How long does it actually take to drive from NJ to California?

Did you bet with me or against me on the last road trip?

I set out two weeks ago right after the show to drive my son's car across the country and meet him and my wife in San Diego. Last year, I was able to make it door-to-door in 52 hours.

I set out this year to beat that record and did it, pulling into the driveway of the Airbnb after 51 hours and 51 minutes of driving. Yes, that includes my stops for gas and sleep.

OK, I didn't get much sleep, but I stopped.

It was a little trickier without the RV, I had to get a room on the road.

Two stops, the first Friday night in Dayton, Ohio, and then a stop Saturday night in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.

A couple of takeaways. First, no one outside of New Jersey and New York seems to have any residual concern about COVID.

And second, the rest of this country is booming. New highways, office buildings, and housing developments all across Texas and Oklahoma.

In Arizona, I didn't even see a pothole, let alone swerve to avoid one driving through Phoenix. The difference isn't the weather. The difference is common sense government and policies that serve to attract money earners and spenders. No public push for vaccines and segregation based on medical choices. Just people enjoying life and prospering.

Obviously, I'm generalizing, but I can tell you the feeling and the mood outside of NJ and NY is very different.

Our respective governors have basically told anyone who disagrees with their policies to go away.

NY's governor told Republicans that they aren't "real New Yorkers" and should move to Florida.

NJ's governor told people that complain about taxes that NJ isn't the right state for them. What?

Meanwhile, policymakers scratch their heads when four years in a row NJ tops the list of people leaving.

As you know, I'm diggin' in and ready, willing, and able to fight back. It's time to make the COVID-panickers and tax-raising elites as scarce as palm trees in the Garden State.

While you're waiting for the coming changes, enjoy some pics and videos from the road and if you're interested, below is the route I took from Princeton to San Diego.

Driving route:

• Leaving Princeton: Rt 206 to I-295 toward Philly and South I-95
• Rt 1 on the PA side to the PA Turnpike; I-276 which becomes I-76 to Harrisburg
• Pick up I-70 West in the Pittsburgh area; took it all the way to Dayton, Ohio for stop #1
• Then I-70 West to St. Louis picking up I-44 to Oklahoma City
• Then I-40 West through Amarillo, Santa Rosa, and Albuquerque, Nex Mexico
• Exiting I-40 in Holbrook, Arizona to State Highway 377 and others through Sitgraves National Forest then Tonto National Forest
• Entering Mesa, Scottsdale, and passing through downtown Phoenix, AZ picking up Rt 10 West toward Los Angeles
• Then Rt 85 South to I-8 West to San Deigo

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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