Your weather blogger has a confession to make. I was on vacation across America for 18 days during the summer of 2024.
During that time the Salisbury Weather Blog was published with fidelity just as if I were at home. I still had access to all of my instruments and data. I just couldn’t walk outside, look at the sky, and feel what it was like to wear the air on some of the many muggy days you experienced. I hope you couldn’t tell that I was gone.
This travel diary will take you on a nearly 7200 mile journey through 22 states and the District of Columbia. The purpose was to explore much of this spectacular nation that we are privileged to call home, observe its people, its customs, its geography, and, of course, its weather.
Day #1: June 22, 2024
Salisbury, MD to Opelika, AL
It was a dark and muggy morning when my wife and I backed out of our driveway at 4:47 AM on Saturday, June 22, 2024. We were headed across the US on a journey to document the summer weather conditions across the southern portions of the nation at a time when the northern tier of states was overwhelmed by record breaking heat. It just had to get hotter, didn’t it?
Well, actually it did not!
Our trip had been planned in advance, at least in terms of where we expected to lay our heads for the evening, but we were open to making side trips where warranted. We expected to be gone for about two weeks.
Our first intended “tourist” spot was New Orleans, a city known for its steamy summer weather. We could not get there comfortably in a single day and agreed that we would only stop for gasoline, stretch breaks, and bites to eat on day one.
As a driver I am a bit of a gambler when it comes to burning gas. This trip was no different as I coasted into a gas station on fumes in, of all places, “South of the Border” in Dillon, SC. We could only laugh about buying gas there and using Pedro’s potty!
It was only 86 degrees under blue skies with puffy clouds as we quickly fled farther south of the border.
Pleased that we had spent less per gallon on gasoline than we did on our last Salisbury fill-up we headed southwest towards the Atlanta area, keeping pace with traffic on the interstate highways.
On previous vacations my wife and I had spent numerous hours exploring Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia so we had no intention of making a lengthy stop in either of those states.
Once we got to Alabama we encountered our first historical location of interest that was just a short distance from Interstate 75…Tuskegee, AL! Here we were able to see the preserved Moton airfield and barracks where 922 Black Tuskegee Airmen trained for battle in World War II.
As darkness arrived on day one of our journey we stopped for the evening in Opelika, AL, a small town near Auburn University in the eastern part of the state.
Dining options were limited so we flipped a coin. Texas Roadhouse won out over Longhorn Steakhouse.
It was here at the Texas Roadhouse that I encountered my first middle finger salute presumably from a local resident who was having difficulty getting out of her parking place as I was attempting to get into mine.
It was also here that our waitress exhibited all of the stereotypical grace and charm that we all attribute to southern hospitality. We thanked her for her service and left a gracious tip, together with a warning to stay away from the lady driver in the parking lot.
We headed to our hotel after 832 miles of driving to get some rest on a day when the high temperature in Opelika was 97 degrees. It had reached 96 degrees at home in Salisbury that day.
Day #2: June 23, 2024
Opelika, AL to New Orleans, LA
An early Sunday five hour drive to New Orleans seemed like a piece of cake compared to our first day.
The first thing noticeable to me and I presume other drivers is that the per gallon cost of gasoline in Louisiana was under three dollars. In fact, it flirted with $2.74 in spots.
We also noticed that just like at home, where we find dead deer on the side of the road after a collision with an automobile, the same is found in Louisiana. I just didn’t expect it to be an alligator!
New Orleans, as expected, was muggy and warm. The air temperature reached 93 degrees, but the dew point was an unbearable 78 degrees. Sure enough, late in the day, a pop-up shower occurred that lasted at most 20 minutes.
During that time we were fortunate enough to shelter at a table in the French Quarter district that we shared with other people. Our table mates were from Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Small world, is it not?
When the showers subsided my wife and I were able to explore the sights and sounds of the French Quarter in New Orleans.
From the flowers and decorations on the balconies to the arts and crafts of the French Quarter Market to the glorious architecture and personalities in Jackson Square, there was something for everyone.
A friendly but competitive game of chess.
A reminder of the ties between New Orleans and France comes via the Joan of Arc monument.
President Andrew Jackson, on horseback, outside the Catholic Church in Jackson Square.
Works of art everywhere.
And of course, great Cajun food enjoyed while listening to live music.
Our muggy day came to an end. It was rather nice being in the deep south on a day where it was downright hot back home in Salisbury, MD.
Day #3: June 24, 2024
New Orleans, LA to Dallas, TX
The next intended stop on our cross country journey was Santa Fe, NM. Too far to drive comfortably in a day’s time meant that we would have to make the long haul across Texas just to get to New Mexico. We made it to the Dallas area right around rush hour, regrettably. Having driven in America’s largest cities we found the Dallas traffic, with its multiple new highways and road construction obstacles to be rather harrowing. When Texans still want to drive 85 mph in a 50 mph construction zone makes it difficult for the out of state traveler. Nonetheless we survived in the late day 97 degree heat. As a matter of record, the highway tolls to make it past Dallas came to $23.62.
The only stop of note that my wife and I made this day was less than an hour north of New Orleans in Darrow, LA. There we visited the historic civil war era sugar plantation called the Houmas House.
The guided tour was informative even though it minimized the significance of the forced transfer of the property from the Houmas tribe to the White slave owners who made a fortune during the years leading up to the Civil War. It instead devoted its information campaign to simply emphasizing how it came to be at this moment in time.
The gardens and interior of the property were spectacular and immaculately maintained. There was no indication of where on the property the slaves would have been housed.
Our tour guide Cheryl, dressed in period costume was able to answer some of our questions that would not have otherwise been addressed during the formal portion of the tour.
I should point out that our 550 mile journey to Dallas was briefly interrupted by a Chilocothe County Deputy who left me with a Texas sized souvenir receipt for $241.90 and a friendly reminder that I would encounter six more small towns along my route before I got to Amarillo. His point, like my money, was well taken!
Day #4: June 25, 2024
Dallas, TX to Santa Fe, NM
It would take nearly 9 hours to make the drive to Albuquerque , NM. The 915 mile drive gave us an opportunity to get a good night’s sleep before heading to Santa Fe the following morning. It lead us to a vast selection of Native American art and jewelry. My wife took a particular interest in the jewelry…some of which now has a home on ears, necks, and wrists in Salisbury, MD!
We left behind the beautiful sites and architecture of Santa Fee and its humidity free 93 degrees to make a late day drive to Sedona, AZ.
Day #5: June 26, 2024
Santa Fe, NM to Sedona, AZ
The drive to Sedona included long stretches of highway with vast skyline vistas that seemed to go on forever. The skies hinted at developing showers, although we never saw any as we made our way to a place whose beauty can only be described as other worldly. The 350 mile drive took about five and one half hours.
Upon arriving in Sedona we were able to enjoy a fine Tex Mex meal in a local dining establishment.
Day #6: June 27, 2024
Sedona, AZ to Williams, AZ
Our schedule on this day allowed time for some early morning browsing of downtown shops, lunch, and an afternoon of photography amidst the splendid scenery.
Our lunch was at 89 Agave Sedona Cantina, Tripadvisor’s listing as Sedona’s number one restaurant. It did not disappoint even at its Nacho average price!
Here at lunch we overheard the family next to us mention that they were excited about visiting the Grand Canyon. We were headed there as well so my wife engaged them in conversation and the “Where are you from?” ice breaker reminded us that you cannot go anywhere without something strange happening.
The couple and their two high school aged sons were from Pasadena, MD and the oldest child was considering attending Salisbury University after graduating high school this coming year. Quite a coincidence this was, but it paled in comparison to what happened next.
The father said, “I know that Salisbury is a fairly small city. Let me ask you, just out of curiosity, if you happen to know a good friend of mine by the name of Rick M.?” (I’m leaving out the actual last name.)
My wife literally fell out of her chair as she exclaimed, “That’s my cousin. His late father and my dad were brothers!”
I will end the story there as you can imagine for yourself how unique and coincidental this episode was. We took a photo of my wife with the gentlemen from the other table and sent it immediately to Rick. Rick, who now resides in Philadelphia, called us immediately. It was a fun afternoon.
The remainder of the afternoon consisted of a different kind of fun as we toured the Sedona area and photographed much of the jaw dropping scenery that this southwestern gem of a setting provides.
It was difficult to leave this gorgeous Arizona scenery and weather behind to make the one hour trek north to Williams, AZ.
Williams, AZ is home to the Red Garter Inn. On the National Registry of Historic Places, this brick building built was built as a saloon and bordello that provided entertainment to the gentlemen of the area, complete with pool tables, an opium den, and a Chinese restaurant. It served plenty of whiskey and had a two story outhouse.
The Red Garter Inn was closed (LOL) so my wife and I had an early dinner next door at the Barrel House.
Since the humidity levels were so bearable in this part of Arizona we enjoyed an al fresco pizza and then rushed back to our hotel to watch the Presidential Debate.
My wife and I, as I presume many of you as well, observed one weak and tired gentleman who struggled to communicate and another who told countless lies and refused to answer questions. That was the bad news. The good news was that we were in Arizona and it was only 6 o’clock!
Perhaps some readers may be wondering why we decided to spend the night in an old west town just off of the iconic Route 66.
Aside from the historic charm of this noted US highway, this location, with its beautiful summer weather, is also home to the train depot that serves the Grand Canyon National Park…our next destination.
Day #7: June 28, 2024
Williams, AZ to Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
The first impression made upon us on this Friday morning train ride to the Grand Canyon is how drastically the Arizona landscape had changed just one hour north of Sedona.
The upper level of our train car gave us an excellent view of the landscape during our nearly two hour train ride north from Williams, AZ. The vivid blue sky and puffy white clouds early in the morning are reminders that temperatures were in the mid 60’s with absolutely no humidity.
We took the train ride to the Grand Canyon in order to avoid the drive that would have resulted in a two to four hour wait just to enter the park.
Our hostess Nancy presented some informative commentary during the train ride regarding the history of the train and its connection to both Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon.
There was plenty of entertainment made available to us on the Grand Canyon Railway. Stereotypical western characters, who stayed in character throughout the trip, provided some light hearted fun.
The US Marshall, pictured here, came into our car and asked how everybody was doing that day. A lady in the front said, “Good Morning, Sheriff!”
The reply to her was, “M’am, let me remind you that I am a US Marshall, and not the Sheriff. A Marshall is appointed due to his character and high qualifications to enforce the law. A Sheriff is a politician!”
The US Marshall’s retort was delivered in a manner that made his point clear to all aboard. It was a fun, but profound moment.
Our strolling musician entertained us with a half dozen songs that ended with everybody on board singing “Take me home, country roads…” Go figure!
Upon arriving at the Grand Canyon my wife and I boarded a tour bus that transported us to all of the spectacular viewing spots around the canyon. Our tour operator and bus driver was Carl, from Fairfax, VA. He was familiar with Salisbury and Ocean City and had fond memories of Delmarva’s beaches. He has been living in Arizona for about 15 years and vows to stay because he could not stand the humidity that we have here in the summer.
Here are a few of the many great views that we experienced in 90 minutes before heading to the lodge for a buffet lunch.
Our day at the Grand Canyon was not hot and uncomfortable by Delmarva standards. This day, however, was one of the few days where the weather in Salisbury, MD was pleasant, reaching only 79 degrees.
The train ride back to the depot was filled with more cowboy entertainment. The fiddler was awesome as he plucked his strings and serenaded the passengers. His repertoire was diverse and his sense of humor was terrific. When asked if anybody had a request somebody shouted out “Free Bird”! Everybody laughed and after a brief pause, sure enough he broke into a rousing rendition of “Free Bird” on his fiddle!
Day #8: June 29, 2024
Williams, AZ to Death Valley National Park, CA
As a true weather nerd a visit to the hottest place on the planet has always been on my bucket list. Thankfully, my wife obliged, as she did a few years back when we had the pleasure of visiting Mount Washington, NH, home to the highest wind speed ever recorded on the planet.
We set out on our 5 hour, 330 mile drive to Death Valley. Most mornings on our trip we were on the road bright and early, but today we purposely departed late in the morning in order to increase our chances of arriving in blistering afternoon heat. Crazy, I know.
We were also intentional in filling up with gas on Route 66 in Arizona. We did not want to pay California prices.
The drive was not particularly exciting, especially when comparing the scenery to what we had seen during the previous few days, but we eventually arrived just prior to 5 PM.
Unfortunately, the Visitor Center was just closing so we did not have the opportunity to go inside to view the exhibit and the official temperature readings.
I learned later in the day that the official high temperature on this day at Furnace Creek in Death Valley was 121 degrees…a couple of degrees higher than my vehicle thermometer at the time this photo was taken.
Stepping out into the air found my wife and I both hit by the hottest breeze that we had ever felt. It was windy. The hot wind is not something that is comfortable to breathe, although we found the air itself to be just as dry as we had always been told. I cannot imagine that indigenous people used to occupy this land. Nor can I imagine how uncomfortable things may have been when coupled with the back home humidity from Maryland.
The last leg of our day number eight journey took us to Las Vegas, NV where we could get a good night’s sleep just off the Strip before waking up the next morning for a full day in Sin City.
Day #9: June 30, 2024
Las Vegas, NV
This last Sunday in the month of June turned out to be our first reprieve from a full day of driving.
While Las Vegas can certainly serve as a multi-day destination we limited ourselves to this single full day in keeping with our initial goal of covering as much US territory as we could in close to a two week period of time.
Las Vegas, as evidenced by the hundreds of pedestrians, was a walkable venue that was a delight for people watching despite the triple digit heat.
We actually were able to book a suite at the Venetian on short notice. Here are some other images that we captured during our one day visit. The Mirage, pictured below, actually closed this iconic location a short week after our visit. It will be remodeled and renovated as a Hard Rock Casino property.
One of the biggest surprises is how family friendly the city of Las Vegas has become. The city was clean, the people were friendly, and there was something for everyone.
Not surprisingly, the most expensive meal that my wife and I enjoyed on our entire journey was our lunch in Vegas, which basically consisted of pub style food and drink. The Cabo Wabo Cantina offered a refreshing respite from the 107 degree heat. The food was good and the beer was cold. Unfortunately, the beverage cost $15.50.
Day #10: July 1, 2024
Las Vegas, NV to Moab, UT
We left Las Vegas and its triple digit heat in the rear view mirror on this first day of the new month and once again hit the road for a drive through the beautiful state of Utah. Our destination was Arches National Park, just west of the Colorado border, outside of Moab, UT.
The 458 mile trip on this day consumed over six hours of drive time, but both my wife and I were wowed by the ever-changing landscape and its beauty as evidenced by the photos that follow.
The images just viewed were all made along the highways in Utah as we managed to take advantage of the many scenic overlooks. We were in agreement that we would be happy if these were the most dynamic views that we were to see all day.
And then we arrived at our final destination, Arches National Park. The views on this 30 mile loop through the park were awe inspiring. One can only imagine how beautiful the photography might be if one was fortunate enough to spend several days here and view the landscape at different times of the day.
Having been overwhelmed by the views we saw in our short visit reminded us both about how timing is everything. Here is Arches National Park just two days before our arrival.
The North American Monsoon brings flash flooding to Moab, Utah.
The Southwestern monsoon is caused by the change in wind direction when the breezes bring moist air northward from the Gulf of Mexico and the tropical Pacific Ocean. https://t.co/00uCP8zHUR pic.twitter.com/T9gkm3sJYA
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) June 29, 2024
We were indeed fortunate and appreciated that very much as we went to dinner in the quaint town of Moab, UT.
As mentioned previously, one of the joys of a trip like this is engaging in conversation with the people that you meet. Our waitress at the Moab Brewery restaurant happened to have grown up in Vermont. She came to Arches National Park six months ago to go mountain biking, fell in love with the area, and decided to never go back home. My wife and I were both convinced that she had found her paradise at such a young age. We then prepared for our next day of travel.
Day #11: July 2, 2024
Moab, UT to Aspen, CO
As we headed out of Moab, UT on the eleventh day of our cross country jaunt my wife and I were in complete agreement that we had been blessed with good weather. We both had been to the Denver area before as well as Vail, CO, so this time our destination was the Aspen area.
Long a ski and vacation destination Aspen became immortalized in the music of the late John Denver for its terrific environment and way of life. In fact, the John Denver Sanctuary has become a part of a city park in the quaint downtown area of Aspen.
The sanctuary offered a peaceful place for visitors to rest, read, play, and reflect among beautiful foliage, a running stream, and rocks and boulders that had been inscribed with the lyrics of many of Denver’s favorite songs.
We met several people here from all over the US. One young parent of a teenage girl named Annie was brought here so that her mother could tell her the story behind her name.
As far as the weather goes, this particular day was probably as pleasant as one couple could ever ask for at the beginning of July. Throughout our Aspen visit the air was refreshing to breathe and the temperatures hovered in the upper 60’s on its way to a high just above 70 degrees for the day.
We headed out of Aspen late in the afternoon on our way to an overnight stay outside of Denver. We stopped on the way for an early dinner in Vail, another place famed for its scenery and recreational opportunities.
Day #12: July 3, 2024
Denver, CO to Grand Island, NE
This day was particularly planned to include a day full of unknowns. We decided to drive through Nebraska because in all of our cumulative years neither one of us had ever been there. I’m thinking, “How can you be so close to Nebraska and not go there?” So, we went.
The morning traffic leaving the Denver area was congested to no one’s surprise, but we soon found ourselves driving the interstate highway with little company.
Our drive into northern Colorado eventually turned into a short sliver of Wyoming roadways in its southeastern section where we stopped for gasoline in Cheyenne, WY.
While I was pumping gas my wife went inside the convenience store to get a cup of ice. She likes her ice water and, of course, the case of bottled water that we had packed away for the trip meant that it was too hot to drink without ice.
As you may know, most places do not charge for ice if you bring your own cup into the store. I, on the other hand, needed a cup of coffee to ensure that I would stay awake driving for several more hours. When I went to the counter to pay for the coffee, the young man behind the counter smiled at my wife and I and told us to have a “blessed day”. Small acts of kindness like that from a total stranger make for some of our most memorable moments when we travel. We try to pass it on!
As we drove across long and nearly empty highways we could see that, for the first time on our vacation, thunderstorms were brewing on the horizon. The weather nerd in me began to become excited! I know, I know! But…I was really excited!
As we drove towards the east we found ourselves outrunning the storm. We needed a reason to slow down and we found it near Alliance, NE.
What did we find? Carhenge!!! It is exactly like what it sounds like…Stonehenge with cars!
I know that art is in the eye of the beholder and I was “riveted”, pun intended, by the hard work and ingenuity that went into its construction.
My wife and I wondered if we were the only ones crazy enough to visit Carhenge. No way! Inside the Visitor Center was a map of the US that allowed visitors to indicate their hometown in order to record their visits just this year. Note the black pushpin just above “Maryland” is the one I placed for Salisbury, MD. If you ever visit, touch that pin and place your fingers to your nose. It smells like Old Bay!
Carhenge certainly was well worth the visit, as it was entertaining and also allowed the building thunderstorms to catch up to us.
With storms continuing to approach we proceeded to head out across the vast, but interesting, landscape that was central Nebraska.
We drove through a driving rainstorm across the plains for many miles and many hours. The rain rarely let up, making for difficult driving conditions on unfamiliar country roads. Gasoline was difficult to find as one could often drive 60 to 80 miles or more between stations. When we finally pulled over for gas the nice lady inside said, “Honey, in these parts you pull over every single time that you see a gas pump”. I used her advice for the rest of the trip.
We finally outran the storm, so we ducked into an Applebee’s while things were dry.
And then, the bottom fell out shortly after the winds began to swirl as we pulled into the hotel parking lot for the evening in Grand Island, NE.
Grand Island’s claim to fame was an unfortunate outbreak of 7 tornadoes on June 3, 1980. Five people were killed, about 200 injured, 475 living units and 49 businesses were destroyed, with a total damage of nearly 300 million dollars.
We confirmed with the young lady at the hotel check-in desk that they have prepared for another similar scenario. Hotel staff has access to a basement at the hotel that would help shelter them in the event of another tornado in the area.
Once the storms passed we had a restful night’s sleep prior to the next day’s journey into Oklahoma.
Day #13: July 4, 2024
Grand Island, NE to Catoosa, OK
Independence Day began by hopping onto the road and heading south through Kansas and into Oklahoma.
We were working our way back home and had planned a route that would eventually pass through Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama as well.
So, on this day we headed towards the Tulsa, OK area on a trip that would take close to 7 hours and cover about 465 miles.
There were lots of toll roads in Oklahoma that cost us a total of $13 and we found the landscape to be rather bland for the most part.
We ended up spending the night outside of Tulsa in Catoosa, OK where we reunited with the historic Route 66. This location is where we began the next day’s outing after enjoying a Mexican meal at a local Catoosa restaurant.
Day #14: July 5, 2024
Catoosa, OK to New Albany, MS
Another long drive was in our plans on this day as we headed out on the old Route 66 towards the Blue Whale. A fun attraction for families in the 1960’s is still available today as a place to fish and relax near the pond under shady trees.
The long and arduous 8 hour drive continued eastward through Arkansas, the Memphis, TN area, and into Mississippi.
We did drive into Fort Smith, Arkansas looking for historical sites related to the infamous “Trail of Tears”, and found the Fort Smith National Historic Site. From the courthouse, pictured here, visitors can walk the nearly mile long River Loop Trail. It was this path that thousands of Cherokees walked in the 1830’s in order to enter Indian Territory.
We spent the night in New Albany, MS, just outside of Tupelo. Tupelo, MS was on the to-do list for the next morning.
Day #15: July 6, 2024
New Albany, MS to Cleveland, TN
The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, was born here in Tupelo, MS. A small and lovely park devoted to his childhood and early years was a peaceful place to visit.
Just outside the home a bronze statue of Elvis at age 13 graced the pathway between the home and the church where he became enthralled with the blues.
We departed the Presley home prior to noon and began driving across the rest of northern Mississippi and Alabama towards the Tennessee border to visit Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, TN.
My wife and I found many changes at Lookout Mountain since we last visited many years ago. We still had a stunning view of Chattanooga from the top of the mountain, but the park had added many monuments and additions that marked the history of Lookout Mountain during the Civil War.
It has long been claimed that on a clear day seven states (TN, KY, VA, NC, SC, GA, AL) can be viewed from Lookout Mountain’s Rock City summit, however, there are many in the scientific community who claim that the curvature of the earth would prohibit views of VA, KY, and SC.
Nonetheless, the views were stunning as we headed off for the northeast corner of the state. Next stop was Pigeon Forge, TN.
Day #16: July 7, 2024
Cleveland, TN to Pigeon Forge, TN
Admittedly, this was the most disappointing portion of the entire trip. We had last visited the Pigeon Forge area so many years ago that we found it now to be nearly unrecognizable.
This in no way is meant to diminish its attraction as a family destination for an exciting vacation. Most families with children would likely find the myriad numbers of amusements, games, rides, shows, restaurants, and entertainment venues to be the perfect one stop destination.
The day we spent here was hot and muggy so we ventured out onto the unbeaten path in search of something new and exciting in the Gatlinburg area. Unfortunately, since it was Sunday, many of the local attractions and artisans were closed.
I did make sure to take a couple of pictures to prove we actually visited the area. There is this one:
And, of course, this one at the world’s largest Buc-cee’s!
Exit 407 off of Interstate 40 is known as the exit one takes for the Great American Vacation to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Adding Buc’cee’s to the area only added to the congestion. We were happy to leave heading north from the same exit.
Day #17: July 8, 2024
Pigeon Forge, TN to Staunton, VA
Staunton is approximately the halfway point between Pigeon Forge and Salisbury, MD. I have passed through Staunton many times and found it to contain much history and several good restaurants.
We always make it a point to stop at the Mill Street Grill where the selection of cuisine is extensive and the service is top notch.
Day #18: July 9, 2024
Staunton, VA to Salisbury, MD
The last leg of the journey gave us the opportunity to explore Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive in Virginia. Even at the higher elevations we found the humidity to be oppressive whenever we stepped out of our vehicle at one of the many scenic overlooks.
From Skyline Drive we then traveled Interstate 66 towards Washington, DC. After traveling as far as we had we headed onto Constitution Avenue, got caught up in the late afternoon traffic on a 100 degree day, and even took a couple of photos.
A couple of hours later we arrived home having driven just nine tenths of a mile under 7200 miles in 18 days.
Since that last picture we took in DC scared us the first thing we did, even before unpacking our luggage, was write a check to the IRS in the amount of $207,024.
Phew! We’ve done our share.
Our dashboard photo upon arriving home shows the details of our cross country journey that ended at home in Salisbury on another day where the local temps soared beyond 90 degrees.
Trip Temperature Summary
We experienced one day where the high temp was in the 70’s, five days where the high temps were in the 80’s, eleven days with a high in the 90’s, and two days where the temperature exceeded 100 degrees.
The temperature range was from 72 degrees in Aspen, CO to 119 degrees in Death Valley National Park, CA.
For the sake of comparison the temperature range back home in Salisbury, MD over the same time frame was from 77 to 96 degrees.