Have you driven across the USA?

**Chalet** · October 29th, 2008, 07:27 PM

What were the highlights? What was really fun or strange? Did you have any great meals?

**memebot** · October 29th, 2008, 07:38 PM

I took a short cut through the states when driving from one end of Canada to the other. We were on interstates the whole way and I thought it was terribly dull. Nothing but gas stations and fast food restaurants.

Not that the route through Canada was anymore exciting. In the west it's all field, field, field, shitty little town with a gas station, field, field, field. Once you hit Ontario, it's tree, tree, tree, shitty little town with a gas station, tree, tree, tree. The Great Lakes were beautiful though. Them are some big, damn lakes!

**Chalet** · October 29th, 2008, 07:52 PM

Somebody has to ask you to write a prologue to a travel book. That was so funny!

**LynnieD** · October 29th, 2008, 07:53 PM

We did the 'Griswold' family vacation thing back in the 70's. Packed up the Lincoln Continental (yea, I know) and drove from Upstate NY to middle America and back. Hit at least a dozen states, if not more. We left the day after school ended for the year (I had just finished 2nd grade, so that tells you how long ago this was).

I remember Jackson Hole Wyoming the most. Probably because we actually stayed there for a few days. Did the Tetons, Old Faithful, yada yada yada. They had these little furry squirrel like animals there that I had never seen before I believe called 'whistle pigs'. They were cool.

I think in Wisconsin I had really good seafood and finger bowls, which I had never seen before.

Saw lots of history, national parks, etc. It was ok. But for a family of 5, it got old quick. No DVD's then, and our A/C broke at least once along the way in the car, as did THE CAR. So, it was an adventure.

All in all, it was a 3 wk trip. I cannot imagine doing that now w/my family, but glad we did do it. I should thank my Dad sometime I guess.....

**memebot** · October 29th, 2008, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Chalet

Somebody has to ask you to write a prologue to a travel book. That was so funny!

Well, to be fair, no one does that drive for the experience. It's all about getting from here to there as quickly as possible.

The only travel book that trip would be included in is "1001 Worst Road Trips You Probably Shouldn't Take Before You Die: Because You Will Wish You Were Dead Before You Get There"

**Chalet** · October 29th, 2008, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by LynnieD

We did the 'Griswold' family vacation thing back in the 70's. Packed up the Lincoln Continental (yea, I know) and drove from Upstate NY to middle America and back. Hit at least a dozen states, if not more. We left the day after school ended for the year (I had just finished 2nd grade, so that tells you how long ago this was).

I remember Jackson Hole Wyoming the most. Probably because we actually stayed there for a few days. Did the Tetons, Old Faithful, yada yada yada. They had these little furry squirrel like animals there that I had never seen before I believe called 'whistle pigs'. They were cool.

I think in Wisconsin I had really good seafood and finger bowls, which I had never seen before.

Saw lots of history, national parks, etc. It was ok. But for a family of 5, it got old quick. No DVD's then, and our A/C broke at least once along the way in the car, as did THE CAR. So, it was an adventure.

All in all, it was a 3 wk trip. I cannot imagine doing that now w/my family, but glad we did do it. I should thank my Dad sometime I guess.....

Lynnie I can JUST imagine. Parent's can be pretty amazing in that they wanted you to see the country and learn about it, no matter how stressful. Back then you had to sing songs and count license plate numbers.

Originally Posted by memebot

Well, to be fair, no one does that drive for the experience. It's all about getting from here to there as quickly as possible.

The only travel book that trip would be included in is "1001 Worst Road Trips You Probably Shouldn't Take Before You Die: Because You Will Wish You Were Dead Before You Get There"

I'm cracking up here!

**msdeb** · October 29th, 2008, 09:16 PM

from the time i was 5 or 6 (um early 60's is what i'll cop to) every summer, we drove from San Diego to Richmond Virginia. i loved it!
big memories were of course Route 66, which was in place before the 10 or the 40. i remember seeing the Luray Caverns in Va. Nashville and the grand old opry, grand canyon, the ozarks, things like that.
we visited every single Stuckeys across the USA. we'd see the sign and scream and yell.
also in Arizona, there was a sign that said 50 miles to THE THING. 40 miles to THE THING, and on and on. every year we'd scream and beg to be taken there, my dad always said no. one year he caved in, paid 1.00 for each of us to go in. after going thru a maze of tourist shit, we saw THE THING.....faux dinosaur bones.
LOL
we saw the worlds largest Dixie cup, we saw the Cadillacs that are buried in the dirt outside of Amarillo. omg i loved driving across country!

**McJag** · October 29th, 2008, 10:30 PM

It is such a fun thing, if you can remain flexible and open to adventures. Why don't you say what areas you are considering so we can narrow suggestions.

**BoogsBun** · October 30th, 2008, 06:43 AM

We took an almost cross country adventure (Colorado to North Carolina..and back). We took different routes each way so the states we hit: Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, sliver of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennesse, Arkansas, the north of Texas, and a smidge of New Mexico.

We didn't do anything because we had limited time to get there (hubby had interviews in Indiana and North Carolina), and we had the kids (then 3 and 1) with us.

Some highlights:

West Virginia has to be one of the prettiest states I have been to. Lots of trees, some mountains, it's just gorgeous. Downside wherever you stop in West Virginia, you expect the banjo player from Deliverance to pop out.
There is insane amount of litter on the side of the road in North Carolina. I have never seen that much trash on the side of the road (plus an abandoned car here and there).
We got gas in Bucksnout Tennessee, need I say more.

The only cool thing we did was in New Mexico. In NM there is a defunct volcano that is now a park you can visit. You can walk around the rim, down to the bottom of the crater, etc. You aren't allowed to take lava rocks, but there was a huge one laying in the middle of the road that I snagged (they're all over the road for you souvenir hunters).

One of our future vacations that we are taking when the boys are older and able to do more, plus during the summer, is we're driving old route 66. The little towns on road trips are the best thing about roadtrips (seriously, Bucksnout who knew).

**darksithbunny** · October 30th, 2008, 07:12 AM

Went from east coast to the west coast back in 79. Best trip ever! Hit all the historic spots from the great arch way to Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore to Grand Canyon to Great continental divide to tetons to pikes pike all the way to PCH! Love every minute of it. Beautiful rolling plains. I still have my badlands shirt! And you could buy a prairie dog for a dollar! They love to eat Cheetos! LOL.

**Sweetie** · October 30th, 2008, 07:45 AM

I am so jealous of you all. I really would love to do this one day.

**Just Kill Me** · October 30th, 2008, 10:39 AM

Just Houston to Seattle. Would like to do more.

**louiswinthorpe111** · October 30th, 2008, 02:05 PM

Iowa to Florida several times. Tennessee, esp. east by the mountains are very pretty. My dad got lost in Atlanta once. The way I marked that event was throwing up in the pee bucket.

We had one of those vans from the early 80's that had some scenic painting on the side, inside had a table, a bench that folded into a bed, a fridge and a TV. It was rocking. Mom also came up with the invention of the "pee bucket." In case you had to go and we were near a rest area, go to the back, drop your pants and go. Just hit the bucket.

In a couple years, we may road trip to Mt Rushmore and the Black Hills with the kids.

**Sweetie** · October 30th, 2008, 02:11 PM

Can you imagine how much it would cost now to drive cross country? Holy Hell...probably a year's income.

**msdeb** · October 30th, 2008, 02:42 PM

before they built the Interstate, we were priviledged to be able to take route 66. just to drive the 2 lane road almost all the way from san diego to Virginia was a thrill that i didnt appreciate until we got older. you can still take the 66 most of the way there (up until near Chicago i believe)