Is it safe?

[Cyase]

I was wondering if it was safe for 2 asian people to roadtrip cross country. Personally I am filipino and my girlfriend is chinese. We are from NYC and plan to travel all the way west then down south to florida then back up to NYC in the summer to come. We are both a little scared about stopping at small towns for maybe a quick bite to eat or a quick rest stop. To be more blunt, do I have to fear any racism anywhere in this country?

Also is it safe to set out without any prior reservations at hotels, motels or hostels? I dont want to be held to a time frame when setting out on this adventure.

We both have no experiance camping. How difficult is it to learn? Are there shower stalls in the camp site?
As you can see Im a little ignorant. But I have a year to prepare.
Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Mark Sedenquist]

Are you suggesting that racism exists in the USA? Living in NYC must have provided ample evidence of racism. Yes, cultural indifference, fear and racism exists in every town one can find anywhere in the world. By more than equal measure one can also find, hope, kindness and appreciation of cultural differences. Some have argued that NYC is vast collection of small towns, so you should feel at home when you visit "real" small towns across America.

If you feel safe in NYC -- it will be a slam dunk in places Apalachicola, Florida or Helper, Idaho or Clune, Pennslyvania or any other of the thousands of small towns and villages throughout the US.

As far as reservations -- go there are a number of divergent opinions about this. For a quick overview -- use the Search utility on this forum (select all threads). My personal view -- I only get reservations at very expensive places. There are thousands of motels and other lodging options available, (although not in every place...)

Virtually all commercial and many public campgrounds have shower facilities -- not in the camp sites, but in the restroom/public room/pool areas. The KOA chain of campgrounds have little cabin-like rooms for those who don't wish to "camp."

Perhaps you should consider a RV for your adventure. Being self-contained might be easier for you.

It should be a grand adventure for you.

M.

[PNW Judy]

You have already gotten an excellent answer to the racism issue. I would just like to add that no one can assure that you will not experience racism or feel unsafe in certain situations. But that applies to all of us and not just those of a specific ethnic group. My husband, who is white, has had instances in Texas where he was threatened by other whites and has had a couple instances in other parts of the South where he felt somewhat intimidated by some Black men. I have never felt intimidated yet by anyone specific, however, I have had instances where my personal safety radar was on high-alert and I put my guard up and left the area as soon as possible. These instances have happened most with white folks (and I am white as well).

I would say that when anyone travels, no matter their background, that you should be open and friendly and expect the best from people as you usually will get it. At the same time, you should always pay attention to your surroundings and exercise normal personal safety just as you probably do on the streets of New York City every day.

I personally never get reservations unless I really need or want to stay in a specific place on a specific day. In all my travels, the only time I ended up with a problem that I can recall is once when a fairly small town was hosting a large convention. I had to travel to another town about 30 minutes away for lodging. It wasn't a big deal.

As for camping...car camping is relatively easy and not difficult to learn about. Hiking and camping in wilderness areas is a more complex matter. There is some helpful car camping information on this website. You might also check out www.gorp.com which has a lot of information on outdoor activities including camping. www.rei.com is a retailer of outdoor equipment that also has lots of good information articles.

If you are planning on camping just as a way of cheaper sleeping but are not planning on staying in any one area for a long time, you really only need the following: small tent that is easy to set-up (practice first!), sleeping bags, pillows, sleeping pads, flashlights or lanterns, and maybe an extra blanket or two. That's it! I can put up and take down my tent in 5 minutes. Add another few minutes to throw in your sleeping gear and you're ready to sleep.

I know there are some folks who say that doing this gets old. Quite frankly, it takes no more time than it normally takes to pack in your suitcase into a hotel room and set-up in there.

If you want to cook on the road to save some money, you might benefit from a small cookstove. To save space, a single-burner stove might be enough. A pot, a fry pan, a few utensils, and basics in a cooler that can be replenished regularly can give you an option for cheap meals. I don't tend to cook daily on the road but I do take supplies for sandwiches and other healthy snacks and this saves me money and time. It's far more enjoyable to stop in a nice park or scenic overlook and have a picnic of sandwiches and fruit out of the cooler than it is to waste time in a restaurant.

I hope you have a great time on your trip and that you let us know what you did and how things went. Bon voyage!