Cross Country Freedom

U.S. Interstate Highways, October 1st, 1937
National System of Interstate and Defense.

“I am taking it for granted that you want to go camping, that you know the joys of the out-of-doors, of fishing, hiking, motoring, meeting new people, seeing the deserts, mountains, lakes, forests, and the thrill of looking to see what is around the next bend of the road”--From Leisure League Little Book Number 22: Motor Camping by Porter Varney, 1935

     

In order to make the most of our time America before sailing across the Atlantic in one moth’s time, we have decided to drive cross-country in our own car.  This way, we have the flexibility to decide when and where to go and which attractions to see, and the opportunity to save money by sleeping under the stars along the way.  It is legal to camp on any National Forest land in America, and designated camping spots are cropping up in abundance.  Since I have never done a trip with this much planning and independence, we turned to the Motor Camping guidebook for advice. 

  Since we were already in the Southern United States, we decided to keep the most southerly route, through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, then north through Missouri and Illinois and on east to New York.  The most convenient highway route is Route 66, also known as Main Street America, filled with the iconic American symbols of growth, exploration, and travel.  We like to think of ourselves as reverse Lewis and Clarks, exploring territory previously unchartered to us, to say the least.

            We packed the car using the advice of the guidebook, bringing only what we need for the two-week drive.  They suggested, and I highly agree, that having a comfortable place to sleep is the most important part of a camping excursion:

“Even though you have a sunny disposition it is apt to be a little clouded after spending the night with a stone or root performing chiropractic treatment on your spine, or your duffel soaked by a heavy rain.” (Page 27)

Motor Camping with a tent, as suggested by the Leisure League.

 This ominous message scared us into equipping the backseat of the car into an easy sleeping area:  With just a few minor tweaks, the backseat now folds completely down into the trunk to form a comfortable two-person sleeping bench.  Two sleeping bags and two extra blankets provide adequate warmth for any variety of weather, though our weather will be mostly hot, the desert is known to get chilled at night.  This plan removes the need to carry a canvas tent, which is bulky, heavy, not easily dried in case of a rainstorm, and which we will not need upon reaching New York. The rest of our clothing, food, and gear fits easily under the seats, as we set off on this journey with the bare necessities in order to make traveling from point A to Point B as simple as possible. 

We found tackling the Great Southwest in this manner to be very convenient.  We brought food along as we wished, or stopped in towns during mealtimes.  We visited the Grand Canyon at sunset, in awe at the striking red, purple, and orange of the sky sinking into the red dirt of the canyon.  Arizona and New Mexico are rich with the culture of Native Americans, which we saw throughout our drive.  The people are simple and friendly, and eager to share their culture.  We watched Indian women make Chimayo blankets, visited an old Mexican village and trading post, and saw the Indian pueblos, all while speeding along across the country.  We were primarily interested in reaching the east coast, so drove an average of eight hours a day through the dry and dusty landscape, awaking early before sunrise and often pulling up to a campsite after dark, as we took many breaks to visit the land.

As we pulled north out of Texas, the scene began to look more familiar, and we stopped to fish in the Midwest river valleys and made great time over the expansive plains.  Farmhands often offered us a fresh lunch on the farms we passed, and we eventually arrived in New York in excellent spirits, eager for a few days rest before the international adventure began. Driving the car allowed us to create our own adventure and visit the things we found most interesting, but the best part was the freedom to pull over on the side of the road to sleep under the stars wherever we wished.