Hi everyone,

I'm sort of thinking aloud here and hoping for some feedback. I'm in the initial stages of planning a 60 day road trip for the summer:

FL > Santa Fe NM > Phoenix AZ > Las Vegas NV > Sonoma Mountain CA > Portland OR > Seattle WA > Missoula MT > Boulder CO > Burlington VT > New York NY > Washington DC > Charlottesville VA > Charleston SC > FL

Whew!

Obviously there are some gaps, like in the beginning between FL and NM and also from CO to VT. I'm looking to span those gaps fairly quickly, but any tips on points of interest along the way would be appreciated.

My main concerns are: is it even possible to see all these places (and enjoy them) in just 60 days? Does anyone know of some really great scenic routes to take along any of the legs (i'm trying to avoid major highways)? Any tips for traveling alone?

I'm on a strict budget as well, so I'd love to know of any good hostels and cheap eats. I'll be doing most of touring around each destination on my mountain bike, so I'm also looking for some good (not too difficult) trails.

Another question...will my 4-cylinder Honda Civic handle going up and down mountains easily? I've been debating renting something like a Honda Element, because even though the gas mileage won't be as good, I could camp in it and save some money that way...plus it would hold a lot more gear. Opinions on the Civic vs. Element issue please!

And lastly (sorry this is so long!) I'm debating whether or not to bring along my dog. She's a good traveler and would make for great company, but I'm worried about finding places to stay. Has anyone on here taken their dog on a major road trip like this, and did it hinder your adventure significantly?

Thanks for reading, any advice would be great!!

-annie