Road Trip 2007

Where I hit the 4,000-mile mark in the middle of Zion National Park, the scenery, like this sandstone and shale cliff face, was stunning.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah--I've been on Road Trip 2007 long enough now that I've reached 4,000 miles of driving. And while the actual spots where I hit 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 were nothing to speak about, that was certainly not the case when the odometer rolled over from 3,999.9 to 4,000.0.

That's because I was in the middle of this incredible national park when all those zeroes appeared, with gorgeous sandstone and shale cliff faces surrounding me.

Now, to be perfectly honest, when I hit 4,000 miles on the dot, I wasn't at a pull-out. I was on the road, with a place to get off the road literally a tenth of a mile in front of me. But thanks to the fact that a giant tour bus was snarling traffic behind me, there was no traffic at my rear. So, I stopped the car in the road and snapped a few pictures. Full disclosure, you know.

Anyway, I am pretty close to home now--that is to say, fewer than 1,000 miles--so I don't think there will be a blog entry at 5,000 miles. But hey, maybe I'll be forced to make a lengthy detour somewhere.

I hit 4,000 miles on the dot in Zion National Park, though I didn't quite reach a pull-out at the exact moment

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

Road Trip 2007 author Daniel Terdiman hit 3,000 miles in the Infiniti QX56 he's driving just after starting a slow, winding road back home.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

CHAMA, N.M.--We all like milestones and round numbers. That's why, during all the driving I've been doing on Road Trip 2007, I've made a point of pulling over and documenting the most important ones.

When I hit 1,000 miles, I couldn't stop. It was late at night, and it was dark, and I couldn't see a place to pull off. But I was within a few miles of Arizona's Meteor Crater. And I thought that was cool, especially since last year, on Road Trip 2006, when I hit 2,000 miles, I was at an overlook with an incredible view of Washington state's Grand Coulee Dam.

Last week, I hit 2,000 miles on this trip out in the middle of nowhere near the tiny town of Three Rivers, N.M. There was a gorgeous sunset, and I was only about in the middle of the whole trip.

Now, I'm at 3,000 miles, and I've begun to slowly head toward home. There's still days to go and much to see, but I'm no longer getting further away. I turned left at Taos, N.M., and homestretch it is. And at 3,000 miles, I was once again in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico, though this time it was raining and about to turn into a maelstrom.

Last week, I asked where I'd be at 3,000 miles. I know that answer now. There's at least another thousand to go, though. Where will 4,000 be?

The 3,000 mile point was just south of the town of Chama, N.M.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

After 11 days, I hit 2000.0 miles from departure on Road Trip 2007.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

THREE RIVERS, N.M.--I just hit exactly 2,000.0 miles since leaving on Road Trip 2007, my journey around the Southwest.

And given that there happened to be a little piece of shoulder to pull off on here in the middle of nowhere--truly a remote road--and a good enough signal via my EV-DO card, it seemed worth blogging.

So, if you care--and I'm sure at least 11 of you do, that's what I'm doing: Commemorating that since I left the Bay Area a week ago Monday, I've driven exactly 2,000 miles.

Last year, on Road Trip 2006, I hit 2,000 miles at an vista point overlooking Grand Coulee Dam. No such luck this time, but still, with mountains on both sides of the road, and a glorious sunset lighting up some wonderful clouds, it's quite the view anyway.

I wonder where I'll be at 3,000 miles?

The scenery along the road I was driving when I hit 2,000 miles is beautiful.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

As far as the eye could see, the dry land was overcome by the rain

(Credit: Kathleen Craig)

The navigation system shows the outside temperature at 64 degrees just minutes after having been in the 90s.

(Credit: Kathleen Craig)

WINSLOW, Ariz.--I'm standing on a corner in...

Well, if you're an Eagles fan, you get the picture.

Actually, I've just arrived in this town near the Meteor Crater--which I'll be visiting Sunday for a story and photo gallery for my Road Trip around the Southwest--after a long day on the road, and much of it was spent navigating through a heavy rain storm.

At first, it was odd that the outside temperature was dropping precipitously from the high-90s into the 70s and then the 60s.

After a powerful rainstorm, the dry land alongside Arizona's I-40 quickly became totally saturated.

(Credit: Kathleen Craig)

But then it started to rain. A notable thing, I thought, driving through mid-July, mid-day, mid-Arizona. But it was just a few drops.

Then the skies opened up, and it began to really come down.

And next thing I knew, the bone-dry land opposite Interstate 40 was saturated. It was truly a site to behold, and I was deeply happy I wasn't standing at the bottom of a narrow valley anywhere near there at that moment, as it seemed certain that a flash flood had sprung up nearby.

LAS VEGAS--I've been here for three days, and boy, it's been intense.

As the first real stop on my Road Trip around the Southwest, I've had two behind the scenes tours of the Cirque du Soleil, and one tour underground through the tunnels underneath Sin City.

And now, I bid the city, and my great view from the 19th floor of the Mirage, overlooking the Strip, adieu.

The view I'm leaving, from the 19th floor of the Mirage, looking out over the Strip.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

It's on to the next stops: Hoover Dam this morning, and then onto the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

There will, of course, be more blogs, more Twitters, more photo galleries and more stories. Also, video will be coming as soon as I can get my camcorder pulled out its box and turned on and figured out.

So. Stay tuned!