United States United States of America

Area: 9,629,091 sq km

 

Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Geography—note: world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)

  Population: 272,639,608 (July 1999 est.)

Ethnic groups: white 83.5%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Amerindian 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)

Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)


Busch, Inc. was founded in 1975 in Virginia Beach, Virginia with three people. Today, Busch, Inc. has over 200 employees and is the U.S. headquarters for engineering, manufacturing, sales, service and warehousing. Busch is committed to quality vacuum products, customer satisfaction and prompt after-sales service, and provides solutions to vacuum design challenges throughout the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

  Médecins Sans Frontières are operating in the U.S. under the name Doctors without Borders.


Route notes of the rally:

…coming from China.

Saturday 10th June - Day 42

Arrive in Anchorage

Sunday 11 th June - Day 43 — Rest Day in Anchorage

Preparations for North American section. Reception and press conference by City of Anchorage and Visitors Bureau with attending TV and newspaper.

Monday 12th June - Day 44 — Anchorage to Tok 519km

Scenic drive along Glen Highway, Route 1. From Palmer, unparalleled vistas, glaciers and mountains of Alaska. Watch for Matanuska River and Glacier, Wrangell Mountains (elev. 4317m) on the way to lunch in Glennallen. Frost heaves on some sections and repairs in progress.

Tuesday 13th June - Day 45 — Tok to Dawson City 301km

After turnoff on the Taylor Highway, Route 5, road becomes gravel and narrows on the way to Chicken. A STOP at the border into Dawson City and the Klondike atmosphere.

…moving on to Canada.

 

…coming from Canada.

Saturday 24th June - Day 56 — Banff to Shelby 642km

Banff to the US border crossing along typical Canadian stage rally roads via Powderface Ridge, Gorge Creek and the Porcupines Hills. Mostly rolling hills in cattle country to lunch in Longview. Border crossing at Chief Mountain into the USA to St Mary and Glacier Park. The 'Road to the Sun' in Glacier Park was still 'snowed in' during the recce and hopefully will be open for the event next year. Highway drive using Route 89 and Route 2 to Shelby via Bowning.

Sunday 25th June - Day 57 — Shelby to Bozeman 490km

Directly south to Great Falls. This is cattle country with open ranging and many cattle guards (also known as Texas Gates). Terrain is good gravel with mostly rolling hills. Route parallels Interstate 15 to the west and visits White Sulphur Springs, Ringling and Wilsall to the university town of Bozeman.

Monday 26th June - Day 58 — Bozeman to Billings via Yellowstone National Park 549km

An easy drive to Yellowstone National Park, the oldest National Park in the USA (est. 1872). The entire Park is above elevation of 2200 metres with many geysers visible from the roadway. Animals also abound and are sure to hold up traffic along the route. The only requirement today is a passage control at Old Faithful after which you are free to explore the park using the map obtained at the entrance. During the recce, Dunraven Pass was still closed and the route exited the park at the east entrance instead of the planned north-east entrance.

Tuesday 27th June - Day 59 — Billings to Rapid City via Devils Tower National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore National Memorial 787km

Casual drive, will make good timing along rolling hills with many cattle guards on the way to St Xavier. A stop at Broadus on the way to Devils Tower with optional drive up to the tower. A short run on FR847 with open ranging. Highway Drive, Route 16, to Custer and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Route 16 past Crazy Horse Memorial Mountain Carving. In progress since 1948 and will take another 100 years to complete. Along Route 244 to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Wednesday 28th June - Day 60 — Rapid City to Jamestown via Badlands National Park 786km

An early morning drive through Badlands National Park to lunch in Pierre. Mostly Northern USA high plains paved roads passing Oahe Dam, Mobrige, Zeeland and Lehr.

Thursday 29th June - Day 61 — Jamestown to Duluth 863km

Still on the High Plains of North Central USA. A short twisty bit along the Scenic Backway on the way to Detroit Lakes for lunch overlooking the lake. On to some forest roads in the White Earth State Forest and Indian Reservation. Classic US stage rally roads, Strawberry Mountain and Height 'O Land forest. To the Paul Bunyan State Forest and Route 210 to Duluth.

Friday 30th June - Day 62 — Rest Day in Duluth

After three long days across the plains, some time to do repairs and rest.

Saturday 1st July - Day 63 — Duluth to Marquette 722km

Route travels through three states, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Interesting but demanding forestry roads after a day of rest. Heading East to Mercer, Presu'ile and Thayer, across Route 2 to Ottawa National Forest. On to L'Anse and along the Skanee Road to Route 510 and back to Route 41/28.

Sunday 2nd July - Day 64 — Marquette to Bay City 723km

Morning drive along lake Superior on Route 28. Into the Hiawatha National Forest along Routes H05, 442, 443 and 449 to Route 94. Over to Route 448 and up to route 28 and 77 to Germsfask. Along route 436 to Curtis and H33 to Route 2 and lunch. Easier drive along Route H40 to Trout Lake and past East Lake to Brevort Lake and the Straits of Makinac Bridge. South through Mackinaw State Forest and along Black River and Black Lake district. More gravel roads in the Pigeon River Country State Forest, then on to the Twin Lakes, Au Sable State Forest and Huron National Forest. From Sterling, Route 23 south to Bay Valley Resort.

…driving into Canada.

Monday 3rd July - Day 65 — Bay City to Niagara Falls, Ontario 557km

Route meanders directly south east towards Port Juron through the towns of Vasser, Marlette and Dudley to the border crossing into the Province of Ontario, Canada at Sarnia. Route follows Thames River East to Glencoe for lunch along Lake Erie to Welland and Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Tuesday 4th July - Day 66 — Rest Day in Niagara Falls

On the US National Holiday, time to recoup before the final days to Newark. Lots to see and do with celebration fireworks in the evening. You can walk across the Rainbow Bridge to the US side but carry documentation.

…driving out of Canada.

Wednesday 5th July - Day 67 — Niagara Falls to Binghamton 536km

Late morning start with run up to the Niagara Parkway to Queenston and border crossing into the USA. Roads are mainly paved to the Cannonball Pub in Wyoming via Tonawanda Creek, southeast past Letchworth State Park along the Caniesteo River on Route 19. Nice roads in the Finger Lakes area of upper New York State. An excursion into Pennsylvania, south of Corning and Elmira before reaching Binghamton from the south.

Thursday 6th July - Day 68 — Binghamton to Newark 333km

Mostly scenic paved roads along forested valleys. Lunch at Eddy Farm Resort near Germantown on Route 97. Heavily populated near final destination in Newark, on the west side of the Hudson River in New Jersey, a stone's throw from the 'Big Apple', New York City.

Friday 7th July - Day 69 — Rest Day in Newark / New York

The hotel will arrange sightseeing, cultural and harbour tours into New York City.

Saturday 8th July - Day 70 — Rest Day in Newark

Later this day you will board your flight to Marrakech

…moving on to Morocco.