American road trips are a cultural phenomenon almost as old as the automobile, dating back more than a century. Millions of families nationwide are getting behind the wheel this week, with the Fourth of July marking the peak of the season.
Motoring club AAA estimates that a record number of people, more than 72 million, will be on the road between June 28 and July 6.
A 31-year old doctor from Vermont was the first to motor cross country. Horatio Nelson Jackson, along with his chauffeur and a bulldog named Bud, traveled from San Francisco to New York City in 1903 on a $50 bet.
A cross country road trip these days is a far cry from Jackson’s two month trek. But for many, the hum of tires on the road is still the sound of freedom, signaling the possibility for a grand adventure and the opportunity to explore and discover….