2002 Cross Country Drive

On August 17, 2002, I left San Jose, California, and headed to Concord, Massachusetts. The following are my notes from the trip.

The map above shows where I spent each night during my travels across the United States.

This is my second cross-country trip. The previous trip was in 1996, and I'll be posting that information shortly.

Both trips were done in my 1994 Saturn SC2.

My iPod Music List

I was originally scheduled to leave this afternoon to start my cross-country drive but decided to wait an extra day due to lack of sleep and a late start.

I finished packing the truck at 6:30am and cleaned the apartment by 3pm. I scheduled a 3pm inspection, but nobody from the apartment complex showed up. At 6pm, I met Noel and Alex at Rock Bottom in Campbell for my last dinner in California, the same place I ate on my last day at Acclaim Technology.

I left my apartment complex at 1pm after finishing cleaning the apartment and packing the car.

My car had 121,883 miles when I backed out of the parking space for the last time.

The drive to Las Vegas was fun, planned well to avoid the 100+ degree desert heat by driving in the early evening. The road was so open I hit 97 mph, and people were still passing me!

I arrived in Vegas around 11pm and officially left California at 10:33pm.

Las Vegas was booked, and I checked several hotels (Tropicana, Motel 6, Main Street Hotel) but found a place well away from the Strip.

I highly recommend driving into Las Vegas on I-5 at night for the city lights, but make hotel reservations in advance!

I spent the day wandering around Las Vegas in 108-degree heat, mostly in casinos to stay cool. I didn't gamble much due to uncertainty about my job situation.

I stayed at the Venetian, an expensive all-suite hotel, the most luxurious I've ever stayed in!

I always wanted to stay at the Venetian since seeing their preview center in 1998.

I plan to return to Vegas but avoided buying souvenirs this time.

Tomorrow's destination is the Grand Canyon, forecast to be very hot.

I traveled to the Grand Canyon and the Arizona desert.

I drove over the Hoover Dam, where the men's and women's bathrooms are in two different states!

The Arizona drive was quiet with few homes or views.

The Grand Canyon was neat but hazy, limiting visibility. Rain was approaching, so I didn't stay long. Entry cost $20, like Yosemite. Gas was surprisingly cheaper near the Grand Canyon.

I drove across Arizona and most of New Mexico.

I stopped at Meteor Crater ($16 entry, includes a hike around the crater's top).

I also shopped in Albuquerque's Old Town but found little to see, so I headed to Santa Rosa, New Mexico, for the night.

I drove to Oklahoma City.

I noticed trees again, and bugs started hitting my windshield at the Texas border.

I ate Texas-style ribs at Logan's, reminiscent of Ground Round with peanut shells on the floor.

My car hit a milestone—check out this picture!

I drove across Arkansas and much of Oklahoma.

I visited the Oklahoma Memorial, learning about the 1995 bombing of the Alfred F. Murrah Building.

Arkansas had 77 miles of I-40 under construction, slowing my drive.

I had a non-spicy catfish dinner at Nick's Bar-B-Q & CatFish in Carlisle, Arkansas.

I couldn't update earlier due to no local connection at Motel 6 in Arkansas, just one town from Memphis.

I crossed the Mississippi River at 8:25am with no signs marking it.

I arrived in Tennessee and went to Graceland.

Graceland prohibits video cameras and flash photography, so most of my pictures were poor. The audio tour cost $16 and took 1.5 hours, showcasing 60's style and Elvis's grave.

I ended the day in Nashville, walking around and visiting bars with country music.

I spent the morning and afternoon in Nashville, staying at the historic Union Station.

I visited the Ryman Theater ($9 for a self-guided tour) and the Country Music Hall of Fame ($16, with many artifacts).

I drove to the Virginia border for the night.

I took a picture of a sign I missed in 1996.

I drove to Washington, D.C., through oak-lined roads reminiscent of Route 2 in Massachusetts.

At Arlington National Cemetery, I took an updated Gulf War memorial photo.

I stayed at my favorite budget hotel, Hotel Harrington.

I walked around to see local sites, with more planned tomorrow.

I spent the morning in downtown Washington, D.C.

I visited the International Spy Museum ($11, with spy artifacts) near the Ford Theater.

I browsed the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for hours, checking out the Apple computer exhibit.

I drove through Maryland to Pennsylvania and stayed in Hershey, PA.

Per AAA TripTik, I have 374.9 miles to my destination.

I visited the Hershey Chocolate Factory to pick candy for my new job.

I left Hershey at 11am for the final leg to Massachusetts.

Traffic was light until Hartford, CT, avoiding NYC congestion.

After 3,860 miles, I arrived at my parents' driveway in Concord, MA, at 6:17pm.

My truck with all my stuff arrived on Wednesday, August 28.

All my wine glasses made it, and everything arrived perfectly!

I learned that the carrier, Consolidated Freightways, closed its doors. Had I waited a week, my stuff might have been lost!