[June 01, 2011]

"Traveling the American Road," by Gadling, an AOL Travel Blog, Kicks Off Cross-country, Summer-long Series in Chicago

Just in time for the summer travel season, "Traveling the American Road," from Gadling, an AOL (News - Alert) Travel blog, launches today from America's heartland city of Chicago. The summer-long online interactive diary by experienced travel writer Paul Brady* begins at the Chicago Assembly Plant, home of the Ford Explorer, paying homage to a company that made the American road trip possible more than 100 years ago. An AOL Travel associate editor, lifelong road-trip enthusiast and acclaimed writer, Brady's blog spotlights resurgent towns and cities across the country, as well as American attractions, landscapes, and the people behind these tourism experiences.

"While the country's seen some challenging economic times, America is back," said Brady. "We look forward to sharing stories of American resilience, while also highlighting the country's incredible diversity and sense of adventure. We also hope to inspire people to hit the road. We're pleased to launch the blog in Chicago, a city that in many ways is an expression of all that the country has to offer, from big city sophistication and small town friendliness to stunning architecture and great natural beauty."

Brady is a travel writer who's been published by Condé Nast Traveler, Budget Travel, Jaunted, HotelChatter and The New York Times. Born in Seattle, raised in Missouri and now based in New York City, he's also spent extensive time in Italy and the wilds of South America.

"Traveling the American Road" showcases a variety of new tools and fuel-saving transportation:

• Visa Memory Mapper: Available at www.facebook.com/visa, the Memory Mapper application allows users to upload photos and videos, input the locations in which each image originated, write captions, and add music to create a virtual keepsake of their adventures to share with family and friends via Facebook (News - Alert), e-mail and Twitter.
• 2011 Ford Explorer: Brady is driving the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer, featuring best-in-class highway fuel economy of 25 mpg and SYNC^® with MyFord Touch technology. As Brady travels across the country, he will use the features and technology in the Explorer to help him find his destinations.
• MapQuest Map Builder: To locate Brady's next stop, followers can track his itinerary illustrated by MapQuest Map Builder at TravelingTheAmericanRoad.com.

Followers and would-be travelers can find inspiration by engaging with the program, including:

• Gowalla: Find the latest stops from Brady's Gowalla passport
• TweetUps: Connect with other followers by following AOL Travel and Gadling to learn when and where Tweetups are happening
• Twitter: Get up to speed with live Tweets from Brady's stops along the way, and suggestions from followers using hashtag #americanroad
• Giveaways: Qualify for exclusive giveaways throughout the entire trip

After Chicago, Brady heads to Detroit for a few days of getting to know the Motor City, followed by visits to a variety of cities and states that offer a unique glimpse of Americana, such as:

*Editor's Note: Paul Brady replaces Eva Holland in the travel blog series.

About AOL

AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a premier global media company with a suite of brands and products serving consumers, advertisers and publishers worldwide. The AOL Huffington Post (News - Alert) Media Group is a leading source of news, opinion, entertainment, community and digital information comprised of a wide range of destination websites, including AOL.com, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Moviefone, Engadget, Patch, AOL Music, StyleList and MapQuest. The AOL Advertising.com Group includes Advertising.com, ADTECH, Pictela, Video, inclusive of goviral and 5min Media, Content Solutions and Sponsored Listings and serves a combined content and advertising market at scale through video, brand advertising, content and ad serving. AOL is focused on engaging consumers and providing online advertising services and solutions on both AOL Huffington Post Media Group destination websites and third party websites, in addition to serving consumer platforms including AOL Mail, AIM, about.me, and mobile experiences. AOL also operates one of the largest Internet subscription access services that serves as another distribution channel for its consumer offerings.

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