Chicago to Los Angeles - January 2024

[Mark Sedenquist]

I tried to update my trip along the way but this board wouldn't allow it. I forgot what the error message was. So I will just do a fast recap.

Thanks for the post -- sounds like a fun trip.

Still a bit mystified as to what was keeping you from updating from the road? If you could share a bit more of that, I will try and resolve for future trips.

Mark

[Ram4]

I am trying to remember specifics. I was logged in, replied like always but it kept saying something timed out or similar to that. I have seen this happen before but it's rare.

[glc]

I've seen that - log out and log back in, that should fix it.

[Midwest Michael]

Yeah, I think the message you're seeing is probably because your login session timed out. If you're spending a lot of time typing up a message, that can happen, because it doesn't see your typing as new activity.

Clicking the remember me/keep me logged in button when you first sign in should prevent that - you can always still manually log out when you're done if you'd like.

[AZBuck]

I think that glc and Michael are both right and it's a time-out issue. What I do is to not login in the first place, do my research, type out my response in a fairly simple text editor that has a basic spell check function, and only when I have it right (Yes, I still make errors) come back to the RTA site, login, and enter my response.

AZBuck

[Ram4]

Since this is the place to talk about trips, I might as well tell you guys about my drive back home from LA this past March. See page one to see my itinerary driving out there.

Going back was going to take weeks as we wanted to time our trip with the eclipse in Texas. We left LA on March 20th and drove to Las Vegas where we stayed at the Park MGM (some free nights and smoke-free). The main reason was to watch the March Madness at the Orleans Hotel ballroom with friends. We had a lot of fun. My GF loved it too, in fact she was the one who wanted to do it more than me, although I always wanted to do it too. We ended up staying a week and a half as we liked our room and I was able to spend time with local friends throughout the week.

We then drove down to Maricopa, AZ on Sunday, March 31st to stay at the Harrah's Ak-Chin resort south of Phoenix for three nights. We like this place. Big enough for her to keep busy for gaming, and I can do my thing as well.

On Wednesday April 3rd, we drove I-10 to El Paso for the night. The following day was a long drive to Allen, TX on I-10 and I-20. My GF likes to sleep longer than most people and I didn't mind but we got a late start and because she had to stop for a couple of vital work calls, we didn't get to our hotel until after 2:00AM! After two nights at a hotel, we stayed the next three nights at a friends house in Rowlett, TX. We saw the total eclipse after some concern over the clouds (we had no clouds in the way right as it happened) and it was just as amazing as the one in 2017.

The next day we drove to St. Louis through OK and MO (stayed next to the Arch - didn't go up) and then home the following day.

****************************

We just booked an Airbnb in Los Angeles once again starting in February so I am leaving on 1/27 and once again, a 10-11 hour drive to Tulsa is planned for day one. Yes, 700 miles is a long day. But as long as I can still do it, I will. In fact, I drove 750 miles to Allentown, PA this past August with no problem and I think I would be fine going all the way to New Jersey in one day if I had to.

I am following the same plan as last year although at the moment I am not planning to hit Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, or Petrified Forest. The second day of driving will be to Amarillo to give me a few hours less driving. Then day three could be to Flagstaff instead of Holbrook and my WigWam Motel. But I have to admit, I love the WigWam. There is something about staying at a motel on Route 66 with the old cars in the lot that I cannot get enough of. And the more I think about it, the more I probably will still hit the WigWam. When I wake up on a sunny, freezing sunny morning out there, I truly feel like I am in my happy place. I will then go to Las Vegas once again for two nights to visit friends before driving to LA and picking up my GF at LAX on Saturday night.

When I drive back home in the spring, I may do something different so I am keeping my options open. I just found out that the Cubs open the season against the Diamondbacks on 3/27 and we may be in Maricopa that week, so that is a strong possibility.

[DonnaR57]

I've driven through Maricopa many, many times over the past 35+ years, as I traveled between my (now former) home in San Diego and my parents' (now former) home in Tempe. We watched Maricopa Road go from a 2-lane road with one (count 'em!) flashing yellow light and a railroad crossing nearby, to a 4-lane highway with more than 15 lights between I-8 and where it intersected with I-10, and a highway number to boot! Also, we watched that Ak-Chin Casino being built, and then expanded, repaved, changed, and more. In all the years we went by there, though, we never stopped. Never had much interest.

Anyway, you're the first post in years that has mentioned this casino, and even Maricopa. Thanks for the memories!


Donna