- Now Steinbeck gets into some more detail about his rationale for taking this particular trip. It's not just that the travel bug bit him hard. More than that, he just feels like he doesn't know his own country (that's the U.S., folks) well enough these days. Since his day job is writing about America, that's kind of a big deal, in his opinion.
- He goes into the meticulous prep he did for the trip. One big item: he had a truck custom-made for him, which had a little house-cabin thingy built on the back. He named it Rocinante after Don Quixote's horse, which should tell you a little bit about his attitude toward the whole adventure. (If it doesn't, here's a quick thumbnail for you: Don Quixote was an old man who was deluded into thinking that he was a heroic knight. His "trusty stallion," Rocinante, was actually a weathered old nag.)
- Steinbeck decided that he would bring his poodle, Charley, on the trip, and we get details about this canine companion.