My East to West Roadtrip

I am sure that we all have said at one point in our lives that we want to go on a road trip. Despite the long hours steering the wheels and the soring of our behinds, something about the idea of driving cross country is appealing and fun. At last this year in April, my chance to go on a road trip came when my relatives from California decided to visit my family and their daughter on the east coast by car. Heading to the east coast, my relatives decided to drive along the southern states. So when I joined them in NYC, we bounded north and then drove for the most part along the northern part of the US back to California.

(If you plan on doing a road trip, please feel free to use my itinerary and make adjustments).

Frank Pepe's Pizzeria, Connecticut

From NYC, we headed to our first destination, Dartmouth College, to visit my cousin. Before we went on route 91 heading north, we made a quick detour to grab some famous pizza pies in Connecticut. That is the good thing about traveling by vehicle - the flexibility. My cousin read outstanding reviews on Frank Pepe's Pizzeria located on 157 Wooster Street and wanted to give it a try. I live in NYC and we have some of the best pizzerias in the world and so I was not as excited. However, I love sightseeing and relished in the scenes that Connecticut, the picturesque southern gateway to the New England states, had to offer. Besides, I had to go along with the plan since it's their trip and their car. Though it was in June that we went, the summer scene is just as pleasant to see as is in autumn, quiet neighborhoods, dainty homes, lots of trees, and not many pedestrians around. Connecticut, like the northern New England states, is a great place for a weekend getaway to do some outdoor activities. Back to the pizza, as it turned out, the pizza was amazing. Thinly crusted and straight out of the fired ovens, the pizza was doughy and deliriously yummy! But as I had expected, nothing that I can't find in NYC. Nevertheless, it became a good omen to a great start for this road trip! http://www.pepespizzeria.com/

Hanover, New Hampshire

After leaving Connecticut with a full and happy belly, we headed straight to New Hampshire. I have never been to New Hampshire but it is quite similar to its neighboring New England states: the foliage, the watercolor nature scene, the farms, the mills, the lakes and the hills. New Hampshire, needless to say, is a great place for outdoor activities also. Our highlight in New Hampshire, however, was not hiking in the woods, or visiting a local farm market, or fishing in the lakes. We were there to meet up with my cousin. Hence, we had to take a tour of Dartmouth's campus, her dorm, and neighboring happening spots, which was not as exciting. However, she took us around to visit local farm markets, which I love, and gave us a tour around Hampshire's neighboring state, Vermont.

Vermont

Quechee covered bridge

I like Vermont. Similar to its New England states, Vermont provides endless recreational opportunities and up close and personal connection to mother nature. Vermont would be the ideal place to go on the east coast if you like winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding. This was my relatives' first time in Vermont, but not mine. I went snowboarding with a group of friends in Vermont many years ago. Being in Vermont again years later, I surprisingly found myself to be slightly emotional. Vermont brought back a lot of memories of my college years, when life had fewer expectations and responsibilities, and all I had to worry about was getting good grades in school. That is another beautiful aspect about traveling, especially to places you have been to in the past, a replaying of a part of your history. So when we drove along the streets in Vermont, images of my past resurfaced and I am reminded again of how time does not wait and sadly flies by quietly. Needless to say, I never thought driving along the streets of Vermont would touch my sensitive spot and teach me about a life's lesson on cherishing every moment. As I gradually shifted in and out of my philosophic reverie during the ride, I began noticing a distinct construction in Vermont, the covered bridges. I have seen photos of covered bridges and have always wanted to visit one. So when I noticed that the car had stopped and we were in front of the Quechee covered bridge, a curiosity of mine had been fulfilled. Though this bridge had no historical significance, it's size and wooden built was worth the glance. Another good thing about this bridge was its proximity to Simon Pearce's Restaurant located at 1760 Quechee Main Street, where we had dinner. Beside the restaurant is Simon Pearce's store where you can see artisans crafting their creation of hand blown glasses and pottery, as well as shop for tableware and home decor. http://www.simonpearce.com/

Albany, New York

Center for Performing Arts

After leaving Vermont, we did another detour and drove south back into New York state along US Route 4 toward Albany. What is there to do in Albany you might ask. Nothing much, I bluntly must respond. I have been to Albany before, and personally, one visit is enough. My uncle, however, wanted to stop for a few hours in Albany to visit the capital of one of the best cities in the world. With the much exalted NYC, I can understand why my uncle wanted to visit the state's capital. The area worth mentioning is near city hall called The Empire State Plaza Convention Center. At the northeast corner sits the Center for Performing Arts, an unique building in the shape of an egg. Wallace Harrison designed the "egg", icon of New York's Capital district. If you happen to be in Albany, I would suggest doing a brown bag lunch in the Empire State Plaza area because it is quite nice.

Niagara Falls, New York

The distance between Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls is only about 17 miles. After the stopover in Albany we drove along I-90 to Buffalo to our hotel for that night and visited Niagara Falls the next morning. Hotels are cheaper the further you are away from a touristy spot. Niagara Falls straddles between Ontario, Canada and NY state. I have been to Niagara Falls many times, but this time was my first to see the voluminous waterfalls from NY side. Though the view from the NY side is not as spectacular as is from the Canadian side, seeing the massive tumbling of the Niagara River can be just as amazing. We did not carry our passports on this trip so we could not cross the border over to the Canadian side. Canada's illumination festival during the winter holidays is said to be spectacular, creating a magical winter wonderland. Also there are casinos and tons of entertainment on the Canadian side. http://www.niagara-usa.com/

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Ohio

Finally, after getting much dosage of maple syrups, jams, and local farm markets of the New England states, we were finally heading to states that I have never been before. My cousin wanted to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The museum is dedicated to archiving the history of influential artists, producers, and those people who had influenced the rock music industry. If you are a music fanatic and is interested in learning the history of music, especially those of rock, then this is worth checking it out. Otherwise, you will be bored and find this visit not worth the money. http://rockhall.com/

Chicago's Pizza
I can talk about my visit to the Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, or the steel bean at Millennium Park, which are both a Chicago attraction and worth seeing. However, I must talk about food instead. We arrived to Chicago, and I am from NY! NY and Chicago have been dueling for years on pizza supremacy, but it is still debatable on which is better: flat thin NY slices or thick Chicago pies. Staying in Chicago, I had to taste Chicago's pizza to decide for myself. We opted to go to one of the most famous pizzeria, Lou Malnati's located at 805 S. State Street, to get a taste of a good Chicago slice. Luckily, we had an early dinner and grabbed a table without any wait. But when 6:30pm came around, the tables filled up like lightning speed; a good indication that this restaurant is popular and good. What is the final verdict then? Well, what can I say. A New Yorker will always be a New Yorker. http://www.loumalnatis.com/


View from the Willis Tower



Waiter serving the Chicago pie



The "Bean"



Badlands National Park, S. Dakota

Look at the colorful layers!

We arrived to the Badlands National Park in South Dakota after a long scenic ride from Chicago and Minnesota along Route 90. Badlands, a miniature version of the Grand Canyons in Arizona, is a spectacular colorful landscape worth visiting just as well. Many fossilized bones and seashells are found here, demonstrating the significant history of this area. This natural wonder offers many hiking trails and camping grounds and 64,000 acres of the park designated as wilderness for the adventurous to explore. We explored this park by car traveling along the scenic loop and it felt like I landed on a different planet staring in awe at its eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires. I enjoyed this visit very much! http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, S. Dakota

Not far off from Badlands erect an epic sculpture featuring four presidential heads: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The sculpture symbolizes the pride of our nation and our democracy, and a memorial to our country's ideals, leadership, and achievements. Gutzon Borglum initially designed the monument to incorporate the heads to waists of the presidents'. However, due to lack of funding only the heads were completed. The mountain is 5,725 feet with the granite faces towering 5,500 feet above sea level. The heads are as tall as a six-story building. Before entering the Grandview Terrace to see the sculpture, is the Avenue of flags as seen in my enclosed picture. There is also a Presidential Trail, a half-mile walking trail that offers great views of the carvings. If you are lucky, like us, you can see mountain goats here as well. Personally, I think two hours of visit is enough to enjoy this place and to snap a few good mementoes. http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm

Glacier mountain landscape in the background

Beartooth Pass Highway, Wyoming

Heralded as one of the most scenic drives, the Beartooth All American Road provides best sight for 2.7 billion year old rocks and easy access to the Yellowstone National Park at its northeast entrance. From Mt. Rushmore near Rapid City, we headed west from route 90 to US 14 to Cody to the western summit of the Beartooth Pass. Along the way, the scene of the Northern Rockies was absolutely stunning! From Cody to the western summit of the Beartooth Pass, we saw breathtaking views of pristine alpines, lush forest ecosystems, and glacier mountain landscapes. The road is one of the highest highways in Wyoming reaching at its top elevation along the Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet. Within a few miles driving along the pass, you could also experience the four seasons, something that we have experienced ourselves for the first time and was quite speechless. We watched the thermometer as temperature fluctuated between 30's and 70's degrees fahrenheit within a short time frame, and saw the sky turned from warm sunny blue to sudden flurry winter grey. It felt like Armageddon but it was quite a cool experience.



Snow scenery up in the mountains

Billion year old rocks!

     

Yellowstone Park



Bear on the lower left

If you love nature like how I fanatically am, then I highly recommend visiting this national park. Yellowstone Park, one of the major national parks, covers 2,219,789 acres of land showcasing great wildlife scenery and activities. The park offers thousands of miles of trails for hikers and backcountry explorers, and if you want to enjoy the views from the comfort of your vehicle, you can drive along the grand loop road like what we've done and make stops along the way. Besides animal life, in the park you can also see over 10,000 thermal features and more than 300 geysers. There are also waterfalls, forests, lakes, and plants, a plethora of natural wonders.

Blue Star Spring

                 I was very pleased with this visit. My soul had hunger for some time to be a part of an untouched world surrounded by serenity and gorgeousness. At Yellowstone, the fresh air, the tranquility, the harmony of nature, utterly rejuvenated me. When a herd of bison decided to stop and caused a traffic jam right in front of our car, I felt so fortunate. The chance allowed me to see the bison up close and take some amazing pictures. I wanted to get out of the car and touch the animal, but given the size of the beast, I thought perhaps it would be safer that I stayed inside. My enthusiasm almost made me forget that these animals are not domestic pets. In addition, it is rare to see bears in the park, but we got so lucky that we sighted not one but two bears that day! What was I thinking? I wanted to run closer toward the huggable teddy bears! But yes, that would not be wise for they are not stuffed toys. (Therefore, please be careful and not forget that you are dealing with the wildlife when outdoors). We also made several stops to see geysers, one being the most popular called Old Faithful. This wonderful phenomenon can project immense volume of boiling water into the air as high as 185 feet lasting from 1.5 to 5 minutes. Intervals between eruptions can range from 45 to 125 minutes. Our show lasted for 3 minutes. Ah, Yellowstone, a gift from mother nature! My only regret is that I wish I had more time to do some hiking and camping here. http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Bison near my window

Thermal feature

 

 


 

 

  



  
Mormons, Salt Lake City

Facade of the Mormon Temple

From Yellowstone we headed south to Salt Lake City along route 15. Personally, there is really not much to do in this city. But the city is beautiful, surrounded by glacier mountain landscape and happens to be astoundingly clean. And absolutely one of the most predominantly white cities I have ever been to. According to the 2010 census, 79% of the population is white. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka The Mormons, is headquartered here. On this side trip, I learned a bit about Mormonism. Mormonism is the fourth largest religion in the US. Mormons believe that living in a certain way will help them grow closer to God. They comply with certain traditions such as abstaining from drinking alcohol, going out on Sundays, and practicing polygamy. Since we were passing by, my uncle and cousin wanted to visit the Mormon Temple Square. At the center of the square stands the 6-spired granite temple, which members only are allowed to enter. Inside the gated area, we saw a botanical paradise with variety of flower beds. Early in the morning, workers begin by washing the pavements, gardeners pruning and transplanting flowers and plants. I have never seen such discipline and dedication to a temple. Literally, I can probably lick its floor and not be afraid of dirt or germs. In sum, it was worth checking out if you are in town.   



Zion National Park, Utah

Me climbing up the sandstone layers

Continuing along route 15 from Salt Lake City, we headed south toward Zion National Park. We didn't spend too much time in this park because we were planning to head to the Grand Canyon before nightfall. However, if you are in Utah, this park is definitely worth visiting. In fact, the sandstone cliffs with its range of cream, pink, and red-orange colors enraptured us that we had to step out of our car.  A natural masterpiece, the layers over layers of sandstone formation resembles that of a wafer cookie on a grand scale. To my surprise, the sandstones were slightly frangible; so soft that I easily broke a piece off, which I took home as a souvenir. It flabbergasts me that the area hasn't fall apart after being exposed to various environments over these millions of years. I guess the sand sized minerals just kept piling up. Personally, simply driving through the park, like how we did, is not enough and does not do justice to this magnificent area. The Zion Park provides views of mountains, canyons, buttes, rivers, monoliths, and natural arches that we didn't really get to explore. And the park offers plenty of outdoor recreational activities that I wish we had more time to partake.  http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Route 89A, Arizona

If you must drive from Utah to Arizona, I highly recommend driving along route 89A. This road is absolutely one of the most breath-taking paths I've ever driven. Moreover, at one point, you can get a great and extremely close view of the Colorado River below at a bridge that you would cross. From our entire roadtrip, the drive along this road became my most memorable. On a beautiful day, especially close to sunset before twilight falls, the colors of the sky blended with the canyons is orgasmic. Rainbow colors splattered from sky to ground. I have never seen purple or pink skies but I had that day. Furthermore, the road was dead silent. We had the entire landscape, or this world that I was staring at, all to ourselves. I felt free, alive, and unfettered by society's pressures, politics, and obligations. For a first time, in a very long time, I saw innocence and happiness.   

How beautiful life would be if it was this free...

   

Close view of the Colorado River

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

One of the main reasons I became excited about this roadtrip was because of the Grand Canyon. I have heard about the Grand Canyon multiple times and got a vicarious thrill whenever a friend describes its beauty. But as they say, nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes. And my chance had finally arrived!

Mother nature really knows how to create wonderous things. The colorful layers of the rock sendiments are not only fascinating to look at, but they display a geological story of our planet over the past billion years. For those who didn't know, the Grand Canyon we see today is a result of the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau and the eroding and carving of the Colorado River. There are three main areas to visit: the North Rim, the South Rim, and the West Rim. My uncle decided on the South Rim because it is the most popular, easiest to access, and best for visitor services. Moreover, there are shuttle buses that drop you off at different scenic spots for those who rather hitch a ride. But for the true outdoorsman or those who do not like crowds, then North Rim would be the better choice. From what I have read, the North Rim is less accessible and more primitive, a perfect getaway for solitude. I must explore this rim in the future myself!

Since we visited the South Rim, I can only mention lodging on this side of the canyon. You can choose the Phantom Ranch, which is the only lodge in the Canyon, or hotels in the Grand Canyon Village area located on the Canyon South Rim. If you plan on staying at the Phantom Ranch, you would need to book in advance. And if the weather turns bad, expect to remain in the lodge until weather permits for you to hike back up. You can also choose to stay at hotels in the town of Tusayan, which we did at the Holiday Inn Express. The town is only 7 miles outside the park, quite convenient, and the hotels there are much cheaper than those at the village. Holiday Inn had decent rooms so there were no complaints.  

Me hiking along the South Kaibab Trail

When we arrived to the Canyon, the landscape utterly overwhelmed me. The expansivenss, vastness and deepness humbled me and only ignited my curiousity and eagerness to explore the chasm and whatever else hidden below. I wanted to hike all the way down to the Phantom Ranch, but given the constraint in time, we couldn't. Besides, hiking from the rim to the bottom of the canyon in one day is not advisable. Even the most advanced hikers usually arrange an overnight stay at the ranch or camp out. There are plenty of trails to choose from depending on your level or how much you want to challenge yourself. (I advise that you to do some research before you pick a route). I got my cousin to go with me on the South Kaibab Trail, which is steep. This trail begins south of Yaki Point on Yaki Road. No private vehicles can get here so you would need to hop on a shuttle bus to access the trailhead. It is 12.6 miles roundtrip, but we hiked only 1/3 of the route, a mile after Skeleton Point, in a total of 5 hours. Hiking down was easy for me, but the return trip turned out to be quite strenuous. I am fairly in a good shape but I had to stop a few times to take a break. Not only that, I was running out of water and started to dehydrate. (Lesson learned: No matter how heavy it may be, you should bring two bottles of water. It is better to be safe then sorry. Also, bring a jacket in case it gets cold). For those who have leg problems or are less of a hiker, then you should go on the Rim Trail. My uncle and aunt went along the Rim Trail, which follows the rim from Pipe Creek Vista to Hermits Rest. However, they only walked along the section of the Rim Trail between Pipe Creek Vista and Maricopa Point. This part of the road is paved and wheelchair accessible.

Hoover Dam, Arizona-Nevada

I am not an engineer or am I interested in checking out dams on a trip. Although, the Three Gorges Dam in China is another story. But the idea of standing one foot in Arizona and one foot in Nevada sounds extremely cool! Morever, Hoover Dam aka Boulder Dam, is one of our top construction achievements in the 20th century and so deserves mentioning. Besides, we were heading to Vegas and Hoover Dam was an interest point along the way. When the dam was built, during the Great Depression, the project was huge and such large concrete structure like this had never been built before. Well, I am glad Americans had taken the risk because I wouldn't have had the opportunity to stand and drive across the dam admiring the ingenuity of mankind. When I went, we were able to drive and walk across the top of the dam. However, after September 11, 2001, a four-lane Hoover Dam Bypass plan started and opened this past October. Vehicles are now no longer allowed across the Hoover Dam. At least I can say I've driven across the Hoover Dam. Bless those souls who had sacrificed their lives working on this project.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Night view outside our hotel window

Need to say more? Everyone knows about Las Vegas. I can, however, share my opinions on the hotels that I've stayed in. In the past, I have stayed in Circus Circus, which is not recommended unless you are extremely on a tight budget. Rooms can run as low as $39 per night. In the past, it may have been a fabulous hotel and casino, but now it is rundown and has lost it's charm and cleaniness. I would pay a little bit extra to stay in Tropicana or Paris, which had decent rooms. (I usually use travelzoo, kayak, or booking for good hotel rates). On this road trip, thanks to my generous uncle, I stayed at the Venetian, which is by far the best hotel I've stayed in this part of town. Obviously, if you have the money or happened to hit jackpot, there are plenty of other grand and luxurious hotels to choose from also. Besides the shows, the sumptuous buffets, and spellbinding money-making (or for the most part money-losing) machines, I like Vegas because it's definitely a continuous galore of fun and entertainment! And it's close to the Canyons! And if you don't like gambling like me, there are plenty of nice shops and free shows to check out. I enjoy window shopping inside Caesars and watching the water show outside Bellagio.

I wanted to touch Pacific Ocean to say I traveled, literally, from east coast to west coast. But after Vegas, I had to fly back to NYC. My road trip lasted 2 weeks. Now, I can check off 'roadtrip' on my to-do list. For you guys out there who haven't done a road trip yet, I urge you to try it some day! It's worth the experience and you can learn so much about a country this way.