My crazy Across-the-U.S.-Trip, Day 1

A spontaneous idea born on a Saturday evening mid September now indeed becomes reality: Guido and I discussed how little we know about the United States; so little about the people, their culture and way of living. So, how about a trip across the country to change this? And since I am still between jobs, it felt like the right thing to do now - late enough in the year with summer vacation time being over and early enough before winter kicks in. My plan is to travel through the central states all the way to Charleston (SC) and back across the southern states. I am particularly interested in the kind of food available in different areas of the country, what food selections I find in common stores, and I will also be visiting several farms in Nebraska, North Carolina and New Mexico. How much will I discover on this trip? Let's find out.

Last preparations

Getting everything packed

Oct 7th: Ready to go - Sunnyvale 9:30 am, 18 degrees celsius & cloudy

On Hwy I-80 across the Sierras

Impressions of Fall

Entering Nevada, still on Hwy I-80

Chris & Melanie from Syracuse who travelled a few miles 
with me on their way to her cousin's wedding in Nebraska

Over night in Winnemucca (NV), in the middle of 
nowhere and half way across Nevada

Leaving Sunnyvale felt weird at first and I certainly was nervous, too. This first day went very well.

Ok, note to myself: remember to hit the "track" button
on the spot system right from the beginning!

On my way to Winnemucca, I saw lots of gas stations that serve diesel fuel. This was one of my major concerns. But with a range of about 1.000 km per filling and my strong organizational skills :-), there is no need to worry. While I enjoyed a free orange juice sitting in the hotel's casino, I noticed again how much I like the smoke-free environment in California. More to come.