Southsider Voice correspondent
Traveling the country in one of his favorite cars was a no-brainer for Southsider Steve Garrity, who embarked on a coast-to-coast trip in the summer of 2013 in his 1993 Cadillac Allante.
Traveling U.S. and state highways and avoiding the interstate as much as possible, Garrity made sure to stop and document every sight he could with his car.
A retired real estate agent, he went on the road trip to commemorate his 65th birthday. He compiled his images in a book that he calls “Road Trip 65.”
Garrity has collected three Allantes, which General Motors ceased production on in 1993 after seven years. Since the 1993 Allante was released early, it was the pace car for the 1992 Indianapolis 500.
This year, he plans to take his Allante on historic Route 66 and visit Michigan, Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta.
Boundaries visited – Mexican and Canadian borders, East and West coasts.
Pictures taken – 5,000 between two cameras: Canon G11 and 5D Mark II.
Miles driven – about 5,000.
States visited - 25 plus Washington, D.C.
Number of U-turns – countless.
Elevations – 25 feet below to 11,000 feet above sea level.
Fuel cost – $1,700.
Fuel used – 450 gallons.
Cost of lodging – $3,000.
Highlights of the trip included the two weeks spent in California and traveling along the historic Pacific Coast Highway. Garrity also spent time crisscrossing the country with visits to Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower in Wyoming and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota to name a few.