So here we are...

It's the last day of August 2005, and this is my first foray into blogging. Anyway, I'm doing this to chronicle my upcoming, mid-life-crisis-battling, exciting, and perhaps even awe-inspiring roadtrip across America. I just received my latest toy from Amazon -- a pocket-sized Garmin GPS system -- and I've been playing with both the hardware and the software all day. Dare I say it: "It's cool!"

So I've been charting my route, trying to find stops along the way that would make the most sense given driving hours, where to stop for the night, things to see, etc. I've only made it to Madison, Wisconsin so far, stopping by Klamath Falls, OR, Boise, ID, Salt lake City, UT, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, Fargo, ND, Winnipeg, Manitoba (in Canada to visit a friend), Minneapolis, MN, and finally Madison.

I'll continue to play with the toy and plan the rest of my trip (going to the Northeast, down the Atlantic coast, then back to California via the southern route. Will post when I've completed that.

What remains to be seen is how closely will I be following this plan. This trip is meant for me to discover what's out there, by being spontaneous and wild and free -- and in the process, also to discover myself.