I used like to drive long distances.  I found it interesting and relaxing and a great way to see America.  But if you plan on doing it stay off the Interstate highways.  They are made for speed, not for looking around.

With careful planning you can drive from coast to coast on secondary roads,,,US and State highways that bring you close to the land and have interesting places to stop.

Betty and I were on such trip once and in the middle of Nebraska stopped at a small town diner for breakfast.  I like to eavesdrop and listen to what the locals have to say.  I heard a great remark in that diner that I have oft repeated.  One of the men sitting in the booth behind me said, "During the depression we used sit around and talk about hard times over a cup of coffee.  Toay we talk about hard times over steak dinners."  That was one of the treasures I collected in the land between the interstates.

My favorite highway going west from either Denver, where I used live, and Roswell, where I live now, is US Highway 50 across Nevada.  I would stop overnight in Ely Nevada.  A steak dinner and dropping a few coins in the slot machines before retiring for an early start in the morning.  

Traffic is rather heavy early in the morning in Ely, a mining town.  But once you get out of town on Highway 50 the adventure starts.  It's labeled the loneliest road in America.

The first little town you get to is Eureka, 78 miles away.  Time for a breakfast stop in their 100 year old hotel.  You might think it's a ghost town, but it's not.

Continue on enjoying the scenery.  The traffic is very light so stopping to take a leak by the side of the road is no problem.

Toward the end of the drive as you approach Fallon you will see a sign that says "Low Flying Aircraft".   Look to the south and you can see targets.  Fallon Naval Air Station is a Navy fighter training base.  I always stop just before the sign and get out to see if there are any fighters dogfighting over the range at high altitude.  I've seen them a couple of times.

Fallon is nice place to stop for the night.  You might continue on Highway 50 across the pass to Lake Tahoe and then down the mountain to Folsom and Sacramento where you meet modern civilization again.

https://unusualplaces.org/u-s-route-50-americas-loneliest-road/

Noel   

Maybe a nice long drive along Route 66 in your Corvette convertible! 

 

The old Route 66 is now I-40.  But there are places in New Mexico, and probably other states, where you can drop off the Interstate and drive on old Rote 66.

Noel 

One time we were going to run out of gas on 50 around midnight. The stations were very far apart. So we parked behind the gas station and slept in the car until morning.

One time in the snow on 50 I alone (in a borrowed car) I put on the brakes and the car spun 180 around to head the other way. So I pulled off the road. As I sat there watching other cars come along every 2 minutes or so, most of them spun around too. It was uphill on a bridge over a river and there was ice on the road. This sort of thing doesn't happen on I-80, but the alternate way I-50 is an adventure.

On US 66 at Amboy (San Bernardino County, California) people land planes right on that highway. There are youtube videos. I think it's just a local custom that all GA pilots stopping for dinner or the famous rustic motel have to land on Route 66, instead of the runway. Otherwise your sort of a weenie.

 

I loved driving in the US, in the uk speeds were generally faster on all roads (maybe not nowadays).

55mph used to be the limit in the US iff i am not mistaken. So i drove perfectly from SF down to LA until around 11 pm somewhere in LA, (near the Hollywood area) . It had been a long drive and i hit the curb and had gone about 5mph over the limit, Flashing lights the lot😁 i got out the car and the PO said "back in the car". The other officer had something aimed at me😊 and i got back into the car and found a motel!

Texas is yet another state that features miles and miles of nothing but sage brush, cattle and more miles.  One is advised to carefully plan one's route to include as many gas stations as possible!  Even then, carry at least a five gallon jerry can full of emergency gas.

The other bit of sage advice is to pack a lunch, 'cause you will get hungry!

2 hours ago, icewater5 said:

It had been a long drive and i hit the curb and had gone about 5mph over the limit, Flashing lights the lot😁 i got out the car and the PO said "back in the car". The other officer had something aimed at me😊 and i got back into the car and found a motel!

Very true!  Here in the U.S. you never get out of the car when pulled over for a traffic stop!  The cops figure you are coming out to confront them.

Sorry about jumping off topic!  Continue on the long , lonesome highways!

Too right. Makes sense really, (just used to the local rules i grew up with). I really liked LA despite that scary introduction.

I was born and raised in East L.A.  A good place to be from.........FAR from! 😧

Noels post triggered some memories. I was in a Redwood City bar and the fella i was talking to said he moved up north partly

to move from where he grew up. And he said, no East L.A.I was a bit suprised. Guess we all generally deal with the cards  (all respect to that area BTW)

 

Edited March 11, 20224 yr by icewater5

The last time driving on the big trans Canadian highway, the semi truck and trailers were not required to wear snow flaps. So they all threw snow all over your car. That would get a citation and fine in USA. Even for the Mexican big rigs that cross the border, they have to wear mud flaps.

2 hours ago, charliearon said:

I was born and raised in East L.A.  A good place to be from.........FAR from! 😧

 Charlie - How long did you live in the eastern part of Lower Alabama?

21 hours ago, W2DR said:

 Charlie - How long did you live in the eastern part of Lower Alabama?

 

That reminds me of when i was a kid, and my dad had set up a speaker sydtem in me upstairs bedroom and played "Pete and the Wolf" by Prokofiev to help also get me to sleep. The funny thing is that they forgot sometimes to switch off the upstair speaker system and Cheech and Chong came blaring out probably from a record player (might have been my mum or sister i think)😊 (they must have had a vynil/record of them)