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#71
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
"Dennis P. Harris" wrote in message ... On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 03:12:43 GMT in rec.travel.usa-canada, "DiggerDog" wrote: You're forgetting visitors usually haven't seen the kind of things that you consider an armpit. They are often fascinated by miles of flat land, lack of trees, grazing cattle, cactus growing, scenic canyons, oil derricks, etc. well, maybe that's because i grew up in and live in a bigger state than texas, that has real mountains. and i have seen much of texas, except for the east texas which made another poster wax poetic. sorry, i live in a rain forest, and a "forest" of spindly dried out pines is not my idea of a forest. Luckily, there are more opinions than yours in the world. Probably, you wouldn't care for the Everglades, either - but it's my piece of nature and I like it. Haven't made it to Alaska yet, but I'm still saving up for the cruise..... vbg Chris |
#72
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Route 66 (was: driving across the USA - provisional itinerary)
"DiggerDog" wrote in message
news:T3dyb.259826$ao4.910606@attbi_s51... Why would anyone from Europe care about Route 66? It may be dear to your heart because of its history but in the final analysis it is just an old road and almost none of it original anyhow. We aren't talking about the Via Appia here. Route 66 is a fabled road in the U.S. See especially The Grapes of Wrath. You're not serious, surely? Even Americans have a sense of history, every now and again, and whilst it may be short, it's still US history (when were you born, if I may ask? Probably too late to appreciate music from the 50s and 60s.). Who knows, may be your ancestors drove down the 66, in search of a better life? Try the quote below, and tell me if this doesn't ring a bell with you: If one delirious post-World War II definition was being able to get in your automobile, turn the ignition, put the pedal to the metal and go anywhere you wanted to, then Route 66 offered an asphalt of independence that stretched all the way from the wind-buffeted shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago to the balmy beaches of the Pacific in sunny Santa Monica. For 2,448 miles, it was one glorious, eight-state road show. For the scores of communities and thousands of businesses it once serviced, it became the Main Street of America. Although it began in 1926 during a national movement to standardize America's highways, Route 66 is best remembered for the way it fuelled the United States in the '30s, '40s and '50s. It offered its own high-octane brand of manifest destiny. First came the penniless, dispossessed Okies and Arkies, escaping the dust-choked farmlands, westbound in rattletrap roadsters during the '30s. They came to life as the Joads, clattering California-bound in a cut-down Hudson Super-Six on "... the mother road, the road of flight..." in John Steinbeck's epic 1939 novel, "The Grapes of Wrath": "Tom, they's a hunderds of families like us all a-goin' west. It's like they was runnin' away from soldiers... like the whole country was movin'." After World War II, the entire country seemed to be doing just that, fueled by tens of thousands of ex-GIs longing for a better look at the America they had fought for, and wanting to see what the country held in store for them. Paved since 1937, that shimmering, black ribbon of highway beckoned. Bedazzled, the veterans cut loose, heading for the Promised Land, just beyond the setting sun. One of them, a likeable young Pennsylvanian named Bobby Troup, listened to the rhythm of that road. Bound for what he hoped would be a lucrative West Coast music career, he left Harrisburg in his green '41 Buick convertible in the summer of '46. Slipping onto Route 66 in Chicago, he arrived in Los Angeles 10 days later with a new song that caught the ear of Nat King Cole, who quickly turned it into a hit that became the anthem of the asphalt: "If you ever plan to motor west, take my way, the highway that's the best. Get your kicks on Route 66". (Bobby's wife, Cynthia, however, said: "For me it was more of a long road with cheap hotels and restaurants. Besides, I really don't understand why Albuquerque's missing in the song.") Route 66 helped raise a new crop of vocabulary words for a country that hungered for the open road and thirsted for the automobile. Some of the words identified the new businesses that began to service an increasingly mobile public: motels, fast-food drive-ins, service stations, convenience stores, commercial strips, strip mall, shopping malls, parking lots, and drive-in theaters. Fast food was the fare of drive-in restaurants. Burgers and fries became inseparable. Along the highway were billboards and Burma-Shave signs, "jingles", signs in short distances to be read in sequence, e.g.: He had the ring He had the flat But she felt his chin And that Was that. She put a bullet Thru his hat But he's had closer Shaves than that. There were retooled cars everywhere sporting bigger engines. The words became abbreviations, then brand names. The eight-cylinder overhead valve engine became the V-8. Chevrolet's ultimate sports car, the Corvette, became the 'vette. Ford and Pontiac countered with the Mustang and the Firebird. Motorcycles became hogs and choppers, then Harleys. At truck plazas, all trucks were Mack and all truck engines seemed Peterbilt. Swing and be-bop surrendered to Elvis, Little Richard, and Buddy Holly who belted out rock and roll tunes from car radios, as teenagers in hot rods, street rods, roadsters, and muscle cars cruised America's Main Street on warm Saturday nights bathed in Route 66's signature signage, neon. As the heartbeat of America accelerated into the '50s and '60s in an era of unparalleled prosperity, so did the volume and speed of the nation's affordable automobiles and a commensurate need for a vast, national network of bigger, faster highways. But by then a Federal Interstate Highway system that had begun in 1956 was spreading across the landscape. The Highway Beautification Act of 1965 put an end to individually, often crassly designed service stations acting as their own advertisement. Standardized gas stations and chain motels took over. Waving and cleaning hands were replaced by digital pumps operated by credit cards. In 1985, after the last segment had been bypassed by the I-40 the year before, Route 66 was decommissioned and passed into history. But its legacy endures. Some of its gas stations, garages, and service stations, and tourist cabins, tourist courts and motor-hotels, survive. Many of its hundreds of architecturally and historically significant motels, hotels, restaurants and cafes, some of them protected by preservation covenants and clustered in historic districts, are undergoing restoration. But most importantly of all, that ribbon of highway is still there, connecting them all, and calling out to everyone who yearns for yesterday. (Inspired by a brochure from "New Mexico Mainstreet", and "Route 66" by H. Schmidt-Brümmer) |
#73
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
In article ,
rob tyler wrote: well, you're right ... Philadelphia will be my first experience of the US after the controls of JFK - which from reports i am not looking forward to with anticipation of much efficiency - (any idea how we drive there - is it easy to bypass new york?) Well, you can always fly into Philadelphia or Washington. Or Atlanta, for that matter. The only reason to fly into NYC is if you're going to NYC, or if you're getting a super-cheap fare, and even then, it doesn't take but a few extra nights' hotels to negate that. Other than that, the location of JFK airport on Long Island means that you're going to be driving through a fair chunk of NYC. As for the rest of your itinerary, limiting the long stretches of driving is a wise move. Be sure and take the time to explore the non-Interstate connections between cities. While in the South, follow your nose and locals' advice to the local barbecue joints. Unless I missed it, your itinerary didn't take the Natchez Trace, which is one of the more pleasant drives you'll find anywhere. Speed limits are strictly enforced. -- --- Eric Holeman Chicago Illinois USA |
#74
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
In article ,
Nile wrote: Yes, definitely do this. Thirded. It was a fascinating detour, with rugged scenery, and minimal traffic and population, apart from a few towns in the Indian reservation. Watch for the jetliner graveyard as you approach Kingman from the north. -- --- Eric Holeman Chicago Illinois USA |
#75
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
rob tyler wrote: We have now put together a rough outline of the itinerary for our drive across the USA from New York to San Francisco via New Orleans and Santa Fe. This is my first trip to the USA. We have had many useful suggestions from the newsgroup and our route and places to stay are rough guides as to the final journey. We would love to hear of any recommended towns along the route that would offer more interesting stopping places; and any other suggestions or comments. We are a bit wary now as to the weather conditions in the South West in particular. And the important question is: What should we not miss? Which features along the route or involving a reasonable detour would you recommend we include. 29th December, Monday Las Vegas NV 275 miles 30th December, Tuesday Bakersfield CA 286 miles New Years Eve, Wednesday San Francisco CA 288 miles New Years Day, Thursday San Francisco CA 0 miles 2nd January, Friday explore the Californian coast 3rd January, Saturday day off 4th January, Sunday San Francisco: Fly back to London Approximately 4000 miles for the trip Rob, I have read all of the suggestions given to you so far and am surprised no one has suggested the following given your stated preferences. I would suggest that from Las Vegas, you take highway 160 just South of the city to highway 372/178 and make a small detour through Death Valley National Park. You can see the lowest elevation point in the US along with grand vistas and pastel-hued hills. I agree with a previous poster, that Bakersfield should only be concidered an overnight stop, not a destination (I know whereof I speak, I live 100 miles North of Bakersfield and have friends there). Above all, enjoy. Jack Lurker |
#76
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Route 66 (was: driving across the USA - provisional itinerary)
OK, OK. I get the point. You love Route 66, which is fine. I love the old road too. I'm old enough to be your grandfather and I grew up beside 66 and traveled the western half from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles half a dozen times back when it was a two lane blacktop with no shoulders. BUT, I'm not a first-time visitor from London, and I'm willing to bet they won't see the romance of that period while staring at one of the few still remaining pieces of pot-holed asphalt when they could be staring at the Grand Canyon, visiting the Indians at Acoma, viewing petroglyphs, touring old missions, etc. You're not serious, surely? Even Americans have a sense of history, every now and again, and whilst it may be short, it's still US history (when were you born, if I may ask? Probably too late to appreciate music from the 50s and 60s.). Who knows, may be your ancestors drove down the 66, in search of a better life? Try the quote below, and tell me if this doesn't ring a bell with you: |
#77
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Route 66 (was: driving across the USA - provisional itinerary)
"DiggerDog" wrote in message news:9nSyb.276658$275.980946@attbi_s53... OK, OK. I get the point. You love Route 66, which is fine. I love the old road too. I'm old enough to be your grandfather and I grew up beside 66 and traveled the western half from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles half a dozen times back when it was a two lane blacktop with no shoulders. BUT, I'm not a first-time visitor from London, and I'm willing to bet they won't see the romance of that period while staring at one of the few still remaining pieces of pot-holed asphalt when they could be staring at the Grand Canyon, visiting the Indians at Acoma, viewing petroglyphs, touring old missions, etc. Fair enough. No offence intended. You obviously know a lot more about Route 66 than I do. And you're right - the canyons of the south-west ARE spectacular! And, today, as it happens, I was once more admiring the missions at San Antonio, TX... |
#78
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Route 66 (was: driving across the USA - provisional itinerary)
"DiggerDog" wrote in message news:9nSyb.276658$275.980946@attbi_s53... OK, OK. I get the point. You love Route 66, which is fine. I love the old road too. I'm old enough to be your grandfather and I grew up beside 66 and traveled the western half from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles half a dozen times back when it was a two lane blacktop with no shoulders. BUT, I'm not a first-time visitor from London, and I'm willing to bet they won't see the romance of that period while staring at one of the few still remaining pieces of pot-holed asphalt when they could be staring at the Grand Canyon, visiting the Indians at Acoma, viewing petroglyphs, touring old missions, etc. As somone from London who drove the road in 2001 I'd have to disagree with you. Most visitors have read one or more of the guide books and know very much what to look for and I'll bet a good many take side trips to the sights along the way. The Grand Canyon, Acoma, Taos, Santa Fe etc were all part of my itinerary, Keith |
#79
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
"Jack Lurker" wrote in message ... Rob, I have read all of the suggestions given to you so far and am surprised no one has suggested the following given your stated preferences. I would suggest that from Las Vegas, you take highway 160 just South of the city to highway 372/178 and make a small detour through Death Valley National Park. You can see the lowest elevation point in the US along with grand vistas and pastel-hued hills. I agree with a previous poster, that Bakersfield should only be concidered an overnight stop, not a destination (I know whereof I speak, I live 100 miles North of Bakersfield and have friends there). Above all, enjoy. Jack Lurker Thanks for that Jack - I've noted your suggestion. And all the others: fantastic advice. Thanks to all of you. I didnt think I'd be blessed with some 80 replies when I first wrote the question. It's only 2 weeks away now and seems to be coming upon me with ever increasing acceleration..... |
#80
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driving across the USA - provisional itinerary
I have good times wherever we have gone. We have never found there is
'nothing to see or do' even in remote areas. Each section of US is different to the next but my personal favourite has to be Texas (I am a cowboy at heart) but for beauty you can't beat BC (Canada) We try to do all the 'touristy' things but also try some un-touristy days out and do the things that the locals do, they are always pleased to see you and are amazed that you have come all the way from merrie England to see there little store, yard sale, bar, school fete chilli cook out etc. Steve "rob tyler" wrote in message ... hi steve - looks like you've been there and done some........... - where do you recommend? "steve" wrote in message ... Have a look at my website it may give you a few ideas of where to visit or avoid on your journey. Good luck Steve London UK www.usatouring.co.uk "rob tyler" wrote in message ... We have now put together a rough outline of the itinerary for our drive across the USA from New York to San Francisco via New Orleans and Santa Fe. This is my first trip to the USA. We have had many useful suggestions from the newsgroup and our route and places to stay are rough guides as to the final journey. We would love to hear of any recommended towns along the route that would offer more interesting stopping places; and any other suggestions or comments. We are a bit wary now as to the weather conditions in the South West in particular. And the important question is: What should we not miss? Which features along the route or involving a reasonable detour would you recommend we include. 13th December, Saturday Fly to New York JFK drive to Philadelphia PA 106 miles 14th December, Sunday past Washington to Roanake VA 378 miles 15th December, Monday to Knoxville TA 260 miles 16th December, Tuesday Chattanooga TA 112 miles 17th December, Wednesday Tuscaloosa AL 204 miles 18th December, Thursday New Orlreans LS 291 miles 19th December, , Friday New Orleans LS 0 miles 20th December, Saturday Beaumont TX 261 miles 21th December, Sunday Austin TX 248 miles 22th December, Monday Sheffield TX 317 miles 23rd December, Tuesday Carslbad, NM 210 miles Christmas Eve, Wednesday Santa Fe NM 267 miles Christmas Day, Thursday Santa Fe NM 0 miles 26th December, , Friday Gallup NM 198 miles 27th December, Saturday Flagstaff AZ 185 miles 28th December, Sunday Flagstaff & Grand Canyon 77 miles 29th December, Monday Las Vegas NV 275 miles 30th December, Tuesday Bakersfield CA 286 miles New Years Eve, Wednesday San Francisco CA 288 miles New Years Day, Thursday San Francisco CA 0 miles 2nd January, Friday explore the Californian coast 3rd January, Saturday day off 4th January, Sunday San Francisco: Fly back to London Approximately 4000 miles for the trip |
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