In March of 2016, I stared at my computer screen, debating whether to try my hand at blogging. I take a lot of road trips, so maybe I could share my adventures online, I thought to myself. As I sat in a hotel lobby between sessions at a conference for work, I created a free account with WordPress, a website management service. I drafted (and re-drafted and re-drafted) my first post. When I went to press publish, however, I paused, a bit of self-doubt creeping in… would anyone actually want to read this?
Two friends who were successful road trip bloggers in their own right gave me encouragement to publish my first post: Tyson Hugie of Drive to Five and Josh Clymer of TSX Travels. Both inveterate road warriors, they enthusiastically supported my idea. So press publish I did… and for the past decade I have continued to share my road trip journeys.
In honor of this blog’s upcoming ten year anniversary, I wanted to take a look back and share my top ten road trip adventures. Narrowing the list was much more of a challenge than I anticipated when I started going through my old posts, but after much deliberation I present to you… The Ten-Year Top Ten!
A 1,500-mile round trip journey to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee to be in the passenger seat as my friend Justin Kilmer rolled a million miles in his 2003 Honda Accord coupe. Along the way there was a visit to a former First Lady’s childhood home, lunch at the best hot dog joint I have ever experienced, a signpost installed by a local youth named George Washington, and a park filled with dinosaurs.
Adirondack State Park, located in upstate New York, is a frequent destination of this blog. Several years ago I took up the hobby of mountain climbing in the Adirondacks. On this trip I summited Black Bear Mountain and completed the Fulton Chain Trifecta Hiking Challenge. I remain rather proud of this accomplishment.
“Want to go drive up a mountain?” I asked my friend Steve. He and I clambered into my 2012 Honda Accord and set off to drive the Mt. Washington Auto Road, a 7.6-mile, partially-paved road that climbs to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States.
A week-long journey to New Mexico to visit family and explore the state where my Dad’s ancestors have lived for hundreds of years. I walked through a national monument filled with ancient carvings, learned about UFOs, visited with a dear relative, and spent time at a home that has been in my family for over a century.
This past summer my wife and I took a 2,700-mile road trip to see family and friends in Minnesota. We stood beside the majesty of Niagara Falls, ate Buffalo Wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, visited a century-old logging site, and explored one man’s collection of hundreds of classic motorcycles.
A trip along the western shores of Lake Superior to the city of Duluth, Minnesota. At the urging of my father-in-law, a lifelong 3M employee, we stopped by the mining town of Two Harbors to see the small building where the multinational powerhouse got its start, and also took his advice to visit the magnificent Split Rock Lighthouse (pictured). Additionally, the trip included a stop by an amazing railroad museum, and I saw the aurora borealis too!
Each year for my birthday, my wife plans road trips as her gift to me. My definite favorite was when she arranged for me to drive my 2012 Honda Accord around Watkins Glen, a Formula One racetrack in upstate New York. Absolutely epic.
On May 29, 2022, my 2012 Honda Accord coupe rolled 200,000 miles while on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. The trip also included an automotive museum, a church basement that once hid the Liberty Bell during the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777, the homes of two US Presidents, a cool winery, and swimming in a pool with a mountain view.
In honor of the 100th post in this blog, my wife and I completed the 2018 New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge. In a little under 36 hours we visited all twelve remaining lighthouses in New Jersey, a 450-mile drive along the length of the state’s coast.
During the summer of 2022 my wife and I embarked on our most adventurous road trip yet. We drove from New Jersey to Minnesota, followed the Mississippi River south to New Orleans, and then charted a path along the Blue Ridge Mountains on our way home. Our trip saw us visit The House on the Rock, Gateway Arch, Cafe du Monde, Mark Twain’s childhood home, the National Civil Rights Museum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, sacred Native American sites, Robert Johnson’s Crossroads, the World’s Largest Fountain Cup, and much, much more. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Honorable Mention
Choosing my top ten favorite posts was a nearly impossible task. Numerous posts that were equally deserving of mention just missed out on being featured in this write-up. However, I did want to call attention to three other posts, each noteworthy in their own way.
The most-read post of all time from this blog is “The Seals of Sandy Hook.” After several failed attempts, my wife and I finally were able to watch harbor seals “haul out” onto the rocks in Sandy Hook Bay at Gateway National Recreation Area. The post appears on the first page of search results on Google, and I’ve received quite a few messages from people sharing how my write-up helped them plan their own trip. Good stuff.
Several of my posts appear on the first page of search results on Google. However, if you search for Eagle Cliff, a small mountaintop in the town of Eagle Bay, NY, my post is the very first result listed.
Guest Contributors
Over the past ten years, I have been fortunate to have been able to share the stories of readers who have taken their own road trip adventures. One great is example is “Weekend Wrap-Up,” which features a write-up from Josh Slagy, a friend and reader who let us ride along on his epic cross-country winter journey a few years ago. Also featured in the post was a high mileage achievement from Kathryn, a friend whose 2010 Honda Accord rolled 200,000 miles. To everyone who has sent me photos and accounts of their own adventures on the open road ahead, thank you!
The Vehicles of The Open Road Ahead
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the four vehicles that have played a major role in the adventures featured in this blog:
2012 Honda Accord Coupe
Without question, the most important car in the creation of The Open Road Ahead was my old 2012 Honda Accord EX-L V6 coupe. “DH,” as I called it affectionately, took me on countless adventures during my ownership. From climbing mountains, to driving on a beach, to plowing through blizzards, to parking on a dock beside a battleship, to zipping around a Formula One track, this car was an adventure companion like none other. When age and rust began to take their toll I had to move to a new vehicle. DH is gone, but not forgotten.
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
The next most important contributor to our adventures is Grace, my wife’s 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. An absolute workhorse during our ownership, Grace has been our go-to vehicle whenever maximum storage space, severe weather, or a lack of paved roads face us. Now with 131,000 miles, Grace is making her own push toward 200,000 miles. Onward!
2020 Acura TLX
After selling the old Accord, my automotive road trip companion is now my 2020 Acura TLX. After 2.5 years of ownership, the car is now approaching 70,000 miles. The TLX is a comfortable, economical, sporty long-distance cruiser. Fitted with Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, the car is also an absolute tank in the snow. Now with 17 states and one Canadian province under its belt, it is proving a worthy successor to DH.
2021 Honda HR-V
And a major honorable mention goes to Betty, my Mom’s 2021 Honda HR-V. It was our vehicle for the Great American Road Trip in 2022, and has proven to be a spacious, economical, and fun little crossover utility vehicle. You can certainly expect to see Betty appear in future posts!
Wrapping Up
Ten years after its humble beginnings, The Open Road Ahead continues to attract visitors.
It’s a little hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I have been writing this blog for a decade. That you have taken time out of your day to read these posts, and to share them, to comment, like, message, or email your thoughts afterward is deeply gratifying to me. Thank you for supporting this hobby – I am glad to have you along on the journey!
We have a special adventure planned for the ten year anniversary of this post, so stay tuned! In the meantime, thanks, as always, for coming along on another adventure down the open road ahead.
The Open Road Ahead 