The Backdrop: Sunday, June 27, 2010

About five months ago, on some cold, dark, dismal, and dreary weekday morning, my alarm clock sounded around 5:45. This is about the time of year that sincere bitterness begins to set in as I am exhausted and tired of having to be at work by 6:30-6:45 every day. As I am in the shower, I began to think about the summer and what I would be able to do with that time. It took me about three minutes to determine that this summer was going to be different. No class. No job. No professional development. It took me about thirty more seconds to determine that I would travel. I was going to take my little blue Honda Civic across the country and drive the Pacific Coast Highway from Seattle to San Francisco. This plan was paramount.

In two days, that journey begins.

With the help of several people, I will be traveling from my muggy, yet charming, home of Kansas City, MO to Keystone, South Dakota (home of Mt. Rushmore) Glacier National Park, Montana, Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia, Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco, California.

I knew the logistics of a trip like this could be difficult and, most importantly, expensive. I immediately began asking around for people to be my travel companions to provide some company and help offset some of the traveling costs. My one and only sister, Erica, decided to be the first volunteer. After just losing her job to a dismal economy, she recently moved back to KC from Las Vegas and is ready to see the sites. Erica will be with me until Portland. Coming in next will be my good friend and colleague Megan Hughes. Megan will traverse the roads from Portland to San Francisco.

There are more people to thank, but I will introduce them later as I want to get to the point of this whole blogging idea--food.

Inspired by such shows as "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," and "Feasting on Asphalt," my blog "Blue Asphalt" will not simply record the daily ins and outs of our journey across the country, but the tastes and colors of the local food. I will post my reviews of the local cuisine and the people who prepare it, which at this point are both completely unknown.

We have thousands of miles to travel, some beautiful sites to see, and some delicious food to eat. My little blue Honda may only have room for a few, but this blog has room for plenty. Come along. I will keep you posted.

~Andy