Last days on the continent

San Francisco was reached in the early evening. The surprisingly cool weather and strong winds led to jeans and jackets being pulled out of storage before heading out for a Friday night on the town: it was Midsummer's day after all. The first stop was a little brewpub, Woods Polk Station, which served nice little …

Winding roads and giant trees

Leaving the hustle and bustle (meaning the insane traffic) of Los Angeles behind was not as quick and easy as all had hoped: just getting out of the area took close to two hours on more and less congested freeways. Then it was finally time to start enjoying more natural views as the car headed …

Reaching the West Coast

The deserts of Nevada changed quickly into the dry, hilly landscape of southern California. Soon after crossing the state border, the second giant electricity production plant of the day (the first being the Hoover Dam) was spotted as the car sped by the Ivanpah solar power facility, a massive construction literally in the middle of …

Weekend in Sin City

Las Vegas was reached on a Friday evening as the sun was setting, giving our travellers a first glimpse of the flashy lights on the Strip. To avoid too much of a culture shock, the first evening was spent off the Strip at the Gold Coast bowling alley which boasts 70 lanes. Three games and …

Grand outdoors of the Southwest

The first stop on leaving Colorado was naturally Four Corners National Monument, where fun photos of people reaching Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico at once were taken. The trip continued south toward Gallup, NM, for a short bit of Route 66 and then onto the interstate heading west again. On the way, a visit …

Mountains, ghosts and a few microbreweries

The first stop in Colorado was Colorado Springs, where our travelling bunch had a nice break from long days of driving. Three nights were spent in the welcoming home of a local friend, who was also nice enough to act as a tour guide. After a long day of driving, it was great to just …

Heatwave in oil territory

An early morning start had Hattivatti and friends out of San Antonio by nine a.m. The car headed west again along I-10 in sunny weather. The first stop was around lunchtime in Menard, a small town with surprisingly good food in the only restaurant that could be found, Sideoats. Then on deeper into West Texas, …

Entering cowboy country

The swamps and marshes of Louisiana were soon forgotten when the skyline of Houston came into view. The heat and humidity still remained, but the view from the car windows was something completely different: wide highways, gleaming glass buildings and more cars than would seem necessary. Dinner was had at Arby's, known for their roast …

Rainy days in NOLA

Three nights and two full days filled with sudden torrential rains passed by incredibly fast in the heart of Southern partying, New Orleans. The first evening was spent at the Avenue Pub, where good local beers and interesting versions of chili cheese fries were heartily enjoyed. The first full day started off with some cajun …