Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a list of questions that people have asked me concerning my road trips. My cousin Mandar suggested that I make something like this when I have the time, and now is when I have the time... so here goes:

These questions are in no particular order, just in the order that I can think of!

Why? Because I wanted to.

Why? Why not?

Didn't you ever get bored, being alone for so long? Never bored. Lonely, yes... but never bored. I enjoy driving. I don't get bored when I'm doing things I enjoy.

Which is the most beautiful state in the country? I don't know... I haven't been to all of them yet. But of the ones I have been to, I liked California, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina, Montana, Florida, Oregon, Virginia, Wyoming, Arizona -- those are some of the "better" ones. I cannot single out any one state as the best.

I'm planning a trip from (xxx) to (yyy). Do you know of any cheap motels along the way? Not off the top of my head.. no. But you can look in the AAA tourbook for those states. They have a very good listing. Also, several Denny's restaurants have coupon booklets that offer excellent deals on motels in the region.

What about any nice restaurants between (xxx) and (yyy)? None that I can think of. I like Burger King and Denny's -- I can almost guarantee that there will be several along the way. But I'm sure your taste buds are different than mine!

I recently moved to the state of (...). What would you recommend in this state? I would recommend that you go to your local AAA office and ask them what they would recommend. Then take a few short drives (by "short" drives, I mean 2-3 days) exploring your state and deciding for yourself what you like and don't like. Sorry, but everybody's opinion is different, and you may not necessarily agree with mine. Besides, it's a lot more fun to find out on your own, isn't it?

Are you REALLY as crazy as you say you are? Yes. And I am REALLY proud of it.

Why did April 8, 1995 have "a profound impact on [your] life"? You will find the answer in http://www.callmewanderer.com/trip2/theroad.html.

What have you got against Oklahoma, anyway? Nothing. It was a joke -- don't take it personally!

When you went to [Place], why did you NOT go to [Attraction]? To give me a reason to go to [Place] again. Thank you for your suggestion.

Have you had any speeding tickets? ummm.... "I have the right to remain silent."

How many miles have you driven in your lifetime? Right now, I am not sure -- I'll get back to you on that after I've finished 500,000.

Have you ever meet anyone on the road that you have kept in touch with afterwords? Decline to answer.

Any "roadside flings"? Decline to answer.

Have you ever given any concern to the environment? I think about it all the time.

San Jose to Eureka and back in 6 hours????? Yes. But that was 6 hours "driving time" -- not including 2 stops along the way.

What is the fastest you have ever driven? I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it may incriminate me, but I will say that the speedometer never touched 140. And I've got 4 witnesses who will back that up (that is, if they remember a certain trip to San Diego in October of 1997).

Have you ever fallen asleep behind the wheel? Yes -- I can think of at least {11 as of this writing} separate occassions. I was lucky.

WHERE is your next road trip? Does it really matter?

WHEN is your next road trip? I'll let you know after I know (i.e., after I've come back).

What is the most you have ever driven? What exactly do you mean by that?

What is the most you have ever driven non-stop? 486 miles along I-40 from Gallup, NM to 12 miles East of Ludlow, CA. It took about 6 hours. Then I had to get the car towed to a gas station in Ludlow. But there have been (several) other occassions when I have driven 7 hours non-stop from San Jose to Mission Viejo.

What is the most you have ever driven in a 24-hour-period? It was from Cupertino, California to Norman, Oklahoma -- the drive took 23.5 total hours (from 8:30 PM PST August 4, 1998 to 10:00 PM CST on August 5, 1998). It is just under 1,600 miles.

What is the most you have ever driven in the least amount of time (relatively speaking)? Besides the two big trips in Jan-Feb 1994 and Apr-Aug 1995, I would have to say Labor Day weekend in 1997 -- that was a 3,800 mile trip in just under 92 total hours. But I'm not sure... there were so many others like it... Driving to Columbus in August 1998, for example -- that one was 2555 miles in 47.75 total hours.

Have you ever considered being a truck driver? Yes I have. But truck drivers always have a particular destination that they have to reach before a particular time. That takes all the fun out of driving. I prefer to "go where the road takes me" (it doesn't really matter WHERE), and if I feel like coming back, then I turn around and come back. Truck drivers dont have that luxury.

If you still have a question, feel free to e-mail me or sign the guestbook, and I'll reply to the best of my ability. Thanks.

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Why?	Because I wanted to.
Why?	Why not?
Didn't you ever get bored, being alone for so long?	Never bored. Lonely, yes... but never bored. I enjoy driving. I don't get bored when I'm doing things I enjoy.
Which is the most beautiful state in the country?	I don't know... I haven't been to all of them yet. But of the ones I have been to, I liked California, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina, Montana, Florida, Oregon, Virginia, Wyoming, Arizona -- those are some of the "better" ones. I cannot single out any one state as the best.
I'm planning a trip from (xxx) to (yyy). Do you know of any cheap motels along the way?	Not off the top of my head.. no. But you can look in the AAA tourbook for those states. They have a very good listing. Also, several Denny's restaurants have coupon booklets that offer excellent deals on motels in the region.
What about any nice restaurants between (xxx) and (yyy)?	None that I can think of. I like Burger King and Denny's -- I can almost guarantee that there will be several along the way. But I'm sure your taste buds are different than mine!
I recently moved to the state of (...). What would you recommend in this state?	I would recommend that you go to your local AAA office and ask them what they would recommend. Then take a few short drives (by "short" drives, I mean 2-3 days) exploring your state and deciding for yourself what you like and don't like. Sorry, but everybody's opinion is different, and you may not necessarily agree with mine. Besides, it's a lot more fun to find out on your own, isn't it?
Are you REALLY as crazy as you say you are?	Yes. And I am REALLY proud of it.
Why did April 8, 1995 have "a profound impact on [your] life"?	You will find the answer in http://www.callmewanderer.com/trip2/theroad.html.
What have you got against Oklahoma, anyway?	Nothing. It was a joke -- don't take it personally!
When you went to [Place], why did you NOT go to [Attraction]?	To give me a reason to go to [Place] again. Thank you for your suggestion.
Have you had any speeding tickets?	ummm.... "I have the right to remain silent."
How many miles have you driven in your lifetime?	Right now, I am not sure -- I'll get back to you on that after I've finished 500,000.
Have you ever meet anyone on the road that you have kept in touch with afterwords?	Decline to answer.
Any "roadside flings"?	Decline to answer.
Have you ever given any concern to the environment?	I think about it all the time.
San Jose to Eureka and back in 6 hours?????	Yes. But that was 6 hours "driving time" -- not including 2 stops along the way.
What is the fastest you have ever driven?	I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it may incriminate me, but I will say that the speedometer never touched 140. And I've got 4 witnesses who will back that up (that is, if they remember a certain trip to San Diego in October of 1997).
Have you ever fallen asleep behind the wheel?	Yes -- I can think of at least {11 as of this writing} separate occassions. I was lucky.
WHERE is your next road trip?	Does it really matter?
WHEN is your next road trip?	I'll let you know after I know (i.e., after I've come back).
What is the most you have ever driven?	What exactly do you mean by that?
What is the most you have ever driven non-stop?	486 miles along I-40 from Gallup, NM to 12 miles East of Ludlow, CA. It took about 6 hours. Then I had to get the car towed to a gas station in Ludlow. But there have been (several) other occassions when I have driven 7 hours non-stop from San Jose to Mission Viejo.
What is the most you have ever driven in a 24-hour-period?	It was from Cupertino, California to Norman, Oklahoma -- the drive took 23.5 total hours (from 8:30 PM PST August 4, 1998 to 10:00 PM CST on August 5, 1998). It is just under 1,600 miles.
What is the most you have ever driven in the least amount of time (relatively speaking)?	Besides the two big trips in Jan-Feb 1994 and Apr-Aug 1995, I would have to say Labor Day weekend in 1997 -- that was a 3,800 mile trip in just under 92 total hours. But I'm not sure... there were so many others like it... Driving to Columbus in August 1998, for example -- that one was 2555 miles in 47.75 total hours.
Have you ever considered being a truck driver?	Yes I have. But truck drivers always have a particular destination that they have to reach before a particular time. That takes all the fun out of driving. I prefer to "go where the road takes me" (it doesn't really matter WHERE), and if I feel like coming back, then I turn around and come back. Truck drivers dont have that luxury.