100 degree heat that is Texas.
5. Visiting some scenic points along Route 66, including a meteor crater, some sunken Cadillacs, and a renowned motel.
6. Visiting Grand Canyon and other national parks.
7. Getting hijacked by aliens somewhere out in Nevada (and worse still, not having anything to prove for it).

Along the way I hope to chronicle some of what I see and undergo. It’s disheartening to have to shatter my own wishful thinking that this will be a trip of a lifetime, but I know better than to expect something it may very well not be. I’ve already been inspired by Vimeo and given plenty of advice, however.

What amazes me is that it is indeed about 3000 miles from coast to coast at its most direct route. 3500 miles is

• More than twice the longest path from tip to tip on the main Japanese island, Honshu (Aomori to Nagasaki, 1204.8 miles)
• More than the distance travelling across China from the northeast North Korean border down towards the southwestern border with Tibet (Dandong to Zayu, 2606 miles)
• About the same distance as travelling from Glasgow, Scotland to the western edge of Turkey (Van) (3453 miles)
• … or the same as the distance from the northern tip of Norway (Tromsø) to the southern tip of Spain (Cadiz). (3298.8 miles)

I dub thee, the Granny Mobile!

It reminds me of the road trip my family and I went on in Italy in 2006: that was actually just slightly over 3500 miles! My dad was brave at the time to agree to it, though it was a 32-day trip, no less. I hope to achieve the same in 10.