...we join our program already in progress.

It is Monday morning. We set off Friday evening. The plan for the trip was to post regular updates, but we are having connectivity issues with our mobile wifi hotspot. So here we are, in Minnesota, on the banks of Lake Imogene. But before I tell you about where we are, let's recap how we got here.

We departed from a nondescript parking lot somewhere in New Jersey and drove toward the Western edge of Pennsylvania. We had calculated that we would reach the Walmart in Connellsville at about midnight. After stopping for dinner at a Cracker Barrel and taking our sweet time at a Flying J gas station, we rolled into the barren pre-dawn parking lot at 4:30am. Some of us went to sleep, others stayed up to watch the sun come up.

When the morning came, we cooked breakfast in the RV and headed to see Frank Lloyd Wright's famous work, Falling Water. While strolling around the grounds, a guide informed us of a swimming spot a short drive up the road. We waded and soaked for a half hour before moving on to lunch at the Highwaters Grill. That was officially the best pulled pork I have ever had. We'll see if it stands up to the South. We didn't reach our campground in Potato Creek State Park in Indiana until 11pm.

We woke up Sunday determined to get to our next destination with daylight remaining. What followed was a mad dash across four states (Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota) to where we are now, the Flying Goose Campground. We set up our tents, built a campfire, cooked hotdogs, corn and asparagus, and drank shitty beer. It was lovely.

Today, we're headed to South Dakota. Pictures and more detailed recaps to come.

Epic USA Roadtrip Preview Video

With 5 people in the group, we rented an 8-person RV with the expectation that we would get one or two more to join us on our travel. To aid in the recruitment process, this video was concocted. It outlines our aspirations for the trip and it includes a few funny photo recreations by the group.

A big thanks to Bret for putting the bulk of this all together. He spent a lot of time on it and we appreciate his hard work.

Road Trippin'

One experience that often pops up on bucket lists is an epic road trip with friends and in July a small group of us will be doing just that! We're renting an RV and driving around the country for 17 days, passing through 21 states, to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and back. It's going to be one amazing adventure filled with campouts, breathtaking views, kitschy discoveries, ruckus, and a whole lot of bonding. We're still nailing down our route, but so far we hope to check out:

 - Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water in Pennsylvania
- Chicago, Illinois
- Sioux Falls, Mount Rushmore, and perhaps the Badlands in South Dakota
- Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming
- Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty in Utah
- Salt Lake Temple, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park in Utah
- Grand Canyon in Arizona
- Four Corners (Where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet)
- San Juan National Forest in Colorado
- Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee

 And in between all that, we're driving through Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, and West Virginia exploring roadside attractions, local foods (BBQ and fried weirdness!) and drinks (Kentucky bourbon!), and the diverse natural scenery on full display in the middle states of America. I have to admit that I never paid much attention to that chunk of the U.S.A. (its vastness is incredible, by the way), but in the last week alone we've been amazed at all that Utah alone has to offer. I mean really, Utah?! Chalk it up to the New Yorker in me. Now I can't wait to leave the east coast behind and finally see what that part of the country is all about.

 Have you ever taken a road trip through the U.S.? I'd love to hear your tips, suggestions, or any awesome things to see/do/eat in these states. We're also looking to add two more people to our crew of five so check out our kick-ass preview video and let me know if you'd like to try out for a spot in our RV and drive around the U.S. with us.