Planning Elise adventure

[Crudson]

As some of you know I got laid off the week before Christmas (thanks for all the support), and one thing I am considering doing before I am forced to get another job is drive from up here in Philly to California, and I suppose back again.

I am looking for general advice including good routes, places of interest, things to avoid, people to see etc.

I think February/March is when I'd potentially do it, so that means going as south as possible I expect and avoiding the whole MidWest. Other than that I have little ideas other than to throw a bag of clothes and the laptop with GPS and internet into the car and drive.

[steidley]

There is device by Sony for $100 or $200 that will but a location stamp on any pictures you take. I'm sure you can do similar with other GPS's. I think it would be cool to look back and see where the pics were each taken.

I did an NJ to Las Vegas run with some friends. We did a bee line to New Orleans and then went across Texas. I'd recommend the route. Avoid the snow and less wide open plains then other routes.

Adam

[MickOpalak]

Stop at as many Waffle Houses as you can.

[Stroker Ace]

Thats pretty ballsy! considering you have no spare I was heading up to the Lancaster outlets christmass eve for some last minute shopping when I most have ran something over in the raod (never saw it even went back to look), long story short I spent 3 hours of my day waiting for a flatbed and the last cople weeks looking for a new wheel. I would hate for that to happen halfway across the country. either way good luck it sould be a blast. if you make it

[slaughtr]

If you take a southern route, hit as many tracks as you can. Enjoy that Elise like it was meant to be.

[wallabyguy]

Doug,

You're my hero.

Let me know if I can help.

Robert

[wrh3]

Originally Posted by MickOpalak

Stop at as many Waffle Houses as you can.

Someone actually did that on VW Vortex when they flew to some other state to pick up an R32......and put together a photo mosaic of all of them.

[Allan Gibbs]

Wait a minute. Isn't January through March the prime interview and hiring season? New budgets for departments and people wanting to leave just got their year end bonuses, etc.

[Crudson]

Originally Posted by Allan Gibbs

Wait a minute. Isn't January through March the prime interview and hiring season? New budgets for departments and people wanting to leave just got their year end bonuses, etc.

Yeah probably, but I haven't had more than a couple of weeks off in almost ten years though so sod it, I'm having a holiday

[Allan Gibbs]

Originally Posted by Crudson

Yeah probably, but I haven't had more than a couple of weeks off in almost ten years though so sod it, I'm having a holiday

Well, the good news is that by driving around the country, you may decide you want to move to a new city. Good luck and enjoy. I was laid off a few weeks before Thanksgiving in 2005 and didn't find stable employment until April 2006 - so I can relate.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Hey Crudson let me know if you want to make it a group trip. I'm working in Toronto for 6-8 weeks starting Jan 15, and I'll want to take a route 66 trip when I get back.

[evilfij]

If Janey can do it, you can do it!

www.whereisjaney.com

Seriously making the trip to cali was some of the most fun I ever had in my entire life. I only wish I could have done the return trip to.

For the return trip we set up a cheap GPS phone so we could track the progress of the truck and speed (on the way in top speed was an indicated 110--don't laugh, that is fast when you see the truck).

Next year I am getting serious and doing the alcan.

www.alcan5000.com

[Chris]

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

Hey Crudson let me know if you want to make it a group trip. I'm working in Toronto for 6-8 weeks starting Jan 15, and I'll want to take a route 66 trip when I get back.

Ooohh a route 66 trip would be cool, I hear there are alot of neet things to see along the way. Old abandoned places from when it was in its glory. I am jealous!

Doug, wherever you end up going, keep a journal and post lots of pics for those of us who need to live vicariously through you FWIW I think you are doing the right thing taking some time off and going on this trip, you only live once and another job will always be there when you get back. Carpe Diem!

[lotusport]

Originally Posted by Stroker Ace

Thats pretty ballsy! considering you have no spare I was heading up to the Lancaster outlets christmass eve for some last minute shopping when I most have ran something over in the raod (never saw it even went back to look), long story short I spent 3 hours of my day waiting for a flatbed and the last cople weeks looking for a new wheel. I would hate for that to happen halfway across the country. either way good luck it sould be a blast. if you make it

Nah! I drove the car home to Denver from Houston when I bought it. I drove it to the LOG in St. Louis in '05. I drove it to the WCLM last May.
Then I drove it to the LOG in DFW last October. No problems with anything, including tires and wheels.

I'm taking it easy on 'er this year: LOG 27 is in Aspen (only 3 hours from Denver).

[lotusport]

Originally Posted by Chris

Ooohh a route 66 trip would be cool, I hear there are alot of neet things to see along the way. Old abandoned places from when it was in its glory. I am jealous!

Doug, wherever you end up going, keep a journal and post lots of pics for those of us who need to live vicariously through you FWIW I think you are doing the right thing taking some time off and going on this trip, you only live once and another job will always be there when you get back. Carpe Diem!

AMEN. Be sure to watch Cars every night along the way.

[EburgE]

I'll park along side your route through Maryland and take a photo as you go by. Get everyone else from EliseTalk to do the same thing.

[rnr]

Originally Posted by steidley

There is device by Sony for $100 or $200 that will but a location stamp on any pictures you take. I'm sure you can do similar with other GPS's. I think it would be cool to look back and see where the pics were each taken.

You can also do this using a regular Nokia cellphone to get either cell based location or connect the phone to a bluetooth GPS to get the exact coordinates. See http://zonetag.research.yahoo.com/zonetagit_how.php for more information.

[Chris]

I was actually thinking about the 'risk of a flat tire' comment from earlier in this thread. I'd bet that there would be an elise talker close by to help out if you ever got into trouble.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

If I go on my trip, I am going to be using my passenger seat as a spare tire holder. I am not screwing around if I'm going to find myself in the middle of the Arizona desert, let alone Sonora if I decide to cross the border.

[nvrblu]

I wouldn't take any vehicle across the border into Mexico...

I just did a round trip AZ-MO over the holidays (in my Landcruiser). The "southern" route was from Mesa (Phoenix area) through Tucson, El Paso, Abilene, Wichita Falls, Oklahoma City, and then to Springfield, MO. It was interstate most of the way. I chose this route bacuse of bad weather along I40 (US 66 replacement). West Texas is really boring along I10 and I20.

For the return, I decided to take my usual "northern" route with the hopes that I40 would be clear... big mistake. I40 was closed at Amarillo where the trees, grass, highway, and everything else was covered with ice from and ice storm. We tried to go around the closure by taking I27 about 25 miles south to US 60 and rejoining I40 at Santa Rosa, NM. I40 was open for about 20 miles before we hit another closure and were routed north to I25 near Las Vegas, NM, then through Sante Fe and Albuquerque. The moon was bright and the snow was deep... the road from I40 to Las Vegas, NM, however, appeared to be a nice scenic route for fair weather.

Traveling through the high country in NM and AZ is risky this time of year.

Some other roads through AZ that are worthy of consideration include US 191 (formerly US 666 -- most apropriate) between I10 and I40. US 60 also has some nice stretches... Salt River Canyon being one of them.