Road Journals

Descending into Carlsbad Caverns on foot and returning by elevator feels like entering another world. Stalactites, stalagmites and vast chambers hold us spellbound before we continue toward Guadalupe Mountains.

The journey to White Sands begins with a search for somewhere to sleep. The next morning brings gypsum dunes sculpted by wind and visitors sledding down their bright slopes.

A roadside sign leads me into Tombstone, the real setting of a favorite Western. Old banks, churches, saloons and gunfight performances evoke the frontier town’s past.

Exploring Saguaro’s east and west districts brings an unexpected first impression and, eventually, the giant cactus landscape I had imagined. Worn down by the heat, we choose a motel on just our second night.

Our first camping night in Arizona brings a vehicle thermometer reading of 126°F. Unfamiliar heat and a sharp change in gas prices across the state line reveal the trip’s first mistakes.

With a converted van ready, we set out across the continent alongside another couple. Our plans favor nature, flexible overnight stops and a route reaching all the way to Maine.

Drawing on my own travels, I consider how to estimate fuel, lodging, food and admission costs. Personal spending habits and a reserve for unexpected expenses also shape the budget.