road trip 2012!

[CalvinHobbes]

Now that I've accepted the job in Arizona I have to find some way to move all of my stuff down there. I don't have a bed or anything big like that, so I'll just be taking my car and whatever fits inside.

Not sure yet if I'll be making the trip alone or if someone will be joining me--my father might but that's contingent on personal issues and my boyfriend talked about possibly flying out to Boston to drive me down.

Anyways, any suggestions on planning a long road trip like this, specifically if I'm going to be doing it alone?

[Shortkaik]

I've never done a road trip anywhere near as long, but I used to visit my parents by myself (8 boring hours on one highway.) My biggest piece of advice is to bring an audiobook or two! You could knock out an entire book or two on that trip, and it helps to keep you awake and focused and really makes the trip feel a lot faster.

[tigersheart]

I have a few suggestions.

1. Give yourself PLENTY of extra time. As much as you possibly can.

This helps far more than you realize on those cross country trips. You do not have the pressure of having to be anywhere at a certain time, or time frame.

More importantly, it allows you to drive when you feel like it, and rest when you feel like it, and maybe do a little sight seeing if you see something interesting.

And I believe the most important, try not to push yourself to hard driving, especially if you are not use to long road trips.

2. If you are going to do it alone, be as careful 'when' you drive as much as the 'where' you drive.

You will be driving through unknown places, which means you don't know the safe vs 'dangerous' parts of towns, so just be careful and use common sense.

3. Food planning!

Make sure you take LOTS of extra water, especially if you are driving in the summer months, and heading to Arizona. A simple car breakdown on a long desert road in 120 degree temperatures, with no water or food can really mess up your day.

Also, if you have any diet restrictions, like me I eat Primal/Paleo, make sure you plan on taking meals/snacks you can eat if you can't find someplace that meets your restrictions.

4. Something to keep you occupied.

Music, audio book, whatever keeps you alert and going.

[bigm141414]

Step 1: Drive to Texas.

Step 2: Meet up with BigM

Step 3: ????

Step 4: Dominate!

Note: Step 3 will involve lots of barbecue, tequila, and that's about it.

[ETFnerd]

I drove with my brother from NYC to New Orleans and on to San Francisco when he moved out to the left coast. I still remember the flash storms, the beautiful sunshine, the dry heat and the beautiful mesas in the southwest. I'm really glad stopping in New Orleans forced us to take the southern route instead of the endless cornfields of route 90 up north.

I remember that Texas is immense. Once we got in, i thought i was never getting out... they have a lot of good meat... so i would suggest scheduled stops along the way for BBQ, steaks, etc. i think i also stopped at a mall in Houston where they had an indoor ice rink in the summer (???).

In retrospect, this was the only time i drove through many states like mississippi, alabama, oklahoma, so if you can, take the time to see sights that you plan out. i loved new orleans and baton rouge where we caught LSU in the college world series...

in regard to safety, i didn't feel it was unsafe, but i wasn't a woman traveling alone. one thing that was unnerving having lived in the NE most of my life, its the open carry of firearms in the south in general... it feels perfectly safe in the daytime, but i wonder whether i'd like to be in a bar at night where people have guns and are drinking... on a business trip i was in Wichita KS once and the hotel front desk had a sign that said guests had to check in their firearms... didn't see anyone doing it and didn't think anyone would... weird...

i'd say stay on the highway... the rest stops are always huge and crowded everywhere in the daytime, and get a motel room for the night well b4 nightime.

that trip was great bonding time with my brother... we never got a chance to spend so much time together afterwards... but i'm probably romanticizing it and we were fighting along the way. that trip showed me how sheltered i had been in the NE and how different people's lives are outside my realm of experience. people seemed laid back compared to the average neurotic new yorker or bostoner... hopefully you'll have some company...

like everything else in life, your trip will be what you make of it, but it seems like a great opportunity for an epic adventure...

[bigm141414]

I remember that Texas is immense. Once we got in, i thought i was never getting out... they have a lot of good meat... so i would suggest scheduled stops along the way for BBQ, steaks, etc. i think i also stopped at a mall in Houston where they had an indoor ice rink in the summer (???).

Indeed, it is about 12ish hours Houston to El Paso. As for the mall with the rink that is the Galleria. Pretty swanky mall and the rink is always crowded during summer.

[Rivanariko]

There are a lot of really amazing things to see across the country. Leave yourself lots of extra time, as tigersheart suggested, and plan a couple big stops. There are some big ones that everyone should see at least once, like the Grand Canyon (try to find an area that is less touristy), Carlsbad Caverns (make time to do the lower cave tour if you're into caves at all, I'm still trying to work out a trip to get back there so that I can go climbing down there) and the like. If you're into random Americana, there are a ton of weird little places across the USA. My personal favorites from my trips were the world's largest ball of twine in Kansas and Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo, TX. I'm a big fan of planning, but while you should plan at least a few major things, leave yourself room for random side trips in case you see something interesting.

On another thing that tigersheart mentioned, water is very important. My AC decided to die on me in the middle of the Mojave desert in the summer. That's a very long, hot drive, and I'm glad we had a ton of water.

Don't let your gas tank go below half. Most places it isn't an issue, but sometimes you'll miss the "last service station for 150 miles" sign and be really angry standing on the side of the road in the middle of the salt flats, waiting for AAA to get there. This also reinforces the idea that people are jerks, as no one stopped to help the two girls with the broken down car in the middle of the salt flats, but a lot of people honked at us as they drove by at 75 mph...

And Texas is huge. Seriously. Kind of depressing when you've come down the East coast. You're used to knocking out 3-6 states in a day, then you get to Texas and it takes you 3 days to get across.

It's been a couple years since I've done an epic road trip and I'm itching to go again.