Driving cross-country: cool stuff in the middle of nowhere?

[Ireallyliketoski2]

I enjoyed Ashtubula, Ohio on lake erie on a similar trip. Also, Funk, Nebraska has a very interesting diner where the locals can discuss topics ranging from Nebraska Football to Superstring Theory.

[Tippster]

Quick question. Where the heck is WALL DRUG?

It's actually just west of Heck in Tarnation.

[13]

I recommend another route. That's all.

Other than that ... Bring a big bag o' cheeb witcha.

[72Twenty]

Get some pictures of the Tetons and lay them on your dashboard do that you can stare at their reflection in your windshield. It will look like you are constantly driving towards them.

[acostiga]

first, stock up on bottles of magic hat because they don't distribute the stuff very far towards the west. mmm... magic hat.

if you happen to roll through hartford on your way out of new england, stop at doogie's on the berlin tpk and have a two-foot hotdog. yummy. go for the reuben dog if you're up for the challenge. think of it as a participatory roadside curiosity kind of thing.

the rest of the journey of gluttony depends on your route. if you're moving westward on 90 across new york state, stop in rochester at nick tahou's for a garbage plate. i think the boxing hall of fame is in central new york as well, but i don't know what that has to do with gluttony.

however, if you're moving west in pa on 80 you should be recovering from the hotdog carnage just in time for a different stop... at denny's in clearfield, pa. they serve a 15 pound burger. yummy, part deux.

as far as highways go, 80 is even more of a boring drive than 90- but 90 is a toll road while 80 is free. the rest stops on 90 are better than the options off of 80. important note: if at any point while in pennsyltucky you see a weird looking kid staring at you kinda funny, and hear the dueling banjos begin to play... move thyself along, quickly.

and if you're driving further south out of new england, around new york city and then cutting westward across the commonwealth of pa you have to facilitate your gluttony elsewhere. don't know why you'd take this route, since the pa turnpike stinks and isn't free like 80. but if you're swanky, and will be rolling on the pa turnpike i suggest gregory's, which is in the lehigh valley of pa. mmm.... 120oz. steak.

[Nobody Famous]

Well, Since you will be heading out on 70, in indianapolis, you could swing by the 500 track, the race is on memorial day, and the place will still have a little activity for a few days afterwords. Other than that there is nothing else to see imediately off 70 In indiana. In Illinois, I think in Effingham, which is fun to say, there is a truck stop called Bobbers, they have big fishing bobbers on their sign, nice grungy truck stop to get gas and needed road trip snacks etc. Then there is nothing till St. Louis. See the arch, the Old Miss and maybe some other sites in the gateway city. Then there is nothing till Kansas City. I don't know much about KC, except right off the highway you can stop and see Royals stadium and arrohead stadium next to each other, for some reason I like seeing large buildings.
....

Some more suggestions for St. Louis through Kansas. If you cross the Mississippi river at St. Louis, the Arch is worth seeing, even just walking around it from the outside. If there's a wait to get in, get a ticket with the time printed on it, then drive app. one mile south, along the river front, to an area of St. Louis named Soulard, where you can take a tour of the main Anheuser-Busch brewery (it's their flagship brewery). After the brewery tour, stop in a bar/restaurant named "Johnny's", it's about two or three blocks from the brewery -- provided they're still in business, it's been several years since I was there.

App. halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, there is Columbia, Missouri, home of the Univ. of Missouri. A typical college town, if you need to stop, there are good places to eat, and cheap places to stay.

In Kansas City, there are some famous barbecue restaurants, off the downtown area, I recall. Memory block, can't recall the names right now.

On the riverfronts between IL-MO and MO-KS, they have legalized 'riverboat gambling', if you're into that. It's not high-stakes gambling, just people who want to waste a few hours and lose a few bucks. The riverboats in KC all have good places to eat.

[biggins]

Thanks man. Is it sweet enough to justify 250 extra miles (vs. Denver --> Aspen on I-70 & 82)?

Yes, and yes. Pretty unique place + super fun to play on.

[non grata]

for inspiration:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...42250?v=glance

[BigKuba]

Go the Southern Route:
Monuments/National Parks:
Carlsbad Caverns
Monument Valley
Grand Canyon
Joshua Tree

Carlsbad Caverns is too far south unfortunately, but monument valley might be possible. The other two are already on the list.

Get some pictures of the Tetons and lay them on your dashboard do that you can stare at their reflection in your windshield. It will look like you are constantly driving towards them.

I like that idea. Come to think of it, I'm really tempted to swing north and do Badlands > Yellowstone > Jackson instead of CO > Moab, but it would add at least 500 miles to the trip not including driving off the main highways to get to the actual parks. And I'd like to stop by & chill with El Kabong & Gaperman in CO. I'm thinking of covering the PNW and JH/yellowstone on a separate trip, I just don't have enough time or $$$ to do it all at once. We have a bigass country...

Yes, and yes. Pretty unique place + super fun to play on.

The sand dunes are gaining in my book, I like the idea of desert with mountains in the background, and the temps are only supposed to get up to the 80s in the middle of summer (phish, biggins, is that true?).

On that note, just how unberably hot is Moab/Zion in early June? The forecast calls for high 90s for the next week (totally undealable for me for hiking around), but then down to mid-80s (that's more like it). Which one of those is more normal?

Thanks for the food/gas stop tips, I'm putting them on my map and will keep an eye out.

[biggins]

True story:

My girlfriend and I were hiking up/rolling down the dunes and watching the activities of others. We saw a troop of boyscouts running around and going nuts- we thought that was great. We saw a trio of frat-boys doing the same and we thought that was great too. Then we saw a huge family, mom and pop, bunch of kids, grandma and grampa, and others. The kids started rollin' around and laughin' it up- also great.

Next thing we know, we hear a loud, elderly female voice whoopin' and yelpin'. We look over and grandma is doing summersaults down one of the dunes, then running back up and doing it again. THAT was amazing and truely great. It was so much fun being there, like a National Park/Amusement Park.

One word of advice- don't put your finger in your eye after your time there. I was not smart about this. It wasn't fun.

Word. Have a great trip.

[DJSapp]

App. halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, there is Columbia, Missouri, home of the Univ. of Missouri. A typical college town, if you need to stop, there are good places to eat, and cheap places to stay.

In Kansas City, there are some famous barbecue restaurants, off the downtown area, I recall. Memory block, can't recall the names right now.

As I recall, there's a Shakespear's pizza in Columbia. 10 years ago, they were pretty darn good. As for the BBQ in KC, go there for lunch, but not dinner (unless you have a death wish, or you are a 6'6" 350# homie with THUGZ-4-LIFE Tatooed on your forehead and are fluent in gang sign language).

[DaveTV]

OZ Museum

[Snowbird37]

In downtown Kansas City stop for sure at an Italian place called Garozzo's. Its a great restaurant and the best Italian I've had since being in Italy itself. Its dark and candlelit inside with celeb pics of them eating there on the wall when you walk in. Your chicka will love u forever if u take her there,very romantic type place. I drove the I70 from denver to Pa about a month ago to help a buddy move back to Masshole. Indy is a fun city with lots of bars and shit to do downtown. Kansas sucks bad and Misery(Missouri) isn't much better. Denver was cool when we went through. St. Louis was nice but rainy so we didnt spend much time there just grabbed a bit to eat at a bar by the b-ball stadium. Have fun and have lots of music and other GOODIES!!! helps alot and will make u laugh more when u are in Kansas

[Nohillsnearby]

If I make the drive again, I'll bring more books on tape.

MrNohills discovered XM radio has a station that is books read on air.

[72Twenty]

If you take I-80, read my thread on Wyo Hwy 130; summer skiing in the Snowy Range. It's a little detour between Laramie and Rawlins.

[Dexter Rutecki]

If you end up in Cleveland, can you have a look at my old house? I heard they made some changes, and I'm curious about them.

[Tuckerman]

The first time I drove to Cali. from NH I drove 10 thru the south and then up the coast it was a bit more interesting then my last time when I drove 70.

[TELEB]

If going on 80 stop at the Big 80. It's right when you enter Iowa, it's a massive truck stop. Just check it out if your in that area. I live in Boston also, once you get into ohio and then until you hit the rockies. The flatlanders are horrible drivers, just wait I drove through the midwest doing 90 mph the whole way.

[INDY GS]

If going on 80 stop at the Big 80. It's right when you enter Iowa, it's a massive truck stop. Just check it out if your in that area. I live in Boston also, once you get into ohio and then until you hit the rockies. The flatlanders are horrible drivers, just wait I drove through the midwest doing 90 mph the whole way.

The place he is referring to is the Iowa 80 Truck stop, it IS the worlds largest truck stop. pretty impressive. If you want to get some chrome for yer' rig, this is the place.

[acostiga]

Blah, blah, blah. I live in Boston also, blah. The flatlanders are horrible drivers, just wait I drove through the midwest doing 90 mph the whole way.

please stay within rt. 128, masshole!

[TELEB]

temp. masshole, lived here 4 years only been here for 2 winters. spent those 2 in utah. making good money now and trying to find a good in wy or mt.

[mr_gyptian]

Wall Drug, Badlands, Devil's Tower, Deadwood, Sturgis.

For starters.

reaaallllllllllll niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice Clark. don't forget Reptile Gardens.


there is nothing to see from the Mass Pike to I-25. keep your foot in it until you hit Golden.

[acostiga]

i'd like to resurrect this thread, and scrounge for more information. i'm heading west tomorrow, but my destination is a bit more north... kalispell, mt. anybody know anything about kalispell? i'm sure that there will be a very interesting TR in a week or two, but tips or advice would be much appreciated. cheers.

[cafowler]

Jackson hole.

It is a little out of the way maybe, if your going to Montana but well worth it. We stayed at The Erma Hotel in Cody, Wy. It was owned by Buffalo Bill, and they do a gun fight show on the main drag outside the hotel in the evenings. Then do the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody in the morning, a quick drive up and into the park after that to watch a gyser, maybe see a moose, bear or elk, then drive south out of the park to get down to Jenny lake just before sunset, to watch a sunset over The Grands. Spend the night in Jackson Hole, do the tourist thing, then take a tram ride up Jackson Hole resort to watch the crazy parasailers (?) glide off the mountain and float down to the valley floor. They give tandem rides for about $100 after your sign away all liability.

You could consider all this a scouting expedition for a ski trip to Jackson next winter. You know, scoping out the good hotels, etc in advance.

Kirk

[homerjay]

Can't belive nobody suggested Carhenge!