Event Coverage Going on a BIG cross country trip to LA Roadster show, need YOUR input!

I took this exact route! Saw the hole in the rock too. But I kept going south to see Roswell, NM and Carlsbad Caverns. Right after that I crossed into Texas and found myself surrounded by a sea of wildflowers and the scent was heavenly. I stopped to breathe it in. Bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and some white ones I couldn't identify.

The winding descent from Lake Tahoe to the desert floor on US 50 was memorable too. Hairpin turns, steep dropoffs, and there was still snow and ice on the road at the higher elevations.

Maybe you should take a more leisurely journey back to really enjoy your trip. There's so much to see. Don't forget the Grand Canyon! I saw it in December when there was no one there and I had the place almost to myself.

Good luck!

 

MY gf and I did a vacation from the SF bay area north in an OT convert. Went all the way to Seattle. Beautiful! However, this is an absolute must; when you are on the road that much, GOOD sunglasses are a must! I had sore eyes 4 days into it and had to get darker lenses. They helped, but the damage was done.
Google maps can ge your friend. You can chose the srat and destination, select avoid freeways, and drag the route to see how it affects travel time. That and some travel websites can plan the trip so you aren't burnt out or rushing to make a deadline.
Oh, and another vote for Huckberry. Stumbled across it while driving Rt. 66 between Seligman and Kingman, and decided to stop. neat to look at and stretch...
Of course, this means missing the red rocks of Sedona....
Have a great time! and spray bottles will make it better. Even if it's cool, the wind drys you out.

 

I told a Bonneville racer I wanted to drive from Salt Lake City to San Francisco back in 2002. He told me to drive South and enjoy the landscape. BEST travel advice I ever got, Moab to RT 24 and RT89 after a tour of Arches is a must see. I'd like to spend a day or two at Zion.

 

Hey Megan - PM me for my number, if you guys head up the coast to Oregon. I'll be your tour guide, plus you'll have shop privileges here...
Whatever you do, be safe and have fun! Bring plenty of water for the flathead, plus some for yourself. And beware, this is the worst hay fever season in many years...

 

At a little HIPPIE chick/fuel stop close to Big Sur.

Denise [ HRLC ] said she stopped at the same place.
12 oz can Diet Cokes were 2 dollars each

Sorry for the photo being so large ... I thought I had it re-sized

Randy

 

Once again thanks for the advice. I'm having a great time checking out these routes on the map. Unfortunately an extra day really isn't an option, we'll be lucky to sneak out early Friday!

I've really come to the realization that there isn't much to see before about ColoRODo (don't be hurt midwesterners ) so we'll probably just put the hammer down and take an express route to there then begin our touring.

I came up with a semi-crazy idea yesterday (surprise, surprise )...does anyone know of an auto train that goes east to west like the one here that goes from DC to Florida? I would love to take a train out, it would be easy peasy riding day and night and then taking our time to drive the car back. Is there something like that out there?

 

Ahem... I beg to differ. We better see you on Friday night.

 

Oh, don't worry, you'll still see me Afterall, isn't Indy the gateway to the west?

 

I thought St. Louis was?

 

Megan: I've made the cross-country run from Maryland to LA four times and the Detroit to LA run twice. There's a lot of good advice already here and since you've been to Bonneville already you probably already know this but I might suggest that:

A: You calculate the fuel mileage range of the roadster before you leave.
B: Once you get into western Colorado, Utah and Nevada that you pay frequent attention to your fuel gauge and road signs indicating gasoline stops. For example there's a beautiful stretch of Interstate 70 from Green River to Salina, Utah that has no gas stations for 110 miles...I imagine there are similar situations along the way as well, especially if you intend to take the two-lane as much as possible. It is all too easy to be taken in by the incredible beauty of the west and take your eyes off of the gauges.
C: Consider taking a CB radio...truckers know the roads and the area.

If I can think of more, I'll chime in later...Have a great trip !

All these pix are from I-70 in Utah... America is interesting from end-to-end, but there's just something so awe-inspiring about the Rocky Mountains, Utah, Nevada and our deserts. Enjoy!!

 

Megan- Mary Jane and I have done the trip several times in our old hot rod. we have done 66 and 50 and I think 40. We enjoyed 50 the most. Also, I can't remember what highway we were on but we were driving along in western Nevada and out in the middle of nowhere was a big tree that was covered with shoes that people had thrown up inh it. You never know what you are going to see. We put well over 150,000 miles on our 55 Chevy car , drove it in 38 states and all the way across Canada in the 18 years we owned it. We saw so much of our beautiful country that it is hard to remember what was on what highway but we encourage you to see as much as you can. There is some fantastic stuff out there and some really great people to meet on the road. HAVE FUN!!!
Later,
Dick

 

I would say route 66 out and then route 50 back.They were two of the first roads to go to california.#50 goes from Maryland to California.Check every wed.at 7pm on usa channel they are doing a spot on route 50 coast to coast.
Any way you go it will be a great trip.....

Enjoy,
Steve

 

Hey Steve: Speaking of Rt 50, have you ever seen that road sign at the end of the boardwalk in Ocean City that says something like " Sacramento, CA 3073 miles? " I have only finished two Interstates from end to end and that's I-70 and I-15 but someday I would like to try Rt 50 as well.....Good suggestion for Megan and Matt's route.

Go Megan go...have a great trip.

http://www.route50.com/sign_battle_saga.htm

 

the route 66 bridge over the big pinney river in central MO. was bypassed in the mid 50's but you can still drive on it. four days will be a real squeeze. we drove old 66 to the LAR in `05 from chicago.

 

i would not want to miss the wigwam in holbrook,az. it was the highlight of our trip. still operated by the family that built it. nice and clean, for about $42. a night.

 

Indy to Pomona 2,200 miles which means 4 days (Sat-Tues) at 500 miles each day and 200 on the last day Wed. No problem, been done before right Megan.

Indy to St Louis to Joplin, Mo to Wichita
54 across KS to Trinidad, Co
north on 25 to Walsenburg
west on 160 thru southern CO to just past Tuba City
then south on 89 to Flagstaff
west on I40 to I 15 to Pomona

Both two lane and expressway with lots of HAMB folks along this route just in case.

Seriously, some of the other more remote routes sound great but I know you and you'd be heartbroken if you got laid up for a couple of days in the middle of now where waiting for a part and missed the LARS.

 

Good luck....have fun...we are leaving sometime on Thursday and I can not wait. It will be me and my Dad and a bunch of his friends from their club "Over the hill Gang" and a few from the Phoenix Roadsters club...I can hardly wait!! we'll see ya there!!

 

You're right on many accounts

As my mom and Catherine would agree, you and I have driven topless (without even the option of a top) across the entire western US in a day That was what my mom said when she read this post, "I can see you and Matt doing this in one straight shot" And I would be absolutely heart broken if for some odd reason I got laid up in podunk. If I'm going to be laid up anywhere I prefer LA!

I looked at maps for a couple hours last night and came up with something very similar to what you said above. My variation from your route was revisiting the Million Dollar highway in the daylight hopefully with sunny skies to erase that harrowing night (8.6.07) from my memory and replace it with how beautiful that road really is.

Here's how I'm thinking of going:
Take 70 out of Indy and follow it across Missouri and Kansas, into ColoRODo. Around Limon, CO take 24 west to Buena Vista
285 south to Salida, CO
50 west to Montrose (I think this is the same way we went in '07)
550 south to Durango (via Million Dollar highway)
160 to Tuba City, AZ
89 South into Flagstaff
40 west to 15 south to 10 to Pomona Fairgrounds

The only variation to that path would be to end up in Holbrook to stay in the teepees for a night but that will probably depend on time.

If I take the path above I would go Indy - Kansas City on Saturday
Kansas City to inside of ColoRODo on Sunday
ColoRODo to Arizona on Monday
Arizona to inside of California on Tuesday
Inside of Cali on to Pomona on Wednesday

If you live along this route or near and have must stop eats or points of interest please speak up. I'm always open for HAMB suggestions!

As for the way back, who knows! Maybe we just won't come back....

 

Are you among the group of 5 or 6 guys in Phoenix Roadsters who travel & park together near the shade of the big tree near entrance (2 yerars ago)?
Do you know Larry Veil?
Just curious.

 

Needles is the last place to stay "inside Cali" until you get to Barstow... Ok If you are beat and running late.... If you have an extra hour or two head to Laughlin, NV out of Kingman, AZ on Hiway 68 and then take NV Hiway 163 to US 95 South back to I 40.

 

That's us. Let me see if I can name all who are going. Larry, Brad, Bob Bailey, Steve, Floyd, Jim??, Manfred and myself, Brent. This will be my first time.....woooo hoooo Breaking my virginity

 

Well- I'll definately see you at some point. Larry is a good friend- I bought his 32 2 years ago- then pretty much tore it apart & started over.
Show me a pic of your ride so I can find you.

 

I have tried several times to get a picture of my 40 under this sign!!

 

I am a RV'er and a member of 'The Good Sam Club" for RV'ers. They have a trip planning link on their web site. It allows you to plan a trip and there are checks to make that will keep you off the 'I's" and also alert you to CG's along the way and laots of other things you may need. Check it out.
http://www.goodsamclub.com/
try this first http://triprouting.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm

 

Have a great (and safe) trip, Megan!



Malcolm

 

Be safe and have FUN!

 

Wish I had a rod worthy of driving over...maybe in the future. I'll be a passanger in my dads big ol chevy truck

 

We did 50hwy last year from Sacramento to KC and it was Ausume! Check out Youtube (1932 Ford LA to KC). You will have a Lifetime of memories any way you go! What a Great country we live in!!! God Bless the USA!!!!!!!

 

Hope your havin fun on your trip west.......You Lucky dawg Woody and I did the cross country trip to Fremont....Best vacation trip we had. The USA has so many fantastic breath taking places...... Cannot wait to see your diary of the trip.......
Lots of the pictures placed on this thread were amazing.....What a great thread!!!!
Stay Safe Girl!!!!!!

 

Ran across them in the middle of Colorado on Monday afternoon, 6/15....