Road Tripping in the USA!

[6thElement]

Definitely a great trip to hit all of that at once, quite jealous as I was due to do a big Western US roadtrip last year but a crash in the middle of the year altered my plans. All of the big roadtrips I've done have been East coast and generally speaking there just isn't the same level of scenery this side of the Rockies

 

[nutcase]

September last year



It rained?!?! Crikey!



You are SO lucky because they are closing the dam to all traffic, infact they may have done it now. I thought I was one of the last to ever drive over it.



Yea I did the Zoo and Seaworld because the GF is just obsessed with that stuff

We were a tad suprised to be driving into a rainy death valley but it's a tslking point When we got to vegas it was heavy heavy rain!

I gather the dam will only have "official" traffic over it. We didn't even know the bridge was open until we drove over it and were wondering when we were going to get to the dam so turned round and tried again. It wasn't supposed to open until after we left, the approach roads were still rough unlined tarmac. Just checked the calender - we went over on the 20th October - it opened on the evening of the 19th we were that lucky

 

[Locke]

Awesome thread, great pics.

Loving the Laguna Seca pictures, one of my favourite tracks!

 

[snowdog]

I'd love to do similar in the US, but I have a gut feeling I'll have problems saving that amount of money and renting such a car at 19 .

If all goes well I'll be doing a road trip through Europe upcoming summer with a couple of mates though.

 

[jamoor]

You'll have paid a significant young drivers fee for that privilage

I managed to rent a toyota camry at 19 in usa, with no young drivers fee either!

 

[[TW]Fox]

I managed to rent a toyota camry at 19 in usa, with no young drivers fee either!

We are talking about Corvettes and Mustangs - he's already been and rented a Camry. I think I was 20 when I had the Jeep, so I'm aware you can rent at under 25.

 

[Fusion]

Awesome trip, a helluva lot to experience in one go. Where's the next road trip going to be?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Awesome trip, a helluva lot to experience in one go. Where's the next road trip going to be?

We are currently in the argument stages about that

I'd like do Washington DC to Montreal via New York and Toronto, I think. But I am hatching plans for another epic Australia one once Sterling recovers

 

[naefeart]

Good writeup. We did the same route back in May, they were still building the bridge at the dam when we were there.

You said you flew to the GC. We drove there, but as we left on our way to Vegas, we had a fly by with a B17 Flying Fortress. Shortly after we came across a small aircraft museum with a runway out the back. The told us they has restored the B17 and it had just taken off bound for the airfield near GC - basically doing runs with tourists. Did you see any mention of such flights at GC? Gutted we had missed it.

When we went in past Laguna Seca, the American LeMans series was on. Got loads of pics of 'vettes and porsches. Really need to dig them out.

Ha, found one:

 

[Vita]

Fox did you take a pic of the Alcatraz prison in SF?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Yes:

And a few of Vegas for the guy who asked:

The weirdest thing about Vegas was how many completely empty blocks there are..

 

[Vita]

Thanks for the pic, looks good! Always wanted to go to SF.

 

[-Ad-]

**** you Fox, just **** you for this thread, now I'm all depressed again

This has now sorted me out to my thread up too. Took a very similar route but and had a different car.

Will see if I can find the pics and write mine up later.

Off for a drive now, the sun is shining and the roads are begging to be hit up

 

[Scania]

Excellent write up, as always.

Indeed.

 

[Housey]

I'll scan some of my pictures in from the road trip I did in 91, will be interesting to see differences but most of my photos were the same, I did the drive down Lombard Street, Alcatraz, stand under Golden Gate, drive down big Sur, Monterey, Languna Seca etc

 

[Janesy B]

Rim of the World Highway - California Route 18 by Janesy B, on Flickr

DOING IT WRONG

 

[zetec452]

Nice write up. I wanted to go to Vegas this year but ran out of time. .

Will hopefully do a few days in LA next year on route to AUS. Will save the road trip for another time as it is only a 5 hour flight from London, Ontario.

 

[Westyfield2]

Thanks for the pic, looks good! Always wanted to go to SF.

If you get the chance, definitely go. I'd say that San Fransisco is one of (if not the top) my favourite cities that I've been to .


Re Alcatraz, it's just so isolated... Apparently no prisoner ever (officially) successfully escaped! There's no way I'd try swimming it!

 

[Diesel]

I'm sure I've asked before, but what is the Mustang like with regards to space for luggage? I'm doing a week in Vegas then a 10 day roadtrip around Utah/Arizona. Would like a 'Stang but will there be enough room for our stuff?

Did you go below the rim of the Grand Canyon? We've just applied for a permit to camp at the bottom. If we get it, it should be amazing.

 

[[TW]Fox]

There was JUST enough room for our two holdalls and two rucksacks.

Didnt really go below the rim, certainly didnt fancy the faff involved in going to the bottom