superlatives

please keep in mind that things like the weather are as much chance as anything. all else is strictly my opinion--except the stats, which are just true.

hottest: 123, death valley np
coldest: 40s, glacier np
highest: 10,445 yosemite np
lowest: -282 feet, death valley np
best weather: oregon, kentucky
worst weather: illinois, minnesota, montana (rainy season)

total days: 67
total states: 25
total provinces: 2
national parks visited: badlands, yellowstone, glacier, crater lake, redwoods, yosemite, death valley, carlsbad caverns, guadalupe mountains (not counting the many, many, monuments, historic sites, forests, military parks, reserves, state sites, etc--these are just the parks proper. i didn't count the others)
favorite national park: crater lake, guadalupe mtns
least favorite national park: yosemite
favorite national monument: white sandsleast favorite national monument: jewel cave
strangest np: badlands
best views: crater lake, death valley, white sands nm
best wildlife: yellowstone
best plants: glacier, redwoods
most crowded: yellowstone, yosemite
least crowded: guadalupe mtns, by far
most over-rated: yosemite
most under-rated: death valley, guadalupe mountains
best value: annual national parks pass
favorite historic site: santa fe plaza, vicksburg battlefield, death valley, pendleton
favorite cultural site: taliesin, wi; lincoln, nm; woodford reserve bourbon distillery, ky
favorite city: rapid city, sd
favorite town: pendleton, or; harrisonburg, va; truth or consequences, nm
strangest town: roswell, nm; wall, sd
best science: 1940s in new mexico (los alamos, white sands, roswell)
best history: virginia, oregon, new mexico
favorite farms: iowa
favorite church: san francisco de asis mission, outside of taos
favorite state: oregon, new mexico, south dakota, kentucky
least favorite state: arizona
favorite parts: meeting new people and talking and old friends along the way, happening upon special events, exchanging sic 'ems with another car in az.
least favorite parts: when you want a nap, you're on the road, and it's 96 degrees outside. or when you want a shower after a long hike but have to drive 4 hours first.
what i would do differently: bring an actual cooler (i only had a freezer bag), pack slightly fewer clothes, pack a pair of heels, pack camping gear, go to north dakota since i will probably never go back that far north. have an extra two weeks to go to utah.
longest hike: apx. 8 miles, guadalupe mtns np
longest drive: san luis obispo to flagstaff, 10 hours
best drive: santa fe to taos, livingston to glacier np, columbia river gorge, raleigh to northern virginia, california coast road, several more.
worst drive: california desert, california 101
most desolate drive: california desert. all of it. though i-40 through arizona to new mexico is pretty bad, as is west texas.
highest speed limit: montana, south dakota, and texas at 80.
lowest consistent speed limit: california at 30, highway 101 near oregon.
worst construction: new mexico
worst traffic: california

total miles: 12,892
most expensive gas: $4.24 in death valley
least expensive gas: #2.35 in harrisonburg, va, followed by texas at about 2.40-50
oil changes: 5
other: nail in tire in sd, tires changed in california, cracked windshield
personal health: bad bug bite in glacier, sunburn in guadalupe mtns, caught a cold in california, slept poorly when traveling alone.

i will now be home for a week--i start classes at alabama on august 18. if there is anything else you want to know, just ask!