how would you plan a cross-country route?

[nageov3t]

I'm tentatively thinking about doing this summer if I can talk a friend or two into it, just curious how AT would plan it :thumbsup:

I've actually done it three times (twice by car, once by bus), but I was a kid at the time. I was either too young to appreciate seeing anything or my parents were in too much of a rush to stop anywhere (we moved from Oregon to New Hampshire, back to Oregon, and then from Oregon to New Jersey during the 80's when I was a toddler/kid)

my minimal goals are seeing the Rockies and stopping somewhere at night where I can actually see stars (not something I've seen outside of a planetarium, living in the NYC region)

presumably my route would be NYC -> San Fran, or NYC -> Seattle, getting a one-way car rental and flying back.

 

[Ns1]

I would probably take a car one direction and then take the train back going the other direction, assuming I had money (cuz train tickets are expensive as fuck)

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I've taken quite a few trips cross country and usually plan them by the National Parks/Monuments I want to see.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Depending on the climate at the time I would take a more northerly route in the peak summer months (Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Tetons, Yellowstone) as it will be more forgiving than the south at that time and then come back on a southerly route (Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion) or switch depending on when exactly you are going.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Depending on the climate at the time I would take a more northerly route in the peak summer months (Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Tetons, Yellowstone) as it will be more forgiving than the south at that time and then come back on a southerly route (Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion) or switch depending on when exactly you are going.

Yes and no, I once had to follow the snowplow to the top of Pikes Peak in June.

 

[JamesV]

First I'd rent a small cheap RV. Driving long distances in a cramped car is not fun. Then I'd stock it with steaks I cut from a full strip, and any other food I need... a great steak over a fire is bliss.

While you can pay to stay the night in all National Parks, you can also stay for free by not using the campgrounds, and using a dispersed campsite (ie anyplace not in a campground, nor within 100 feet or so of any trails). There are trailheads with parking all over; simply park and walk off and set up camp. If you want to see stars, do this... in Allegheny last year, the sky was incredible at night.

Hit the Grand Canyon, but stay away from all the other big name parks (Yellowstone/etc), unless you plan to disperse camp... the big name parks can have ALOT of people, and I don't know about you, but part of the reason I go, is to get away from people.

I'm not doing a cross country, but I'm doing a week in Monongahela (WV), another stint in Allegheny in the summer with friends, and in the fall I'm going to try some serious dispersed camping in the west.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Yes and no, I once had to follow the snowplow to the top of Pikes Peak in June.

Glass half-full or half-empty? I bet you weren't driving through any snow now were you?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I-10 through the South and once you hit New Mexico - head to Colorado then take I-80 to Salt Lake and I-15 North to Seattle.

I would plan on car camping or cheap motels. I-10 is the middle of nowhere and decent chain motels are $50 or less a night and shitty mom & pops are $25-$30.

Nice "camping" places like KOA with hot showers, pool, hot tub, wifi, laundry and the like are generally under $30.
air bed
air pump
tent
ground tarp
sleeping bag
propane lantern
camp stove, 1 fry pan, 1-pot and paper plates & bowls with plastic silverware
ice chest - free ice from motels

I secretly wish I would get laid off in mid May so I could spend 90 days doing nothing but traveling from one National Park to another and hiking. I could spend two months in NM, AZ, NV & Utah.

After hiking Bryce & Zion last year - so amazingly epic fun & good times. I want to hit Chaco Canyon, Grand Escalante, Arches, Valley of Fire...........

I've driven from Houston to SF & Detroit to SF - I hit 1000 miles in one day as it was easy with time zone changes & the sun staying up until 9pm.

Pro-tip - buy a quality pair of polarized sunglasses for driving to keep eye strain to a minimum.

 

[arrfep]

I don't mean for this to sound stupid, but if you're planning a road trip to see anything you want in the whole country, you should plan it...to see anything you want in the whole country.

If coming from NYC, I'd drive down the East Coast till VA or N/S Carolina. Then head west, hooking up with the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take it through to Smoky Mountain National Park. Swing through Memphis, Nashville and meander around The Heartland. Cut through Kansas, into Colorado. Tap the Rockies. Wander around Summit County. Northern Texas gets boring, so avoid it onto your way to the American Southwest. Wander around there for a while, then hit Vegas on the was to SoCal. Drive up Highway 1 to San Fran, then head inland to Yosemite NP. Then up to the PNW.

I would bring a GPS, but do all my routing with paper maps. There's something awesome about seeing the large view and picking out a spot to visit.

Also if you've never seen a truly clear sky full if stars, I think it will blow your mind more than the largest canyon.

 

[CrackRabbit]

I've taken quite a few trips cross country and usually plan them by the National Parks/Monuments I want to see.

That is what I usually do, CA, UT, AZ, and NM are full of them.

 

[Ns1]

I would bring a GPS, but do all my routing with paper maps. There's something awesome about seeing the large view and picking out a spot to visit.

They make these things called "Tablets"

 

[sourn]

What ever you do just make sure not to take any short cuts specially in the country. We all know how that turns out.

And ya I'd rent an rv. I've done a lot of traveling, and the rv is by far the best way to go for something like this imo. Though it'll cost you that's for sure. Renting+fuel specially one way renting. With cars I know it's bad probably worse with a rv. Though with fuel prices the way they are might end up being cheaper flying back and sucking up the one way fee.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

They make these things called "Tablets"

Which aren't nearly as good as a paper map for working out routes and the big picture. You're comparing a roughly 3' x 2' map to a tablet size screen. Newer isn't always better.

 

[arrfep]

They make these things called "Tablets"

Not exactly what I meant. I'm talking about laying out a 3-foot-wide map on the hood of your car in the parking lot of a ramshackle diner and realizing everything on it is a potential destination. Part a practical difference, part an emotional one.

 

[Ns1]

Which aren't nearly as good as a paper map for working out routes and the big picture. You're comparing a roughly 3' x 2' map to a tablet size screen. Newer isn't always better.

What, you guys like the old thomas map system?

"See A16"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS A16!?"

you old fogeys need to get with the times man. gMaps > *. Can't pinch to zoom a thomas map!

 

[Murloc]

if someone plans his trips ahead he doesn't need to do that. Depends on the type of traveler. Having a paper map is always a good idea anyway. No one will steal it from you.

 

[KeithTalent]

if someone plans his trips ahead he doesn't need to do that. Depends on the type of traveler. Having a paper map is always a good idea anyway. No one will steal it from you.

Yeah, I always have a paper map for backup. Can't hurt. Just keep it in the glove or in my back pocket.

KT

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

What, you guys like the old thomas map system?

"See A16"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS A16!?"

you old fogeys need to get with the times man. gMaps > *. Can't pinch to zoom a thomas map!

Are we there yet?
I know, it's soooo hard to learn to read map keys, scale, geographic notation, elevation. Why can't I just cruise along in my air-conditioned car listening to MP3's, talking to my buds, surfing the web and, MY GOD! Did you know it's 400 miles to the next Michelin hotel?
Are we there yet?

 

[Thebobo]

When I got out of high school I took 3 driving trips out west to go backpacking and see the west. The first two times we went straight for Glacier Nation park then drove south to to Yellowstone the Tetons and the wind river range in Wyoming . 3rd time we drove to Alaska back when the alcan highway was all dirt. Coming back I rolled our van on the Alcan in the Yukon and we took a bus from there all the way to DC, Ugh. But nothing like a good road trip.

To recap - get in the car and go.

 

[Ns1]

Are we there yet?
I know, it's soooo hard to learn to read map keys, scale, geographic notation, elevation. Why can't I just cruise along in my air-conditioned car listening to MP3's, talking to my buds, surfing the web and, MY GOD! Did you know it's 400 miles to the next Michelin hotel?
Are we there yet?

Yeah I could do all that or I can hit "Satellite" view on gMaps =P Fuck cartology. The power of google compels you!

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yeah I could do all that or I can hit "Satellite" view on gMaps =P Fuck cartology. The power of google compels you!

You could also just fly to some place civilized. :whiste:

Ya know, some folks like to be connected to the world instead of connected to the intarweb.

 

[Ns1]

You could also just fly to some place civilized. :whiste:

Ya know, some folks like to be connected to the world instead of connected to the intarweb.

Pretty sure a tablet gives me more connectivity to the world than a thomas map, but that's enough of this thread derail.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Pretty sure a tablet gives me more connectivity to the world than a thomas map, but that's enough of this thread derail.

"The map is not the territory." Why not just sit home and "connect" to the world on your tablet? This is at the heart of traveling by car across the country. The planning of a route, enjoying the sights and, enjoying the occasional unplanned side trip due to an incorrect map (paper or web based) is the whole point.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

OP, if you think you'd like to do any camping, State parks rock! Don't even consider a KOA.

 

[PsiStar]

I did this 7 years ago. Core to the whole thing is a GPS with maps + hotels. I drove all day until we could pick a point that we knew we could make at something like 8PM. Via the GPS that area could be scoped out for restaurants and hotels that were acceptable. Once agreed to, the hotel of choice as called (per the phone number in the GPS) and we could tell them what time to expect us. Most major hotels this is no big deal of course, but when closing in on Wall, SD and in November this was quite important. Those hotels were closed because of off season or being renovated ... at least it was clean. The kids walking around were identified as Wall-ettes by the way.

This continued as a loop from Pennsylvania thru Montana, Idaho, then back across Utah, Colorado, & Nebraska finally meandering thru Missouri to the middle of no where Illinois for fam Thanksgiving. Note to self, Yellowstone is closed 2 times a year! Things like that are not in the GPS. But we did visit the Little Big Horn and without swarms of tourists.

Did the Bad Lands, explored all over the ... Bad Lands. Drove ve-e-ery slowly past a very large bull buffalo as wife eventually got a great photo of. It must have been all of 5' away. Grief.

I should add that this was done with ex-wife who was on a strong sedative from recent surgery to both hands. Damn, they ought to offer that stuff as an aerosol! Anyway, not only did we not have any arguments but she agreed with everything I said!!

Point is the GPS had almost all that we needed (Yellowstone noted above). At starting out in PA there was no plan at all other than "Bad Lands". Everything else just fit as it did fit.