driving across the USA - aprreciation

"rob tyler" wrote in
:

i thought NY to LA has
a ring to it - but i think i'll arrive at NY and just head south
immediately without visiting it (save it for another trip)

If you're not going to visit NYC, you really should look around and
check flight prices into other east coast cities -- Newark and DC
especially, or Boston if you want to start there. Newark would be a
substantially easier airport to start heading south from than JFK.

- but i presume my original idea of keeping as close to the
southern border as possible will probably be best ( i suppose that
crossing over into mexico isnt an option)

Depends on where you're from and what sort of visa or visa-waiver
you're on and all that. Big bureaucratic muckity-mucking.

If you're going the southern-southern route, be aware that there are
border patrol stops, especially off the interstates. Apparently we
have a treaty with Mexico that lets (some) Mexicans into the US on a
regular basis, to see family and stuff... but only within 30 miles of
the border. The upshot is that out west, there's secondary border
control in from the border too. It's not a big deal, and you'll be
fine with your I-94 from the flight in. Just expect to see them --
it doesn't mean they're looking for anyone, or cracking down on
anything, or that we're having more terrorist fun.

--
Jim Battista
A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.

I have been across the country on I-10 maybe 20 times now. It is the fastest
way to get to LA, where my closest family lives. If you are set to go that
way, take this advice, you will NOT be sorry!

Do NOT, I repeat NOT, miss Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico! It is a slightly
long 2 hours northeast of El Paso, but I have been to it so many times it is
getting ridiculous, but for a good reason...It is the largest cave in the
world, and the best! I don't want to spoil it for you, but the magic comes
when you take the elevator out after you see it and you feel like a million
bucks! It is the most wondrous place on Earth, it even beats Yosemite National
Park, although nothing can really beat that, but it does on first visits, or
after a real long time away from it. I am now an 8 year old again, even after
seeing it while half asleep, and I feel like I can take on the world! That is
what it does to you, turns you into a kid again, I found this out by careful
examination, just take my word for it...I would not miss that or Yosemite for
the greatest feeling of your entire life! There are wonderful things to see
and do on the trip to LA, if you are going on I-10 from Jacksonville, Florida,
you MUST take in the Aviation Museum at the Pensacola Air Station, it is one of
the best in the world...Next, stop right at the next stop in Mobile, Alabama
for the Battleship tour...Next, stop in Houston for the NASA tour, then the
Canal ride in San Antonio...Then, Carlbad Caverns, nothing to do except Mexico
in El Paso...Not much else to do in Las Cruces, on to Tucson, see Tombstone,
the cowboy city, and the gardens and the other cave there...Then you are in LA,
lots to do there, Disneyland, Universal Studios, the Chinese Theatre and the
Stars walk of fame, Magic Mountain, the Queen Mary, and tons more...I would not
miss Yosemite if I were you, it is the greatest place on this planet, with 7 of
the 10 largest waterfalls in the world in one little place, Yosemite Valley...I
would stay at the Yosemite Lodge, around $85 a night, and you can hike up the
trails to view all the waterfalls money can't buy...They tried to turn it into
a friggin show way back when and even build a cablecar to Glacier Point, but
the people turned them away...No gas station any more in the valley, you must
fill it at Wawona, but you won't need a car in Yosemite Village, the shuttle
buses take you everywhere...I spent an entire month there one summer, changed
my name so they couldn't bar me it used to be so popular, it still is I guess,
but you get 2 weeks now there at the campgrounds, you can stay in Curry Village
in a tent cabin if you can take it, gets very cold even in the summer at night,
but I love it...That month, I spent a day hiking the trails, then 1 or 2 days
resting up, laying out on the benches at the Lodge, looking up at the
falls...If you saw Lord of the Rings, Fellowship, Rivendell approaches Yosemite
beauty...It is where you can lay back and enjoy nature for a week or as much
time as you can give it, I spent a month there and never was bored, there were
always pretty girls at the Lodge pool to hang around...They have not yet taken
out the Pizza parlor or hamburger joints, and the Lodge cafeteria serves the
best salads on the planet! Where else in the world can you dine on the best
food on Earth, while gazing up at a 4,000 ft. waterfall! By the way, this is
just personal, but Yosemite water is the most delicious water in the world, I
used to cart gallon jugs with me to bring it home for my friends and family.
Even the trip to the Lunch Rock, and the Mist Trail, will practically bring
tears to your eyes, it is so wondrous! I sure wouldn't miss it if I were you,
take my advice, and see what I told you, you won't be sorry...


I am the Great One! Nothing can dispute that!

(Gary Stollman) wrote in
:

Not much else to do in Las Cruces,

Not so. EVERY time you are EVER in Las Cruces, it is a moral
imperative to eat at La Posta de La Mesilla. Fabulous Mexican food,
good prices, Billy the Kid ate there.

--
Jim Battista
A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.

"Gary Stollman" wrote in message
...
I have been across the country on I-10 maybe 20 times now. It is the
fastest
way to get to LA, where my closest family lives. If you are set to go
that
way, take this advice, you will NOT be sorry!

Do NOT, I repeat NOT, miss Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico! It is a
slightly
long 2 hours northeast of El Paso, but I have been to it so many times it
is
getting ridiculous, but for a good reason...It is the largest cave in the
world, and the best! I don't want to spoil it for you, but the magic
comes
when you take the elevator out after you see it and you feel like a
million
bucks! It is the most wondrous place on Earth, it even beats Yosemite
National
Park, although nothing can really beat that, but it does on first visits,
or
after a real long time away from it. I am now an 8 year old again, even
after
seeing it while half asleep, and I feel like I can take on the world!
That is
what it does to you, turns you into a kid again, I found this out by
careful
examination, just take my word for it...I would not miss that or Yosemite
for
the greatest feeling of your entire life! There are wonderful things to
see
and do on the trip to LA, if you are going on I-10 from Jacksonville,
Florida,
you MUST take in the Aviation Museum at the Pensacola Air Station, it is
one of
the best in the world...Next, stop right at the next stop in Mobile,
Alabama
for the Battleship tour...Next, stop in Houston for the NASA tour, then
the
Canal ride in San Antonio...Then, Carlbad Caverns, nothing to do except
Mexico
in El Paso...Not much else to do in Las Cruces, on to Tucson, see
Tombstone,
the cowboy city, and the gardens and the other cave there...Then you are
in LA,
lots to do there, Disneyland, Universal Studios, the Chinese Theatre and
the
Stars walk of fame, Magic Mountain, the Queen Mary, and tons more...I
would not
miss Yosemite if I were you, it is the greatest place on this planet, with
7 of
the 10 largest waterfalls in the world in one little place, Yosemite
Valley...I
would stay at the Yosemite Lodge, around $85 a night, and you can hike up
the
trails to view all the waterfalls money can't buy...They tried to turn it
into
a friggin show way back when and even build a cablecar to Glacier Point,
but
the people turned them away...No gas station any more in the valley, you
must
fill it at Wawona, but you won't need a car in Yosemite Village, the
shuttle
buses take you everywhere...I spent an entire month there one summer,
changed
my name so they couldn't bar me it used to be so popular, it still is I
guess,
but you get 2 weeks now there at the campgrounds, you can stay in Curry
Village
in a tent cabin if you can take it, gets very cold even in the summer at
night,
but I love it...That month, I spent a day hiking the trails, then 1 or 2
days
resting up, laying out on the benches at the Lodge, looking up at the
falls...If you saw Lord of the Rings, Fellowship, Rivendell approaches
Yosemite
beauty...It is where you can lay back and enjoy nature for a week or as
much
time as you can give it, I spent a month there and never was bored, there
were
always pretty girls at the Lodge pool to hang around...They have not yet
taken
out the Pizza parlor or hamburger joints, and the Lodge cafeteria serves
the
best salads on the planet! Where else in the world can you dine on the
best
food on Earth, while gazing up at a 4,000 ft. waterfall! By the way, this
is
just personal, but Yosemite water is the most delicious water in the
world, I
used to cart gallon jugs with me to bring it home for my friends and
family.
Even the trip to the Lunch Rock, and the Mist Trail, will practically
bring
tears to your eyes, it is so wondrous! I sure wouldn't miss it if I were
you,
take my advice, and see what I told you, you won't be sorry...

- very inspiring - i will NOT miss the caverns - i thought Yosemite might be
a bit far north with the time available but i shall have to see if i can
manage that as well - is it not going to be too snowed up over the New Year
to be accessable anyway?