dividing up the days

I am retro-actively adding Tuscaloosa AL to the itinerary.  I hadn't noticed I practically pass through it on the way to Austin.  I should definitely take the chance to see my family there.

If I were to take the longest road trip option, I think I would divide up the road-days as follows:


Day 1
DC-->Charlottesville, VA (2hrs 15min)
Meet with professors at UVA.  Get brunch on the downtown mall.

Charlottesville-->Chapel Hill and Durham NC (3hrs 45min)
Check-in to hotel, explore town

Total driving: 6hrs

Day 2
Meet with professors at UNC and Duke.
Continue exploring towns.

Day 3
Chapel Hill, NC-->Athens, GA (5hrs 30 min)
Check in to hotel, meet with professors at UGA.
Explore Athens.

Day 4
Athens, GA-->Tuscaloosa, AL (4hrs 40min)
Visit with family! Yay!

Day 5
Tuscaloosa, AL-->Austin, TX (12 hrs)
Check-in to hotel.  Find beer.

Day 6
Continue scoping Austin.

Day 7
Austin, TX-->Guadalupe Mountains NP/Gila Cliff Dwellings (9hrs 40min/13hrs 15min)
Camp.

Day 8
Continue exploring.

Day 9
Guadalupe Mountains NP/Gila Cliff Dwellings-->Phoenix, AZ (9hrs 40min/6hrs)
Crash. Hang. 

Day 10
Meet with ASU profs.

Day 11
Continue hanging out.

Day 12
Phoenix, AZ-->Santa Barbara, CA (7hrs 15min)
OR-->San Francisco, CA (11hrs 40min)
Check-in, grab dinner.

Day 13
Meet with prof?
Hit the beach.
Santa Barbara, CA-->San Francisco, CA (6hrs)
Catch up with buddies.  Leave car parked at airport for safety.

Day 14
Love on San Fran

Day 15
Keep on lovin San Fran.

Day 16
San Francisco, CA-->Zion NP, UT (12hrs 20min)
Camp at Zion.

Day 17
Hike around Zion.

Day 18
Zion NP, UT-->Pueblo CO (11hrs 45min)
Dinner with family.

Day 19
Pueblo, CO
Spend time with family

Day 20
Pueblo, CO-->Fort Collins, CO (2hrs 50min)
Meet with professors.  


Fort Collins, CO-->Boulder, CO (1hr 10min)
Stay at hotel in Boulder.


Total driving: 4hrs.

Day 21
Continue exploring Boulder/Denver/Fort Collins

Day 22
Boulder, CO-->Omaha, NE (8hrs 30min)
Leave early.  Check out Omaha scene.

Day 23
Omaha, NE-->Bloomington, IN (10hrs 45min)
Sack out.

Day 24
Meet with professors.  Explore Bloomington.

Day 25
Bloomington, NE-->HOME! (10hrs 20min)