'Cross Country Drive

[Squeak 17]

So Im in the states again in December and driving from East to West, Attached is a rough plan of the drive.
Any recommendations for places to see or visit, Im fine taking side trips along the route but nothing that takes me into snow driving territory.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Mickochet 0]

You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

If you never fall down you aren't trying hard enough.

[Squeak 17]

Mickochet

You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

Ill be flying up there to visit Big Red and my Favorite Family

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[NewGuy2005 52]

The Titan Missile Museum just south of Tucson, AZ is pretty cool. It's a Cold War era missile silo, complete with missile.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Squeak

***You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

Ill be flying up there to visit Big Red and my Favorite Family


Cool. We'll be in the new house by then. Look forward to seeing you. Will it be Christmas again?

[Amazon 7]

Squeak

***You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

Ill be flying up there to visit Big Red and my Favorite Family

[quade 4]

Mickochet

You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

In DECEMBER?!? He better f'in' well be.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 4]

Carlsbad Caverns.
http://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/cave_tours.htm

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Amazon 7]

quade

***You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

In DECEMBER?!? He better f'in' well be.

He is not a weather wuss like you

[Squeak 17]

JohnMitchell

******You are completely avoiding the beautiful Pacific Northwest?

Ill be flying up there to visit Big Red and my Favorite Family


Cool. We'll be in the new house by then. Look forward to seeing you. Will it be Christmas again?No mate, I land in Miami on Dec 23rd, and head West. I wont be in the PNW until Feb.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[piisfish 137]

All I know of is in Arizona, Tombstone (about 1h from Tucson).

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skybytch 259]

Interstate 10? That's only the MOST boring way to see the USA.

[NewGuy2005 52]

Agreed. Take the backroads.

[Squeak 17]

skybytch

Interstate 10? That's only the MOST boring way to see the USA.

Thanks for your insightful input Lisa.

I've traveled I10 previously, which is fundamentally why I posted the thread to begin with, and asked for ideas of things to see.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[JohnMitchell 16]

Squeak

I wont be in the PNW until Feb.

We'll see ya then.

[mrubin 0]

White Sands, NM is pretty cool.

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[ryoder 1,590]

In TX, Marfa and Pyote AFB (aka Pecos Parachute School) are not far off your route.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[PhreeZone 16]

B-E in that route is all potential snow driving at that time of year! The hills and little mountains there are not that bad but if it snows interstate frequently is closed in areas.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[RMK 3]

Squeak

Any recommendations

Recommend you keep $500 cash on your person. Any journey of that length through the American southland will guarantee an encounter with a hick town policeman/sheriff.

With a foreign driving license, a speeding ticket of something as little 15mph over the speedlimit (varying by state) can see you sitting in a holding cell while your wife/partner drives around their hick county looking for an ATM to get cash to get you out - not hearsay; found myself sitting in the cell thinking "WTF, I'm actually in jail for going 78mph?"

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[wmw999 2,370]

If you look at a road map, you'll see several kinds of routes. Interstates are the "best" (i.e. highest speed, controlled entrance and exit). US highways (shield shaped numbers, white with black borders) are the next -- they're often very good, with very limited lights. And they're also far more interesting a lot of the time.

I go cross-country annually, and nearly always take the state routes, using the interstates to get through major cities. The interstate is there for the driver, and it pays little attention to the people. The US routes (and smaller ones as well) are for the local people to use, and you have a much better idea about how they live.

As far as snow; anything much north of I-10 can easily have snow; most of what's south of it is unlikely to unless it's up high (i.e. NM might still have snow). Interstates will almost certainly be in excellent shape unless it's actually snowing out -- they're plowed quickly.

Through Kentucky & Tennessee, I'd find the littlest, dinkiest roads that you can find if you want to get a look at real hillbillies -- that's where they come from. OTOH, if you want to keep the heck away from them, then stay on the freeway .

In NW Alabama and into Mississippi, take the Natchez Trace Parkway. It's a national scenic route, with historical sites, stops, picnic spots, etc. all along the way. 45 mph speed limit for its duration, but such is life. If you haven't been to New orleans, you should go to the French Quarter, have a beignet and coffee at the Cafe du Monde, and watch the world go by. Between New Orleans and Houston you should stop somewhere in the swamps and have boudin and cracklings. It's kind of like eating your way across America

In Texas, you can take US 90, which parallels I10 much of the way, through lots of small towns. When I'm on the bike I usually go that way -- it's way more relaxing, and not significantly longer in time. Texas also has Big Bend National Park -- kind of remote, but pretty interesting. I completely agree about Carlsbad Caverns (haven't been there, but it's on the list); there are also a couple of caves around San Antonio that you can stop and stretch your legs at. I think I see a San Antonio or Austin stop on there; the Riverwalk in San Antonio is nice, but if you miss it there are plenty of other things.

I haven't done any driving west of there other than from Phoenix to Eloy and back , so no advice. Route 66 is an old US route that used to be considered the road across America -- you could try to hit parts of it, too.

Regardless, enjoy, and if you have any time in Houston, feel free to give me a call.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[skybytch 259]

Quote

Thanks for your insightful input Lisa.

Hey, I'm here for ya.

If you want to really see the US, stay off the interstates as much as possible and drive the state highways instead.

If you don't stress the snow thing you will get to see better scenery, different from your last trip. Chains aren't expensive and light snow isn't hard to drive in (and I'm a California baby, I don't do snow).

At least check out I40 instead of I10...

[mrubin 0]

***At least check out I40 instead of I10...

I've done the drive between Oklahoma and California a few times. I40 between California and New Mexico is a nice drive. I'd avoid it while going through western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle as that section is very boring. I haven't been past Oklahoma City on it so I can't say what that section is like.

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[faulknerwn 38]

Definitely avoid I-10 and west Texas!! Nothing there!!!

And the key is to have a REALLY foreign drivers license. We had some Hungarian guys visiting where I used to work and they drove to Las Vegas on vacation and sped like crazy. Every time they got pulled over they pretended to speak no English and handed the cop a Hungarian drivers license. Every single cop decided it was way too difficult to do this paperwork and let them go!!!

[popsjumper 2]

Hey, Squeak...how about a list the stops you've got planned like what stop is B, C, D......

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[skymama 35]

If what you have marked through FL and GA is the Turnpike and I-75, that's a real snoozefest also. I would definitely recommend taking roads less traveled that take you through small towns.

Edit: and if you really want to take I-75, at least alter your route at A and go through the Everglades (take an airboat tour), stop in Naples for a visit (see how the rich folks live) and then drive up along the Gulf Coast, it's much prettier there. I highly recommend making a stop at Siesta Key in Sarasota, there is a gorgeous beach there with sand like baby power. If you're into art, stop by the Ringling Museum there also.
And if you get up near Crystal River, you can swim with manatees.

Are these the varied types of experiences you want to have?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon