No regrets
In retrospect many things could have been done differently. Driving 8,000 miles in 23 days and still act as tourists was tough, but we had a schedule to keep so it was necessary for us to stay busy. A little more time wouldn't have hurt anyone.

California was our priority all along. But maybe we were a little too narrow-sighted and forgot some of the other interesting places that USA has to offer. But who can cover a continent effectively in less than a month? Still, the last few days of the return leg were somewhat of an anticlimax; it was just a question of getting home. However, we followed the original itinerary to the letter and made the most out of the allotted time. No one could accuse us of slacking!

The fact that we had to go in two cars as opposed to one van didn't spoil anything for us. In fact using two cars meant that safety was heightened a great deal; if one car broke down it wasn't likely that the other would break down at the same time. If we were unlucky to have a breakdown in the middle of a desert, the other car could go for help, or even pull the busted car to the nearest mechanic. As for the CBs: they were really the icing on the cake. They allowed us to communicate between cars and the whole thing wouldn't have been as fun without them.

There is no 'I' in 'team'
This diary was written primarily in the 'we' form. However, at this point in time I have to let go of the 'we' and speak for myself. With this new degree of freedom I would like to emphasize that the diary is my recollection of the truth and how I perceived the many days on tour, hence my travel companions may not share some of the sentiments expressed in the text. I could have chosen to make a more personal journal but I opted not to go through with that. Instead I hope this will serve as some sort of collective memory for all of us because details will fade with time whether we like it or not. The last few years have clearly dislodged and reorganized some of the many wonderful impressions that I got during the three weeks on the road. Amidst the blurring details, one thing is crystal clear though: May 15 to June 6, 1996 will be etched in my consciousness as a monumental experience that I wouldn't like to have been without.

My heartfelt thanks goes to:

Technical Diary Information
A few words about the traveled distance. An estimated traveled distance is displayed for each day. The numbers are not necessarily 100% accurate because they don't include sightseeing, detours etc. in some cases. The numbers are based on Yahoo!'s Driving Directions. For a more accurate measure please turn to the fuel statistics for the Camaro. The difference between the start/end odometer reading was 7,715 miles. The Mustang, however, must have traveled considerably further since it was used extensively for sightseeing, while the Camaro was used mostly for travel between cities.

<<June 6, 1996<<