Before the days of air conditioning, massaging seats, heaters, LED headlights, or even cupholders, two men and a bulldog (named Bud) decided to drive from California to New York, literally across the country on a $50 bet back. It was 1903, and in case you’re bad at math, that’s 122 years ago. That predates GPS, cell phones, a radio and cruise control. Talk about extreme van life.
Many called them crazy. People today still call them crazy. But, despite their technological limitations and surely psychological torment, they proved to the public that nothing is impossible if you have the right co-driver and the will to carry on.
Taking notes from the road trip’s chaotic birth, U.S. Steel crafted a docuseries of couples, singletons, and even families forging their own routes across the country, inspired by the original travelers in their car. If you enter to win in the company’s sweepstakes, you can be gifted $10,000 to fund your next adventure. Here’s how you can enter, what to expect, and where to watch the series.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
But First, a History Lesson Of This Incredible Trip
122 years ago, Dr. Horatio Jackson overheard a group of people in San Francisco talking about how people would never replace cars with horses for serious travel. He engaged with them and was bet $50 (which was no small bet back then) that he wouldn’t be able to travel from California to New York in a car, not without a horse. He took the bet, determined to succeed. He didn’t know what to expect, though, since there weren’t any roads, let alone gas stations. But somehow, he’d do it.
Through the kindness of strangers, he was able to secure a Winton touring car, with just 20 horsepower, no roof, thin tires, and no seat belts. To make sure he’d make it, he hired Sewell Crocker, a well-established mechanic, to support the car. Taking a look at the map, I’m sure he was glad to have his help, as the trek involved dense forests, deserts, and, therefore, a handful of breakdowns, with a well-documented incident in Wyoming.
You have to remember that this was an era where the term “road trip” didn’t exist yet, which forced these two men to rely on ingenuity, grit, and, of course, the occasional extra pair of hands from a stranger. They even picked up Bud the Bulldog while driving through Idaho.
The journey wasn’t just an excellent story to tell by the fire or make a fun movie (hence why U.S. Steel decided to make a docuseries based on it); it helped inspire people to engineer highways and brought the concept of a road trip to life. Suddenly, people were inspired by the idea of getting in the car and just… Going.
What U.S. Steel is Encouraging You (And Others) To Do
The company’s docuseries follows people who operate under the same line of thinking: chasing freedom (and amazing views) from the driver’s seat of a van, car, SUV, RV–you name it. The idea is that modern-day travelers and vanlife influencers to retrace Jackson and Crocker’s path forged over 100 years ago.
The travelers explore the communities that have grown around the automotive steel business, even taking a detour to visit the U. S. Steel Automotive Center in Troy, Michigan, connecting the historic route directly to the source of the material that makes many modern vans more reliable, sturdy, and capable of the journey. Compared to, you know, the car Jackson and Crocker drove.
Let’s Get to the $10,000 Incentive
Jackson and Crocker would likely be proud to know they inspired an entire nation to see the world around them, how diverse the American landscape is, and how much fun it is to hit the road with the simple mission of simply seeing more. Those two men (and a dog) showed them there are no limits to what’s possible.
Nowadays, what limits most families is, well, money. This is why U.S. Steel launched its sweepstakes, the USS Across the USA Sweepstakes, which challenges travelers to make the journey in hopes of winning $10,000 to fund the “road trip of their dreams.”
Just as Dr. Jackson embarked on his journey motivated by a $50 bet, the $10,000 prize now serves as a significant incentive to inspire a new generation to map out and pursue their own great American adventure. It’s U.S. Steel’s way of fueling the next chapter of American travel, one dream road trip at a time.
Feeling Inspired? Here’s How to Enter
Thankfully, the sweepstakes is a breeze to enter. From the webpage, there’s a giant, yellow button that reads, “Enter to Win $10,000.” From there, you enter your first name, last name, email address, and phone number. That’s it. There’s a novel’s worth of legal disclaimers you probably should read, but entering is easy.
As an outlet that started to help an underrepresented population find their independence, we love this idea. Get out there, explore this incredible nation, and get to know yourself (or your partner) better than you ever have before.
