I know it wasn’t a perimeter trip in the end but I’m still calling it that. Now that I am home and had no medical problems during the return I regret not continuing with the original plan but, when you are far from home and not feeling well, the only source you can rely on is a medical professional and I felt I had to take the advice I was given.
It was still a great vacation that kept me completely focused on what I was doing and not on what I would have been doing if I had not retired. I saw some wonderful new sights as well as re-visiting many favorites, the weather was good most of the way, I loved driving my new car (which ran perfectly throughout) and I caught up with a few good friends on the way..
I don’t see myself completing the rest of the perimeter in a single trip but, over the next 18 months, I can already envisage completing the task over three trips. If it is not done all at once then it doesn’t seem to matter how many individual journeys it takes.
Here are some statistics for the official route (from the west end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway):
| Total distance driven (according to the car): | 11,075 miles |
| Gallons (US) of fuel used: | 356.18 |
| Cost of fuel: | $882.09 |
| Average fuel consumption: | 31.1 mpg (US) 38.9 mpg (UK) 8.2 m/l |
| Average fuel cost: | $2.48 per gallon (US) $0.65 per litre |
| Lowest elevation: | 4 feet (at Rockland, Maine) |
| Highest elevation: | 11,158 feet (on I70 in Colorado) |
| Miles of raw video captured: | 10,934 |
| Duration of raw video captured: | 213 hours 16 min |
| Size of raw video captured: | 793.7 GBytes |
| Average speed during video capture: | 51.3 mph |
| If you watched all 52 videos you have spent 8 hours and 56 minutes with me traveling 10,904 miles at an average speed of 1,222 mph. | |
| Number of photos: | 1,893 kept after initial pruning |
And here are a few of the best and worst experiences in my opinion (not counting the health issues).
| Best day: | Day 38 – Finding the Lost Coast Unexpected, new, wonderful driving and sights |
| Worst day: | Day 2 – Atlantic City to Long Island Horrible drive, tolls, traffic jams and poisoned in restaurant |
| Best hotel: | Ruby’s Best Western at Bryce Canyon Large, comfortable room, great facilities, good value and wonderful location |
| Worst hotel: | Renaissance Denver Stapleton Phone, TV, heating and Internet did not work properly but they only offered a discount, would not to move me to a different room |
| Best meal: | Green Curry Seafood at Next Door GastroPub, Port Angeles, Washington First seafood I had since being poisoned on Long Island, delicious |
| Worst meal: | Breakfast at Osprey Cafe, Seaside, Oregon Dry sausage, almost inedible potatoes, lousy service and relatively expensive |
| Best beer: | Libertine Wild IPA, Morro Bay, California Brewed nearby in San Luis Obispo, strongly hopped without being bitter |
| Worst beer: (actually not awful, just disappointing) |
Springdale Amber Ale at Zion Canyon Brewpub, Springdale, Utah Had little flavor, tasted more like the fake craft brews produced by the likes of Anheuser Busch |
Thanks to everyone who read the blog and to those who commented or e-mailed me for keeping me company on the journey.
Steve.
I’ve always enjoyed armchair traveling and have read many fine travel books and articles. Your travelogue has, however, been unique. Over the years, I’ve traveled myself along much of your route, but those memories enhanced the pleasure of tagging along with you on this trip. I quickly slipped into a pleasant daily expectation: where is Steve now and what will he share with his armchair audience back home? Your dashboard camera made it feel almost as if I were in your car. Overall, it’s been a very enjoyable and satisfying experience. Thanks for including me. I hope you will do this again sometime! David Merkel
Hi David, thank you for your kind words and I’m glad you enjoyed the ride. I am already thinking on how to improve the blog next trip and have noted some features I would like to add as well as thinking of ways to improve the quality and entertainment value of the video. Hopefully, we’ll meet up sometime soon. Steve.
great to enjoy the trip with you.. made autumn pass very nicely.. thinking of how the other half is living!!
Hope all well with you medically and that you can settle back in easily
B
It’s good to be home, no medical urgency but the doctor has suggested surgery. Ive spent the past week catching up on two months of chores but I’m sure I’ll quickly get into a routine. Cheers, Steve.