60 days, west coast and up through AZ, UT

Hi Sacha!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RoadTripper Sascha

I'll keep that in mind. Like I said, I really don't mind sleeping in the car and would actually prefer this over actual camping. The more flexible, the better.

---

Check out this post to find other places to sleep in your car. If you plan to spend some time in some major cities (ex. : Seattle, Denver, Phoenix), check out the YMCA's and the colleges and universities. Some of them may rent cheap rooms (usually between 25 and 50$) at the students' residences during the summer.

Quote:

---

So if I understand this correctly, it's perfectly legal to spend the night at a pullout?

---

It's not quite that simple. I guess you'd have to check it out State by State and my hinch is that it would be illegal in most States but some States will tolerate it more than others. I tried to do a research on the internet regarding that matter but it seems like it is never quite black or white and since you guys don't have the same legal system we have over here, I never managed to get a simple straight answer by looking over the internet. I guess you'll have to ask around (policemen, courthouses, etc.) to learn exactly where it is illegal and when because there can be some interpretation to do with every assertion.

For example, I know that sleeping in your car on the side of the road is illegal in Santa Barbara County. Ok fine, but what is their definition of "the side of the road"? Does it mean on the shoulder only? Does it include a pullover? How far does it extends? Is sleeping half a mile off the road is still considered as "on the side of the road"? Does road include private roads or only public streets and highways? That's why I think it's better to go straight to the source and ask instead of listening to hearsay and run the risk of getting arrested.

Quote:

---

A couple of those routes may be too far out of my way

---

Just save them for later. We want the members of our community to keep on dreaming and planning their future road trips all year long.:o)

Quote:

---

but particularly US 50 across Utah served as an eye-opener. I don't know why I was so fixated on heading back through CO and hitting Great Sand Dunes NP, when US 50 and back up through Salt Lake seems a lot more interesting.

---

Both places are gorgeous but if you're looking for desolated and remote areas, US 50 is IT. Check out this post to learn more about a couple of attractions along the NV-UT stretch of US 50 -- including a shoe tree.

Happy planning!
Geneviève

Thanks again for all the great info. I'll try to stick with actual campgrounds and motels :)

My plans have changed somewhat as I will now most likely be moving to the greater Portland area by sometime early Fall. So I've decided to pull the plug on the Oregon and northern California coast for now as I would have the opportunity to explore those areas more in depth in the future. I'm kinda bummed and was really looking forward to the area, but I guess that gives me even more to look forward to later in the year.

Plan B calls for a backwards "L" loop and would at least still leave me with some 500 miles of coastline from Pt. Arena to Oceano. It would also shave another 800 miles off the original route, freeing up some extra time along the way.

cheers,
sascha

I'm envious of your road trip plans.

Your post got me thinking of places that would be interesting for you to shoot.

In the SF Bay Area, check out the military bunkers in the Marin Headlands. Not only are the bunkers neat, but you get great views of SF. There's also a preserved Nike Missle site you can visit.

There's also a bunker on the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge too.

Fort Point underneath the Golden Gate Bridge is a civil war era fort.

Angel Island has remnants of a former military base. Also on Angel Island is the old west coast immigration station. Opened in 1910, immigrants (primarily Chinese) were detained for long periods of time. The buildings are currently undergoing renovation so it's closed right now. One of the neat things about the buildings are carvings that detainees etched into the walls.

Another place is an old Nike Missle site on top of Sweeney Ridge, just south of San Francisco. You have to hike a little bit to get there. There are a couple of abandoned buildings.

Can't forget to mention Alcatraz Island.

The Navy maintains a mothball fleet of ships near Benicia, CA. I have no idea how to get permission to visit the fleet.

South of the Bay Area is the old mining town of New Idria. They mined quicksilver. I've never been there, but it looks interesting.

If I think of other ideas, I'll post. Have a wonderful trip.

Alvin