10 California Cities in 10 Days: 'The Wild Ride' Begins!

  California Travel and Tourism Commission, Away Network and Volkswagen
               Team Up on the Ultimate California Road Trip
           'Orf' Kicks Off His Incredible Journey in San Diego

  WHAT:    The California Travel and Tourism Commission has teamed up with
           Volkswagen and the Away Network on The Wild Ride, the Ultimate
           California Road Trip.  The Wild Ride is a 10-day driving tour
           crisscrossing California in a new VW Beetle convertible, with
           stops in some of the state's most spectacular destinations and
           overnight stays in luxurious, unique hotels.  Beginning in
           San Diego and ending in Sacramento, each day will be spent in a
           different California city, exploring popular tourist destinations
           and exciting outdoor activities, all while enjoying the distinct
           culture and beauty of California.  The trip was awarded to one
           lucky winner and a guest through a contest on the Away Network.
           Entrants wrote a 250-word essay on why they deserved to win this
           once-in-a-lifetime trip.

  WHEN:    The Wild Ride begins Sunday, April 27, 2003 in San Diego and ends
           Tuesday, May 6, 2003 in Sacramento

  WHERE:   The itinerary includes stops in Palm Springs, Los Angeles,
           Santa Barbara, Monterey/Big Sur, San Francisco, Mendocino,
           Napa Valley and South Lake Tahoe.

  WHO:     New York City writer, comedian and self-proclaimed "journalist of
           the irresponsible proletariat" Chris Orf -- known to his friends
           as "Orf" -- has been selected to take this incredible journey.  A
           seasoned road warrior who usually travels in his trusty VW bus
           "Al the Third," Orf's winning essay was selected from more than
           250 entries submitted on Away.com.  He also received support from
           more than two dozen friends who wrote in on his behalf.  Orf's
           co-pilot will be "Mike the Greek," who has accompanied Orf on
           many other road trips.

           ***Orf will be available for interviews with local media at each
              stop on The Wild Ride***

  BACKGROUND:

  About the California Tourism and Travel Commission:

Travel and tourism expenditures total $75.8 billion annually in California, support jobs for more than 1 million Californians, and generate $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenues. The California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) is a non-profit organization, with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs -- in partnership with our state's travel industry -- that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination.

About The Away Network:

The Away Network's Web sites -- Away.com, GORP.com, GORPtravel.com, and Outside Online -- offer more than 100,000 pages of the Web's best travel content. Collectively the sites have more than 2.6 million unique users each month and more than 2 million registered members.

About the new Volkswagen Beetle Convertible:

The new 2003 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, introduced in January at the Detroit Auto Show, owes its fun and exciting design to its predecessor, the classic VW Convertible. With more than 330,000 classic models sold, many still in use today, the Beetle Convertible is one of the most popular convertible cars ever produced.