[kissmisskate]

WOO! Okay! For as long as I can remember, I've considered myself an Americophile - someone who is interested in everything about America, and Americans. And so, while I've got nothing to tie me down, I'm going to fulfill my dream of travelling, by train, across the USA - stopping in the places I've always dreamed of seeing. Beginning in October, I'm going to be stopping once or twice on the west coast, then making the cross-country trip over to the midwest before heading down south and then making my way up the east coast.

I plan on documenting my trip online, and hope to turn the resulting blog into an article on the sociology of the american people - and so, I'm going to need to meet some people. My schedule is pretty lax, and so besides a few set stops, the majority of the trip is up in the air. Here's where you could potentially come in! I'm looking for places to go and people to stay with. Currently, I'm trying to find someone in Memphis, TN whose couch I could crash on for a day or two - I can't be going through Tennessee and not see Graceland.

Please, dear forumites, give me insight into your fair country! Where to go, what to see, whether I can crash at your place ( in return, I will happily use my culinary training to bake you a menagerie of delicious goodies - or buy you a beer; whichever ). I'll be recording my pre-trip progress on this thread - and likely in a blog which I have yet to create.

Gimme what you got!

and yes, i've heard of couchsurfing and will use that to my advantage as need be. but i'd rather meet y'all!