NY to SF in 8 days through Santa Fe (late December) need advice!!!

My boyfriend and I are planning to go from NYC to San Francisco by way of Charlottesville, Nashville, OK City(?), Santa Fe, and Las Vegas(?). Our questions are:
1) We know we want to go through Santa Fe, but are unsure about our other stops. Any recommendations?
2) My boyfriend is weak and couldn't protect me from a rabid maltese. Do we have anything to worry about in travelling alone on this route in the Winter? Do you have any tips on how to plan for potential issues?
3) Is this a stupid trip?

Hello and welcome to R.T.A.

For a one way trip across country in 8 days it will be a comfortable enough trip. Stops will largely depend on your interests. You

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2) My boyfriend is weak and couldn't protect me from a rabid maltese. Do we have anything to worry about in travelling alone on this route in the

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Bless him ! Everywhere is somebody's home and they go about there daily lives just as you do at home, so you shouldn't be unduly worried. Just use that "built in radar" we all have that you use at home and you will be fine. You know the one, it warns you not to go to certain places, like dark alleys in a dodgy neighbourhood.

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3) Is this a stupid trip?

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Not sure why it would be, lots of people do it. As long as it's something you both want to do.

Have a great trip and enjoy the ride.

Again, assuming this is a one-way trip (a round trip in 8 days would be virtually impossible), I do have some alternatives for you.

Consider (weather permitting) visiting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia (perhaps instead of Charlottesville) and then take the very scenic Blue Ridge Parkway southwest from there. The Blue Ridge Parkway connects Shenandoah to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and it runs more or less parallel to Interstate 81. Either the Blue Ridge or I-81 will eventually hook you up with Interstate 40, which you can take west and through Nashville.

Another suggestion is that when you leave the Santa Fe area, consider traveling northwest into southern Utah (again, weather permitting). There are 5 national parks in southern Utah (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion), not to mention numerous national monuments, state-protected areas, and so on. It's an extraordinarily beautiful part of the country.

Other than that, enjoy your trip, stay on top of the weather forecasts, and be safe.


Good hiking,

LDTL