Statistics

Length of trip: 27 days
Days of long-distance driving: 15 days
Distance driven: 5,773 miles (9,291 km)
Average Fuel Economy: 24.2 miles per gallon (10.3 km/litre)

I am so very happy with my 2020 Subaru Outback! It was the perfect road trip car. By the end of the trip the total mileage on the car was 30,336 miles.

Nights in hotels: 9
Nights in AirBnbs: 15 (AirBnbs in Flagstaff, Albuquerque, and Denver)
Nights staying with friends: 3

I was very happy with my AirBnbs, though they were all very different. Flagstaff and Albuquerque compared to a studio motel room, but Denver was actually a two-bedroom house with full kitchen. The real winner was Denver which put me in easy walking of so many great shops and restaurants.

Breweries visited: 49
Beers checked in: 148

Why breweries? I assure you I am by no means a heavy drinker, though I do enjoy a good beer. I have found the brewery-hopping is a nice thing to do when traveling with Charlie because they tend to be dog-friendly, and there is a built-in social environment. I had the good fortune to have great conversations with random strangers, something that is normally kind of difficult for me to initiate. Everybody wants to talk about Charlie, though, and that’s a great introduction to other topics. (Also, how did I check in so many beers? I like flights.)

Lessons Learned

• Back to back to back days of driving are pretty rough. You’d think I would have learned that last year!
• Mountains lift my spirits. I saw the first hint of mountains in western South Dakota, the Black Hills, and I was actually elated. It was a great feeling.
• Exerting yourself at 7,000+ feet above sea level takes a far greater toll than you might expect. I mean, I’m still out of shape, but I’m not THAT out of shape!
• Mountain roads are fun. Back roads are fun. Even rocky, unpaved dirt roads are fun (when you have a car equipped for it). Interstates are boring, but when you need to get from here to there quickly, sometimes you have no choice.
• Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist are a godsend on long, straight, boring highways.
• Nevada always surprises me with the beauty to be found in even some of the most remote and desolate areas.
• California is a nice place to visit, but I’m pretty sure I would never want to live there.
• I knew this already, but traveling with a dog who loves to ride in the car is wonderful. You never feel alone, and always have a friend right nearby. Charlie is the best road trip buddy ever!

The final lesson learned is that although this trip wasn’t cheap and was a lot of time away from work, who knows what the future will bring? Do the things that make you happy while you can. Sure, plan for the future, but don’t forget to enjoy today, too.

I have so many wonderful memories from this trip that I will treasure for years to come. Those of you who have followed along in this blog or on social media, I hope that you were able to enjoy the trip vicariously. I also hope that you have adventures of your own in your future!

Thanks for reading.

Coming in late? You can start reading about the entire trip from the beginning: Charlie Goes West