Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. Additional notes will be found near the end of this ebook. [Illustration: IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE KEY ~~~~~~~ ROUTE FOLLOWED BY CAR - - - - CAR SHIPPED BY BOAT OR TRAIN --o-- TOWNS VISITED, OR EN ROUTE ☉ OVER NIGHT STOPS ] IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE A MOTOR TRIP FROM COAST TO COAST BY BEATRICE LARNED MASSEY [Illustration] SAN FRANCISCO HARR WAGNER PUBLISHING CO. MCMXX _Copyright, 1920, By Beatrice Larned Massey_ _Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco_ TO MY DEAR _MR. NIP_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE START 1 II. NEW YORK TO PITTSBURGH 6 III. OHIO AND DETOURS 20 IV. ON TO CHICAGO 30 V. THROUGH THE DAIRY COUNTRY 39 VI. CLOTHES, LUGGAGE, AND THE CAR 43 VII. THE TWIN CITIES AND TEN THOUSAND LAKES 54 VIII. MILLIONS OF GRASSHOPPERS 62 IX. THE BAD LANDS--“NATURE’S FREAKIEST MOOD” 70 X. THE DUST OF MONTANA 77 XI. A WONDERLAND 87 XII. WESTWARD HO! 103 XIII. NEVADA AND THE DESERT 117 XIV. THE END OF THE ROAD 130 FOREWORD _May I state, at the start, that this account of our motor trip from New York City to San Francisco is intended to be not only a road map and a motor guide for prospective tourists, but also to interest the would-be or near motorists who take dream trips to the Pacific? It sounds like a rather large order, to motor across this vast continent, but in reality it is simple, and the most interesting trip I have ever taken in our own country or abroad._