An RV Trip Across America

30 days. 7,667 miles. 26 states.

Published in

Revolution

3 min readSep 16, 2019

This summer, Jean Case and I took an RV on a trip across America. It had always been a bucket list item for us and it ended up being a fun, interesting, and inspiring journey. We visited a lot of places. Met a lot of people. Learned a lot. And I can confidently say that I’m more optimistic about America than when we kicked off our trip. Here are a few highlights from our time on the road.

On August 3rd, we boarded our new “home”: a 25 foot Jayco RV. Setting off from our home in Virginia, we traveled through the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland and into Pennsylvania. It was great to return to Pittsburgh, which was one of the cities on our first ever Rise of the Rest Road Trip, and see the growth and vibrancy in the Strip District and elsewhere. And of course, we couldn’t leave without enjoying a Primanti sandwich at their original Strip location!

As our RV trip continued, we made our way into Ohio, where we spent time in Akron, before heading into Michigan, including a stop for dinner in Detroit. We’ve visited Detroit numerous times in recent years (Revolution now has a half dozen investments there), but this was my first visit to the new Shinola Hotel, where we had a great dinner. I’ll be back later this week to speak at Detroit Homecoming, and look forward to staying in the hotel (vs the RV) this time.

It was also great to be back in Ann Arbor, MI, where we had lunch at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, where we kicked off our Rise of the Rest visit in 2017. I view our Rise of the Rest Road Trips as a way to begin and build relationships with entrepreneurs and startup champions all across the country, and Ann Arbor was no exception. As more University of Michigan graduates remain in the area to build businesses, the strength of its entrepreneurial community increases. Slowing of the brain drain is critical for cities looking to accelerate the growth of a robust startup ecosystem.

We then headed into Indiana, and Illinois, on our way to Madison, WI, where our Road Trip stopped five years ago. Progress since then has been impressive. We’re proud to be backing Understory, a weather analytics startup that was founded here. In the company’s early days it was lured to Boston by investors, only to return to Madison, to tap into the talent pool, lower costs, and ag partnerships. Since moving back to Madison, growth and hiring have accelerated, and they have raised $20+ million, from our Rise of the Rest Seed Fund and others. A company to watch!

We had a great time in Fargo, ND in part due to the hospitality of Governor Doug Burgum, a long-time friend (we were both tech entrepreneurs 35 years ago). Doug is a great Rise of the Rest leader and role model, showing what is possible for communities that actively support their entrepreneurs. Fargo is indeed rising!

State parks were our favorite places to camp. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is just 20 minutes outside of Bismarck, the North Dakota state capital, and has a fantastic lakefront site. The cost to camp here? Just $17.

And yes, of course, we went to the Montana Fair. We ate the Viking on a Stick. And the Pork Chop on a Stick. And the Bourbon Chicken Skewers. And the Turkey Leg. Yes, we did.

Following a few inspiring days in Yellowstone National Park, a visit to Bozeman, MT, a “startup hub in the middle of nowhere” (per a recent *Fast Company* article), and a beautiful drive through Montana, Idaho, and Washington, we made it to the West Coast!

Reaching the West Coast marked the halfway point of our trip. As we traveled from Oregon to Idaho, we drove on the Oregon Trail and made a stop in Boise, IA another startup city on the rise. It was encouraging to see lots of young people downtown, and also a considerable amount of construction cranes — both bullish signs that suggest a continued Rise of the Rest momentum.

Making our way through the 1,000+ mile Snake River from Idaho to Utah, we encountered no shortage of breathtaking views. Equally as breathtaking? How economically accessible these experiences are. I love the fact that camping sites range around $20/night so families can enjoy the wonders of U.S. parks.

No cross-country road trip would be complete without a drive through Route 66. Our trip through Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas featured fantastic food, incredible art, and spectacular scenery.

As we made our way back to DC, we greatly enjoyed our time in Bentonville, AR, Tulsa, OK, and Oklahoma City, OK. Highlights included seeing the beginnings of Walmart (who would have expected a global giant to be birthed in rural Arkansas!?), the amazing Gathering Place in rising Tulsa, and the moving memorial to the tragic 1995 OKC bombing.

30 days, 7,667 miles and 26 states later, our #RVAcrossAmerica came to an end. Thank you to those of you who followed our journey…a journey that once again convinced me that it is possible—and imperative—for great cities across the country to rise up and meet the challenges of the future.

An RV Trip Across America

30 days. 7,667 miles. 26 states.

Written by Steve Case