Three guys from Utah are in the midst trying to visit the 48 contiguous United States in slightly more than five days in a dark red Toyota -- nonstop, except for gas.

Joshua Keeler, Joey Stocking and Adam Gatherum, all of North Salt Lake, started the "Great American Road Trip" on Sunday morning in Vermont.

The three, all in their early 20s, are in Arkansas this afternoon, their 21st state on the route.

"After going from Mississippi to Louisiana, we crossed the Mississippi River," the trio's blog entry today reports. "It is big. We don't have rivers like that in Utah. We liked. Then going along I-10 is crazy cool in Louisiana. The interstate is a bridge over a swamp [Lake Pontchartrain] that goes for miles! Wonder how they built it?"

The 120-hour adventure, if successful, will cover about 7,500 miles. It is scheduled to end Friday (after 5 days, 7 hours and 15 minutes on the road) at the Four Corners where New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah meet.

Minnesota is state No. 36 on the route. The three will stick their toe in the southwest corner of the state -- possibly Tuesday afternoon -- on Interstate Hwy. 90 in Rock County and then head west across South Dakota.

"This route has been checked and rechecked for shorter possibilities and triple checked to be sure that all 48 states are included," Keeler wrote on greatamericanroadtrip.us, where progress is being tracked. "While this may not be the absolute shortest mileage way to drive to all 48 states, we are confident that it will prove to be the fastest."

AAA maps and global positioning system will help the highway adventurers.

They chose a 2005 Toyota Scion xB for the odyssey because "it is roomy and gets good gas mileage," Keeler wrote.

As for keeping the non-drivers entertained and all three properly nourished, "We will be taking two laptops, our iPods, some movies and some books," Keeler added. "Food and water will be stocked up on when we leave and purchased at gas stations along the way."

Keeler's father, Jim, conceived the trip 15 years ago, but it was set aside when Jim Keeler's mother died.

And as far as avoiding speeding tickets, Jim Keeler wrote on a blog: "This is not a speed attempt, but will be driven near the speed limits."