The setting of Cormac McCarthy's the Road and its Western inspirations

I recently went on a trip throughout Arizona. And although, some of the setting may have been inspired from California as well, (adding a sense of loneliness and paranoia due to location of funds to keep the area safe,) I feel like my trip to Arizona really got me into the story.
In the Grand Canyon, there's a large campsite. Near the area, there are many small campsites. There's lots of sand desert, making plants easy to grow, but not much else. There is very little soap, requiring one to eat canned goods, only one-way roads where one can easily possibly get into car accidents with other cars if not 100%
Guns are entertainment in Nevada.
The setting of the Road, is temperate, maybe even Cold, making the setting even more depressing. (I at least picture a hoodie, thanks to the 2009 film.)
There's no police or civilization. In Arizona, you're reliant on the Highway Patrol for safety, and who knows when they show up? It's probably a low taxed town anyway, from a town is very paranoid of funding such type projects, being Republican.
Page is filled with churches NEXT to other CHURCHES.

The setting also has a bit other meaning than that. The main character follows it as if a sign by God, like Moses in the book of Exodus in the Bible/Quran/Torah. He follows it, because he has a faith in something that makes him believe that he will find something that won't require him to use the final two bullets in his gun, to commit suicide with his offspring, in this terrible world, where they're constantly roaming and starving, being uneducated, and hearing things that an otherwise educated world wouldn't do. He has a type of spiritual belief: faith, whether Christian or not. (God is never ever actually stated in the book, although this is an obvious reference to Moses wandering in the desert for 40 days and nights, and when questioned on why doing so, breaks rock to discover water, so that others would continue believing him.)

Books I finished 8/8/2014

The Warriors by Sol Yurick
Great style, great characters, great story. An underrated American classic.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
A very entertaining book with references to paganist interpretations of the bible.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
A great blend of western with an interesting take on the post apocalyptic setting

New York by Edward Rutherford
A really immersive take on old ny with great characters and as the setting suggests setting.

Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry
The wiki article is great. Also the style it's written keeps you awake

Cali/Cati