Joshua Tree National Park, CA

I have managed to not go to Joshua Tree on 2 previous occasions. Both times I had been on road trips which went nearby but not quite close enough or with enough time to actually see it. This time, however, I was not going to miss out. I spent some time in La Quinta, just […]

Chicago to Portland – Epilogue – Road Trippin’

Interstate driving in the United States gives you a wonderful feeling of freedom. You rarely meet any significant traffic and it is possible to feel, at once, powerful and dominating in whatever giant vehicle you may be driving, yet small and insignificant against the vast, imposing, landscape. It is a baffling paradox in so many […]

Chicago to Portland – Day 5 – Home Stretch

Wed 12th August 2015 Day 4 Missoula, MT to Portland, OR 16 Hours – 547 Miles – 4 States MT+ID+WA+OR Arriving early in Missoula last night afforded us the luxury of time to find a good dinner. Our hotel was on the edge of town and we didn’t fancy a drive through the streets in the […]

Chicago to Portland – Day 4 – Early Start

Wed 12th August 2015 Day 4 Gillette, WY to Missoula, MT 13 Hours – 579 Miles – 2 States WY+MT We were up and out and buying coffee by 6am and on the road; our own private highway. during the first hour of our drive we encountered only a handful of cars. It was as if […]

Chicago to Portland – Day 3 – Bad Lands

Tues 11th August 2015 Day 3 Sioux Falls, SD to Gillette, WY 13 Hours – 566 Miles – 2 States SD+WY We pulled in to our hotel in sioux falls after dark last night. It was a comfortable place but we did not have the time or energy to use the swimming pool and water slides […]

Chicago to Portland – Day 2 – Slow Start

Mon 10th August 2015 Day 2 Chicago, IL to Sioux Falls, SD 11.5 Hours – 581 Miles – 4 States IL+WI+MN+SD We awoke this morning full of anticipation and a confidence that Budget Car Rental would come through with a solution and save the day. It is now 9.15am they have done nothing for us. In fact, their ineptitude […]

Chicago to Portland – Day 1 – False Start

I have never yet said no to a road trip in America. If you are moving across country and need to split the drive or have a wedding to go 4 states away and need a date, then I am your man. The lure of a long 2 lane high way stretching out in front of […]

Gone to Carolina – Day 6 & 7 Baltimore and NYC – School of Rock Rocks!

Sunday 27th and Monday 28th April 2014 Day 6 & & Wrightsville Beach to Baltimore to NYC 8 + 5 hours – 600 miles – 7 States NC+VA+DC+MD+PA+NJ+NY We managed to drag ourselves up and out of bed in time for breakfast outside. It was a definitely a sunglasses-on-inside morning. We bumped into a couple of […]

Gone to Carolina – Day 4 & 5 Asheville to Wrightsville Beach – BBQ Food Baby

Friday 25th and Saturday 26th April 2014 Day 4 & 5 Ashville to Wrightsville Beach 7 hours – 330 miles – 1 State NC After all the excitement at the Dan Deacon show the night before, this morning started a little slower than many of the others! We went down to a top class breakfast served […]

Gone to Carolina – Day 3 Meadows of Dan to Asheville – Moogfest: See. Dan. Deacon

Thursday 24th April 2014 Day 3 Meadows of Dan to Asheville 5 hours – 189 miles – 2 States VA+NC Today began early. We wanted to get back out on the Blue Ridge Parkway as soon as possible. We drove a few minutes down the road to the downtown area of the Meadows of Dan. This […]