The trip out West started off at 7 a.m. with loading up in the motorhome and filling up with fuel. Jordan Fields, a sophomore business major at the University of North Georgia, his father Jason Fields, and I were prepared and excited to begin the long journey across the country for the Specialty Equipment Market Association show. SEMA is an annual automotive trade show that car enthusiasts use to network and explore the vast possibilities of cars.
We set off on the road with miles of open road ahead of us. We drove through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and into Texas.
As we rolled into Dallas around 9 p.m., we looked for a place to grab some food and settle down for the night. The Saltgrass Steak House was the decided dinner spot. Everyone left the steakhouse full of steak and happy. We then found the nearest Walmart to park the motorhome and rest for the night.
After making it all the way through Texas, we made a stop in Carlsbad, New Mexico at Carlsbad Caverns National Park for some site seeing along the way.
When we came up to the entrance to the cavern, we walked through an amphitheater and down a long path into the darkness. It was a nice change of temperature and a good way to beat the New Mexico heat.
Once inside the cavern, we started to see many unique formations such as this one called “In the Beginning.” Sulfuric acid caused the Swiss cheese pattern in the rocks.
Continuing through New Mexico and Arizona, we ended up on the outskirts of Tucson at the Corona de Tucson fire department. During the drive, we looked for photo opportunities and talked with the fire department at Corona de Tucson, who were more than happy to let us snap some pictures of the Shelby cobra at the fire station.
After we were done taking photos at the fire station, we headed over to the Tucson Dragway. Here we got special permission from the manager of the track to bring the car out onto the strip for some unique photos. We were super excited to have this opportunity to take pictures of the car outside of the shop and wanted to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as we could.
Finally, we arrived in Glamis, California. There, we spent the day riding side by sides on the Imperial Sand Dunes and had a day of fun before we go into Las Vegas and begin the show.
