When I moved back to the States in summer 2006, my sister Pamela helped me drive cross-country from North Carolina to California, where I was to reside in the Mojave Desert somewhere between the resort spas of Palm Springs and the stark beauty of Joshua Tree National Park. Ever the event planner, I took our road adventure seriously as I mapped a 5-day road trip through 9 states of picturesque Americana. Highlights of the trip were the sights and sounds of Beale St. and Elvis's beloved Graceland in the birth city of rock-n-roll, Memphis, TN; the enormity and mystique of the Grand Canyon in AZ; hot air ballooning over Albuquerque, NM; seeing Cirque du Soleil's, "Mystere", in fabulous Las Vegas, NV; and stealing a butter plate at The Ivy, where we dined at LA's most frequented celebrity restaurant (Aww c'mon! Brad Pitt could've licked this plate!). Despite traveling 3000+ miles in the confines of a compact SUV hybrid, Pamela and I got to see some truly phenomenal landscapes. A great adventure indeed on the wheels of my SUV steed.
