Authors Take Scenic Route in Penske Truck
Two Arizona-based authors recently teamed up withPenske Truck Rental for a two-week promotional tour across the U.S. The Go! Girl Guides (GGG) founder and editor-in-chief Kelly Lewis and GGG author Erica Arvizu embarked on a road trip from Arizona to Pennsylvania in their Penske truck, visiting book stores in 11 cities to promote their women’s guides to traveling.
Empowering Women One Trip at a Time
“This journey has been so incredible because we’ve been able to meet so many interesting, empowering women who want to make travel possible in their lives – because that’s what Go! Girl is all about,” said Lewis, who wrote her first travel guide on Thailand in 2011. Additional travel guides are available for Argentina, Mexico and London.
Written by female travelers, GGG highlights a country’s or city’s top places to dine, safety tips, affordable places to stay, tours, spiritual retreats and volunteer opportunities – all geared toward women travelers.
“Our guides are modeled on what you would tell your best girlfriend or your sister and what they need to know about traveling,” Lewis said.
Argentina guidebook co-author Arvizu added, “The great thing about these books is they’re 100 percent authentic. We’re women traveling in these countries and talking to fellow travelers, locals and health officials.”
The “Move Ahead” staff caught up with Lewis and Arvizu at the University of Pennsylvania bookstore in Philadelphia during the final stop of the tour for their thoughts on traveling parts of the U.S. in a Penske.
What was the highlight of your cross-country trip?
We decided to go the Grand Canyon and camp out – because you can’t be near the Grand Canyon and not visit. We watched the sunrise, which was amazing. It was one of the most phenomenal things I’ve ever seen.
Why do you think it was ideal that Penske and Go! Girl Guides teamed up for your two-week tour?
Penske is so great if you’re moving, whether it’s moving your life or your business. The Penske truck represents fresh starts … going from one place and starting in another – like us. We’re very nomadic.
What did you enjoy most about your 3,500-mile experience driving a truck cross-country?
Part of the adventure of driving the Penske is having the freedom to choose your route. It was the ultimate road trip – being able to have the freedom and flexibility to see something interesting and say, “let’s stop there.”
If you would write a guidebook on how to drive a Penske truck, what tips or advice would you offer?
Go slow. Go everywhere. Find your hazard lights.
Did you have any challenges driving the 12-foot Penske truck?
I’m used to driving larger vehicles. My first vehicle was a manual ’96 Ford Ranger. I drove big, manual Land Rovers through rivers in New Zealand. If you can do that, you can parallel park a Penske.
Later this year, GGG will release a travel guide on Costa Rica. Future travel guides will include Belize and India. Visit GoGirlGuides.com for more information.
By Kandace Wertz