Michael and Gabrielle were both 29 at the start of the USA-C2C journey. Gabrielle is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in English and American Literature; Michael is a graduate of Georgetown with an honors degree in American Studies where he played Division I-AA football.
Between us, we have extensive experience in public relations and as teachers in the United States, Poland and Chile. We have traveled extensively in over 20 countries, but Gab had yet to see anything (besides Las Vegas) west of Youngstown, Ohio.
 We set off from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on March 21, 2004 to travel to every National Park, National Historic Site, National Battlefield, National Battlefield Park and National Monument in the Continental U.S. that is recognized by the National Park Foundation.
Our journey took us through over 350 nationally recognized parks, sites, battlefields and monuments, as well as 48 state capitols and the top 50 U.S metropolitan areas. We covered over 75,000 miles of American road - spending equal time in backcountry and urban areas, hiking, climbing, walking and exploring all along the way.
Well...officially the trip was to last from March 21, 2004 to March 21, 2006. But it is now December 2006 and we still have a little more than 20 sites left to see.
It seemed like a good time to become reacquainted with our country - its people, its history and its natural beauty. We lived just 10 minutes away from each other throughout our childhood but met in Wroclaw, Poland, a world away. Michael proposed on day three. Four years later we were happily married, and amazed at what we had yet to appreciate right here in the United States. After years of traveling and living overseas, it was time to fully experience all that our own country had to offer and to see what else we had missed.
This trip was also a celebration of a more personal and more difficult journey. March 21, 2004 our starting date marked Gabrielle's 16th year in remission from Hodgkins disease, a form of childhood cancer. It was important to us that throughout the two years, at every opportunity, that we raise awareness for childhood cancer research and prevention while we celebrated Gabrielle's successful remission.
We drove a 2001 Nissan Altima (fondly known as the 'Tima) the entire way. We camped, stayed with friends and family when possible, and tested our ability to "stretch a dollar" everyplace else. Check our Road Trip Tips for a more detailed account of our penny pinching. If you would like to help out with the cost of maintaining the www.usa-c2c.com website, we welcome your donations.
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