S. Indiana to L.A. via I-40...1st week of Jan.

Hi folks...I stumbled across this message board while looking for a guide to interesting stops along the way between Southern Indiana (my home) to Los Angeles (my future home).

I'm leaving January 2nd, and have no set date to arrive, but I figured it at around the 6th or 7th. I plan to head South first, in the hopes of avoiding any nasty Winter weather, then just do a straight shot West through I-40 out of Nashville, TN.

I'm particularly interested in New Mexico and Arizona: Wild West towns, Indian trading posts, etc. I don't care how touristy the stops are, I just wanna exit the interstate for a meal, have my picture taken inside a frontier jail cell, buy some beads and a tomahawk, and be on my merry way.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by headinwest

I'm leaving January 2nd, and have no set date to arrive, but I figured it at around the 6th or 7th.

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Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum -- if you spend much time here -- you will soon learn that the best way to hit nasty, winter weather is to head south and travel along I-40 anywhere between Oklahoma and California. Short geography lesson -- Winter ice storms are the most intense where relatively moist, warm water vapor (like arises from the Gulf of Mexico) hits artic air masses (like the wind that rushes down from Canada and over the Great Lakes) so, the odds are that you are heading directly into the area with the very best shot of ice storms. Also, I am not sure where in Southern Indiana you are coming from, but by the most direct route -- this will be 2100 miles and if you hit any of those possible ice storms, you need to allow a minimum of five days to make this crossing. If the roads are dry and the weather is good, you can make this journey in 3.5 days if you drive 600 miles per day (which will require a minimum of 10 hours in the saddle each day) so, it might be tough for you to spend a great deal of time at roadside attractions and still make your arrival dates.

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I'm particularly interested in New Mexico and Arizona:

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You will have a fun road trip -- but if it were me, I would stay to the north and take I-70 to I-15 to LA -- much more likely to find good weather on that route.

Mark

In my opinion, you will be able to make trips into AZ and NM from LA. You can explore AZ over a series of long weekends (3-4 days). A weeks vacation would give you time to get into NM. Of course, you wouldn't see everything in one trip but these are all do-able in a series of trips from LA in the future.

So, if you are able to squeeze out a few extra days to give you time to explore a bit along the way, I would focus on the areas along the way that you might be less likely to get back to. Mark's suggestion takes you through Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah....all places with many things to see along the way. I don't think the sights in these states will disappoint you.

Thanks for the tips, all. I didn't know that about the ice storms in NM and AZ (an uninformed one like myself usually thinks of both states as desert in the Summer, mild in the Winter).

I guess I should be a little clearer about my time and budget constraints...there are none. I can take ten days if I want. Taking into account Mark's advice about the potentially treacherous conditions on I-40, I wonder if I-10 might be a viable alternative, being further South and and all. I saw on the news how Oklahoma is now in a "state of emergency" due to ice storms, so...yeah, I'll probably want to circumnavigate the Sooner State.

I've been consulting some non-internet atlases (remember those? Surprisingly, I find them more helpful than internet mapping), and have this in mind for a possible route:

South from Evansville, IN (actually, departure point will probably be from parents' house in Henderson, KY) onto the Pennyrile Parkway, South to I-24 to Nashville, TN, then to I-65 all the way to Birmingham, AL.

From there, go South/West on I-20/59 to Meridian, MS, then West on I-20. Follow I-20 through Shreveport, LA and Dallas, TX, then further West until the junction with I-10. Then take the I-10 all the way to L.A.

Will that put me far enough South to avoid Arctic conditions? Once I hit I-10, I'm practically in Mexico for the remainder of the trip, so I'm guessing yes.

Basically, I want to avoid having to drive any farther North than I have to for that exact reason. Before we lived in Indiana, we lived in St. Louis, and I've spent my whole life slipping and sliding on Winter roads in my travels (usually on I-64). The furthest West I've ever been was a family vacation to Denver when I was 12, and I don't relish the thought of having to cross the Rockies again, much less in January.

Anyway, as I said, the "Ol' West" tourist spots in NM and AZ intrigue me enough that I'd like to make a brief stop or two on the way. If chintzy souvenir stands are a dime a dozen along the route, that's fine...that's what I'm looking for.

That opens up lots of possibilities.

Just be aware than even I-10 could have some bad weather in higher elevation areas. It's a tad less likely and might be resolved quicker, but it can still happen in the winter months. I would still advise paying attention to weather forecasts and adjusting your route/planning layovers appropriately.

While it's a tad south of I-10, you might enjoy detouring down to Big Bend National Park in Texas. I've not had the pleasure but many road-trippers that visit here rave about it.

You might also want to veer north to Carlsbad, NM, for the wonderous Carlsbad Caverns. If you do this, you might continue north and then west on 82 to the Alamogordo so you can enjoy a stop at White Sands. If you haven't seen real snow yet, you might enjoy this sand that almost looks like snow. Interesting spot.

Once you get into Arizona, you will enjoy dipping south to Tombstone and Bisbee. If you want the "wild west" experience, this is a good place to find it. Saguaro NP is another good stop.

This route doesn't have near the wonderful "tacky tourist traps" (some of my favorite things, too!) that I-40 has but it does have a few. So enjoy!

if you're looking for part of your drive to be from nashville to dallas - depending on the weather, i think it'd be much shorter to take I40 west to little rock, AR - and from there catch I30 to Dallas.

Driving through Dallas you're on I20 and you'll hit I 10 after a long drive. There really is not much between Dallas and I10 unless you want to see the town George W. lived in his younger days: Midland.
Visiting Big Bend is great idea but it takes a lot of time. It's very remote. Best is to drive from I20 to Fort Stockton, Marathon (see the great Gage Hotel) and drive to Big Bend. You'll need at least 1 day here. Chissos Mountain Lodge is the only accomocation in the park and at a fantastic location. To get from Big Bend to Carlsbad Caverns is a days drive. Tx170 along Rio Grande is gorgeous and the drive from Van Horn to Guadalupe NP also is. Can be snowy here. Carlsbad Caverns are no to be missed and Carlsbad has ample lodging. Now, following Judy's route you're driving to Artesia ant to Alamogordo on us82and a huge chance on snow here. Cloudcroft is on 8500+ ft.! Long descend to Alamogordo and White Sands should not be missed.
SW of Las Cruces is La Mesilla, worth a stop.
Visiting Big Bend and Carlsbad will take at least 4-5 days.
In Az Bisbee and Tombstone already been mentioned. Bisbee is a great mining town and Tombstone is all about the past. Don't miss Bird Cage Theater, Old Courthouse and Boothill Graveyard not to mention OK Corral.
Also at Az east side is Chiricahua NM, a little gem and accessible from 80 but with a SUV and visiting this NM takes much time.
On your way west many other sights. Tucson is fantastic and don't miss Sonora Desert Musem. Visit Saguaro east or west (west is closer to the Museum, and also Mission San Xavier del Bac south of Tucson is great. So many things to see here.
Now for another less visited gem. Take az86 and visit Organ Pipes Cactus NM. A suv is recommended to drive the 21 miles dirtloop drive. You'll see Saguaros and Organ Pipe cactussen which is pretty unique. Maybe stay in Ajo, simple clean and well priced motels.
Can tell you more about the great desert park Anza Borrego in California but maybe this already helped some.
Have a great trip.
Yeehaw

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I didn't know that about the ice storms in NM and AZ (an uninformed one like myself usually thinks of both states as desert in the Summer, mild in the Winter).

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Ice storms do hit eastern New Mexico from time to time, places like Roswell, Tucumcari, and Clovis. But I can’t remember that ever happening here in Albuquerque, or anywhere west of here.

New Mexico and Arizona get more snow than many people realize. Anyone planning to travel on I-40 during the winter needs to be aware of that. But the weather might not be bad at all. In January it could be 60 degrees in Albuquerque, sunny and warm, or it could be 30 degrees and snowing.

Last December, just before the new year, New Mexico got hit with a pretty big snowstorm. I-40 between Albuquerque and Amarillo, TX was closed for two days, and Albuquerque had record breaking snowfall. But the winter before that (2005-2006) was one of the driest on record in New Mexico. Albuquerque didn’t see snow all winter, and there wasn’t very much in the mountains, either.

You never know what’s going to happen here. Just be aware that we do get snow, and keep an eye on the weather forecasts.

Okay, I've mapped it out pretty thoroughly now, and I think the route I came up with is my "A" plan. The only tourist-type stop I'm planning is a few hours in Tombstone (maybe overnight if I really, really like it). I'll probably make a stop in Midland just because it's a convenient stopping-point between Dallas and El Paso.

I'm planning at staying at the Best Western in Meridian, MS, Addison, TX (outside Dallas), El Paso, TX and (assuming I don't stay overnight in Tombstone) Phoenix, AZ. Once again, if a freak blizzard sweeps the Southwest, I'll do some quick re-arranging and change the route to suit my weather preferences.

Thanks again to all for the helpful advice, and I'll keep ya posted about how the trip goes!

Yes, Tombstone can be a bit on the touristy side, but I have found it to be one of the favorite places I take visitors. Two things you should know. Boot Hill was taken over by some government entity in the last few years (I'm not sure whether it was the town, county or state) and lot of effort went into its restoration. Just be forewarned that the wooden markers were all replaced, so they all look the same - this is distressing to some people - but the graves are real and the inscriptions are accurate. Also, the most authentic location in town is the Birdcage Theater down near one end of Allen Street. This was a place for an evening's 'entertainment' owned and operated by Wyatt Earp. It is now run as a private museum, but is well worth the price of admission.

AZBuck

I like both Tombstone and Midland. I started going to Tombstone back in the 1970s when it really was a dusty little town -- I agree that it has been dudified a bit in recent years, but still worth some time -- here are some field reports:

RTA visits Tombstone in Sept. 2001
The Copper Queen Mine tour in nearby Bisbee
Gerald Thurman's Report from the area!
Midland Petroleum Museum
And a couple of places I have tried to find time to do in Midland -- but so far, they are still in the "one-day-list-of-places-and-whatevers-I-want-to-do":
American AirPower Heritage Museum
Stonhenge Replica

Mark

Howdy all...thought I'd post an update, since I have wireless Internet service here at the hotel.

Day one (Jan. 2, 2008)--left Henderson, KY at about 10:15AM, stopped once in Cullen, AL for gas, and arrived in Meridian, MS about six-ish. Ordered Papa John's, which arrived an hour later (the soda arrived two hours after that).

Day two (Jan. 3)-- left Meridian at about 10AM, and stopped for lunch and gas in Shreveport, LA. I didn't know that Shreveport had so many big-time casinos! I ate at the Iron Skillet and won $6.65 in a Poker slot machine at the hole-in-the-wall casino next door. Arrived in Dallas at about six-ish, ordered take-out from the Outback Steakhouse next door. The hotel was GREAT (Best Western), and the town looks like it had tons of fun stuff to do, but the traffic was murder.

Day three (Jan. 4)-- Woke up early for complimentary breakfast; got to Dealy Plaza "Sixth Floor Museum" at opening time (10AM) and took the tour. They didn't allow videotaping, so I videotaped a lot outside afterwards. At about Noon, I saw an Elvis impersonator performing on the steps of the entrance, so I walked up to tape him and tip him. He asked if I had any requests, and I said "Anything that I can sing along with," indicating that I was no slouch at impersonating the King myself.

He was enthusiastic about that, and we sang a few numbers together (to the delight of the tourists). He was very flattering about how skilled I was, and I explained that I was moving to L.A. to look for a job in the entertainment industry. We exchanged info and agreed to get in touch if the opportunity to work together ever presented itself.

I was way behind schedule, especially after I stopped at Santo, TX for gas and a quick bite. I decided that I probably wouldn't make it to El Paso at a decent hour, so I checked decided on Sweetwater, TX for my next port of call. I'll leave early tomorrow, since it's six hours to El Paso, and I'd like to make it a little further if possible (I logged 500 miles in eight hours each of the first two days, but only about 250 today).

Overall, the trip is going swimmingly. My arrival date might be a day or two late, but like I said, it's not written in stone. I'm also keeping a video journal of the trip. If I figure out how to put it online, I might include links to some highlights.

Thanks for the update! Its those great unexpected stops - the ones that put you behind schedule - that make the adventure of the road such a blast!

I bet it was 100x the fun to be there. I also think you're our first Elvis impersonator. LOL

I look forward to your next installment.

And here 'tis!

Day four (Jan. 5)-- woke up in time for complimentary breakfast. No hot food this time, but plenty of good grub. I even snagged a few items for later, which came in handy. Left Sweetwater, TX at about 8:50AM and continued West.

This quickly turned into the least enjoyable leg of my journey. To begin, there is nothing quite like the feeling of isolation once you get into those long stretches where there is naught but scrub brush and rattlesnakes for thirty miles at a stretch. I'm a natural worrier by breeding anyway, so I was a little shaken up during some of those moments.

I stopped at Pecos, TX for lunch and gas, since my atlas indicated there would be less and less in the way of conveniences at regular intervals from that point. Pecos also boasted an "Old West Museum," which was kind of interesting. It was chock full of artifacts from local history, and the building itself (built about a century ago) once included a saloon that hosted a "famous" local gunfight. Barney Riggs, we hardly knew ye.

The only other thing I can say about Pecos, TX is that one should probably avoid the Pizza Hut there (in case it ever comes up).

From Pecos, there is a very long, very boring drive through desert and mountains until you get to Ft. Hancock, TX (remember, from "The Shawshank Redemption"?), at which point the desert South of I-10 starts to become peppered with settlements and "shantytowns" (so far as I could make out), and these continue well into El Paso.

El Paso itself is at once entrancing and confusing to behold, especially for a Yankee like me. It wasn't like downtown Dallas, with all of the tall office buildings & c. It was more like Mt. Vernon, Illinois, only built for a population of a million people. There was at least one of every retail and restaurant chain lined up like obedient servants on either side of the Interstate. There were also factories, warehouses, plants and half a dozen porn shops. The traffic was manageable, but the place reminds me of Coruscant from "Star Wars: Episode I"--just one giant city that stretches out across the entire planet.

To the South were trailer communities stretching out as far as the eye could see. For what it's worth, there were also a number of trailer dealerships. It was as though the cities of El Paso, TX and Juarez, Mexico are pretty much attached at the hip, national borders obscured by the bustling nature of those towns. The whole experience was a little mind-boggling.

The mountain scenery was breathtaking, and by the time I hit the New Mexico border, I felt like I was officially in the Southwest. I also got hit with a horrific whiff of cow dung. Within a mile or two, it became unbearable, and I saw a corrall with thousands of head of cattle to the South of the Interstate. These pens went on for miles; I would guess there were over one million cows in that area. This made me think two things:

1) land is probably cheap there; and

2) if the cows ever get their military chops together, the revolution will begin there.

I arrived at Las Cruces, NM at five-ish (I am now on Mountain time), had dinner in the cafe of the BW (a delicious filet--the steak tastes better here than back home--possibly because it's local?). Tomorrow, it's off to Tombstone, AZ for a little Wild West frivolity, then overnight in Phoenix.

Another good trip report.

I think what thrills me is the same thing that makes you worry a bit. There's nothing better than finding a stretch of road where there are few other cars and virtually no signs of human life....besides the road itself, that is. These roads are becomining harder to find. I love it when I find myself on one.

And, really, how can any new road be boring? :) I've not driven I-10 through there but I have driven 62/180 from Carlsbad, NM, to El Paso. Stupendously desolate drive! Beautiful yet harsh land. We stopped for a meal at a little shack. So-so food but interesting experience, to say the least. The experience was far cooler in retrospect when we discovered that the same restaurant was used as a backdrop for a VW ad.

Here are me and my friends in our New Beetles:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60...ell2004220.jpg

And here's the VW ad...with a little Photoshopping, I'm sure:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60...ltFlatCafe.jpg


Yes, the smell of cow dung in the morning....or any other time of day. LOL Wakes ya up anyway!

Enjoy Tombstone!

I did, thanks. Sorry if I sounded like I was badmouthing the great Southwest. I was intimidated by the "unknown-ness" of the mountains/desert and I guess one can chalk up any boredom to the Attention Deficit nature folks sometimes have in this fast-paced age.

If I may make up for it now, I'd just like to go on record with how impressed I am by the indescribable splendor of the countryside I witnessed today, from Las Cruces, NM to where I am now: Casa Grande, AZ.

I was slowed by some rain, and by my unforgettable trip to Tombstone this afternoon. I spent about two hours seeing the show, shopping and checking out the museum. I recommend it highly to anyone in that area. I was also surprised to see such a large crowd on a Sunday in January. But hey, more power to 'em.

And I don't think ADDness has anything to do with it. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I've not driven a LOT in the east, but I doubt there are too many huge stretches of desolate road back there. Because of that, it's a new experience and I can see where it might make some people edgy. If you're not used to not having a gas station every 10-15 minutes or so, it can be weird to have nothing, absolutely nothing, for far longer stretches. I actually enjoy the Twilight Zoneness of it.

Enjoy the rest of your trip! You're almost there.

Arrived yesterday afternoon, a little ahead of schedule. The most trying moment was a stopover in Desert Center, CA, which I'm pretty sure was the inspiration for the town in "Tremors." Gas was $4.29 per gallon, and a burger and fries was $11.

But, I made it in one piece, and I couldn't be happier!

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Originally Posted by headinwest

Gas was $4.29 per gallon, and a burger and fries was $11.

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That must have been tough on the budget!

Glad to hear you made it -- thanks for the field reports.

Mark