Due to my current unemployed state, and a yearning to get my ass out of the couch divot, I've decided I'm hitting the road, in a couple of days, for about 3 weeks.

I went on a buying spree to prepare, and got myself a Garmin Quest for navigating, a Thule Cascade 1500 roof cargo box for my stuff, and a Shasta 15+ Sleeping Bag for sleeping wherever. I'm also trying to install a fan in the empeg before I take off to make sure I don't get any overheating when driving 11 hour days.

Here's the route so far:
SF to Salt Lake City where I'll meet up with the Ozone folks for some snowkiteboarding. I'll hang out there for a day and then probably ride their coat-tails to a SKB event in Vail, Colorado for a day or so. From there on to Boulder where I'll hang out with one of my high school buddies for a few days and do some snowboarding.

Then it's sort of nebulous but I'll make my way back home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for a while, at least through Thanksgiving. Any ideas what I should do/see/visit on the way from Boulder to Baton Rouge? Where to stop and sleep?

While I'm in LA I plan on doing some exploring of the Atchafalaya basin with my step-father who works for the Nature Conservancy, and looking for some tattoo inspiration in the form of a cypress tree. I'll also spend some time in New Orleans with another good buddy of mine.

Then my younger brother and I will make our way back to San Francisco via the Southern route, stopping at every major skatepark we can find along the way, and he'll fly back home a week after we get back here.

SO!... Any tips? Stuff I should make sure I bring on a long road trip? Places I absolutely have to stop and see? Any and all suggestions are welcome! Matt (ithoughti), I was hoping you could chime in since you just did a long trip in your WRX =].

Sigh...green with major envy! Have you seen Bryce and Zion, especially with snow?

I aways take either my Camelback or the bladder from it on long trips so I can sip whenever...on the kayaks, too!

And you're younger, but I rarely leave home without my Thermarest. Good for the decks of cars, friends' couchs or floors, or wherever...

Have fun...how could you not!

I can never find reliable coffee on the road, so (especially if I am camping) I press my own coffee with a coffee press and a backpacking stove. The Camelback and Thermarest are also great ideas. I usually also take a folding camp chair for rest areas where you want to sit by your car (hatch up, soobie style!).

Maybe you might want to put some books on tape on your Empeg, too.

Sounds like a rocking trip. Hope you have tons of fun!

I envy your trip as well. I really would like to a coast-to-coast drive sometime soon.

No suggestions but that does sound like an amazing trip

Hahah... so true though. All stuff i'd been wanting to get for a long time, but needed the excuse too. It's funny because sleeping bags ARE gadgets these days. They are so technical and there are so many options. =]

Sweet dude! As I just returned from my 27 day 10,160 mile road trip (the pic website for it is here: http://thelongdrive.photosite.com/ ) its in reverse order with the latest pics first.

I have a few suggestions/observations/somethinganothers:

1. Switch to Verizon Wireless. I have Cingular and my friend Jen has Verizon and she had far more consistant service than I did.

2. When driving through Texas miles from Wichita Falls, in the middle of the night when it is very windy and rainy and you see brake lights in the distance and tumbleweed blowing across the road -SLOW DOWN! I slowed to about 70mph but it was too late, a HUGE tumbleweed blew out in front of my car and I smashed into it. It shredded my left rear tire and I had to change it in the wind and rain with trucks zooming by my head in the pitch dark. Not a fun time. Oh and Wichita Falls doesn't have any tire stores that carry my stupid Rice Boy Khumo tires, so I had all of one choice for a tire in the right size, a Yokohama.

3. Make sure that your positive battery terminal is connected nice and tight and your battery is charging properly, so that when you blow a tire in the middle of nowhere Texas and you have the hazard lights on for a half hour while you change the tire, and you go to start the car it actually starts. Yeah, that wasn't too fun either, luckily Jen has Verizon so we could call AAA.

4. Get AAA

5. Seconded on the coffee thing. If you enjoy coffee, it is extremely difficult to find a good cup on the road.

6. I loved having my laptop with a wireless connection. It was great to download pics onto and keep in touch with friends/family. Not to mention it was good to be able to log into my email and delete all the spam I get.

7. My Empeg had no problems with overheating or anything, and I had it running for 15+ hours in a row several different times. I wouldn't worry about it too much. The laptop was also good to bring just in case you need to do something with the Empeg.

8. Don't know if bugs will be a problem this time of year or not, but in hind sight I would get one of those stoneguard clear bra things. I scraped so many bugs off my car.

9. Buy a Valentine 1. It saved my ass A LOT. It was fun driving across the plains at 110+ mph for hours on end, but it would not have been nice to get caught.

10. The WRX does _not_ get good gas mileage at 110+ mph. I suppose this is obvious, but it gets the best if you never go into boost. I would say cruising at about 3000rpm (just below boost) in 5th gear worked best for me as far a mileage, but man is that slow.

11. I'm assuming you've been to New Orleans, but just in case you haven't, Frenchman's Street was great for music and a more chill atmosphere.

12. Keep a travel log/diary. It's the only way to be able to remember everything you did and people you met.

13. more to come after I talk with Jen and get her insight...

Well considering you will be in Boulder, you could take a trip down I-25 to Colorado Springs and I can show you around a bit. Depending on the weather, Pikes Peak may still be open (bring winter clothes for that). Guess it all depends on what you want to see. NORAD tours I think are out of the question, as the clearance usually takes at least a few month. Some ideas on stuff to do is here. Also, if interested I could give you a tour of my work, since you allowed me to see where you worked back in May.

Schedule has me available Tuesday-Friday right now with no fuss.

My couch is also open of you want to stay a night around here.

All I have to say about that picture is . loren, enjoy the trip! ithoughti, that's really really humbling to see that photo. 10k miles in 27 days? That's like 5 months of commuting for me... wow. Why am I sitting here behind a desk when I could be driving around somewhere amazing?!

Oh yeah, and loren, if you switch to Verizon, get an old school StarTac. I was able to use my Verizon StarTac in the most remote, middle of nowhere Oregon and California by forcing it to Analog mode. Sure, it costs alot, but if you're in a jam, it's priceless. I don't know any other phones that you can force to analog, but make sure you have one.

My top tip from my European Trip this summer would be to take a bottle of spray on Febreze with you (not sure if you have this stuff in the US).

Great for those moments when you have already worn every pair of pants inside out, and the town you are in is somewhat backwards and doesn't have a self service Laundy

Enjoy your trip, I'm thinking of doing a coast to coast trip in the Smart next year, let us know how you are gettin on.

Cheers

Cris.

Edit - Pants is the UK meaning, ie underwear

Nah!!!! US Coast to Coast. Just started looking into how huch it would be to take the Smart over there and then bring it back.

Cheers

Cris.

Cris:

You'd certainly get lots of weird looks, if nothing else. I've yet to see a Smart in the Carolinas. You may want to consider renting a car...it'd probably be cheaper.

I have seen Smarts on US roads here and there, but still very rarely. The most recent sighting was on the Garden State Parkway. I know they're preparing to bring the fortwo to the US and I think dealers are already set up in Canada and Mexico.

Yup, we've got a sprinkling of Smart dealers here now -- SWMBO is getting a Smart for her birthday in the spring.

nice! does she know?

Slightly off topic (for this thread), but does anyone have any suggestions/comments on renting a car for 3 days and driving from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon (and anything else interesting along the way or near by)?? Including suggestions on places to stay at night, what else to do, what to bring, etc..

Thinking of doing this for a few days after CES (January) and before I have to fly from vegas to San Francisco for Macworld that week.

Bruno

I usually don't rent a car without checking this site first:
http://www.rentalcodes.com/

You mean they're not just snap-in faceplaces?

They are, but no sense in paying extra for the wrong initial colours!

Cheers

A few sugesstions...

1) Sign up for a month's worth of unlimited gprs and get an inverter to power your laptop. Being able to surf (no matter how slowly... you can look out the window while pages load) really makes being a passenger go faster.

2) Full Size Spare - If it'll fit, it'll save you so much hassle should you get a flat.

3) Consider a bra for your vehicle. While they're hideous to look at, you're going to be doing so much driving in such a short time period it may be worth it.

4) Read about where you'll be. Remember books are free at a bookstore as long as you read them there while enjoying an overpriced beverage.

Matthew

Loren - I have one suggestion, it's cynical, but I think worthwhile. Donate to your local Police/Fireman's Widows & Orphans fund and get a window sticker. Not only is it good to support your local departments, but I really feel that officers go a bit easier on you on the off chance that you stray a bit too far above the posted limits. Of course, it's probably too late now to do this, but maybe not.

-Zeke