Salena Zito

Since the first American road, the Lincoln Highway, opened in 1913, Americans have found that their relationship with their nation and the roads that connect us north, south, east and west is almost patriotic in concept.

Whether you are on the road for hours or days, whether you stay in your home state or visit multiple others, there is a breadth of history, scenery and experiences that connect all of us, whether we stay ensconced with our families in our cars or stay in campgrounds with a community fire ring, or at a motor lodge, or if you just take a day trip to the local state park. One of the most interesting things we could do this summer is take a road trip, large or small, to experience the country for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This is exactly what Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, his wife, Rachel Compos-Duffy, and their nine children did in intervals of one- to three-day trips. They began with Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the declaration was signed on Aug. 2, 1776.

The road trip was turned into a five-part series, “The Great American Road Trip,” which will run on YouTube for free. Duffy said it was paid for by a nonprofit group of the same name and that no taxpayer dollars were spent on any of his family members.

Sponsors for the project include Boeing, Royal Caribbean, Shell, Toyota and United Airlines. All are economic engines for the tourism and travel industry that feed into the ecosystems of diners, national and state parks, bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, chain restaurants and local tourist attractions.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Duffy noted that no one in his family received a salary.

Duffy said that road trips in his family were a great adventure, filled with awe, sibling fighting and stays in campgrounds and motels. They began with his love of seeing the country from the ground at an early age. “When I was growing up, my parents would take us on road trips all the time, and we’d go to Florida, Arizona, California,” he said.

As one of 11 children, Duffy said that one can imagine there were plenty of “Don’t make me turn this car around” and “Do you want to get out of this car and walk?” moments directed at the backseat.

“Probably one of the most memorable trips, which at this point had just the bottom three or four of us siblings in the car with just Mom – Dad would fly to meet us there because of work – was to the Grand Canyon,” he began. “My mom, who was really athletic, decided that we should walk down to Phantom Ranch and then back up the same day. So, it was like 24 miles. And I think I was 12 at the time, my sister was 9 or 10, and my older brother was 15 or 16.”

Duffy doesn’t mince words – it was a horrific trip. “We couldn’t walk the next day. And she had no money too. So she bought us a couple Snicker bars, and we had water out of the pump well.” Still, the trip became a family legend. And the laughter and memories brought by telling and retelling it meant even more to him today, two years after his mother had passed.

Duffy had fond memories of packed coolers, roadside oddities and games of “I spy” and counting red barns – things that he made his children do during this family road trip, much to their chagrin. “Some things never changed,” he said with a broad smile.

For over 100 years, Americans have embraced their connection to the backroads and highways of the country, linking that adventurous spirit and wanderlust to the very basic concept of the country. It was, and is, audacious, bold, larger than anyone imagined, and filled with possibilities.

“No better way to celebrate the country on our 250th year than getting out there and seeing it,” said Duffy, who began the ride from the White House lawn heading toward the city where the country was formed and 56 men made the bold decision to sign a declaration of separation from the crown – a decision that meant certain death for acts of treason if they failed.

AAA is projecting a record-breaking summer travel season for our nation’s big birthday, with an estimated 39.1 million Americans taking road trips for the Memorial Day holiday alone.