Touring the USA

[TridenT]

So, I've been trying to figure out how I am going to tour the USA over 3 months. It's my way of finding out where I am going to live after college. I'll narrow it down to about 3 places after that and spend a longer bit of time in those places before I move there.

My employment at my current job will either be terminated in August or just still 20 hours/week. Either way, I don't want to bother with it. So, I'm having a month off unless they employ me full time. I'll be touring the west coast of the USA pretty heavily and making sure I see everything there. So, I'll probably spend less time on the west coast than the other places. Similarly, some places I'll only be in for a day and some I'll be in for 4-5 days.

But, next summer, I am going to be touring the USA (Only the regular 48). I'll be leaving from Seattle, stopping in Portland, and then adventure land. Any suggestions on where to stop? I know I've missed some places, but you know... time. Also, I think I added some places just as stopping points. (I'll be doing rideshares the whole way so that I don't pay for any gas)

However, this is what I've planned so far (And is by no means complete nor conclusive):

EDIT: I think I might visit Columbus and Indianapolis.

 

[Soundmanred]

The cries of a thousand ATOTers sound out in harmony "Not by me, not by me, oh God, not by me!"

 

[T_Yamamoto]

The cries of a thousand ATOTers sound out in harmony "Not by me, not by me, oh God, not by me!"

Too late, he is visiting NC.

In NC, I would visit no where. Our state is a stain.

 

[Soundmanred]

Too late, he is visiting NC.

In NC, I would visit no where. Our state is a stain.

You do realize you're his successor, right?
You're the same person essentially, just a bit younger.

 

[Tweak155]

While a good idea, I think you'll find out early on in the trip that you might be wasting money doing it that way, and it isn't some big adventure (it will become tedious).

You're probably better off researching 3 or so places, visit those, and if none knock your socks off visit 3 more.

Obviously your goal on the first 3 visits are to pick the places you think you would like the best. Then from those 3 narrow it down if you like them all.

EDIT:

I assumed this was for purely residence "investigation". If you have tourist spots you want to see then it could be worthwhile.

 

[TridenT]

You do realize you're his successor, right?
You're the same person essentially, just a bit younger.

Quite a bit younger. He's also nowhere near as talented as I. He is a failessor.

 

[randomrogue]

Go to AAA. Look up national park system and try to hit as many as you can while you check out cities. To drive cross country like that and not hit up places like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone is a travesty.

I also think you should seriously ask yourself why in the world you would be comparing a city like say San Fransisco and Tulsa, OK. Also why would one drive from Chicago to the Twin Cities without checking out Milwaukee if you're checking out such obscure places as Tulsa and Des Moines.

Honestly you need to have your parents drive you down to AAA.

 

[TridenT]

While a good idea, I think you'll find out early on in the trip that you might be wasting money doing it that way, and it isn't some big adventure (it will become tedious).

You're probably better off researching 3 or so places, visit those, and if none knock your socks off visit 3 more.

Obviously your goal on the first 3 visits are to pick the places you think you would like the best. Then from those 3 narrow it down if you like them all.

I understand this logic pretty well. I had this idea too. However, I'm driving everywhere. The places I want to check out are SF, LA, SD, and NYC. As you can see, SF, LA, SD. Easy. NYC? All the way across the country in opposing corner. So, I decided to visit some other places on the way there.

There are other things I'll be doing during this travel. It's not just your typical American sight seeing. I'll be going out and doing other things. (Mostly dance related things)

EDIT:

Go to AAA. Look up national park system and try to hit as many as you can while you check out cities. To drive cross country like that and not hit up places like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone is a travesty.

I also think you should seriously ask yourself why in the world you would be comparing a city like say San Fransisco and Tulsa, OK. Also why would one drive from Chicago to the Twin Cities without checking out Milwaukee if you're checking out such obscure places as Tulsa and Des Moines.

Honestly you need to have your parents drive you down to AAA.

Tulsa and Des Moines are mostly stopping areas (I don't like driving more than 6 hours at a time without visiting a place.). Tulsa is pretty optional. I'm not thinking, "Oh, Tulsa, the greatest!!"

 

[Tweak155]

I understand this logic pretty well. I had this idea too. However, I'm driving everywhere. The places I want to check out are SF, LA, SD, and NYC. As you can see, SF, LA, SD. Easy. NYC? All the way across the country in opposing corner. So, I decided to visit some other places on the way there.

There are other things I'll be doing during this travel. It's not just your typical American sight seeing. I'll be going out and doing other things. (Mostly dance related things)

Yeah, I added an edit afterwards JIC.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

(Mostly dance related things)

no need to travel cross country to get a lapdance.

also, is it shitty of you to get rides and not pay for gas? im not really sure what is customary in freeloader underground but that doesn't seem kosher to me.

 

[TridenT]

no need to travel cross country to get a lapdance.

also, is it shitty of you to get rides and not pay for gas? im not really sure what is customary in freeloader underground but that doesn't seem kosher to me.

If it's my car then it's fine for me to not pay gas. I've frequently made money off of rideshares. People are fine with it because they know that I eat up a lot of costs when people don't show up a lot of the time.

I charge $15 per person to get to get from Seattle to Portland. (And $15 to get back, etc.) Most people are perfectly fine with it. A lot are like, ("I'm glad it wasn't $20. That's what I usually have to pay.") I help them, they help me. I get 2 people per way and it pays for my gas nicely. (It's about 180 miles. My car gets 30-35mpg mostly. Assume it's 33 with gas at $4.20/g then it's about $46 in gas roundtrip.)

I think the going rate I am going to do in the end is something like $.075/mile. My car eats up about $0.11-15/mile just in gas. We're not considering my time in picking you up and waiting for you, risk associated with having to deal with randos, or all that other shit.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

If it's my car then it's fine for me to not pay gas. I've frequently made money off of rideshares. People are fine with it because they know that I eat up a lot of costs when people don't show up a lot of the time.

I charge $15 per person to get to get from Seattle to Portland. (And $15 to get back, etc.) Most people are perfectly fine with it. A lot are like, ("I'm glad it wasn't $20. That's what I usually have to pay.") I help them, they help me. I get 2 people per way and it pays for my gas nicely. (It's about 180 miles. My car gets 30-35mpg mostly. Assume it's 33 with gas at $4.20/g then it's about $46 in gas roundtrip.)

got it, i was thinking you were going in other peoples cars

 

[Mermaidman]

What did I do to offend you that you aren't visiting my city?

 

[Markbnj]

Tweak155 may be right, but I'm one of those guys who generally likes road trips. I've driven coast to coast twice, and just returned from a 4000-mile road trip to Colorado and back for the July 4th holiday.

The main thing to realize is that the country is BIG. You can play with maps all you like, but until you've driven for 35 hours and are barely halfway across you won't fully get it. You can't see everything, even in three months. So you can either plan out some stops, as has been suggested, or plan a route and just stop when it moves you.

Have fun!

 

[randomrogue]

If you're smart you'll zoom through the middle. Everything from the Badlands to just about Chicago is boring as hell and is just corn fields and boring agriculture. Driving through places like Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, etc is just mind numbing. If you're into that you should just drive up and down central California on the 5 for 3 months. It will really turn you on. When you need a break head to the coast, Vegas, or Tahoe depending on where you're at.

 

[zinfamous]

You're gonna hate all of it.

and randomrogue ^ is right. Much of the middle is terrible. The Badlands is cool to see, but between that and Chicago and everything around it, everything is boring and pointless.

....may be perfect for you? :hmm:

 

[TridenT]

If you're smart you'll zoom through the middle. Everything from the Badlands to just about Chicago is boring as hell and is just corn fields and boring agriculture. Driving through places like Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, etc is just mind numbing. If you're into that you should just drive up and down central California on the 5 for 3 months. It will really turn you on. When you need a break head to the coast, Vegas, or Tahoe depending on where you're at.

Haha, yeah, I'm aware of the mind-numbing bore. I've been through some of the areas before when I was a kid. It was like, "Oh, a sign" and then nothing for another 300 miles.

I'm fine with driving through that if I can manage to not pay for anything still.

 

[JM Aggie08]

You do realize you're his successor, right?
You're the same person essentially, just a bit younger.

:awe:

 

[CrackRabbit]

I would cut out Memphis, Little Rock and Tulsa and put Louisville, KY in their place and cut the leg back through California and hit Jackson Hole, WY and Yellowstone NP instead.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

You do realize you're his successor, right?
You're the same person essentially, just a bit younger.

Quite a bit younger. He's also nowhere near as talented as I. He is a failessor.

:awe:

Who needs talent when they got swag? /sarcasm

 

[Wordplay]

Skip MI, this place is all kinds of fucked up.

 

[Born2bwire]

The cries of a thousand ATOTers sound out in harmony "Not by me, not by me, oh God, not by me!"

Checks the map.

GOD DAMMIT ALL!!!

 

[clamum]

Skip MI, this place is all kinds of fucked up.

I was gonna say, no Michigan!?

 

[zinfamous]

Hi TridenT,

You can stay at my place when you're in town.

I'll go ahead and put out a bowl of Frootloops to make sure they get nice and stale.

 

[Centauri]

...Dallas to ABQ? Do you want to fall asleep at the wheel?