I wanna feel the blues...

Hello everyone,

First time on a long road trip and counting the days to do so...
Will be leaving early February and have no time frame to achieve so I can chill and just enjoy the trip!
Going from Florida (Miami) to California (San Diego) and want to see what the south has to offer ;o)
I am thinking about driving up to Georgia, then Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona (maybe Utah also?) then California :o)
I am trying to dig as much info on this site and else where as I can so to decide on sight seeing and all the details.
I'm a 29 year-old female, driving a small pick up truck on my own.
Any cross-country traveling tips and specific places to visit welcome!
Looking forward to sharing my plans and later my experience with you!
Thank you all! :o)

Have you also considered visiting Memphis, TN to "feel the blues"? That would definitely be on my list (and has been for quite some time).

One thing you're going to have to consider is how much of a budget you have. Playing into this would be your preferred method of lodging, as camping, hotels, relatives, etc. all have varying costs associated with them.

Once that part is more or less settled, the rest of the trip planning is relatively easy.

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Originally Posted by aline

I am thinking about driving up to Georgia, then Alabama, Mississippi,

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Well, one night you ought to consider staying at the Shack-up Inn -- here is a recent field report.

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I'm a 29 year-old female, driving a small pick up truck on my own.

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You have already read BirdyBird's field report, but here are a few more to get you "in the mood":

Our poll on solo road trips
Judy's tips
Jillian and few more tipsters
Camping and solo trips

There are lots of ideas herein -- here is a thread about the Great River Road

Happy Planning!

Mark

Wow... what a way to start... that's what I am talking about! I really appreciate the tips given…

Mark, the shack up inn is exactly what I am looking for in this trip, affordable and with soul.

Tim, Memphis is already included in the itinerary! As for my budget, it is short but money for any emergency etc will be available. Other than that I definitely look forward to traveling on a 'need to spend' basis…

Talking about going cheaper, I also checked Judy’s tips (thanks Mark) and they made me so comfortable about camping on my on that I will start looking for a tent to buy and play with before my trip. It will be a nice way to save money and get to meet who is on the road and share some experiences as well.

How about traveling during winter? Am I ok with a small truck? I may sound silly but I've seen snow only once so in case I will have to face a 'snowy' road I don't exactly know how to proceed (will be digging some info on that one as well).

I am also a little embarrassed to ask the following but you guys have more experience and know the country better than I do so I will just shoot straight: I am Brazilian and, honestly, I only learned that I wasn't 'white' when I moved to the US. Americans are about the friendliest people I've met by far but I also heard that the more inland you go the more “reluctant of non-'white' foreigners” people get. Could you kindly give me a feedback on this matter?

I am so happy about this all, thanks for popping in with suggestions! :o)

Muito obrigada!!!

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Originally Posted by aline

How about traveling during winter? Am I ok with a small truck? I may sound silly but I've seen snow only once so in case I will have to face a 'snowy' road I don't exactly know how to proceed (will be digging some info on that one as well).

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Us Northerners sometimes forget there are people that aren't familiar with the white stuff.

Any vehicle, when properly equipped, will be able to handle the challenges of winter driving.

You will want to check out some of the tips on this page. It is important to have good tires on your vehicle - all-season radials should be okay for where you will be traveling; I would not recommend trying to tackle snowy roads with Summer tires. I've done it. It doesn't work very well at all. Are you familiar with the sport of "drifting"? Something like that.

It is important to understand the physics of the situation - there simply isn't the same amount of traction available on a wet road when compared to a dry road. To that end, you will want to keep your speed in check. However, you can also drive too slow. Check the tips on the linked page and if you have any further questions on this, we're here to help. It is an acquired skill.

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I am also a little embarrassed to ask the following but you guys have more experience and know the country better than I do so I will just shoot straight: I am Brazilian and, honestly, I only learned that I wasn't 'white' when I moved to the US. Americans are about the friendliest people I've met by far but I also heard that the more inland you go the more “reluctant of non-'white' foreigners” people get. Could you kindly give me a feedback on this matter?

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Don't be embarrassed - it's a good question and has been brought up here a couple of times before. In any country or any town, you could run into a few people here or there that, for some unknown reason, would proceed to judge your character based on nothing more than the fact that you are a stranger in their town. Heck, I get "that look" on occasion in my own town, even though I've lived here for most of my days.

I think much of this relates to people misinterpreting the looks they are getting from other people. So, when Bubba looks like he's staring at you, give him a friendly "howdy" and you'll most likely start up a conversation.

One of the problems pick-ups can have in snow and ice is caused when the back-end is light so the wheels can't get enough traction. Because of this, many people I know with pick-ups buy bags of either sand or kitty litter, wrap them in garbage bags to keep them dry so the bags don't tear, and place them in the back corners. This works well for two reasons. First, it adds that weight you need for the tires to have good traction. Second, if you do get stuck on some ice and can't get your vehicle moving, you can sprinkle some of the sand or kitty litter under the tire(s) that don't have good traction and this will usually give you the traction you need.

This must be my week. Every time I wonder about something you guys come and clarify my doubts!

Tim, thank you for the tips about the tires. Great help. Back to the Memphis subject... I checked some info online and learned about Beale Street. You are so right about including the city in my route if is to really 'feel the blues'. What a tip, thank you.

Judy, I read some other of your replies to other people's inquiries and liked them all but this one you just gave me about putting some weight on the back of the truck is just awesome. Tell you why... I am actually moving back to California and was a hesitating a bit about loading up the truck with my stuff and wondered if it wouldn't be better to go lighter. Now I have the answer! And, the trick with the kitty sand to help with the wet road is super cool.

Guys, so far what I have:

Miami to Savannah by the Atlantic of course
Savannah to ?somewhere else in Georgia? then to Memphis (Tim's tip) :o)
Memphis to Clarksdale (shack up inn - Mark's tip)
from Clarksdale down to New Orleans following the Mississippi river
New Orleans to Dallas
Dallas to Oklahoma
Getting on the route 66 in Oklahoma until Flagstaff, AZ
Going to Grand Canyon
Back on the route 66 to its end in Santa Monica, CA
Santa Monica to San Diego

That's about it for now. I keep checking on site seeing and routes and with your help I'll be able to put together this great journey!

I think that looks very well planned. It's about 3900 miles. You could do this in about 7 days but, since you don't have a tight time-frame, I'd allow a minimum of 2 weeks. More if your budget can afford it.

If you're not used to camping, do try to do some weekend camping trips before you go so you can learn your equipment and get more comfortable with the concept before you hit the road.

Also, be aware that your fuel consumption will drop if your pickup is rather full. And plan for easy driving for at least the first day. Your pickup is going to handle differently when it's full of stuff so you might want to ease into driving it until you learn how to handle it fully loaded.

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Originally Posted by aline

I am thinking about driving up to Georgia, then Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,

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Scott Stanton is our resident "blues man" -- check out his tips here.

Thank you so much to both of you... the links, the tips... tris trip planning is getting better by the day.
Yes, I will do some camping close by here prior to my trip to get use to the equipment...
I first thought of driving straight to Savannah right on the first day but you are right and maybe I should stop halfway to not overwhelm myself with excessive driving right at the beginning.
An alternative could be keep the plan to get to Savannah in the first day but then spending 2 days there to recharge my energies... In this case I would do a 2-3 hours light lunch break and a nice walk somewhere between Daytona Beach and JacksonVille before continuing the trip.
Right now I am checking some liners and covers for the back of the truck (do not have one yet) to keep my stuff hiden and dry.
More news to come...
Thanks again guys!

Just wanted to mention a couple of options since they seem pretty much within easy access to your itinerary.

Georgia has a neat little town called Helen a short ways north of Atlanta. This town is built with a strong German influence and would be a great place to spend a few hours.

Also in south Georgia, a trip on the Okenokee Swamp could be interesting.

Finally, when heading up from Dallas to Oklahoma, very close to Lawton is the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge another great place to spend a few hours driving through.

All these places have camping, but you may need to check regarding the swamp what is and is not available.

See Big Al Carson in New Orleans for some really funny, funky blues.

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Originally Posted by zmyst1958

Just wanted to mention a couple of options since they seem pretty much within easy access to youritinerary.

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Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! It is wonderful to have a new member, like yourself, answering questions with your first post. Great ideas too!

Mark

Mark, thanks for the welcome, just found this site and boy does it stir the travel bug that lurks beneath the surface, barely beneath. I can see I'll be planning a trip in the very near future and what a wonderful place this is for advice and support.

Becki

Hi Becki, thank you very much for the great tips. I did have a gap in my itinerary from Dallas to Oklahoma and you helped to fill it.
Helen seems to be the cutest little place and is the perfect stop between Savannah and Memphis. The hiking trails really call for a stop and interaction with nature! After some exercising I might as well head to their winery and if I get 'too' happy afterwards I can always spend the night.
I've also checked the Big Al Carson website and he sounds like real fun.
Thanks a lot for helping me out!

If you're going to Memphis, make sure you do the Graceland thing. Put aside any thoughts about it being tacky - it is but it's great fun anyway! You absolutely must visit the Lorraine Motel where MLK was shot (it's now a fascinating museum) and, as you say, Beale Street is the place to be after dark. Just don't wander too far away from there after dark as there are some not quite so desireable areas closeby.

And, if you can, get yourself along to Nashville too. If it's not on your route it's definately worth a diversion to spend an evening there. Very cool place.

Wasn't a massive fan of New Orleans myself, but others swear by it. Dallas, however, was a surprise hit with me. I really did enjoy my time there and you have to factor in some time there.

I began typing up an extensive report of my trip when I was done, but I found myself only half way done, and planned on finishing it later.

I agree with the comment about Helen, GA -- it's a fun town, especially in the winter. I'm not sure if it's open in February, but consider the Tallulah Gorge as well -- it's pretty close to Helen.

I chose to go the Southernmost route through Bama, Miss, Louisiana, Texas, OK, Texas again, NM, Colorado, then Utah.

Here is my incomplete work from my trip report -- it may or may not help. It was quite lengthly already, so I just included the parts that pertain to you.

Alabama: Guess what? This was my first time to Alabama too. I noticed the geography of Alabama was slightly different than Florida, less pines, and more of something else. I kept on I-10 through the state, and went through Mobile, and my only tunnel on the trip. I thought Mobile was a really neat town, and I was impressed by the large seaport that it had. In retrospect, I wish I would have jumped on I-20W in Mobile, as you will come to understand later on.

Mississippi: Sorry guys, but I have vague recollections of Mississippi. I didn't spend much time going through there on I-10, but I do remember stopping for lunch at a Wendy's in Gulfport if that counts for anything.

Louisiana: Continuing Westward on I-10 I entered Louisiana, which certainly did not live up to my expectations. I didn't see much Katrina damage along I-10, but I did go over a LOOONG 20+ mile stretch of bridge over swamp just north of New Orleans. Thankfully there were no accidents while I was on it. What on Earth do they do if there is an accident on there? It must be a mess.

I then passed through Baton Rouge, and crossed the Mississippi River (which seemed like a decent milestone) and proceeded North on to I-49 for an endless number of miles. I would not recommend this stretch of road even to my worst enemy. The drive was excruciatingly boring, through a vast expanse of nothingness, and very few places to stop to take a break. I never realized how large Louisiana is until I drove this stretch of road. My trip on I-49 finally ended when I reached Shreveport around 8pm on day 2 to connect with I-20. I was high on caffeine and decided to push on in to Texas before calling it a night (I think mostly because I wanted to be in 5 states in one day).

East Texas: Finding a hotel room in East Texas along I-20 was more work than I expected. Unfortunately I had to drive around for nearly an hour before finding a vacant room at a reasonable rate. I was very surprised by how far Eastward the Dallas sprawl is in Texas. I don't recall very many isolated areas along East Texas along I-20.

Then came the part that I was most not looking forward to: going through Dallas. I was in Dallas a few weeks prior to my trip/move, and I recall the traffic being absolutely horrific. Luckily I made it to Dallas mid-day, and did not encounter much traffic along the interstates. Once I got to Dallas I proceeded North on to I-35 headed towards Oklahoma City. As I approached Oklahoma, it was very noticeable that the terrain was opening up, and that the horizons were much longer. Being from Florida, long horizons is not something I ever encounter much, and it was amazing to me looking out over ranch land for miles on end.

Oklahoma: Who would have thought Southern Oklahoma would be one of the more amazing places I have visited? This stretch of I-35 through the southern parts of Oklahoma is some of the most scenic driving I have ever done. At this point I noticed the terrain changing a bit, approaching some rocky hills that have obviously been dynamited for the interstate. To me, these were very unique, and were a sign of greater things to come. Overall, this stretch of Oklahoma was very green (grass, but few trees), the wildflowers were in full bloom, the air was fresh, and the horizons were easily the longest near-ground-level horizons I have ever seen in my life. I would not be able to put in to words what the area looks like, but it is uniquely beautiful. As I approached Oklahoma City, the beauty diminished, and I was unlucky enough to hit Oklahoma City just in time for afternoon rush hour.

After a near accident in Oklahoma City traffic, I jumped on I-40 Westward and finally escaped the parking lot in to rural Oklahoma. I saw quite a bit of damage from previous tornadoes along this stretch of I-40, but otherwise, there is not much else worth mentioning about this part of Oklahoma. There were plenty of drab ranches, and the air smelled of cow manure for most of the trip through here.

Texas Panhandle: Who would have thought the Texas Panhandle was so large? After a few miles of "more of the same" in the Eastern portion of the Texas Panhandle, I finally started to approach some serious (to a Floridian at least) mountainous terrain. I was coming among this portion of Texas along a long Texas sunset, and the views were absolutely amazing just east of Amarillo. Approaching Amarillo, I had "Amarillo by Morning" by George Strait (one of my favorite songs!) going through my head. I was able to listen to the song a couple of times, and along with the Texas sunset, these moments were very exhilarating. I turned in for the night in Amarillo, and when I woke up in the morning I realized that I was very close to the Great West.

My route finally took me off I-20 onto TX-335 and a couple lonely RM/FM (still don't know what this means) Texas roads. Finally I was off the interstates and on to the moments I had been waiting for: drives along State and US Highways through the West. I then found myself going north on US-287 through some unique oil country, and then finally on to US-87/US-64 heading in to New Mexico.

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I took off on I-90 and about freaked at being on an Interstate again, especially one with a 75 mph speed limit. I'd been on roads with 55 mph speed limits for days that wound gently through the country side. But I was soon used to the rat race again and sat back and watched the advertising signs that sprouted from the roadsides like weeds. They were great. It's a rather bleak landscape, but I was thoroughly entertained at the myriad of signs and advertising campaigns that flooded the roadside. Wall Drug's, of course, were the most prominent. Louisiana could really take a not from this. They banned advertising along I-49 in an effort to create a scenic drive. Ummm, I-49 runs through one giant pine tree forest for 200 miles and avoids towns like the plague. In other words, it's boring. I avoid driving I-49 whenever possible on long trips, and I'm not the only one. I'd love to see miles and miles of advertising for alligator farms in Natchitoches and the boats in Shreveport rather than -- tree, tree, tree....

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Here's a quote from a recent roadtrip I was on where I found myself lamenting the horror that is I-49. If I had realized you were going to go up that way I would have recommended taking highway 190 out of Baton Rouge to Highway 171 out of Lake Charles through to Shreveport and then Highway 80 through East Texas. All run somewhat parallel to the Interstates, but are infinitely more interesting.

Laura

Hi everyone, thank you again for all your support and help with so many great tips.
I am currently organizing the last details of my 2 months vacation in Brazil (december/january) reason why I haven't posted here for a couple of weeks.
Nevertheless, I am also still working on my road trip crossing USA and will intensify the 'studies and preparation in January while enjoying an ice cold beer with my siblings to avoid letting my brains melt in the hot brazilian summer!
News (and certainly a few more questions) to come soon.
Best of luck to you all!
Aline

Hi.. just wanted to say that I am really impressed with the quality of this site!! I am planning a road trip throughout the States next year and I am currently looking for ideas.. and there are SO many here.. now I am a bit confused - may need more than 4 weeks as originally planned... I have been looking on other sites as well but will continue to read through more topics etc to get more ideas!!! Im sure to have lots of questions!!

Thankyou :)

Aline..I see your going to stay in Clarksdale, MS and go to NOLA. As a resident of Mississippi I can tell you a little about our "jewels" that no one knows about. Morgan Freeman has a blues/jazz joint in Clarksdale, I don't know the name but I can get it to you if you want. Mississippi Highway 1 is a great road to travel. It shows the delta in all it's glory and sadly in it's disparity. In Rosedale, MS there is the Great River Road State Park. Only .50 to get in, it's right on the Mississippi River and you can walk up to the banks. You can follow MS 1 to US 61 into Vicksburg and see the Vicksburg National Military Park and the nation's second largest military cemetery. You can also find yourself getting lost at the Coca-Cola museum and see where and how Coca-Cola was first made. A little further South is Port Gibson with the church that has a hand pointing in the sky. You can also see Grand Gulf Park which has a nuclear reactor and another amazing view of the Mississippi River. You can also go further south to see Windsor Ruins (sign says Windsor Runins). You can get on the Natchez Trace to finish off in Natchez, MS which is a a 30-45 min from NOLA. It is an amazing town...if you go there I highly recommend eating at Kings Tavern. It was built in the 1600's and is and amazing place but be prepared to spend some money.


All of these places are safe. Although this is Mississippi and we claim racism is gone it is still alive and breathing in the smaller towns of the delta. I walked into a store up there and was refused service because of my skin color (which is white believe it or not).

I work as a firefighter in Brandon, MS and I am off two out of every 3 days. If you would like a tour guide I would be most glad to show anywhere in our state.

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Originally Posted by iranfromthezoo

As a resident of Mississippi I can tell you a little about our "jewels" that no one knows about. Morgan Freeman has a blues/jazz joint in Clarksdale, I don't know the name but I can get it to you if you want. Mississippi Highway 1 is a great road to travel.

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We love to have first-time posters who provide such great local intel! Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

Mark

haha yeah I found this site last night because I am getting ready for a road trip. Sorry I didn't formally introduce myself.

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Originally Posted by iranfromthezoo

I am getting ready for a road trip.

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Where are you headed on your trip?

Mark

I'd like to tour the grand canyon, redwoods, Yosemite, and then mount rushmoore in one swoop in sept-oct of next year.


I've been saving and will still save.

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Originally Posted by iranfromthezoo

I'd like to tour the grand canyon, redwoods, Yosemite, and then mount rushmoore in one swoop in sept-oct of next year.

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OK, well we have some reading material/tips for you:

Monuments worth checking out near the Grand Canyon
Death Valley to San Francisco Threads
Avenue of the Giants
Redwoods to Seattle
Mount Rushmore and the Badlands

Mark

Hello everyone,
Sorry for not replying the latest comments. I did read them all, just did no have the good connection to send in my reply (sounds weird but I was using a real crappy dial up lately).
Back to 'business', I am already on the road. Started Wednesday. Left from Miami, first day in Saint Augustine - what a nice town.
On the second day I entered the gorgeous state of Georgia and had the great chance to know Savannah, where I spent 2 days. I loved that city and will certainly go back in the near future. The historic district is extremely prettyand the hang out spots are awsome. The Moon River Brewery was more a great place and so was Wild Wings on the City Market. Tybee Island is of extraordinary beauty and I just cannot wait to plan another whole Savannah only vacation to see it all again.
Regretfully, I will not be able to see Helen, despite the fact that not only I got the tip here but 2 other people - a friend and someone else in Savannah - told that it is a cute little town can give a real feeling of Germany. Well, I decided to head to the mountains and Helen is now out of my route but I will save the visit for the next time I go to Savannah.
Yesterday I arrived at Gatlinburg, Tennessee, right on the base of the Great Smoky. I can put enough words together to describe the sights I've seen.
Tomorrow I will leave to Memphis where I expect to have just a blast as well.
Thanks you all again for all the great inputs. More news to come soon.
Good night!

So happy to hear that your trip is going well so far. Savannah is high on my list of must see cities. My parents lived there before I was born and still speak longingly of that city. Hopefully you can post some pictures at some point. I always enjoy seeing what other people see. It always fascinates me what other people will notice that I did not when I was at a certain stop.

Laura