The Great American Roadtrip

Roadtripping is a quintessential American tradition. It's like baseball or capitalism or political sex scandals. It's hard to say why Americans are so into taking long trips in their cars. Maybe it's the sheer size of this country. Maybe it's that the U.S. has so much in it that Americans would rather travel within their country than elsewhere (despite the fact that the latter may actually improve geopolitical relations). Maybe it's their great interstate highway system... or maybe the great interstate highway system was created because of the roadtrip. Hrm.

Whatever the cause, Americans do drive a lot, covering vast distances within their vast country. And it shows. The aforementioned interstate highway system is truly impressive. An intricate criss-crossing of major highways allowing one to travel from Topeka to Denver or Eugene to Reno or Miami to Boise. The even-numbered highways run East-West and the odd numbers run North-South - as far as they can. It is seriously weird to pass the start of a highway (in my case I-80) on the East Coast on which you have once driven 3000 some odd miles away in California.

One effect I believe this has is to bring the country together. It makes everything seem possible, any destination reachable. It unifies the country in a typically American way - a man in his car can go anywhere. It's like the transportation version of the American dream. In a country this diverse, this sprawling, it seems necessary to have such physical links between states, regions, and coasts.

My drive (now totalling almost 7000km on the odometer) has taken me through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida on I90, I95, and I75. I have also traveled on I10, I20, and I40. And over the past few days I drove almost the entire length of I55, from where it begins in New Orleans, Louisiana, through Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and finally to Chicago, Illinois.

I have seen some incredible things. There is truly a whole industry dedicated to supporting the American roadtrip. Gas stations and fast food joints and easy-in-easy-out roadside motels are everywhere, at almost every highway exit. The highways themselves tend to be lined with advertising - whether for the very luxuries of this roadtrip industry or for other things, most predominantly religion - my favourite in this category has to be "needGod.com." (Although "1-800-DIVORCE" is one of the overall faves.)

Roadtripping can bring about a lot of things. But the most interesting feeling for me is one of accomplishment. I didn't know what to expect going into this adventure, nor was I without fear. But I did it. I drove and drove and drove. I saw so much. I learned so much. And I think I got pretty good at it. Road trips like this make you feel like you could do anything. I mean, hey, if I could drive from the North to South and then South to the North by myself, I can do anything I want, right?