5,000 miles. Two weeks. Lets Start Planning My Road Trip

iflynething · Oct 12, 2008

I am planning to go around the US next year. Just driving. Ok, maybe the mileage is off, but at least I could say the however many 'extra' miles on my car are true 'highway' mile

I want to ping-pong the US. I live in NC. From there to Maine and New Hampshire, down the border to New York to see Niagra falls. Couple days there, along the Great Lakes in Michigan Through Chicago (always wanted to go through it) then to St. Louis (of course for the arch) to Kansas City, Missouri to a place called Ruby's Soul Food my dad suggested. Through Wisconsin to North Dakota then over to Montana and Washington and British Columbia for some nice photo ops. Come down diagonally through Utah, Colorado and stuff zig-zagging to Kansas, Oklahoma then over to California and down the coast. Come through California and go on the bottom border of the US through Nevada to Las Vegas and of course the Grand Canyon for a couple of days because I want to actually go down into the canyon. Through Texas and Lousiana.....possibly to Florida.....................then back up to home, North Carolina

I don't know about sleeping wise though. I though about camping out a couple nights or just sleeping in the car to save some money unless any photographers here would allow me and probably and someone else to stay the night. I'm thinking about spending a good amount so I would make sure to have enough to get me through the trip. I figure if it were around 5,000 miles and gas was $3.50 (who knows what it'll be in March of next year) and I get 27 mpg in my new accord (well, it's an '02) then it'll be about $650 for gas and I'll set aside $800 plus admission to different parks (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc).

If there is any place worth going by on that.......um.....rough route, please tell me. I'd like to start planning now. Its more for an experience to go since I have a decent camera and to get photos and to get away on my own (and with someone else) before I go into the Air Force. I first planned on going in in February, but I'm 19 and February is just around the corner and I have though about getting a D300 and I'd like to shoot with that instead of it just sitting and not getting used since I would have been at basic training.

I figure, I won't be under the orders of the military (even though I won't mind being in) and I can get out there and have a fun time and have two weeks to do it.

Anyways, if anyone has done something like I'm wanting and planning to do, please let me know any photo opportunities worth going to on the way, please tell me here. I'm looking to leave some time in March and stay gone for 3 weeks - asking off for 3 1/2 just "in case" (that paycheck will suck). I know of all the normal places to go, but I'm looking for suggestions and support of places that I wouldn'tt hink of. Places you know of because you live in this particular state. Just a hole in the wall place that's good for the eyes, and the sensor.

Well, thank you for your input, and I will have until next year to plan everyting out.

~Michael~

PS. This might get more attention in another sub-forum........mods, would you mind?