Soaring Through America Like an Eagle: What It's Like as a Brit to Road Trip in the USA

I pictured America to be an adventure much bigger than I had previously encountered, quite literally. As I landed in LAX, I got my first sense of the culture: the traffic, the heat, the impatience, and most of all, the size of the cars!

I planned ahead, so I was expecting a Dodge Challenger at the rental desk. I saw a Hemi drive past, hoping it would be for me. It wasn't. Still, I wasn't disappointed when presented with the 3.6L V6 GT version of the same car.

I mean it, I wasn't disappointed as I would have to cover over 2,000 miles in a week, and a V6 would be kinder to my wallet than a gas-guzzling V8.

This was also my first experience driving from the left side of the vehicle, if you don't count a quick blast in a Citroen Mehari a couple of years ago. I had driven on the right side of the road before in Europe, but this meant I was doing both at the same time.

It was strange to get used to as I set my map for the hotel in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. I did occasionally find myself driving on the left side of a quiet road, but that didn't last long.

One of the things I liked about driving in LA was that it is legal to turn right at a red light unless otherwise stated. This left me actively wanting to avoid being at the front of a queue at traffic lights, as I would be responsible for looking for a 'no right at red light' sign. Wouldn't it be better to have a sign that says 'right at red light permitted' instead? American readers may be judging me right now.

My first great adventure was driving on I-405, or 'the 405' as they call it in LA. It was hectic! I arrived at rush hour, on the road they often refer to as 'the biggest parking lot in LA,' but it wasn't standstill traffic, quite the opposite.

The lane discipline was non-existent, and everyone flew past like a racehorse. I had to embrace the situation, ready my own pony, and get stuck in. It's the only way: do as the locals do. If you've driven on the 405, you'll know it is equally enjoyable as it is overwhelming. What a great way to familiarize myself with driving in America.

After spending a few days in LA, taking in the sights, and getting rid of the jetlag, I officially started the road trip. The first stop was Joshua Tree National Park, which was a terrific opportunity to stretch the Challenger's legs.

As I joined the freeway, I noticed the Dodge's suitability for a long journey. Generally, the journey was bumpy and uncomfortable. Don't blame my ride, however. The muscle car was doing the best it could to soak up the bumps, but it was the road surface that was causing the problems.

The noise could be attributed to the car; there was a lot of wind noise from the wing mirrors, which was hard to ignore. The only remedy was to push further with my right foot and listen to the V6 engine instead. It's not the ideal engine configuration, as a V8 would've been cool, but the V6 doesn't sound bad. It's almost like a muted V8, only one that won't disturb the neighbors that much.

Fuel economy wasn't ideal either; I averaged 20 mpg in LA, and this rose to around 25 mpg on the freeway. I somehow saw the upside of this situation because of the fuel price; I often found fuel at around $5 per gallon or even less in California, I know! Translated to GBP, that would be around £1 per liter (€1.18 per liter). Before I left for America, I regularly paid £1.50 per liter, so $5 per gallon was mighty fine for me.

As I reached Joshua Tree National Park, the road surface improved, and the scenery became more beautiful. The Challenger was in its element, gliding along the asphalt with ease.

I even got to see a Tesla Cybertruck, and the owner kindly let me take a look around the inside, too. Many of my British colleagues were jealous, as the Cybertruck isn't yet sold in the UK, and there's only a single unit touring the country as a marketing strategy.

The day ended in a blanket of night, as I drove along the endless roads with nothing but headlights and taillights to guide the way. Eventually, I reached my overnight halt: Las Vegas. The mountains parted, revealing a sea of lights, like something I'd seen in a movie - The Hangover.

The next day, I headed out of Vegas to check off an item on my bucket list: the Grand Canyon. A short 30-minute drive was all that stood in the way of the first stop of the day, Hoover Dam.

As I reached Kingman, I turned off towards the historic Route 66 and eventually reached Seligman. For those who love the Cars movie, this town, along with other locations around this part of the world, is believed to have inspired it. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop at an authentic Route 66 diner, where pancakes were on the menu, and they were delicious.

At this point, I was in Arizona, the third state on my trip, heading towards the final stretch of Grand Canyon National Park. I was getting closer as the trees got thicker and the bugs more abundant. When I reached the enormous canyon, I could assess the collection of insects on the front of the car.

Conveniently, the petrol stations, or gas stations, were all equipped with a squeegee and some nice soapy water to clean the windshield whenever you fill-up the car. It was also a great chance to get some cold water to drink as the temperature soared to over 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).

Among all this heat and humidity, the car performed faultlessly. The seats would be hot every time I'd get into the car, and the steering wheel needed a minute to cool down, but the air conditioning system was sublime. I suppose it needed to be good, considering the climate.

After spending the day at the Grand Canyon, I returned to Las Vegas for another night of rest and recovery before a final day of long-distance driving. It is crazy to think that despite seeing a natural wonder of the world, there was still more for me to look forward to on this trip, Sequoia National Park.

The journey to the Giant Forest in California meant that the car would have to climb to over 6,900 feet (over 2,100 meters), higher than any natural peak in the UK. Once again, the uphill was no match for the Challenger's 303 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque.

It was a joy to tackle the twisty road as the views became more spectacular. In the UK, we often think that muscle cars can't handle bends, but the Challenger proved easy and fun to drive.

In the end, the Dodge Challenger GT was present to fulfil a dream of mine: to drive my own version of an American road trip in an American car. Maybe I'll be back soon to visit Death Valley or Yosemite, possibly even drive the Pacific Coast Highway, but for now, I have some great memories in a wonderful car.

Land of the free and home of the brave? That's exactly how I felt.