It was still foggy in Sonoma on July 12^th when the big PODS truck picked up our storage container. We stood in our empty living room with our landlord and watched as the truck hoisted up our possessions and hauled them off to a distant warehouse. That was nine months ago today. Nine months! Long enough to have forgotten most of what we put into that POD. Barring any major change of events, we’ll be back to the Bay Area in late June to unpack the contents of our old life and settle down again.

General Trip Statistics

• 16,000 – miles driven
• 37 – states (CA, OR, ID, MT, WA, NV, AZ, UT, CO, NM, NE, KS, MO, KY, TN, IN, IL, AR, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, NC, VA, MD, DE, NJ, PA, CT, NY, MA, NH, ME, VT, OH, MI)
• 1 – state intentionally avoided (TX, for moral and political reasons)
• 2 – countries besides the US (Canada, Costa Rica)
• 9 – number of nights camped in Wal Mart parking lots (Not the prettiest spot, but free and legal.)
• 2 – number of times we been caught (and soaked) in unexpected thunderstorms while hiking
• 1/ea – pairs of hiking shoes we’ve worn out and had to replace
• 3 – average number of times we drive around a campground before choosing a spot
• 1 – time we got pulled over on suspicion of drug trafficking (I44 in Missouri is apparently a big drug route; an RV with CA plates looked curious in December!)
• 1 – celebrity who spilled a drink on Patrick’s shoe (Woody Harrelson, at the Spotted Cat in New Orleans. He was hanging out with Tim Robbins and Jesse Eisenberg. We played it cool.)

People Always Ask Us If We’re Visiting…

1. Mt. Rushmore (maybe?)
2. Giant Ball of Twine (missed it)
3. Niagara Falls (yes)

Top Picks to Date

• Best State Overall for Sights/Hiking – Utah
• Best Burger – Diablo Burger, Flagstaff, AZ
• Best Game to Play in the Minnie – Mexican Train Dominos
• Best Road Trip Book – Travels with Charley, John Steinbeck
• Best State Park Amenities – Lake Fausse Pointe, Louisiana (electric, water, WiFi, canoe rentals, showers, laundry, camp store, PLUS nesting Red Shoulder Hawks, armadillos and alligators.)
• Best Brewery – Schlafly(besides the Russian River, of course)
• Best Sunrise – Montezuma, CR
• Most Adorable Bacon – Polyface Farm