Whatever: Road Trip!

In exactly one week my cross-country trek from L.A. to Boston will begin! I'll be blogging from the road when possible, but here's a preview of where I plan to stop along the way, so far.

Stop #1: El Paso, Texas



I'll probably be arriving here very late at night, after a long day driving through various deserts of the southwest, so there won't be much sightseeing.

El Paso is the county seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the 2005 U.S. Census population estimates, the city had a population of 598,590, making it the sixth-largest city in Texas and the 21st-largest city in the United States. El Paso is second only to San Diego, California in size among all U.S. cities on the U.S.-Mexico border. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua lies opposite of the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte)—which is separating the two cities—forming a bi-national metropolitan area of 2,280,782, making it the second-largest bi-national metropolitan area on the U.S.–Mexico border.

Stop #2: San Antonio, Texas



We'll be staying here for two days to visit my mom and check out the city. I'm looking forward to spending some time at the River Walk.

Paseo Del Rio (River Walk) in the heart of downtown, is the pride of the city. Lush green foliage lines the banks of this peaceful, historic river. Cobblestone walkways lead visitors to the river-level restaurants and shops. The river bubbles to the surface on the grounds of the University of the Incarnate Word and flows to downtown, threading its way through the city one level below the hustle and bustle of city streets. First called Yanaguana by the Payaya Indians, meaning "place of refreshing waters." Along the horseshoe shaped riverbend, the river is shaded by towering cypresses, oaks and willows and bordered by gardens of flowering ornamental plants. River cruisers travel the River Walk’s three miles past unique retail shops, restaurants and nightclubs.

Stop #3: New Orleans, Louisiana



This is where we were supposed to spend the first half of our honeymoon, but then Katrina came along and that bitch ruined everything! I am hoping to do more than just spend the night here, although right now it depends on what time we get into the city.

According to FrenchQuarter.com: In the French Quarter everything is different and everything is the same. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the region. The French Quarter, the historic heart of the city, suffered wind and rain damage but no significant flooding. After clean-up and refurbishment, hotels, restaurants, shops, historic homes, museums, attractions, bars and clubs are back in service and patrons and visitors are back on the streets of the old Quarter. We're all still here and more eager than ever to show you what joi de vivre really means in New Orleans.


Stop #5: Suffolk, Virginia



Here we'll be staying with a friend of mine from high school who just had a baby in January! We lost touch for several years and recently found each other on MySpace (so there, it does serve a purpose!).

[Suffolk] offers a rare blend of town and country living, with historic roots reaching back nearly four centuries. Have fun in our revitalized downtown, a Main Street pulsing with exciting new places to shop and dine, and southern hospitality second to none. We're a city of pleasant villages with intriguing names like Chuckatuck, Driver, Holland and Whaleyville. Our 430 square miles make us Virginia's largest city, so you won't run out of things to do, sites to see and places to have a good time.