The Frugal Traveler’s American Road Trip

Last year he traversed the world. This year he’s sticking closer to home.

The New York Times’s Matt Gross — aka their Frugal Traveler — has just set off on an American road trip. He’s spending the next three months criss-crossing the lower 48. Here’s his first dispatch, a characteristically compelling account of leaving home. You can follow him online — stories and videos will appear ever Wednesday — at www.nytimes.com/frugaltraveler.

And don’t forget to send in your travel tips. Matt writes:

To make this journey a success, however, I’ll need the help of you, my readers. Like my round-the-world trip last summer, all I know is that I started in New York City and will end up in Seattle. Where I go in between is up to you. You know the scenic drives and the shortcuts; the clean motels and untrammeled campgrounds; the swimming holes and the picnic spots; the festivals, the fairs and the parties; the brilliant local rock bands and the minor-league sports extravaganzas; the truck stops, the diners, the farm stands and the church suppers; the weird museums and the roadside attractions; the historical sites, the nature walks, gallery openings and fireworks displays. Send me your suggestions, and if they’re on my way and within my budget, I’m there!