What started as a simple road trip turned into a whirlwind of fried chicken, ghost towns, alien encounters, and national landmarks. Along the way, I found myself in places that made me question reality, my diet, and whether I should have filled up on gas just a little bit sooner.
Buckle up. This is the full, unfiltered saga of my trip from Sacramento to Nashville and back.
Sacramento, CA → Yermo, CA
The journey kicked off in California, where I made the rookie mistake of thinking I could make it through the Central Valley without needing food. By the time I hit Yermo, I was on the verge of gnawing on my steering wheel.
Peggy Sue's 1950's Diner and Dinosaur Park - Yes you read that right, you can get curly fries and see a velociraptor, and also a bejewelled cheeseburger for some reason?
Yermo, CA → Flagstaff, AZ
Twin Arrows Trading Post (Flagstaff, AZ) - I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow in the knee…
Raising Cane's (Flagstaff, AZ) - This was before they were in California, OK? What can I say, I love chicken.
Flagstaff, AZ → Amarillo, TX
Winslow, AZ - I stood on a corner, it was such a fine site to see. Kinda took it easy.
Meteor Crater (Winslow, AZ) - A meteor hit Arizona a very, very long time ago and left a very large hole and a gift shop,
Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, TX) - Nothing says Texas like a field of old Cadillacs buried nose-first in the dirt, covered in layers of graffiti.
Amarillo, TX → Memphis, TN
Sid’s Diner (El Reno, OK) - The immaculate vibes. The glorious smell of onions. I asked for the biggest Oklahoma onion burger they had. It was 1 pound. Did I also order fries AND onion rings? Yes. Did I eat it all? Also yes. Did I regret it? Also yes.
Museum of Osteology (Oklahoma City, OK) - A museum full of skeletons, because apparently "Hey, want to see a bunch of bones?" is a viable tourism strategy.
Arkansas (All of it) - What can I say, I only stopped for gas. Sorry Bill Clinton.
Sun Studio - Where legends like Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded their first hits. I walked through the same doors they did, hoping that some of their talent would magically transfer to me. Spoiler: It did not. Also, bought a T-Shirt.
Graceland - The mansion of the King himself. Highlights include shag carpets, jungle-themed rooms, and a television that Elvis once shot because he didn’t like what was on. Honestly, a mood.
Gus’s Fried Chicken - Spicy. Crispy. Juicy. I could write poetry about this fried chicken. In fact, I think I did.
Bass Pro Shops Pyramid - Memphis decided to build a giant glass pyramid and fill it with boats, hunting gear, and an indoor swamp. Why? Because Memphis, that’s why.
Welcome to Nashville
After blasting Johnny Cash and Elvis in the car, I finally made it to Nashville.
Johnny Cash Museum - Because if you're in Nashville and don’t visit the Man in Black’s museum, did you even go to Nashville?
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken - Spicy. Juicy. Delicious. At this point, fried chicken was becoming a theme.
Honky Tonk Highway - I bar-hopped down Broadway, where every bar had live music that was better than most concerts. Even if you don’t like Country Music (I do not), you will when you are in Nashville. I offered to buy a newly engaged couple champagne and was told this was a beer and whiskey town.
White Castle - Any time I find a White Castle, I'm eating at a White Castle. Tiny burgers that you can eat by the dozens and I'm not ashamed.
The way back… Nashville → Roswell, NM
Roswell, NM - Whether you believe in aliens or not, this place commits to the bit. The UFO Museum had framed "official denials" from the government, which totally made them seem less suspicious. The alien autopsy exhibit was unsettling in a "I might be next" kind of way.
McDonald's (Roswell, NM) - This is a McDonald's shaped like a UFO. What better place to get McNuggets and a Big Mac for the road?
Roswell, NM → Albuquerque, NM
Blue Hole (Santa Rosa, NM) - A very, deep, very blue natural swimming hole in the middle of a city. For some reason I decided to jump in it. For some reason it was amazing.
National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (Albuquerque, NM) - If you’ve ever wanted to stand next to a nuclear bomb, this is the place. Seeing Fat Man up close made me appreciate just how terrifying these things really are.
Delorean Exhibit - I guess cause plutonium?
Walter White's House - No pizza on the roof, just a really mean lady, a fence, and a lot of no photo signs that I 100% did not obey.
Albuquerque, NM → Flagstaff, AZ (Again, But With More Roadkill)
This time through Arizona, I hit up:
Chapel of the Holy Cross (Sedona, AZ) - A breathtaking church built into the red rocks of Sedona. Beautiful, peaceful, and the perfect place to reflect on why I had eaten so much fried chicken.
Grand Canyon - Yes, another huge hole. Yes, the photos don’t do it justice. Yes, I did try to get an Instagram-worthy “edge of the cliff” photo.
The Roadkill Café (Seligman, AZ) - Despite the name, there was no actual roadkill (that I know of). Their "Dead Meat Treat" burger was disturbingly good, though.
Final Stretch: Can I Make It Home on Fumes?
As I neared California, my gas light started glaring at me, mocking me with every passing mile. With 18 miles left, I rolled into my driveway victorious, exhausted, and significantly more knowledgeable about:
Final Road Trip Stats: