Trip statistics

18 states:
Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Nevada again, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and back to North Carolina.

Vehicle info:
7358.4 miles with an average travel speed of 59.2 mph and an average mpg of 22.8. Average gas price was $3.587. Lowest gas price seen was $3.34 outside Salt Lake City and highest was $5.26 in Death Valley.
Highest recorded speed was 105 mph in Utah, highest officially recorded speed was with a ticket for 83 mph in a 65 mph zone in New Mexico. Among the lowest speeds were the 0 mph while waiting for said ticket to be written.

Major sights:
St. Louis Arch (MO), Geographic center of the lower 48 states (KS), Arches National Park (UT), Canyonlands National Park (UT), Four Corners (UT, AZ, CO, NM), Goosenecks State Park (UT), Natural Bridges National Monument (UT), Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (UT), Bonneville Salt Flats (UT), Golden Gate Bridge (CA), Lombard Street, San Francisco (CA), Sequoia National Park (CA), Yosemite National Park (CA), Death Valley National Park (CA), Boulder Dam (NV), Grand Canyon (AZ), Petrified Forest National Park (AZ), White Sands National Park (NM).

Travel specs:

Highest elevation in travel was 11,158 feet at the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Colorado. Higher elevations may have been made, but were not recorded. The lowest elevation was -264 feet in Death Valley. The elevation in Death Valley drops lower, but we limited our record to drivable areas.
The longest drive of the trip was from the Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas to the Motel 6 in Dickson, Tennessee at 892 miles. We were very surprised that it was a par 4.

Highest temperature recorded was 112 degrees in Las Vegas, lowest was 55 degrees in Mammoth Lakes CA. We doubled the temperature from Mammoth Lakes with our same day drive to Death Valley at 110 degrees.

Much like it must be to choose your favorite pet or child, I find it impossible to choose my favorite place among the many visited during our trip. I choose instead to view the entire trip as an experience, one I hope never to forget. I traveled the country with two very dear friends and only wish that more of my friends could have seen the sights that we have experienced. We took 2200+ pictures, so at least we can share some of it.

Next post will contain detail of the trip itinerary, provided I can get Google Maps to work with me.