Road trip from South Jersey to Phoenix AZ

Well, just a hello first to all who read this.....

Now, on to business

On or about the end of June, my wife and I (along with daughter and son-in-law) will be making our first journey across America.. As you can see from the title, we are picking a very ambitious first time journey. However, there is a purpose and that is to settle our "kids" in their (really ours but that's another story) new home.

Not to bore anyone, but we have looked at all moving options and due to our circumstances, Budget Rent a Truck is the winner and my back is the loser.

SO.. how can you help in this adventure...well since it is our first trip of this kind ( I usually see the country from 30,000 plus feet) what tips would you give us to make it an enjoyable five (or six) days... Please be advised that I don't have time for any sightseeing, we do have a real deadline to get them there so they can be ready for new home, new jobs, new life, etc..

Thank you all for reading and especially a thanks for anyone who can reply...

Don J

This is all per MS Streets & Trips.

I-76 to where it merges with I-70 in PA
then I-70 to St. Louis
then I-44 to Oklahoma City
then I-40 to Flagstaff
then I-17 to Phoenix.

It is a distance of 2413 miles; 41 hours driving.

Figuring average speeds of 55-60 mph (I think in a u-haul type vehicle, that would be reasonable, and figuring that you'll be driving from 8am-6pm every day, and stopping for about 45 minutes every 4 hours or so on average, the program calculates that it will take you about 4 days, 8 hours to make the trip.

Unless you drive a lot faster (not recommended, especially in that type of vehicle), make less stops (not recommended either because you need to gas, eat, stretch your legs, etc. to stay alert), or add more driving hours to your day (this is do-able based on your own stamina), you sure won't have any time for sightseeing.

But don't over-estimate your stamina either. Driving can be tiring. I have done 18 hours driving in one day but that's really not recommended. Believe me, I slept half the next day. I have done several 12-14 hour days in a row but this really wears you out and I would only do it if time required it. And I'm used to driving. It doesn't sound like you are. Add to that, you'll be driving an unfamiliar rig that is probably bigger and harder to maneuver than what you're used to. This will tire you out as well.

I wish you could squeeze more time out for this trip to have more time to enjoy some sights alone the way.

Hopefully someone else can give you some hints that will be helpful. I've never driven most of this route before. The only part I've driven is the I-40 routes through NM and AZ. There's lots to see there as it parallels most of old Route 66.

Judy's given you some very good general advice and a pretty good route. It's much to your advantage to stick with the major interstate highways. The one thing I'd add is that you should probably plan on one or two stops each day that have nothing to do with sitting, eating, refueling or anything directly associated with the trip. These stops should just be refreshment for your body and soul. Not necessarily sight seeing per se, but stops in small towns or parks near the highway where you can just turn off your truck driving, navigating mind and simply take a half hour walk in some new surroundings, enjoy each other's company, and get a little exercise. I've found that such breaks really help my stamina, and I feel like I've experienced and learned something (at least) about the land I've traveled through when time for sight seeing is limited.

AZBuck

Judy, thanks for looking this all up.. your route is exactly what I got from using mapquest and then getting trip tixs from AAA..(boy, what a great service they provide, just joined and already feeling like I got my monies worth)

My rough early calculations agree with your assessment, and I am definitely not going to push it,,,, 55/60 mph seems fine and 5 days of driving (avg of 500 miles per day is plenty for me) I was hoping for no more than 9+ hours per day,,, but AZBuck's idea about taking a few "extra" breaks makes a lot of sense also...I guess the only way to tell is to get going and see how it feels..

Thanks again.... anyone else have any comments..all are welcomed to chime in... I need all the help I can get <g>

Don J

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Originally Posted by donj

On or about the end of June, my wife and I (along with daughter and son-in-law) will be making our first journey across America.. As you can see from the title, we are picking a very ambitious first time journey. However, there is a purpose and that is to settle our "kids" in their (really ours but that's another story) new home.

Not to bore anyone, but we have looked at all moving options and due to our circumstances, Budget Rent a Truck is the winner and my back is the loser.

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Are you planning to have 4 people in the truck, or is your wife driving a car separate?

Budget Trucks only have 2 bucket seats, and a multi-car roadtrip has its own set of obstacles, not that they can't be overcome.

Yes, do try to do some walking whenever you can. The potential for things like blood clots in your legs and other health issues are always something to think about. A good 15-20 minute walk at least once, preferably twice a day will go a long way to make you feel better while traveling. I also do things like running in place a bit when I'm gassing up (Heck, I don't know anybody there so who cares if they think I'm nuts). If I'm stopping for fastfood, I'll go into the restaurant inside of the drive-through even if I'm gonna get it to-go. Just those little extra stops of moving around can do you a world of good. They add up.

That's one reason why I tend to eat out of my cooler more than restaurants anyway. A quick stop at a park or rest stop can easily be combined with a quick walk. And this actually takes less time than stopping at a restaurant and just sitting there waiting for service.

And I've done a ton of caravanning places with people. Sometimes as much as 20 cars on the road together. FRS radios are cheap and an easy way to communicate. They help relieve any potential problems with losing each other a good 99% of the time, in my experience. But we usually share cellphone numbers as well just in case we get out of radio contact. They're supposed to be able to communicate with each other up to about 2 miles distance from each other but this can be lessened by hills and other obstacles.



Another reason why you want to do this is to rest your eyes. Maybe lay a blanket on the ground and stretch out for a quick 10-minute eye rest. Or even sitting there and reading for a bit is good. Anything to rest the "long distance" part of your vision for awhile.

Thanks Judy ,, a few more good points about the advantages to stopping along the way to rest the body and soul... As to having an FRS... we had thought about that and looks like a good idea, and we will have cell phones also..

Midwesterner... I knew this already,, we are going with other vehicles, but thanks for the note

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Originally Posted by donj

As to having an FRS... we had thought about that and looks like a good idea, and we will have cell phones also..

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The problems with FRS are lack of range, the legal requirements and the lack of both weather net and local access. FRS radios look cool and if looking cool is more important than functionality... On the other hand CB radios are old technology, rarely look cool and nearly always work where neither FRS nor cell phones can get it done. For more information on the differences, click here or use the search tool on this forum -- the advantages of hand-held CBs are discussed frequently on this board. I never hit the road without one.

Mark

Like I said, I have caravanned with up to 20 cars for fairly long distances and FRS radios have always worked just fine. Rarely has anyone needed to use cellphone for being out of distance. FRS radios are cheap. You can pick 'em up for about $20 these days.

GMRS radios are similar to FRS but have a bigger range. I think up to 5 miles. But you also need a license to use them.

Having said this, I really agree that a CB would be the way to go but it is a bigger investment and, unless you plan on roadtripping a lot, it may not be worth it to you? If it is, go for it. If not, for this one trip, cheap FRS radios should be fine. I am planning on investing in a CB myself and wish I had one several times in the past.

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Originally Posted by Judy

GMRS radios are similar to FRS but have a bigger range. I think up to 5 miles. But you also need a license to use them.

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I mis-posted earlier -- yes FRS are inexpensive and GMRS do require licenses -- the problem I failed to mention on the forum (but did in the article) is the most retailers sell some of the GMRS radios in the same display case as FRS and never tell customers that the using the radios without a license is illegal.

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Having said this, I really agree that a CB would be the way to go but it is a bigger investment and, unless you plan on roadtripping a lot, it may not be worth it to you? If it is, go for it. If not, for this one trip, cheap FRS radios should be fine. I am planning on investing in a CB myself and wish I had one several times in the past.

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Hand-held CBs are not all the expensive and can be used for years -- FRS handsets tend to have a shorter lifespan.

Mark

The cheapest handheld CB I've come across is $75.00. To my budget, this isn't cheap. That's why I'm waiting until we get through some expenses of other urgent things before I purchase one.

FRS radios can be bought for as little as $20 for a 2-pack.

Dedicated roadtrippers would do well to get a CB. Heck, maybe everyone should really have one. I just know that most people aren't willing to shell out that extra money. Heck, in the caravans I've been in to car shows, etc., I've even seen folks who refuse to shell out the $20 for the FRS radios. Usually once they realize how much fun chatter and other good info they miss out on, they change their minds and get one before the next trip. But I really doubt I could convince most of these folks to spring for a CB.

FRS radios are also much lighter, smaller and easier to carry around if you stop somewhere where people want to wander apart but still be able to talk to each other to re-connect.

So, yes, CBs are definitely preferable for many reasons. However, I think for the needs of these folks in the OP, who don't sound like regular roadtrippers, an FRS would be adequate for their needs.

Well, looks like some folks here have some very definite opinions and love to share them.. This just makes me glad I have joined the group to hear what other people think while traveling..

Judy, you are correct in your assessment,, at least for the forseeable future, we are not the traveling folks that seem to frequent this forum... and the FRS should fit the bill for us (both functionally and financially) however your discussion here has highlited something for me to think about when travelin more often in my future, when enjoying the sites and just not getting there fast is more the point of travel..

thanks again and wish me luck

Trip in 6 days and counting.......

Don J

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Originally Posted by donj

Well, looks like some folks here have some very definite opinions and love to share them..

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Us? Nah, none of us have any opinions about this passion we all share.

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Trip in 6 days and counting.......

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Just remember -- us office-bound 'trippers are looking forward to your field report!

Mark

Well, that brings up an interesting point....

What would people like to see in this report... I am hoping to have a laptop with me on the trip and if there is internet connections (WIFI or wired) I would love to keep everyone up to date...

But don't know how boring you want me to be..

So send your suggestions and I will keep them with me during the "trip"

Don J

Quote:

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Originally Posted by donj

What would people like to see in this report... I am hoping to have a laptop with me on the trip and if there is internet connections (WIFI or wired) I would love to keep everyone up to date...

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Boston Wrangler filed a series of reports during his recent road trip. Here is a classic

donj,
When we're not on the road, we want to read about the road. I'm sure nothing you share will bore any of us. I can't wait to hear about your trip. I just started a new thread about how to enjoy a blitz drive safely here. You might want to check it out for further tips. Also, check out the link to Bob Schaller's excellent safety tips.

Enjoy your trip!

Mark and Judy,, thanks for the ideas.. I do understand being "tied " to the desk when you really would like to be elsewhere.. so I will do my best to make it entertaining.....

One more question though:::

I was at a party and someone asked me whether I knew if having to use a trailer for one of our cars would be legal on all the roads we are traveling on????

How could i find that out... I guess they thought (because they "heard" someone else had a problem before on a trip) that with a rental truck and a car being towed behind that .. that I would be looked upon like a tandem setup??? remember this is all new to me.. so anyone know the rules??

My route is pretty basic

PA TPK to Route 70 thru to St. Louis onto Route 44 thru to Oklahoma City onto Route 40 into Flagstaff then Route 17 into Phoenix

Seems like major roads to me.. but what the heck do I know??

Thanks for any thoughts on this... if you don't know either,, where could I find this out (my friends at AAA, internet research,, individual states???)

Don J

I don't know the rules in every state, but I doubt you will have much problem. Most truck rules have a certain threshold weight-wise, and in many states, they wouldn't apply to someone who isn't driving commercially. If I had this question, I'd ask at the truck rental agency -- they will know the ins and outs for certain. Bob

I can't think of any issues you'd have legally with pulling a car behind a moving truck. I spent a couple years working at a store that rented out UHauls, and never heard of anyone having any problems like that. The only thing I've even heard about is one guy who was pulling an unregistered car on a two wheeled dolly who was stopped by a overzellous cop who said if the car had two wheels on the ground it needed to be licensed. I don't remember the state or even if the cop was right, but I've never heard any problems like your friend mentioned.


I'd think of it this way, if there was a serious legal issue with pulling a car behind a moving van, UHaul, Budget, and Penske would all have a hard time staying in business and they'd face even bigger problems if there were legal requirements and they didn't tell there customers about them.

Good points.. just wanted to have all my bases covered and it pays to ask before then to have the problem on the road

This is what makes these forums the best way to communicate..

Thanks

Don J

4 days and counting ..........

Well, I guess I am on a roll now.. questions really flying around my head.. so I figured time to get some answers

1.. We will have a diesel rental truck.. best places to stop, for fuel, especially with a tow vehicle

2. Same thought.. with one other caveat.. we will have a noisy,but cute, cat with us.. so what places along the great hiways and byways are most pet friendly.. and even if they aren't .. what places does everyone like to stay at... (remember this ain't the Rockefellers camping out, so be kind to my wallet <g>)

3. And last , but certainly not least.. best place to get some good quality food along the way

4..OOPS.. one more.. what kind of snacks does everyone take along and any favorite tunes??

Thanks

Don J

1. Best places to stop for fuel are probably at truck stops. You can look them up on the web for locations. They have bigger refueling areas so you won't end up having to back up and maneuver around cars to get in and out. A websearch will bring up more than these but here's some of the major ones:
Flying J, Petro, Pilot, & TA Travel Centers. This site maintains a daily list of the least expensive fuel that is available in just about every major city in North America. Click here for more information.

2. When I take my dog, I am always camping so I can't give you hotel advice from first-hand experience. However, these are websites that will give you some info on what hotels take pets and give you other hints for traveling with pets. A lot of the info is geared to dogs but they should still give you some helpful ideas: Let's Go Pets, RTA's Pet Page, Traveling Dogs and Take Your Pet.

3. Food for you or your cat? Seriously, the truck stops listed above have restaurants attached where you can get a good, hearty meals. Not gourmet. But I've found they're usually good for the price. While I actually eat out of my cooler more than I do at restaurants, when I do want a sit-down meal, I try to find places that appear to be popular with locals. So, got off the interstate and drive a few miles off the highway and look for restaurants with lots of cars. This may not be practical for you with your U-haul towing a car though. A lot of people love Cracker Barrells. They're OK but I wouldn't want to eat there every day. For fastfood, Subway probably offers the healthiest options. Hopefully someone will be able to help you more with this one.

4. Snacks: protein bars, granola bars, fruit, yogurt, cheese, crackers, those new foil bags with tuna in them with the little mayo packets like at restaurants to mix up quickly together and eat with crackers, gorp, peanut butter (I just like to eat it by the spoonful....nectar of the gods!), pepperoni.

Tunes: My tastes are eclectic and won't appeal to most....opera, movie soundtracks and show tunes, blues, jazz, hard rock from the 60's and 70's, a bit of grunge. I've made some of my own CDs with my favorite sing-a-long songs. Wish I had satellite radio. It's on my wish list. (Or you could look at the RTA road music page).

Hope this all gives you some ideas!

First Congrats on getting a Diesel truck. I've made long distance moves pulling a car with both gas and diesel, and I prefer the diesel. Most moving vans are gas now, but diesel give better mpg and performance.

You won't have any problems finding places to fill up, most every station along an interstate has Diesel, but I would recommend truck stops because they generally have more space to manuver. Flying J is my personal favorite, because they generally have their own island in the "auto" section just for Moving vans and RVs. At some stations I've also pulled into the truckers section, simply because the car area was too small and crowded.

When we've moved with our cats, we've just placed them under the seat in the cab of the truck. They are generally pretty scared for the first hundred or so miles, but then they get used to it and sleep for most of the way. Some hotel chains do allow pets in all of their hotels (I think LaQuinta is one that does), but its best to call ahead and find out. Many places will charge you an extra fee and/or make you stay in a smoking room.

As for food, I also follow Judy's guide of driving into a town and finding a diner that looks good to the locals. With the truck, the key here is to find a spot with on street parking. Otherwise, Truckstop diners are often quite good, and of course most gas stations now have one if not more fast food joint attached to them.

For snacks and tunes, I'm a fan of beef jerkey and talk radio for my long haul drives. I also have XM and I love it, just keep in mind most moving trucks only have an AM/FM so it may limit your choices for tunes.

RoadSnacks: Popcorn and Cornnuts Forever!

One caveat on crowded restaurant parking lots; just because a parking lot is crowded doesn't necessarily mean the food is good. Sometimes it just means the service is FAST or the location/parking is convenient -- especially if the "crowd" is driving trucks or cop cars. I've gotten more than ONE belly ache in my truck driving years eating in crowded truck stop cafes! :)

Well, i guess i could use that old adage,,,, you guys have given me more food for thought...... yuck yuck but thanks anyway..(sorry for the bad attempt at humor... i have had a particularly bad week and need all the laughs i can get... you just don't always realize what stress can do to you.... now i know and it ain't fun)

I have printed out truck stop info along the whole route for Flying J,, Travel Centers of America, Pilot and Petro.. they seem to have enuff options to cover me pretty much the whole way there.. check off one thing done

I have also printed out Cracker Barrel info ,, sorry Judy but my tastes are pretty plain and it ain't bad on the budget area also.. but I have heard that truck stop food can be OK also.. check off number two

As for food, snacks,etc Water, water water and then whatever Mom and the kids want, again I ain't picky, but beef jerky I think won't pass the WAF or the DAF (wife and daughter acceptance factor <g>). Love granola bars.. have plenty in stock... candy and cookies, crackers as needed... but another question

How do you keep anything cool on the road.. I have a few different options,, a big cooler,, Where to keep that?? or several baby coolers.. small but not too much room.. I guess i can get ice at gas stops or hotels?? but looking for any other suggestions....

Just an update on the last minute prep.. I got a cheap (gotta love Rat Shack) but efficient set of two way radio's (GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radio with up to 6-Mile Range, 2-Pack on sale for $29) and I thought I would try a gizmo to hook up my portable CD player thru to the AM/FM of the truck (irock! 400FM Wireless Music Adapter) Hey if it works,, I win,, if not oh well


Thats all for now

Don J

3 days and counting........

Launch window approximately 11:00 am Thursday
Projected first days travel to take us between Wheeling WV and Cambridge Ohio.. (don't know how far we will make it,, but hoping to go approx 400 miles for first day)

For cold food/drinks, I like the simplicity of an ice chest but lots of folks have plug in coolers that work well for them -- they aren't too expensive either.

At your first stops at the truck stops, you might get that dealer's "frequent fueler card" if you can -- they go by different names -- but they get you a few cents off per gallon each time you fill up. That can add up.

For making miles (re your first day's comments) -- just do what's comfortable and enjoy it (400 miles is probably OK). Fatigue snowballs when you try to do too much too quick -- and once you start down that slippery slope it is hard to get caught back up on rest. You want to enjoy the whole trip, so don't overdo it (too much)! Bob

If you decide to go to Cracker Barrell a bit, and if there are several on your route, you might enjoy their audio-tape set-up. You can purchase a book-on-tape at one Cracker Barrell, enjoy it, and then drop it off at the next Cracker Barrell when you're done and get a refund. I've never done this so I don't know if the refund is full or something like 90%. But I know it's rather inexpensive. Books-on-tape can be a great way to entertain yourself on the road.

If you're radios are GRMS, you need a license to operate them in that mode. I don't know the particulars of this. Hopefully someone else here can fill you in. Or do a websearch. FRS does not require a license.

I usually use a small 12-volt plug-in cooler so I don't have to fool with ice. However, ice is easy to find. Any truck-stop, gas station with a mini-mart, or regular grocery store will have ice.

Wow....it's countdown time for you. I really hope you'll treat us to a roadtrip report when you're done with this adventure!

I used to have a FM transmitter thing for a cd player like you just picked up back when I was in high school and my 81 Toyota Tercel had the stock AM/FM radio from a junked 73 Toyota Corona Wagon. It worked pretty well, even had a strong enough signal to be picked up by the radio's motorized "seek" that automatically turned the dial nob left and right across the analog reciever. A quirk in how it operated also let me "boost" the signal of a weak broadcast signal by creating wave interference. On a digital radio, I actually got a station at 93.3 tuned in crystal clear at 93.9.

The only downside with that toy, is you'll have to change it every hundred miles to find a new "empty" frequency.

As far as snacks, you might try getting a small cooler/lunchbox for the cab to put things in and then put a larger cooler at the very back of the truck, where you can get at without moving everything else around, where you can put stuff for meals or more snack to be enjoyed later.

Well. ........... as you can guess... even the most researched and well advised (courtesy of my new found friends here at RTA) trip plan can have a glitch..

I went to pick up my rental truck today.. and no truck.... and still no truck...
so we are backed up on our schedule a wee bit.. gives my wife more time to pack even more useless <g> junk that will move with me the rest of my natural life <g> and gives me more time to chat with you all and get even more answers to stuff.

Thanks for the ongoing advice about Cracker Barrel and keeping things cool..
about right now I think I need to bathe in that ice to keep from exploding..

More later

Don J

countdown is now overdue hopeful for some road time tmw if packing that missing truck goes well

Bummer....does this mess you up with your arrival time there? Do you have to make the trip even quicker?

Hope they have that dang truck for you soon. Is there another place with rental trucks you can contact?

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Originally Posted by donj

.. more time to pack even more useless <g> junk that will move with me the rest of my natural life

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Don,
Maybe you could use this time to resist the temptation of packing every single item and doodad -- it is great to arrive at a new place with little or no extra stuff.

I have found that delays are often the best when embarking on a major change in life -- they allow for the mental shifts that are part and parcel of such moves. So, take it easy. Give yourself permission to be "behind schedule".

M

It's absolutely frustrating -- if you let it be. Just consider it part of the natural progression -- very few things ever go according to the best-laid plans -- and try to keep your cool. Patience can be learned -- I've been practicing it for YEARS, but most folks just think I'm sleeping...

You WILL get there. Don't sweat the small stuff. Bob

Thanks for all your kind words of wisdom.. I agree that this too will pass... just letting off a little steam..

Still planning on taking the same amount of time for the trip.. so arrival time will be pushed back a day at the most..


As to the packing stuff note.. just a little tease to my wife.. i am just as guilty as see is in keeping stuff too long... but i like my stuff and want to get it to arizona now,, even though we won't be there for another few years (long story)


Don j

Hello to all who wrote during this thread.. sorry to keep out of contact... the trip was grueling.. lots of stuff to tell about but just arrived back home tonite....minus my luggage (you gotta love the person who mistakes pittsburgh from philadelphia) oh well, just more laughs for later..

Don J

A guy walks up to the airline ticket counter. He says to the agent, "I need a ticket to Seattle. I've got these three bags to check; I want this one to go to Los Angeles, this one to go to Kansas City, and this last one to go to Miami."

The agent gives him an incredulous look... he says "We can't do that!"

The guy says, "Why not, you did it last week."

Welcome back, Don! We'll let you get a little rest before we bug you for the full report! By the way, if the new Phoenix residents need help learning their new city, have them contact me through the forum, I'll be glad to assist. I'm a lifelong Valley of the Sun resident.

Bob

Well,,,,,,,, we made it finally..........

The trip was a wonderful planning experience ( of course with all your help) and it was finally d-day... Wednesday the 29th I was due in the afternoon to pick up the rental truck and start this crazy adventure..

oh well, so much for plans.. the truck never arrived back that day and finally they called me the next day to say it was in and ready to go..yippee.. already a day late..but we packed the truck ( I never knew how much stuff two "kids" could accumulate into a very tiny one bedroom apartment) and we're ready to go on Friday morning.. just get that tow dolly and we were off..

But... (you guessed it ,, another glitch) the dolly wouldn't handle "either" of our vehicles (even though the web site said no problem ) and we sat there for a few moments in stunned silence before one of us said.. OK >> who is driving which vehicle... let's go... SO off from NJ we went.. one big truck followed by it's two little ducklings ( we all liked that image) on our adventure ( not a nightmare yet)!! All was well, thanks to the AAA trip tics, lotsa goodies in the vehicles, the walkie talkies were working ( but we only had two, so the kids used their cell phones also) and we were pumped thinking, hey this ain't so bad... ha, ha early going adrenaline ..

Then, the Pennsy turnpike hills hit.. gee I never remember them being so bad, but then again I never was in a 24 foot moving van either..but we plugged along and finally made it to our switchover to Route 70, our new road for hundreds of miles..

Enuff for now.. plenty more to tell but fingers still haven't recovered from gripping those steering wheels for 2500 miles then setting up a house for the following four days...

Don J

I'm glad you survived it. I knew you would. Even with the delays and that dang turnpike, it sounds like you enjoyed yourself. I can't wait to hear the details!

Let me see... where did I leave off..

Oh yeah,,, Pennsy TPK... thank goodness we got off and now we were headed onto Route 70 all the way to St. Louis (with minor detours around several of the big cities) .....but the hills kept coming and the little truck that could almost couldn't..my son-in-law was showing a lot of patience as we struggled up and down the many hills till we leveled out in Ohio..

At this time, we seemed to all be feeling fine and decided instead of my original plan to press on at least to Columbus where we made our first stop for sleep (plenty of breaks during the day and a few fun adventures filling up the 50+ diesel tank but I won't bore u with those details now).

That Red Roof Inn looked like a million bucks when we finally got there a little before 8:00 pm ( driving time approx 11 hours and total distance about 500 miles) and we all thought we would rest a few and then get out to have a real meal... hahaha.. that Perkin's right next door turned out to be our dinner choice and then straight to bed to get ready for the next big day ahead..

Rise and shine at 6 am (at least my wife and I, the kids couldn't make it that early) so back to the Perkins for a good hearty breakfast and on the road a little after 7:00 am Saturday morning. At this point in the story telling, I have to admit that the scenery that we passed was all just a blur, so please don't ask any details..all I can remember are roads, trucks, gas stops, and lotsa fields of corn and then the dry desert landscape that came later.

We had decided as we broke out on the road that today we would try to do about 700 hundred miles as we realized that the pace needed to be picked up or we wouldn't get there on July 4th , our original planned date at the new homestead. The day passed pretty uneventful, we slugged thru several states (our grand total was eleven from start to finish) and as the day wore on, we had high hopes of getting all the way to the oklahoma border but alas it was not to be (we had switched over from Route 70 to a southwestern Route 44 outside St.Louis ) .. I do remember glancing over and seeing the arch, oh well maybe another time for a closer look, and also passing over the "mighty"?? Mississippi River .

So with the day dragging on towards nite (but we did at least switch a time zone, although my rear told me that still meant another hour in the seat) we made an executive decision to stop along the way on Rt 44 in Missouri in some backwater town and a rather comical hotel stay (sometimes you just can't believe what the AAA book says about a place, but at least the shower worked, the bed was OK and they had extra pillows,,, dads big pet peeve)
Stats for the day... about 13 hours on the road and approx 650 miles traveled.

Remember, all along the way , we were making stops as you all suggested to get a small rest, get food , run to a bathroom, or to switch the drivers in each of the vehicles. I think that day was my first behind the wheel of the big truck and I found it wasn't that bad,, even got to use the cruise control once or twice on it.

Well enuff for now.. thanks for reading...

Don J

Oh, Don....the way you share your tale is hysterical. I chuckled all the way through.

As for pillows, the beauty of a roadtrip is the ability to bring your own pillows. Just don't leave it in the hotel when you wake up at the crack of dawn to head out on the road like I've done a couple of times.

I'm looking forward to the next installment.

When we last left off... I think we were into our second day and had just stopped somewhere north of the Oklahoma border in a town I would like to forget (and have) but rise and shine, that next day was coming and we were all up and fresh (unlike like our room) to tackle our big day. Looking at our maps and triptixs, we realized even with our big push , day two only had us a little less than halfway there and we were determined to make it to AZ on the fourth of July... so we thought the plan should have us in Albuquerque by the end of the day, a little over 700 miles to go.. yikes

Off we went, still traveling on Route 44 looking to make our big switch to Route 40 in Oklahoma City (and 850 plus miles on that straight road to Flagstaff). The day was going uneventful but that would change significantly upon our travels in OK. I never realized what a little wind could do to a big box truck, but I sure found out in a hurry. After 70 grueling miles against a stiff crosswind, my son-in-law gave me a break (I think that last time I let the tires go off the road really did it) and took over. In between all this fun, my daughter called from the car.. begging for a break.. turns out her cat (oh I guess I haven't said much about that fun part of the trip yet) hadn't quite taken the pill and was driving her crazy in the car. So, we pulled over at a rest stop,, got some gas and forced the cat to swallow the pill. All was well and on we marched,, state after state after state...

Not much to tell as we went,, just more stops , more gas ,, some food and lotsa driving and driving and driving. At this point, we were definitely seeing less and less traffic, then realized it was probably a good thing for us that we left on the holiday weekend.. not as much commercial traffic, not too bad with construction delays, etc. We pressed on and made a gas/food stop somewhere in Texas I think, were we all took a well needed break.. but even this had its little event,, as the electricity for the whole rest stop went out just as I was making a trip to the rest room ..boy weren't we having fun today....and on we went..

As day went slowly on towards nite... we began to realize that the plan for reaching Albuquerque was not gonna happen and plan B was put into motion... DAD, get out the trip tix and tour book and find another place to stay..I called the first big town in NM and it was all booked up.. uh oh.. next one (I had promised all of them after the last nite's stay that I would spring for something a "little" more upscale) we had a winner,, now let's just drive on through to our final stop. We reached the hotel right around 9:00 pm , dead tired and hungry..hunger won out for the men,, so off we searched for something to eat...but it was Sunday nite and other than the few fireworks displays we saw.. not too many choices.. so fast food won out ( we had to bring some back to hotel.. you should've heard the cat when the "kids" left her in the room.. so my daughter had to stay with her) and I was still to "up" after the long drive.. so I tried to get my puter on line.. they said they had internet access, but knew nothing about it (don't u love hearing that.. what are these hotel chains thinking about.. advertise a service,,, but no info or help) and I wasn't successful in making it happen either.

Stats for the big day... approx 700 miles and a bone crushing 15 hours on the road..but we were at least within striking distance of our new home.. so it was all worth it.

Day four...another beautiful day arrived and we were all up, not bright and not early,, but anxious to get going (also realizing we "caught" another hour at the AZ border) supremely confident that this was our last day on the road........ Off we went and the miles just seemed to be flying by..before we knew it..our new home state border was upon us and it wasn't even lunch time yet.. The scenery was getting better and better ( We really do like that desert look, esp after some many years back east ) and each mile was getting us closer and closer.. on to Flagstaff for a pretty funny site... Snow at the top of a really large mountain ( a look at the map says Humphrey's Peak and elev is 12, 500) wow all this way from NJ and we see snow on the fourth of July..

At Flagstaff , we were never so happy so see a new road to turn onto.. Route 17 south (also our last major hwy before the new house) but I had forgotten one major detail...Flagstaff is pretty high up there and Phoenix was about a mile lower in elevation.. but it wasn't a long climb down,, it was several climbs up and down (like a roller coaster) and the big truck was not having a fun time.. my son-in-law was sweatin out a few of those grades, but eventually the city of Phoenix was upon us....

YIIIIPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEE....We arrived in our new town at about 4:30 ish and just collapsed.....happy for the end and happy for our kids new beginning.. The look on my daughter and son-in-laws face at the sight of their (at least for four years) new home made this crazy idea and trip all worth it for my wife and I..

Final day stats ... Approx 550 miles and 10 hours on the road..

Total trip ..... We think (according to the rental truck ) that we traveled about 2450 miles (didn't set it right at our house when leaving) and that seems to agree with the trip tix which listed about 2418 from start to finish
and we did it in less than four days.. (Left on Friday at 9:00 am and arrived on Monday at 4:30 pm)

There are many more details I have left out.. but again I want to thank those who took the time out of their busy lives to answer any and all of my questions here... Our family made a new start in a new home.. and I hope you have all enjoyed hearing about it..

Thanks
Don J