Author: Roberto Viviani

Diary of trip

Skies of America.

I travel in the Usa: from 3 to August 25 th 2001.

PREMISE:

Before beginning it seems me rightful to introduce my companions of trip with which I have almost crossed 8.000 kilometers in this extraordinary country. (in the photo I break down him/it of the Monument it is extraordinary). We were in 6: from left to the right in the photo: Simona 1, Roberto, Diego, Federica, Alexander and Simona 2. (note of the webmaster: photo doesn't foresee)

Me (Roberto) Diego and Simona 2 are also companions of daily sufferings (we work in the same firm), Simona 1 are my wife and it are beautician (it is now properly not busy in a thing aesthetics: the pregnancy), Federica is not a banking very convinced, and Alexander is a theatrical technician and for him to travel is a custom.
My wife and I have already been in the Usa in March 1999 in trip of wedding; since then I have suffered from an awful ache of America and I knew that to brief term I would absolutely have had to return us.

I wanted besides to give the numbers of this trip:

total days of trip: 23, of which a week to the east and two weeks to West

Km. Total runs: almost 8.000, of which 2.500 to East and over 5.000 to West (all rigorously in auto, to do envy to Jack Kerouac).

States crossed (or however touched): 10: Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California.

Great crossed cities: 9: Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Las Vegas, S.Francisco, Los Angeles, S.Diego.

Visited national parks: 7: Niagara falls, Arches nat.park, Monument valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce canyon, Redwood and Yosemite.

As can be noticed is treated of 23 rather intense days but the work of the alarm clock to the dawn and of the thousand of crossed kilometers has been repaid by the extraordinary things that we have seen and by the sunsets that you/they have moved us. Often the pleasant memoirs of a trip derive from the lived intimate emotions, and photos don't exist or written that can fully make them.

This trip had already been being programmed for two years and it was anticipated for August 2000 but for motives you launch we have had to move him to 2001. I want to advise whoever wants to undertake a trip with a group of friends as in our case and above all so long and fatiguing: it is absolutely necessary to plan with precision and calculation all the tappes and the things that are wanted to see, trying as far as possible to calculate the times of move and whether to devote to every thing. Fundamental it also notices him to stretch a daily budget of expense the more detailed possible. In this way in every moment of the trip he succeeds in holding under control how much he is spending.
And' a lot of main point that the way of traveling and the fundamental tappes are shared previously from the whole group; this because if the sharing is not total too much during the trip ideas and united different desires to an inevitable tiredness you/they could bring to of the attritions and to cause discomforts with negative reflexes on the whole trip. And' undeniable however that a trip of this kind is beautiful if done with a group of friends rather than alone or in couple; but the choice of the companions is fundamental ingredient for the result of the trip. Excellent it would be if the desire to go to a determined country were intense in equal measure in all the participants and the ideas on the as to travel, whether to spend and thing to do is the most possible neighbors.
For a trip on the fundamental roads are a good road atlas and a good guide so that to have information on the places that he is crossing and on the things to see.

I apologize me if I have dwelled in this premise but the whole preceding preparation to a trip of this kind it is as important as the same trip; possible errors done in this phase are paid after the departure.

However we start.. the Usa wait us.

BEFORE PART OF THE TRIP: A WEEK Á. THE EAST

1° day: Friday August 3 rd 2001. Turin - Washington

times 4.30 it plays the alarm clock. And' the prophetic day, to the airport of Boxes (Turin) it waits us for the airplane that, after a port to Amsterdam it will deliver us our: Washington. We travel with the KLM and NorthWest. We find again there in the hall of the airport all and you are drowsy but excited for the adventure that waits us.
After quite a lot times of trip we finally land to Washington in the first hours of the afternoon. The time is very beautiful but the unbearable heat. The first thing that we have understood, confirmed then from the other cities of the east., has been that the month of August surely is not the best, from the climatic point of view to take this trip. We immediately reach the parking lot of Alamo to withdraw our auto, a monovolume from 7 places. Systematized the baggages Alexander it systematizes him to the place of guide trying to take confidence with the automatic change even if with the right arm it looks for continuously the lever change that there is not, sbeffeggiato continually from all of us. The journey from the airport in Washington is not long for the one who knows the roads; for us how tired of the trip in airplane and vagabond coolness of the American roads the time to reach the capital will reveal him long. But by now we are taken by the trip that it waits us and some small obstacles cannot stop our run to the discovery of the American east.
And' by now late evening when we finally find the pallet for the night; we find us to Capitol hts., a suburb to the outskirts of Washington. We take two rooms to the Motel 6 after having noticed to be the only whites (we understand to be in a black district), the rooms are worse of any imagination, but tiredness is too much great to look for another place. After a supper to base of hamburger in a near Mc Donald's goes to sleep. The following day we will see places symbol of the United States.

2° day: Saturday August 04 th 2001 - Washington

To the morning alarm clock very soon and after a mezz'ora we are in the street direction I center city. Found parking lot for the auto near the center of the FBI we start there to the discovery of the capital. Before however it waits us for the first American breakfast, that will be ipercalorica as those following. Is The first visit up to the White House by law that however doesn't it seem us a new thing (we have seen her in too many film); asked hearing not granted us to Bush we continue toward the Lincoln Memorial (you remember Forrest Gump that during the awarding for worths of war it recognizes his beloved and does it race inside the water?), Vietnam veterans memorial and after Arlington to have crossed a red hot memorial bridge we visit on board of a nice trenino the Arlington National cemetery (with all of its white rectangular headstones) detaining us to the grave of John Kennedy.
Returned back with the subway we don't have time anymore for the visit to the museum of the holocaust that we had booked; we start there therefore to the car to direct us in direction Baltimore. We are very tired and we decide to buy some food in a supermarket and to eat in room. We find a half motel road between Washington and Baltimore (what distano no more than 60 kilometers) that it is not sublime but unlike before that of the evening seems us the Danieli in Venice. We have crossed our first kilometers on the roads American and a lot of anchor we will have to cross of it. Washington is said a more beautiful city of as we waited for there; we have found her cleaning up and ordinate, with a lot of green and an acceptable traffic (perhaps because it was Saturday) and also with a lot of things to be seen. Tomorrow it waits us for Baltimore and in evening arrival to Philadelphia, goes to sleep with in head the music of Rocky.

3° day: Sunday August 05 th 2001: Baltimore - Philadelphia

Other wakes up to the buon'ora and immediately in auto to reach Baltimore. Alexander as usual as soon as awake it is hungry, therefore the first activity just reached Baltimore we will develop with the legs under the table in a good restaurant.
We enter around at 8 o'clock the outskirts in Baltimore and, not being also animates us long live around we start to know the reality of the American metropolises; the environment is that of the films type the warriors of the night, with crumbling houses, writings and graffiti on the walls, alleys from pursuit and, to the angles of the roads the inevitable basket fields. We finally enter the center city and we direct there toward the I bring where we immediately look for a parking lot for the auto. After few minutes we are on the roads in Baltimore starved but happy to see the second American metropolis of this trip. Reaches the I bring we notice a nice ristorantino on one of the docks and, as feline launch us on our prey. To the inside we have the senzazione to have returned in the years '50 and from a moment to the other we wait for there Alfred (the manager of Arnold's in Happy days) that it illustrates us the prelibatezzes of the house. This breakfast will reveal him one of the more binding culinary practices. As will happen for the whole trip we divide there in the two schools of thought: on one side me, Simona 1, Alexander and Diego we are for the flat killers composed by maltreated eggs, bacon, pancakes with various jams and also a slice of cake (heavy), from the other Simona 2 and Federica, more delicatines and salutiste are satisfied with some pancake with the jam. You swallow the breakfasts we decide that, considering that the only thing that seems us interesting to Baltimore is only the zone of the I bring, once visited this last we will depart for Philadelphia. Having available parcecchio time is decided to make a wider turn and to pass in the county of Lancaster where the community of the Amishes lives, religious community that he/she still lives following the rules, the traditions and the attire of one century ago. We decide to visit a farm Amish; 6 dollars to person to see a normal house and some animal in the enclosures in the back of the farm. A disappointment, also because of the Amishes there is no anybody trace. Will we see them resumption the road for Philadelphia subsequently then (they don't use auto but only gigs hauled by the horses) and does this revalue us the whole day (you believe it?). Toward evening we arrive in the suburbs in Philadelphia and, as always we mistake road, and we find again there in the beautiful mean of one of the worse districts that you/they could happen us: the district of German Town. We are everything anything else other than calm also for the looks that are turned us by the outside and we already see us protagonists of a film that we didn't desire to interpret; we try to find again the first possible the bypass road, but will want us more than mezz'ora. Finally gone out of the maze of roads of the outskirts in Philadelphia (that of Baltimore had been only an antipastino) we put to the search of a kennel for the night there. Attention: who of You it will go to Philadelphia keeps in mind that to find out a motel of the city will be undertaken arduous: us later at least two hours of search we find a kind American that conducts us up to a Days Inn. After a good beefsteak and a salad in a place next to the hotel we launch us on our beds, tomorrow morning waits us for Philadelphia: the city of Rocky Balboa, but also and above all the city symbol of the American dream, of the departure toward the west, toward the frontier, where the declaration of independence of the states was signed founders.

4° day: Monday August 6 th 2001: Philadelphia-Elmira.

To the 8 of the morning we are already in the center in Philadelphia, the heat is unbearable. After few minutes of walk we meet there with one of the worse contradictions of this great country. All the gardens and city parks that we meet are full full of homeless that he is waking up and lifting. Next to them they pass manager and employees in jacket and tie that he is going to the job in the luxurious offices of the center. These two extreme seem approved as the most normal thing of this world. America is the country where everything is great: the territory, the economy, the skyscrapers, the wealth and the poverty. The 50 million of poor men probably allow the others 200 a prosperous life, perhaps also this is democracy.
I far her from; yes it is really her, the stairway of Rocky. While Alexander takes back with videocamera my run starts with so much of sandals, but I succeed in arriving on however and to howl Adriana to squarciagola. And' unbelievable as this place is exclusively invaded daily by tourists for the notoriety acquired following the film of Stallion and not for instance for the important present museum in the impending piazzetta the stairway (self-acknowledged that also we am only here for the first reason). We continue the visit in Philadelphia forwarding us toward the center city. We cross the zone of the skyscrapers where they have center important societies and we notice that the smokers have even to go out of the building and to consume the cigarettes in the street. In the United States cannot be smoked in any closed place, except proper house. We direct there toward the historical part in Philadelphia and having arrived the time of lunch we stop there in a kiosk where we make us prepare some sandwiches "monstrous" that we snap at really in front of the building where they signed the declaration of independence. The warm one of the first afternoon is really deadly, we find refreshment inside the visitor center where the conditioned air is to superhuman levels. This is another American characteristic, in the summer months in all the closed places the conditioned air is a true queen. And' always used in exaggerated way as the ice in the drinks (if you don't want glasses of it full full remembered to tell you "no ice" when you order a drink).
After having assisted to an arrest to few meters from us (it seemed us to be in a film) passeggiamo in the zone in Philadelphia that goes down toward the I bring; to half afternoon we take the subway and we direct there toward the car. They wait us for long times of trip in direction fallen of the Niagara, we will stop there to sleep when we will be tired.
After a fast glance to the map we direct there toward Scranton. We cross the Pennsylvania from North South. The country of the Pennsylvania is really beautiful; with its sweet and green hills the dense woods and the perfumes typical of the summer; the houses are attractive, we notice that nobody is surrounded and gates don't exist, from us it would not be possible or risky quantomeno; as minimum on Sundays would find us I invaded by the maniacs of the pic-nic. We decide to make a piece of run taking a secondary road and the choice it reveals him appropriate. And' through these secondary roads that true America discovers him, that of the myth, of Kerouac and of all the generations of vagabond that have crossed from South North and from West East this great country to the search of something that you/they have not perhaps found never, but they have without doubt contributed to the legend of the old American roads. And speaking of myth after a few hours as soon as to North of Scrancton we cross and we take the legendary road nr. 6 that from New York it brings thin in California. Seimila kilometers of asphalt for ripercorrere the pioneers' runs in West direction, toward the frontier, the wild territories and, after the great lowlands, the sour plateaus, the scorching deserts here is the promised earth: the green lowlands of the California and Oregon. In the beautiful mean of the American lowlands the nr. 6 are crossed with the Mother road, the old nr. 66 that in the actual maps is not signalled anymore but that has entered full right in the legend.
By now tired after quite a lot times of car we stop there to about twenty kilometers from Elmira in a small motel in the middle of the nothing. And' free only a room, we decide to stop us however and to sleep all and you are together. After a buonissima he/she dines to the restaurant of the Motel we realize there, walking along the square in the back, that this hermitage in the middle of the void one is place frequented by thousand of big spiders and bugs launches; but the maximum one we find him/it in front of the door of our room where to attend finds us a beautiful snake. The night will be a true nightmare: in six in a room with the air conditioned rout and 32 degrees of temperature and the 400% of damp. He/she succeeds in sleeping alone Simona 2, for her this superhuman heat is a sweet warmth. In the struggle with the vice of the warm one the thought already goes to the next day, and the waters of the stately falls of the Niagara almost seem to refresh us.

5° day: Tuesday August 7 th 2001: Elmira-you Fall of the Niagara - Rochester

After some times of sauna we lift there and we prepare there to cross the kilometers that separate us from the falls of the Niagara. Unfortunately we have to abandon the road nr. 6 that it continues toward West and to take the nr. 15 toward North. After about thirty kilometers (more or less) we leave him/it alone of the Pennsylvania and we enter the state in New York. We reach the falls as soon as after midday. And' useless to deny but sees the numerous negative judgments we are some accused. Moreover what we see around is really too "American"; we cross in fact a myriad of hotels, campings, various places, seem to be on the coast romagnola. It doesn't seem us possible to be able to ruin beautifully in this way some nature. Fortunately the falls are very beautiful instead. The course of water and the jump are really impressive. These natural beauties repay us some fools visas in precedence. My wife and I (Simona 1) we decide to make the turn in boat until under the falls, the other ones they prefer a walk in the park. We return completely rotten; but has been really extraordinary, we have touched with hand the power of the nature. And' is unforgettable, our boat in the more point next to the falls has been completely covered by the water. After being dries us we reach our companions and, after a beautiful coffee and some rest we are about there to continue our trip. Alexander in the guide and Diego navigator they decide to take the road that coasts along the Lake Ontario. To see would be said him/it both an as sea is great. We direct there toward East admiring a beautiful sunset. They are these the most beautiful moments of the trip; when the nature gives yourself great emotions you would not like to be from nessun'altra it departs, and alive these moments as sure irripetibili that you/they will remain forever you in the heart. After a couple of hours (perhaps three) when by now the night is lowered we reach Rochester and we look for a hotel whether to spend the night. We stop there to a Days hotel behind the highway. And' very beautiful and comforting. Wanted us after the last night.
We are very tired (as every evening), we buy some Pizza pizza Hut that sbraniamo in the hotel. To eat the pizza in America is very dangerous for of Italians; however you try that of Pizza Hut, it is enough approachable. We go to sleep knowing that the following day will exclusively be of move. We have to arrive to Boston (more than 800 kilometers), it will be one of the longest tappes of the whole trip. We put to sleep there ready to almost all cross only in a day the state in New York and the Massachusetts.

6° day: Wednesday August 8 th 2001; ROCHESTER-Boston.

As usual The alarm clock is prestissimo and implacable. Gone out of Rochester we take the Highway nr. 20 destination Boston. This part of the state in New York is beautiful, green but also very flat. Along the journey we cross some very characteristic towns of province, and we notice that unlike Italy there are not here the poster indicanti the name of the city or the country. We realize well soon there that unfortunately we have to go to take the highway, otherwise in Boston we risk to arrive later there the day. The highway nr. 90 are a long and boring rectilinear that, passing from the Capital of the state in New York (Albany) it will bring us up to destination on the shores of the Atlantic. We stop there to eat in a truck stop, and we leave again changing driver; to my place it puts on to the guide ready Diego to bite the asphalt and to overcome, as his usual, the limits of speed. In auto it lowers the silence, all sleep destroyed by the boredom; I try to be awake to make company to the driver, rather suffering.
After a few hours we enter the state of the Massachusetts and we decide to make a standstill going out of the highway. We stop there to a Wendy, chain of gelaterie and snack you launch. The place seems to go out of a film of Walt Disney and is full of families with children. The whole America is full wedge of places as this: Mcdonald's, Burger king, Tacos bell, Frendly's etc.; an enormous parking lot, a supermarket and an inevitable fast food. I am the photocopy one of the other; here everything is standardized, and above all it is everything conceived in operation of the automobiles. In these places to arrive afoot is difficult and dangerous. The descendants of the glorious pioneers it seems that they know to stir only sat in their autos. Then in America waited you very from roads, from nature, from extraordinary landscapes, from history even if recent, but if you succeed distant from the great cities and from the highways. You look for true America in the small towns of provinces, in the secondary roads, in the roads excavated of the deserts of the west; America will stay inside and it will make you venir wants to return.
We leave again for Boston with the third driver to the guide, Alexander, that, after having almost all slept the day it is perfectly in form and ready to conduct us to destination. We decide to go to sleep to Salem, the witches' country to few kilometers from Boston. We arrive that it is very slow (in America he/she eats very soon and to the 21 and already difficult to find a place that anchors gives to eat). After having dined we look for a motel and the enterprise it will notice him very arduous. Finally to the nth attempt we find two rooms in a Super 8 and, Alexander, by now worn-out and with the destroyed abdominal and rectal muscles him lance toward the bath; when it goes out it seems a Highlander after an epic battle.
Finally after a day of trip we go to sleep. The following day we will visit first Salem and then Boston, the city of Harvard.