My father died two years ago, and he left a garage full of stuff. My whole life, everything related to tools or machinery was promised to me, and the only thing that's kept me from going to do this was moving from Washington down here, and living in a rental for a year. We moved into our own place full time starting on the first of September, and I've been clearing space in my new garage for the workshop I'm going to set up. Tools, machinery, some long guns, ammo, golf clubs, and God-knows-what-else is coming with me so my mother can finish up the house and sell it.

Now, the trip. I'll be renting a Uhaul. I have no idea what size yet. That'll get figured out once I get there and get a good look at what all is coming with me. The size truck I end up renting will potentially impact the route, I guess. I am not a fan of heights, and don't mind adding a few hours to dodge extreme heights and driving on mountain sides with many thousands of feet of sheer drop off the shoulder.

I'll be driving solo, and hoping to get on the road no later than oh... I think maybe October 19th. Depends on how difficult it is to load all that stuff on the truck. I have an appointment on the 28th, so I have to be back by then. The various routes I've pulled up look like 40-50 hours of driving. I'm not looking to kill myself, I want to pace it out nicely. I drove from Washington to Arizona with my truck and a Uhaul trailer and made it from Ogden, Utah to here in just under thirteen hours with a nap in the middle. That was too damned much, that probably should have been two days. I'm thinking 5-6 hours a day, which leaves plenty of time to see some sights, and pick less sketchy places to stay overnight. My wife suggested campsites. I smiled and nodded, and figure I'll probably just sleep in the truck for the most part, but we're not gonna fight about it.

I've been thinking October sounds about right for over a year now. I figured summer gas prices would have calmed down, but hoo boy, was I wrong about that one(). It's late enough in the year that I'm not going to be unloading heavy stuff from a truck in 110+ degree weather at the end of it all, and it's early enough in the fall that I should both be able to see some pretty scenery, and hopefully avoid all but the earliest of the freak winter storms. Upstate NY to most means Whiteplains or Yonkers. Not this time. I'm leaving from where you can walk into Canada and not get your feet wet. It winters early there, but as long as I get far enough south fast enough, I should be fine. My plan is to shoot straight south into PA, meet up with Mark123 have a meal, then the bit between western PA and maybe Arkansas is up in the air as yet. I don't want to get much further south than say, Little Rock, and then I figure I'll just shoot mostly straight west. Might go through Nashville and Memphis and get some good food. I'm definitely not going through Illinois with guns and ammunition. Might veer further south the closer I get to the Rockies to avoid the kinds of heights that turn my legs to jelly. We're gonna see about that one.

I dunno, what should I check out on the way? Any places I really ought to see? Any places I ought to avoid? Tips? Sage advice?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

I would personally have a hard time sightseeing with a "garage full of stuff" and especially guns and ammunition in tow. Anywhere you stop for longer than a bathroom break or meal leaves your stuff vulnerable to theft.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Anywhere you stop for longer than a bathroom break or meal leaves your stuff vulnerable to theft.

Lots of neat stuff can be seen from inside a vehicle. While it's moving.

There's a lot of open, mostly flat, country from Ohio westward until the front range of the Rockies!

The Black Hills in South Dakota are really scenic. But then you'd have to dive south somehow from there. Still, I'd put Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills on the list as possibilities. If you do go there, I personally would avoid the Crazy Horse monument (and don't even drive in the driveway or you'll be trapped into paying).

From there you could head over to Cody Wyoming and then go through Yellowstone into Grand Teton Nat'l Park, and out south through Jackson Hole. I don't believe there is any mountain driving required. You'd be in the valley bottoms.

Through Utah southward, into Arizona.

Another option would be to head south sooner and go via I-25 from Denver to Santa Fe. At Santa Fe head towards Durango and do the 4 Corners (Monument Valley, lots of red rock western scenery) to Phoenix. Northern NM from Santa Fe you have a couple of very scenic routes towards Durango. You won't be able to take the UHaul through Monument Valley but you can see it from the main parking lot and possibly take a tour if you're willing to leave the truck parked.

Or, from Santa Fe go to Albuquerque then head west. Another very scenic route. There's the meteor crater and Petrified Forest, both of which you can get a UHaul through.

If you want to keep it flat, take the route from St Louis to Deming NM, then I10 the rest of the way. You can bypass Albuquerque with RT 60, ideally RT 60 will take you into Phoenix, but if you don't like heights the Salt River Canyon will not please you .

I-40 route from Little Rock to Mesa is <15 hours. Little Rock to Elk City Oklahoma is an easy day.

Potential Meet Up at Whole Hog Cafe in North Little Rock depending on day/date/time (closed on Sunday) Less than 2 miles off I-40 on Hwy 67/167.

It's been awhile since I have been able to make the trip to and from upstate NY to the Black Hills to visit relatives but some caveats I can share. I also made numerous journeys around the country visiting national and state parks in addition to numerous other attractions. Particularly liked the South West US.

One: your departure date of mid-October is about as late as I'd risk things. Winter in earnest is usually in force by Halloween. Encountering white out blizzard conditions in the southern tier of NY and into PA is not for the faint hearted. I can't imagine encountering the same in a U-Haul truck.

Two: Even in warm months I avoided Chitown and drove via the greater Indianapolis area. Always preferring leaving interstates and traveling two lanes through small towns when possible. Enjoyed chatting up locals, eating at local non-chain eateries, and seeing sights unavailable on major thoroughfares. From what you posted this sounds like your preference as well.

Three: I never made reservations to stay anywhere when traveling preferring to locate decent lodging when it was time to pull over. Knew too many who rushed or missed getting somewhere. Just didn't need the hassle and rarely had any difficulties in this regard.

Four: Depending on your likes, there are numerous locales which afford satisfying visits. The comments about the Black Hills above was spot on.
Some books I used in the past for my wandering backroads around the USA that I found helpful include:
--Road Trip USA (Avalon Travel)
--Scenic Highways and Byways (Natl Geographic)
--Eccentric America (Bradt)
--The Most Scenic Drives in America (Readers Digest)

Five: Always pack emergency equipment and supplies. Cause you just never know.
With my two seater sports car I even packed camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, water purifier, et al).

I’m a regular commenter among many on power line log.com’s Ammo Grrrll column. One day there was a treat: commenters added their recommendations about places to go and see between AZ and MN. Much of it involves Utah. I will paste the best of those below:

quote:

Pro tip from a very experienced, non-professional road tripper.
Get off the dam interstates. Get off them. Get off them as soon as possible and stay off them.
From the Tucson area head up to Flagstaff then say sayounara to the interstate highway system. At Flagstaff head to Kayenta via US 89 and 160. At Kayenta there is a choice (there are no bad choices if you stay off the interstates). Cut up through Monument Valley to Mexican Hat or keep on 160 until you hit 191.
Either way you go through (and spend some time in) Bluff UT. Very cool and undiscovered town. Historic "Fort" really worth visiting. At Bluff you can head up to Moab (super cool place) (hit the yummy quesadilla food truck in center of town) OR from Bluff go west through Cortez, Durango, Pagosa Springs (not my favorite town) to Monte Vista. Then up US 285 the gorgeous way to Denver this is a mostly very flat road (no bad passes) up various valleys surrounded by 14ers. America's Switzerland.
Once you get to Denver someone else will have to take over giving directions but I'm sure there is a fantastic NO interstate way to MN.
Another route is when you get to 191 on 160 is pick up 64 until you hit 285. Parts are a little bit twisty going though Carson National Forest but the road is wide, perfectly paved, and no drop offs or sudden turns. The scenery is spectacular.


Back when I was involved in hanging out with 3 other non-professional photographers (but, those 3 were practicing physicians, an endodontist, an orthopedic surgeon, and a neurologist) with our focus on Native American ruins and landscapes, we went up through Kayenta, Mexican Hat, Bluff, and stayed in Blanding. There are lots of ruins along the San Rafael Swell, and very interesting landscapes. Moab reminds me of Sedona, AZ, as it is at roughly the same elevation, and surrounded by red rocks. In Bluff there was a restaurant in the Cow Canyon Trading post back then, that required reservations, and the food was awesome. I have no idea as to whether that still exists or not.
As far as Cortez, Durango, et cetera goes, that gets my vote. I've done some of the jeep trails from Red Mountain, Ouray, Silverton, and Telluride. The one jeep trail I have not done, and likely won't ever, is the legendary Black Bear. It is one-way from around Red Mountain over the pass to Telluride. There is a video of a jeep crashing over the side of the trail. Look on YT for "Falling Off Black Bear Pass."

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Pro tip from a very experienced, non-professional road tripper.
"Get off the damn interstates. Get off them. Get off them as soon as possible and stay off them."

ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON!!!!

I can't help you with advice on the route to take but as for the truck, my recommendation would be Penske. I recently rented a 26' truck from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore and they were less than U-Haul and It was probably a better truck.

Could take 79 south from Pittsburg to Charleston WV, it is interstate but the scenery is good, cut over to Huntington-Ashland on 64 to Lexington, then get off the interstates on the BG Pkwy to the WK Parkway, you'll get to see the bluegrass with all the horse farms, Bourbon, and Starnes BBQ in Paducah, plus there are SF members in both states should you need assistance.

40 across AR, to Tulsa and pick up Rt 66 to AZ

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Pro tip from a very experienced, non-professional road tripper.
"Get off the damn interstates. Get off them. Get off them as soon as possible and stay off them."

ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON!!!!

sjtill and bald1, as much as I respect you guys, I must beg to differ.

A couple of years ago, the wife and I drove from Chicago to upstate New York for a wedding. We were pressed for time on the way there, but had plenty of time for the return, so I decided to get off the interstate and see the scenery. After a couple of hours of slogging over bad roads, getting stuck behind dump trucks, and slowing to a crawl through decrepit one-stoplight towns, I was desperate to find the nearest interstate entrance ramp!

Second time someone has suggested Penske. I'll see how it all shakes out, but the closest one to where I'm loading the truck up is a three and a half hour drive south of there. We'll be in Albany for a few days before I'm planning to do all this anyways, so it might be doable.

As for the suggestions to shoot straight west through Ohio, through Wyoming and then head south, there's a few issues I see there. One is Illinois with guns and ammunition in the truck - I'm just not going to spin that wheel. The other is I've already driven through Utah south into Arizona - I'd rather see a different route, since Flagstaff will probably become our winter fun stomping grounds. I really want to go through the Dakotas, Nebraska, and see Wyoming some day, but I think that's further north than I want to swing on this trip.

Now, I've never been to West Virginia. The last potential route I mapped out on a google maps tab was indeed 79 through WV on over to Lexington.

Bald1, I'll hit your points in order:
1) We agree. I'd be over there loading the thing up now, but my wife's got some family reunion thing where they all decided to meet up in Alabama the first week of October. I told her I wanted to skip it. You know how that went. The idea of driving a rented truck full of heavy stuff through whiteout conditions does not give me the warm fuzzies. Not at all. I learned to drive in that stuff, but it's been a while. I'll be taking every one of whatever tow straps the old man had left and securing stuff as best I can, but... all it takes is a drill press to come unstrapped and shift the load on glare ice and I'm not gonna finish that sentence.

2) I like seeing stuff you won't see from the interstates, as long as it doesn't turn into a dirt logging road going out who-knows-where.

3) I'm a big fan of no plans. My wife can't handle it - every last detail must be planned. I don't want to have to stick to anything other than the destination. I reckon what I'll do is get up and get driving a little before dawn each day, stop somewhere for lunch, and while I'm doing that, get a good idea where I'm headed and where I'm gonna stop before sundown. Worked fine coming from Washington.

4) I'll take a look at those books.

4) I'm gonna bring whatever camping stuff I can on the way out and see what I can take with me from the homestead.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
sjtill and bald1, as much as I respect you guys, I must beg to differ.

Man oh man you musta had all the dumb luck in the universe for that trip.
Definitely NOT the norm!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And Ed (P220 Smudge), absolutely avoid Ohio!

Here are those books
Maybe the local library has them as I see their prices have skyrocketed.


Links to the current versions:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=roa...123&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sce..._sb_ss_ts-doa-p_3_26
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ecc..._sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_17
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mos...108&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Old school luggage rack with leather tie down straps on my 2003 S2000 set up for road trips. Needed when your trunk is only 5 cu-ft and you're planning to be on the road for extended periods.

Bald1, I have to hand it to you. Wife and I went on one road trip with our AP1 up to far Northern California (Klamath Lake). My wife was a good sport about it, but our AP1 was hard on us geezers.
We haven’t done a good road trip in the 2005 AP2, but it is much more comfortable.
If we move back to Northern California as we’re contemplating, I will probably have the S2000 trucked up to Sacramento while we fill the minivan with stuff and drive.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Second time someone has suggested Penske. I'll see how it all shakes out, but the closest one to where I'm loading the truck up is a three and a half hour drive south of there.

Did you check Home Depot? They rent Penske moving trucks.

Rent a truck large enough that you'll not be near the maximum load. As others have said, Penske seems to come out less expensive. Home Depot does rent them - you just need to know what size to reserve so that they can have it on site.

I helped friends move from Northern San Diego to Idaho Falls. We left mid-afternoon on 12/31/2020, spent the night in our vehicles in the parking lot of a casino in Nevada, and arrived late New Year's Day 2021 - less than 32 hours total including any stops. I was driving at 26' Penske truck with a diesel engine that was about 1,500 pounds below the maximum weight allowed (26,000 lbs) for a Class C license. I had the truck weighed before we left to make sure we wouldn't get in trouble. The other vehicle was a 3/4 ton diesel pickup towing a flat trailer. When we hit hills, I would lag back (rentals aren't geared for speed and hills). I could maintain the speed limit on flat roads.

Be advised that rental and daily trucks have to stop at weigh stations in most states. Make sure you're below the weight limit. In most cases, you'll probably get the green light to just get back on the highway after rolling (SLOWLY) over the scales.

Plan to be on the road around 8AM and drive until about 6PM (plus or minus) and have stops along the way for food and breaks. Highway rest stops are a good place to stretch out or even take a nap to refresh - naps might let you stay on the road an extra hour or two. Once you're stopped for the night - RELAX and rest. Find places that have pools (still might be available at that point in the year). Do a few laps to stretch out. Light meal in the evening. Some of the truck stops have good breakfast buffets - just don't overdo it or you'll have trouble mid-morning.

Even though you want to see the sights, you'll probably do better to see it some other time in a car. Big trucks are no fun on the sight-seeing run off the main roads. If you look at routing, you'll find a good way to travel - see if you can avoid toll roads (you won't usually lose too much time). Toll ways in other states are just plain too expensive for a rental truck. I saw plenty of scenery from driving up on I-15 on that trip without having to deviate from the main route.

I'd forget anything other than a strict focus on moving the stuff. I suspect once you load the truck, all interest in anything other than beelining home will go away. Especially if you are mostly sleeping in the truck.

I always like to avoid Ill, but with your route I'd drive through it. I try to spend nothing there and enter with full tank and only make needed stops.

Wear compression socks and stretch out at every stop. Eat as little of restaurant food as possible.

Were I you, I'd probably take I-81 to I-40 (or 81 to 76 to 70 to 44 to 40, if you want to avoid MD and VA) and just shoot straight across. That'll give you the chance to stop off and see mark123, and then provide a pretty direct route home. I-40 keeps you out of the Rockies, which can get dicey in October.

As much as I love the Dakotas (We're actually headed there next week) I don't see that making any sense for your trip as it's hundreds of miles out of the way. Same for back roads...awesome in a car, not so much in a fully-loaded U-Haul. It's going to suck gas and not be fun to drive, or easy to get in and out of small places. Interstates, while boring, provide efficient mileage and service stations designed to accommodate trucks.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

Man oh man you musta had all the dumb luck in the universe for that trip.
Definitely NOT the norm!

You may be correct. We are heading to Arizona next March. Maybe we will drive instead of fly.

Our library has "Guide to Scenic Highways & Byways" and "Road Trip USA". Think I'll drop by this afternoon.