[Technics]

Guys,

Just wanted to make a quick suggestion for a roadtrip that's easy as pie.

For anybody who has the time and access to a car, I would suggest doing a full east-coast to west-coast (or vice versa) road trip. It's a great way to see a large chunk of the United States and it's a great experience for both americans and non-americans alike.

There are two major paths I have taken--1) South along the 10 freeway, or 2) a bit more north along the 40, combined with other various freeways. I will describe the 10 freeway route in this post and perhaps the 40 freeway (combined with other freeways) in another thread.

The 10 freeway route is probably the easiest way to traverse any continent on planet earth, as the 10 freeway stretches continuously between Jacksonville, Florida on the East Coast, right up to Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, CA. Coast to coast.

For voyaging playboys who are roadtrip beginners, I believe the 10 freeway coast to coast is a great choice for its pure ease and the diversity of American cities it takes you across. One really cannot get lost, even if they tried.

The following are larger (maybe not Pensacola) cities that this route takes you directly across:

1) Jacksonville, 2) Pensacola, 3) Mobile, 4) New Orleans, 5) Baton Rouge, 6) Houston, 7) San Antonio, 8) Tucson, 9) Phoenix, and ending in 10) Los Angeles.

Google maps pegs the distance at 2,415 miles.

Of course, there are countless other small cities and towns that you come across as well.

ALSO, there are a number of natural sites (parks, lakes, etc.) that are on this path. Unfortunately, I have not had the time to indulge much in the natural sites on my trips due to time constraints but hopefully some informed members can chime in to fill in this gap.

I have done this trip several times, in varying periods of time. The shortest time I have ever done it in, driving alone is about 72 hours (sleeping at nights, of course), which I would describe as murderous for me (not a professional driver). I have never had the time to do the trip exactly as I would like to, but I believe the ideal would be the following:

1 day/night each for Jacksonville, New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix and Los Angeles and...

only 3-5 hours for: Pensacola, Mobile, Baton Rouge, and Tucson, and San Antonio.

Also, I would leave time for some of the natural sites. I'm not sure how much time is appropriate for each because (as mentioned above), unfortunately I have not had time to see most of them. Are there members who can chime in?

This trip can be done on varying budgets of course, with the one constant being the gas. Last time I went, I believe last time I did this trip, gas was around $3.80/gallon. If I remember correctly, I paid about $460 for gas driving a midsize 6 cylinder sedan, averaging about 70-75 mph while on the highway.

I have done all different types of accommodations on different trips. On the low end, it is possible to find crappy motels (especially around Houston) for as low as $30 per night.

Miscellaneous tips for the trip:

-Pay attention when you are approaching Ciudad Juarez on the 10 so that you make sure you are staying on the 10 freeway.

-Bring a canteen, or thermos for water and keep it up front with you.

-Get crawfish at a restaurant while passing through Louisiana

-If going from East-->West, when the 10 freeway ends, stay on to merge into PCH north, and drive 10 miles right up to Malibu Beach.

-Visit Joshua in CA, a few hours east of Los Angeles

I'll probably remember other points as the thread progresses.

I'm sure many of you RVF members have taken this trip or variants of it, so please step up with your info and lets build a strong thread here.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

Not only do we have datasheets for various cities, states and countries, now we also have a datasheet on long-distance car travel?

[Technics]

Yes, otherwise known as road-trip.

You think its not something guys would be interested in?

[brianmark]

I love Road Trips and used to be a crazy driver and could drive forever without getting tired. Now I don't try to do such extreme long trips without getting some rest. Highway #10 sounds like a great route. I have done parts of it. I did the Jacksonville to San Antonio before. I also did a Los Angeles to Chicago, but not the old Route 66, because we turned up into Utah to see the parks then crossed over through Colorado.

People should post when they plan on doing one of these trips because I'm sure some people would like to do it.

[Vicious]

That's a murderous stretch for such a short time. Your energy levels will suffer. Nothing saps your strengths quite as much as driving for hours on end.

[The Fantasist]

Nice thread idea,always wanted to do Trans-USA.

Can you hire a car on one coast and drop it off on the other one? Anyone done Interstate 90?

[el mechanico]

(11-08-2012 09:16 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

Nice thread idea,always wanted to do Trans-USA.

Can you hire a car on one coast and drop it off on the other one? Anyone done Interstate 90?

Yes but it costs more. You can shop it around though.

[Aliblahba]

I made the trip back in the day. Picked up I-10 in Tallahassee and made it to New Orleans on the first run. I stopped there cause the drinking age was 19. The next day I rolled from NO to El Paso. It was brutal, and I stopped in at Tombstone for a few photos. The trip lasted around 2.5 if I remember correctly. That highway is far more eventful than I-40.

[TheBulldozer]

Oh man, a road trip thread. Never even thought to post some data on these. Some pretty amazing stuff to see when you pull of the road in the US of A

[Technics]

(11-08-2012 09:32 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(11-08-2012 09:16 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

Nice thread idea,always wanted to do Trans-USA.

Can you hire a car on one coast and drop it off on the other one? Anyone done Interstate 90?

Yes but it costs more. You can shop it around though.

Agreed with what El Mechanico said. I think the ideal though is if you do it with someone a friend who is moving from coast to coast. They might even consider it a favor.

Once when I had to make this trip, a friend almost came with me. I was ready to let him ride for free--no gas and only split motel/hotel with me. If he had come, he probably would have done the whole thing for $200 maximum, including meals.

[Technics]

Another thing I just remembered. The following is the list of things I have in my car when I do such a road trip:

1) A gallon of water in the trunk (for the engine, not drinking)
2) Flashlight
3) Small toolkit
4) Small first-aid kit
5) Pillow (just in case I need to pull over out of fatigue)
6) One or two quarts of oil
7) Canned tire inflator
8) Triple A membership
9) Swiss army knife

Most of this stuff I keep in my car regardless, but I make sure to have it for the roadtrips. The items combined cost maybe $50 plus about $60 for the Triple A membership.

El Mechanico, anything else you suggest?

[RougeNoir]

Nice thread.

I've done the Jax to Austin, TX (detoured in Houston) many a time.

I will agree it is one of the more eventful paths for middle America.

They still have stretches of nothing-ness though such as between Pensacola

and Tallahassee and in Western Texas.

I still think you can see the most with I-95 with the FL corridor and

the Mid-Atlantic corridor. The same can be said for the West Coast, not sure

what the Interstates are.

[Technics]

(11-08-2012 11:02 AM)RougeNoir Wrote:  

Nice thread.

I still think you can see the most with I-95 with the FL corridor and

the Mid-Atlantic corridor. The same can be said for the West Coast, not sure

what the Interstates are.

Thanks RougeNoir. I don't anticipate doing another American roadtrip soon, but the one I would really like to do is start in LA, go north up PCH, then cut east on either the 40 or another east-west highway, then connect with the I-95, and take it down all the way to Miami.

Then come back up to the 10 free way, and do that stretch, back to LA.

It's a big loop inside America.

I think this trip would take a month to do "right", and I estimate it would take one through about 20 U.S. states.

For any non-american RVF members who want a real cross-section of American life/cities/states, I think this would be a good crash-course.

[Roustabout]

Great road trip idea. Two things I would recommend. Pensacola has some of the best beaches around, so, depending on the time of the year, I would budget more time for that area. Pensacola has a music fest in September, the DeLuna Fest, never been, but check out the web address, looks like they got decent acts this past year. Also, if you really want great beaches, get off I-10 at the intersection of I-10 with Florida 331 in Defuniak Springs, FL, go south and catch the beaches of Destin, PC Beach, 30-A, best I've ever seen.

Second, in Mobile, stop and eat at The Original Oyster House out on the causeway over Mobile Bay (I-10 becomes the causeway). Great seafood. Likewise, in May of each year, the Hangout Music Festival takes place on the beaches of Gulf Shores, the lineup each year is cool. Gulf Shores is about a 30 minute drive off of I-10 as you come into Mobile.

[el mechanico]

(11-08-2012 10:54 AM)Technics Wrote:  

Another thing I just remembered. The following is the list of things I have in my car when I do such a road trip:

1) A gallon of water in the trunk (for the engine, not drinking)
2) Flashlight
3) Small toolkit
4) Small first-aid kit
5) Pillow (just in case I need to pull over out of fatigue)
6) One or two quarts of oil
7) Canned tire inflator
8) Triple A membership
9) Swiss army knife

Most of this stuff I keep in my car regardless, but I make sure to have it for the roadtrips. The items combined cost maybe $50 plus about $60 for the Triple A membership.

El Mechanico, anything else you suggest?

Lots of things. Whattaburger drive thru sluts for starters. I've mad maxed 10 many times and run my game in small towns chosen randomly any exit will do. Look for small store and play lost but like the town and might stay for a while. A decent ride helps and grab the local paper in small towns, ask what's going on. Barn dance? Sure.

[The Fantasist]

Out of interest,how much would a beat up old car cost Stateside? Say a small economical type. Also is there much paperwork in buying a car and getting insured over there, can it be done in a day or two?

[el mechanico]

(11-08-2012 12:21 PM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

Out of interest,how much would a beat up old car cost Stateside? Say a small economical type. Also is there much paperwork in buying a car and getting insured over there, can it be done in a day or two?

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/3395388071.html

500 for plates and insurance it's easier to rent. They're going to charge the shit out of you if you're a new driver here in the US

[Belize King]

Nice thread. I've taken the 10 from SA to LA many times. El Paso is a good town to get laid in. I got laid in Lordsburg, NM. I forgot the name of the bar I caught her at but it was an okay lay. I've also driven from Houston to Pensa and lived in NO for 5 years. Dont sleep on Gulfport. Never been laid there but the Mississippi country girls are thick. Have an air force base there too. The beach is garbage but there are casinos there. I dont know how many rebuilt after the hurricane but if you enjoy poker you should stop there.

SA is a cool city too. I dont know if we have datasheets on it but its worth a day or two layover. I lived there for 4 months before my first deployment in '08. Shit probably hasnt changed much. Shored a stripper at my first all nude strip club. I need to spend a week or two out there and throw up a datasheet.

[The Fantasist]

^^ Cheers Mech. Damn,I always thought the States was meant to be way cheaper then Europe. Looks like rental is the way to go then.

[Aliblahba]

(11-08-2012 09:16 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

Nice thread idea,always wanted to do Trans-USA.

Can you hire a car on one coast and drop it off on the other one? Anyone done Interstate 90?

No idea about I-90, but I'll probably end up in North Dakota soon. I will plan out a few road trips toward Montana and Wyoming. Will report back. Got a lot of friends along the way between GA and ND, and will probably make a 2 week run out of it. Definitely gonna do some mad max road game.

Haha, you remind me of two seperate group of Brits I talked while in Europe. They wanted to see "Americas Hearland", rented cars and hit the Midwest. I'll never forget the look on their faces when they were explaining how there was NOTHING in Iowa but corn. They would have had a far better time rolling down I-95 or I-10.

[TheBulldozer]

If you've ever got the time, forget about interstate highways. I've driven hundreds of miles on US 66 and US 50 and US 1. If you want to "find America", this is the way to do it. Lots of mom n pop stores, restaurants and bars.

[Merenguero]

(11-08-2012 02:01 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  

If you've ever got the time, forget about interstate highways. I've driven hundreds of miles on US 66 and US 50 and US 1. If you want to "find America", this is the way to do it. Lots of mom n pop stores, restaurants and bars.

Rainman style. I agree.

[deepcov3r]

1) Like Mechanico's idea of stopping in random towns/places.
One seems to have x-ray vision for who's bored when you're form somewhere else.


2) MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A JACK AND SPARE AND THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE THERE AND IT FITS YOUR CAR. Gotten stuck twice with that.

3) Don't tailgate. No, 3 car lengths is not enough when you're going 70. I almost smashed into someone yesterday because someone's car stalled dead out in the left lane. It's takes a while to realize that cars a re STOPPED on a freeway, because you rarely see it and your mind doesn't process it well.

4) DON'T FALL ASLEEP AND DIE. It happens quite a lot. People drive off the road or into other cars , no skid marks. Ever wonder how people get into those horrific accidents you pass-- on straight, dry roads?

[Tigre]

Another way to do this is as an auto transporter.

Agencies have cars on their books that a client will pay to have relocated to a different city. They give you keys the car, and you sign a contract to drive it to the city they require. You get extra days to enjoy whatever travels you want to do along the way.

All you need for this is a drivers license and a pulse. There may be a minimum age requirement (check with agency), but it's not outrageous. I was 23 with a foreign license and no US address, and I qualified fine.

They don't pay you anything. But you also pay nothing for having use of the car. You do pay for gas.

It's a crap shoot for what kind of car and departure date will be available to the city you want. Negotiate with the agency for extra days added to the delivery deadline, if you like.

Do a search for "auto transporters" to find companies that do this. Autodriveaway dot com is one agency with nationwide coverage.

If you have minimum 2 to 3 months, buying and selling a vehicle is still your best bet. The auto transporter idea is good for shorter trips with flexible plans.

For the buy/sell plan, Craigslist could be a good option. Several days before you arrive in your final city, you post the online ad to sell your vehicle. Then you offload it once you get there to the best immediate offer. Provided you bought it cheaply enough, the final price you're offered doesn't matter so much.

[Technics]

(11-08-2012 02:01 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  

If you've ever got the time, forget about interstate highways. I've driven hundreds of miles on US 66 and US 50 and US 1. If you want to "find America", this is the way to do it. Lots of mom n pop stores, restaurants and bars.

I don't quite understand what you say exactly is the way to "find america."

If you mean that the way to do it is to go to mom n pop stores, restaurants, and bars, then why should one forget about interstate highways?

There are plenty of mom n pops all along the I-10, as there are pretty much everywhere.

Do you mean to say there are better mom n pops elsewhere?