Road trip across America

[pacmania_2001]

Has anyone done like a long road trip (like 3 months+) across America?

My friend and I are thinking of doing this after I finish university next year and thought I'd see if anyone else here has done it and if so what their experiences are and any tips they have.

Probably just buy an old van and use it for both driving and sleeping in so that we don't have to pay for accomodation. Looking at going through most parts of America and some of Canada.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Your gonna see a lot of nothing. The plains are flat (Iowa, Nebraska, etc...). Even the Great Lake states are pretty flat and boring.

Though from what I've heard and seen on tourist videos the west side has a lot more features (Grand canyon - etc).

Kevin

[Faustus]

You can safely skip Kansas, I know that much.

[Capmaster]

You can safely skip Kansas, I know that much.

And Oklahoma

And the panhandle of Texas - arguably the most boring stretch of highway in the country

[pacmania_2001]

We were planning on skipping most of what we percieve as hill billy country.

In 2000 I did a trip up the west - mid west side of the US with the family in a motorhome and that had plenty of long drives so that doesn't really phase me that much.

I'll post a map shortly of the basic route we've worked out.

[Capmaster]

We were planning on skipping most of what we percieve as hill billy country.

In 2000 I did a trip up the west - mid west side of the US with the family in a motorhome and that had plenty of long drives so that doesn't really phase me that much.

I'll post a map shortly of the basic route we've worked out.

Hillbilly country isn't in the western US. It's in eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia.

You're thinking of "rednecks"...not to be confused with "hillbillies"

[pacmania_2001]

That shows the basic route we've worked out, doesn't show the Canada portion. We are thinking of 3-6 months maybe, any comments on that timeline, i.e need more time, or less?

[Capmaster]

That should be pleeeeeenty of time

Hey, you'll be passing through Albuquerque. You'll have to give me a jingle when you get into town

[yoda313]

Hello,

Pacmania - You been to Niagra Falls??? You could take that if you go through Buffalo, New York and head into Eastern Canada. Impressive sight - I was there when I was pretty young.

Kevin

[pacmania_2001]

Damn, I'll have to change that so we miss it. :P

You don't have any hot daughters either, only sons so what's the point? :P

That should be pleeeeeenty of time

We're planning of doing it at a relaxed pace, like if we like a place just stopping there for a week or two. We're more interested in staying away from big cities apart from a few (want to see NY for one) and getting to see the real America.

[pacmania_2001]

Hello,

Pacmania - You been to Niagra Falls??? You could take that if you go through Buffalo, New York and head into Eastern Canada. Impressive sight - I was there when I was pretty young.

Kevin

Haven't been to Niagra Falls so definitely on the list of possible things to see. So far the Canada portion includes Banff, Whistler and the International Peace Park. Also got to visit a Canadian exchange student I know from High School.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Also the Upper Peninusla of Michigan is quite stunning

Kevin

[pacmania_2001]

Dammit, too many things to see.

A few things we definitely want to do are:

See a space launch in Florida (when do the shuttles go back up?)

Visit Area 51 and try to get chased by spooks.

Tornado chasing.

Visit Ground Zero.

Go back to the Road to the Sun.

Go back to this little shop (can't remember what state its in, think Wyoming) that makes the worlds best strawberry ice creams.

Gamble in Vegas, last time I was there I was too young.

[Capmaster]

Damn, I'll have to change that so we miss it.

You don't have any hot daughters either, only sons so what's the point?

My wife has 4 sisters and a brother living here. You never heard of nieces?

Visit Ground Zero

You mean the Trinity site? At the north end of Jornada del Muerte, inside the Stallion gate to Alamogordo proving grounds in NM.

It's only open two days a year - 1 day in April and one day in October, and you have to join up with a caravan in Albuquerque early in the morning and drive with 300 other cars in a procession :P

[hech54]

Just stay the **** away from places like Chicago, Detroit and shamefully....Little Rock, Arkansas. They have infestation problems...

[pacmania_2001]

Damn, I'll have to change that so we miss it.

You don't have any hot daughters either, only sons so what's the point?

My wife has 4 sisters and a brother living here. You never heard of nieces?

Hmm... gets the Aussie slang book out to practice phrases like "G'Day" and "Chuck another Shrimp on the Barbie" so that they'll instantly fall for the Aussie accent. 8)

I'm going to need some pictures of these so called 'nieces'. Thats another thing we decided we've definitely got to do, pick up some nice American girls. It's easy to start a conversation with them because they want to hear the accent, especially if they are from a non-touristy part.

places like Chicago

Going to Chicago to visit some friends we met there in 1998. I loved Chicago but we were in the main part of the city and the suburbs, not the dodgy places.

[pacmania_2001]

You mean the Trinity site? At the north end of Jornada del Muerte, inside the Stallion gate to Alamogordo proving grounds in NM.

It's only open two days a year - 1 day in April and one day in October, and you have to join up with a caravan in Albuquerque early in the morning and drive with 300 other cars in a procession :P

I meant Ground Zero as in September 11 but do expand on this other place, whats it all about?

[yoda313]

Hello,

Pacmania - Looks like you might be going through Minnesota - If you do you could go to the Mall of America. Haven't been there myself but the place is HUGE

Kevin

EDIT - I think Capmaster means the VERY FIRST ABOMB explosion (in US I mean).

[pacmania_2001]

I've heard of the Mall of America. Will be worth a look, we're going to be on a tight budget so won't be able to buy anything there though.

Might bring some Boomerangs and Didgeridoos over to pawn off to the locals for some extra cash.

[Capmaster]

Here's one of my nieces:

Deleted

[pacmania_2001]

Very nice, how old is she? She looks my age in that photo and I'm guessing that photo is a few years old.

Another thing to do: Hook in with Paris Hilton, seems like everyone else is doing her

[SquirrelDip]

@pacmania_2001: You're route looks pretty good but there's a couple of changes I'd make: Try to tie in the Rockies, Adding something like Jasper near the west coast of BC is a great site (or Banff, a little south of Jasper). Make your way to Vancouver, BC and head south. The Oregon Coast is increadible, as is Northern California. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Florida but I love the Florida Keys.

All the same, it looks like a fantastic trip.

[pacmania_2001]

EDIT - I think Capmaster means the VERY FIRST ABOMB explosion (in US I mean).

Definitely have to check that out. Hmm maybe we'll make this trip a year long.

[yoda313]

EDIT - I think Capmaster means the VERY FIRST ABOMB explosion (in US I mean).

Definitely have to check that out. Hmm maybe we'll make this trip a year long.

Hello,

You'll probably find INDOLIKAA glowing by the roadside on the way to the monument!

Kevin

[smearbrick1]

My friend and I are thinking of doing this after I finish university next year and thought I'd see if anyone else here has done it and if so what their experiences are and any tips they have.

Probably just buy an old van and use it for both driving and sleeping in so that we don't have to pay for accomodation. Looking at going through most parts of America and some of Canada.

Does this sound a little "gay serial killer-esque" to anyone else?

Cap... Good looking niece... looks a bit like John Kerry though.

[Capmaster]

Very nice, how old is she? She looks my age in that photo and I'm guessing that photo is a few years old.

Another thing to do: Hook in with Paris Hilton, seems like everyone else is doing her

That's actually my sister Shelley's daughter. She's 33 now. But she's a looker I had to include that to get your interest.

My wife's sister "K"'s daughter is also very hot, but she's 23 and living in LA now. Her other daughter "K" is also hot, and lives here, but I don't have a recent pic of her either. I didn't have a recent photo of either so I used the one above of the other neice. Then there's "C", but she lives in Alaska. And ....oh well :P

[pacmania_2001]

@pacmania_2001: You're route looks pretty good but there's a couple of changes I'd make: Try to tie in the Rockies, Adding something like Jasper near the west coast of BC is a great site (or Banff, a little south of Jasper). Make your way to Vancouver, BC and head south. The Oregon Coast is increadible, as is Northern California. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Florida but I love the Florida Keys.

All the same, it looks like a fantastic trip.

Meant to include Jasper in the Canada section. We were planning on visiting the Rockies as well.

I'd love to do the Seattle/Oregon coast drive again, we did it last time in 2000. Also want to see North California because of the estate up there, name escapes me (Hertz??) that was owned by the eccentric millionaire.

We're still trying to work out the exact route because we want to do both the coast and also go through the states like Arizona whilst saving on fuel.

[Capmaster]

You mean the Trinity site? At the north end of Jornada del Muerte, inside the Stallion gate to Alamogordo proving grounds in NM.

It's only open two days a year - 1 day in April and one day in October, and you have to join up with a caravan in Albuquerque early in the morning and drive with 300 other cars in a procession :P

I meant Ground Zero as in September 11 but do expand on this other place, whats it all about?

http://www.atomictourist.com/trinity.htm

[pacmania_2001]

That's actually my sister Shelley's daughter. She's 33 now. But she's a looker I had to include that to get your interest.

My wife's sister "K"'s daughter is also very hot, but she's 23 and living in LA now. Her other daughter "K" is also hot, and lives here, but I don't have a recent pic of her either. I didn't have a recent photo of either so I used the one above of the other neice. Then there's "C", but she lives in Alaska. And ....oh well :P

Ok, we're definitely stopping in at your house. Organise a family get together on that day. 8) I could make a side trip to Alaska if she's hot enough.

Once they move to a city like LA you've lost them because their are so many Australians that live or visit those type of areas.

Do they have a southern accent?

[pacmania_2001]

http://www.atomictourist.com/trinity.htm

Looks interesting, depends on the dates of the trip and if they coincide with those two open days.

Can't you get us a special tour of your facility, I swear I'm not an Australian spy, I can't vouch for my friend though.