Wrap-Up, Part 1

So, for those of you keeping score, here's the final map of our trip route:


Yee-haa!

According to our odometer, we drove about 11,500 miles during our 49-day trip. Which was enough to give me a mild case of tendonitis in my wrists, but, hey, it was worth it. Because I'm a geek, I've totaled up our gas receipts and they come out under $600, which was a lot less than we were expecting. Thanks, Honda Civic! For the trip overall, you don't want to know how much we spent -- the damage was pretty high, although we actually ended up not having to dip into our savings, which was nice.

Some answers to the some questions we've been getting about our trip:

• What was our... favorite state? Kathy's favorite was Wyoming (home of the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and of course, Thermopolis). I'd have to go with either that or South Dakota (Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Rapid City, Wall Drug, and some excellent roadside scenery).
  
• ...Favorite City? I would have to say Charleston, South Carolina. I think Kathy would agree, even with the big bugs.
  
• ...Favorite Cheesy Attraction? For me, nobody beats Graceland. Kathy might argue for Dollywood. I think Tennessee gets a special award for outstanding achievement in cheesiness.
• ...Favorite Overall Attraction? This one is really hard to answer, but I think we overall enjoyed the Grand Teton National Park more than any other attraction.
  
• ...Favorite Day of the Trip? Kathy might answer differently, but my favorite day was the one memorialized in Scenes from the Road, Part Deux. Or maybe that day just seems funnier in retrospect.
  
• ...Favorite Meal? This is also a really tough one, but I'd have to say the fried chicken at Gus's Fried Chicken in Downtown Memphis was absolutely legendary. We're talking life-changing spectacular here. I wish I had taken some pictures, because one of my favorite things about it was the sign out front, which said "Gus's World Famous Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken", and then in red type below it said "Today's Special -- Chicken". It was kind of like, uh, Ben and Jerry's having a sign out front saying "Today's Special -- Ice Cream". Or like Supercuts having a sign out front saying "Today's Special -- Haircuts". Or like -- never mind, you probably get the idea. Many many thanks to Christian for recommending this place.
  

More thoughts a little later this week.