Trivia Answers

1. What is the greatest number of parks and monuments visited in one day?
b. 4
***Arches, Mesa Verde, Four Corners and Bryce Canyon (technicality… we were on the premises)

2. Which animal(s) did we almost hit at 60 mph in Utah?
a. deer
***The thing leaped from a ditch and came within a foot from being road kill.

3. In which states did we NOT get pulled over?
e. none of the above (pulled over in all three: Alabama, Louisiana and Arizona)
***Note to all out of state drivers: be paranoid. Be very, very paranoid.



4. What is the correct number of consecutive drinking hours in Nashville?
d. 14
***Hey… at least it wasn’t 16!

5. What is the greatest stretch of days without a shower?
b. 6
***So disgusting, I know…

6. What is our favorite stretch of road?
e. all of the above
***Don’t travel on interstates… you’ll miss the country.



7. Which rivers did we almost raft? (Had gear on and ready to go…)
d. Nolichucky and Arkansas
***Stories for another day.

8. Which tree did we not see on our trip?
c. Birch
***Anyone know where to find a Birch tree?

9. What was the most unique instrument we saw being played?
e. all of the above (washtub, hand saw, washboard and accordion)

10. How many states (by the end) will we have gone through?
b. 20
***New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California. (21 if you count New York!)

Layover Trivia

1. What is the greatest number of parks and monuments visited in one day?
a. 2
b. 4
c. 3
d. 1
e. none of the above
2. Which animal(s) did we almost hit at 60 mph in Utah?
a. deer
b. prairie dog
c. rabbit
d. a and b
e. b and c
3. In which states did we NOT get pulled over?
a. Alabama
b. Louisiana
c. Arizona
d. all of the above
e. none of the above



4. What is the correct number of consecutive drinking hours in Nashville?
a. 3
b. 7
c. 11
d. 14
e. 16
5. What is the greatest stretch of days without a shower?
a. 4
b. 6
c. 2
d. 8
e. 7
6. What is our favorite stretch of road?
a. Alternate 89 Scenic Byway through Arizona
b. I-70 through western Colorado
c. Scenic Byway 128 to Moab, Utah
d. Highway 68 between Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico
e. all of the above



7. Which rivers did we almost raft? (Had gear on and ready to go…)
a. Nolichucky and Colorado
b. Rio Grande and Arkansas
c. Chattahoochee and Colorado
d. Nolichucky and Arkansas
e. all of the above

8. Which tree did we not see on our trip?
a. Spruce Pine
b. Dogwood
c. Birch
d. Willow
e. Oak
9. What was the most unique instrument we saw being played?
a. washtub
b. hand saw
c. washboard
d. accordion
e. all of the above
10. How many states (by the end) will we have gone through?
a. 14
b. 20
c. 19
d. 17
e. 15

Anticipation

Naturally, the only way to start a cross country adventure is by learning to maneuver silk ribbons with grace and poise; at least that’s how Bridget and I thought best to begin. Last Sunday at the Trapeze School of New York, we mastered the art of climbing ribbons- similar to those you’d see in Cirque du Soleil- foot wraps and aerial splits. Okay, so we didn’t exactly master it, but we had a blast and sore muscles to prove it.

We spend the next couple of days are spent scrambling for last minute necessities- like the most miniscule stove IN THE WORLD and toilet paper, assuaging meltdowns into moments and drinking my goodbyes at Public House.

It’s Thursday night and I walk into the house to the healthy smell of flax bread Bridget is preparing especially for our trip. A single recipe turning into a quadruple recipe changes the outcome of a couple loaves to countertops overflowing with pans and pans upon pans of bread. Bridget’s mom, Bern, and I burst into laughter when we see her betray an I-may-have-overdone-it-look spread across her face.

Although we crawl into bed two hours later than planned, we arise with the anticipation of tasting our country’s culture, sleeping beneath the stars, hiking, running a cumulative 100 miles (three miles down), and reconnecting with friends and family. One route to West Virginia chosen and three tearful goodbyes to Bern, Sean and Seanie later, we drive toward the green light at the end of Wall Street in Bridget’s convertible Eclipse.