Scottsdale, Arizona
Odometer: 486,778
Final Trip Mileage: 5,611 miles (10 days elapsed)
After over 80 hours in the driver’s seat over the past week and a half, I’ve arrived back home to reality. Even as much as I love life on the road, there’s just something amazing about being back at home and having my own bed awaiting me. I knew it was going to be a long, boring drive home this morning when I got on I-30 westbound in Fort Worth and my GPS told me the next turn would be 1,023 miles down the road!
Texas seemed to last forever. I spent most of my day on I-20 in some very sparsely populated towns.
Thankfully most of desolate west Texas has an 80 mph daytime speed limit. Anything to make it go by faster! It really is quite a wasteland.
Oil pumps dotting the countryside.
I fueled up in a town called Pecos that only had up to 90 octane gasoline. The station was called “Stripes.”
$3.69 for premium over there.
Finally, the 20 meets the 10 and you have to choose whether to head toward San Antonio or El Paso. I went the ELP route.
Pulling off for a look at a scenic viewpoint along the 10.
Welcome (back) to New Mexico!
Shortly into New Mexico, there’s a Border Patrol checkpoint on I-10. I breezed right through.
I was so happy to see my home state!
Sunset between Tucson & Phoenix approaching home. The desert always has the best sunsets.
I had a great trip! It was an escape from the day to day grind and a chance to do a true coast-to-coast drive like I’ve always wanted. I went through 17 states in all (CA, AZ, NM, TX, OK, MO, IL, IN, OH, WV, PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, TN, AR). Couldn’t be happier with how the car performed – no check engine lights, not a drop of oil or coolant added throughout the trip, and it started up the first time every time and trucked right along the highway without skipping a beat. Definitely needs a bath, though!
I loved seeing so many of my friends across the country and experiencing firsthand the varied landscapes around the nation. Glad to have arrived safe and sound and I appreciate all my friends & family who checked in on me throughout the trip.
drivetofive 
July 27, 2011 at 11:40 am
You’re not the only one glad you’re home! Whew! I am now wondering what one could learn in the equivalent 80 hours behind the wheel…. a new language for sure? How to play the piano like Elton John? How to cure cancer? EIGHTY HOURS OF DRIVING!!! I can stand (sit) maybe 5:15 minutes (or 400 miles) but EIGHTY (5,611 miles)??? Just shoot me!
Thanks for your well-documented accounting of your experience. It is something you will (hopefully) never do again, so preserve those memories in this blog! YOU, Tyson, are the real LEGEND!!
❤
July 27, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Thanks mom! 🙂
July 28, 2011 at 2:48 am
Good to hear you made it home safe! I’ve enjoyed reading your daily blogs and look forward to the next 13,222 miles of bloging toward your 500K goal. Just make sure it happens on your birhday which is my original guess when you’ ll hit 500K LOL
You experienced a rare life experience by traveling from coast to coast. Great pictures and well documented! Great job, Tyson!
Hope you get those right rear bearing replaced soon = )
Take care, Tyson!
July 28, 2011 at 4:20 am
Penny, thanks for keeping an eye on the blog! Glad you enjoyed my coverage from the trip. I’m having the suspension looked at / worked on next week for sure. It will be the first time I’ve ever done anything with the original suspension. Gotta do it for peace of mind. I had a great trip to the east coast – figured I would do my best to take enough pictures so that everyone else could travel with me virtually. Hope to see you soon on my next trip to southern CA. Keep that GS looking spotless as you always do.