We’ve been doing some research and given the time of year and the daunting possibility of snow storms, we might go the southern route after all. We might use Interstate 40.
I found a pretty cool site which breaks down every major roadway. It details all the major cities along the way and other major intersecting roadways. Here is interestate 40.
I wish I knew what the weather was going to be like up north next week. I wish I knew more about hotels down south.
If anyone out there knows anything about the cities listed below (sites to see, places to stay, things to eat, things to avoid) please get in touch with me via email or kindly leave a comment.
- Flagstaff
- Albuquerque
- Amarillo
- Oklahoma
- Little Rock
- Memphis
- Nashville
- Knoxville
Any information will do. Nothing is too seemingly meaningless. We know nothing of that part of our great nation.
well, Graceland in Memphis, of course.. and Beale (sp?) Street. way cool!
My family stayed at a Little America motel in Flagstaff years ago. It was magical. I swear I thought the motel released bunnies in the morning. My Dad ruined my vision and told me the bunnies just probably lived nearby anyway. I used to live near both Albuquerque and Amarillo, so maybe I’ll do a little thinking and come up with something for you. I don’t know why I feel the need to help you, but I do!
‘seconds Beale, if you go to Rum Boogie Cafe you can see where I worked throughout my entire college life—and what’s more fun than that?
As far as going the southern route—your food and hotels will be cheaper. It’s also much more scenic.
in Oklahoma, the city of wind and brown grass, there is Quail Springs Mall, and below the food court you can find “The Gold Mine”, an underground mining themed video arcade, where i used to spend entirely too much money on Dragon Slayer and TRON. But that was back in ‘86… Does that help?
Flagstaff was the first place I saw snow, so I think it’s magical too. New Mexico was beautiful, but I don’t have anything to add other than that since I was 11 at the time.
the cracker barrel in knoxville has next to nothing in the way of vegan food (which, was not really a surprise, I guess). when I explained what I was looking for, the waiter told me he thought I’d come to the wrong place.
oh! that made me remember, though, the culinary highlight of the trip was finding this place in downtown knoxville. not only did they have a great beer selection, but they also have vegan offerings (they actually make pizzas with soy cheese).
Holy crap, calvo, that place looks awesome. I would ideally like to spend a bit more time in Flagstaff (desperately want to see the Grand Canyon, still kicking myself for missing Arches National Park on our way out and being so very close to it). So maybe we’ll stay at the hotel Camille speaks of. I need to find out if the 13 hours Mapquest keeps spitting out at us will actually end up being 13 hours or if it’s based on a slower speed limit. For example, I drove fast through Kansas. Probably faster than mapquest assumed one would. So I made great time. Does anyone know what the terrain is like in the southwest? Is it really hilly and/or mountainy?
Albuquerque is just a few hours from El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Juarez is cool as long as you go past the border-area and into the beautiful old city. At the border area, however, all you get is hundreds of bars catering to American college students, whorehouses featuring VERY UGLY WHORES, and slums. Not pretty, but a TON of fun when you’re nineteen and stupid (or when you want to pretend like you’re nineteen).
The terrain in the Southwest is pretty flat. There are a few places with hills, but it’s a beautiful drive with many kinds of terrain. It doesn’t get too boring until the heart(less)land. I’ve never been farther west than Oklahoma on 40 though. Be sure to bundle up for Flagstaff! Last year we travelled from a year of almost constant 70 degree weather in LA to around -20 in Flagstaff with the wind chill. I had to buy long johns and a sweater for Squee! It is in a higher elevation and quite cold in the winter. Downtown Flagstaff is worth a visit and it’s on the old Route 66.
Oh and get AAA! I told Toby about it. They have a route planner, so you can plot the cities you want to stay in and it will give you directions, a list of hotels, places to eat, and you can print it all out. It’s called a “Trip Tik”. We got a membership for this year’s trek back to Kansas.
FLAGSTAFF: Dara Thai has the best Thai food I’ve EVER had. It’s located on San Francisco street downtown. You won’t be disappointed! If you like pizza, make sure to try Strombolli’s on Milton Rd. They have a great pesto pizza (don’t be scared when they bring out a green pizza). Definately write those two places down – they are the best in town. My brother went to college in Flagstaff for four years, and just raved about those places. I drove to Flagstaff from Phoenix (two hours) a few times just to go to dinner at those places! Enjoy!
That’s it. Flagstaff is where we’ll chill for a day. (We were thinking about splitting one day’s drive in half so we’ll do the 13.5 into Flagstaff and then chill there for a bit and then drive to Albuquerque (5.5 hours I think) That way we can get some Flagstaff site seeing in. I have heard wonderful things about this town. How cool.
I love pizza. Excellent.
Dee, have you ever driven from LA to Flagstaff? Or, more importantly, SF to Flagstaff (or Vegas.) Anyone?
Maybe we’ll swing by and check out the ugly whores, too. I love me some ugly whores.
the barley’s pizza is only ok. the spinach salad is fantastic … i know i know.. how fantastic can spinach salad be? well it just is.
also the hummous is particularly good.
PS: I’ve driven from SF to Flagstaff. And it was a trillion miles of desert. But it was interesting b/c Id never seen the desert.
Chevy, did you do it in one day? Or did it take too long for that? I love spinach salad. Perhaps we’ll try them both. :]
Last year we drove from LA to Flagstaff to Santa Fe to Kansas. This year we’re driving this from SF to Bakersfield to Las Vegas to Santa Fe to Taos to Kansas.
You have to check out some cheesey roadside attractions. There was the dinosaur park with giant concrete dinosaurs, but it had a FANTASTIC museum of indian pottery. Also, about 15 miles east of Flagstaff is the giant Arizona meteor crater, but the admission is a little pricey considering it’s just a big hole in the ground. If you decide to drive to the Grand Canyon, then there’s a completely run down Flintstones park with more concrete statues and houses. We’ll see if we can get some pics together and send them to you!
“There was the dinosaur park with giant concrete dinosaurs”
I’m sorry, but… IS THIS THE DINOSAUR PARK FROM PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE?!!!
And yes please, photographs would be rad.
No, sorry they are not those dinosaurs. That does however remind me of this site: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ THE guide to great American weirdness for your next road trip.
its a shame you dont eat meat, memphis is known for their BBQ ………..mmmmmmmmmm BBQ
Perhaps someone will kick us off our wagon.
I second or third Graceland. I went there twice…..it was pretty interesting. Of course they won’t let you explore the upstairs where Elvis keeled over on the pot. Beware, you may become an Elvis fan even if you are adament about not becoming one. It seems to have that effect on people to some degree.
Opryland in Nashville was ok as I recall. It was pretty around this time of year with Christmas lights being up etc. Twas years ago when I went….so who knows what its like now.
“Of course they won’t let you explore the upstairs where Elvis keeled over on the pot.” ha! Well then I’m not going.
Isn’t there a village down that way where it’s always Christmas? Not that it will matter during this time of year considering it almost IS Christmas. But I’m curious nonetheless.
If you go to Nashville, you & Toby should stop in one of those places that lets you make a recording. I recommend “Wanted Dead or Alive”. (Inside joke.)
doing that recording is soooo last week.
(another inside joke.)
Interstate 40 has been re-routed.
It now goes through Detroit… i swear.
Are you going to Ohio for Tgiving, Gina? If so, where do you go in Ohio?
‘Are you going to Ohio for Tgiving’
YES…
‘where do you go in Ohio?’
…we like to call it Cincinnasty, miss jackson.