Post by: BillBlank on May 02, 2006, 01:15:27 PM
We were planning a sort of U shaped route from California to New York taking in the best of the south on the way, for instance I have a need to see texas before I die for some reason. I would like to shoot some interesting guns as well. My wife wants Natural beauty and the civil war.
What would be the one thing that you would, as Americans, believe we should not miss whilst we're in your country?
I want to rent an "interesting" car, 350 cu/in minimum. Does anyone know if this is possible?
The route and starting points are up in the air still, we're at the big map on the wall stage and very open to idea's
Post by: BozemanMT on May 02, 2006, 01:26:59 PM
Unbelievable scenary.
Just connect the National parks (and Mt St Helen's is not to be missed)
then go south into California through Yosemite and then back up through Utah. Utah is amazing, it's like another world.
That will be enough scenary to get you through the west half.
BTW, if you are from England, you are going to be thrown by the size of the US. (europeon's always are)
Let me give you an example
If you drive from Houston to LA, by the time you get to El Paso (in Texas still) you are halfway there. And that's about 900 miles.
The scale is off, your mental scale si going to have a tough time of it, esp. in the west.
enjoy.
Post by: mtnbkr on May 02, 2006, 01:34:34 PM
BTW, the museums and other sights in DC might be worth making that a leg of your tour (DC is a political cesspool, but there are a lot of things to see here).
There are many good Civil War battlegrounds that can be made part of you tour. I liked Shiloh in Tn. Harper's Ferry in WV is a nice trip. There are some nice bed and breakfasts there, you could make that an overnighter. I haven't been to Gettysburg yet, but I'm sure it's worth the time.
The Biltmore Estate in NC (Vanderbuilt's summer estate) is worth a day or two. If you feel like getting out to the coast, the Outer Banks of NC are great. Lots of history there and nice beaches as well.
There's more, but that's a quick "off the top of my head" list of things.
Chris
Post by: K Frame on May 02, 2006, 01:54:39 PM
If you're English, and interested in seeing where it all when wrong for you guys on this side of the pond, Philadelphia is a must see.
Seeing the Native American ruins in Arizona and New Mexico is high on my list of things to do before I get too much older.
And I second the comment about a trip to the range to blast away in glorious American fashion.
As for a car, friends of mine have good things to say about the Dodge Magnum.
Post by: Parker Dean on May 02, 2006, 03:23:13 PM
Well then, you should probably try to hit one of the NHRA Nationals. Everybody who's into cars should see (and feel) Top Fuel at least once in their lives.
Post by: Parker Dean on May 02, 2006, 03:28:19 PM
Post by: Ron on May 02, 2006, 03:44:04 PM
It was much bigger than I expected. Just breathtaking in scale.
Yellowstone is high on my list of places to see. Don't know much about it so can't help you out on what to do there. http://www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/webcams.htm
Texas is big and is a boring state to drive through. Actually a good chunk of the middle of the country is a boring drive (IMHO). We could plop the whole UK into middle America and it would be surrounded by farmland. Most of the US is empty and/or farmland. Hope you like to drive!
I would definitely research and and have a plan of action. Three weeks seems like a lot of time but this country is huge. We have near tropics, glaciers, plains and farmland bigger than some countries, small towns, huge metropoliss, historical places to visit and cities like Las Vegas that constantly reinvent themselves.
I am a Chicago guy who wishes he traveled more. http://www.gallagher.com/chicago_photos.htm
Post by: Declaration Day on May 02, 2006, 03:55:18 PM
www.thehenryford.com
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 02, 2006, 04:12:23 PM
Grand Canyon if you've never been. Sedona, AZ as well.
Post by: grampster on May 02, 2006, 04:32:31 PM
Are you an Auto Club member at home? If so, my ex employer, AAA Michigan would be happy to mail you an Atlas and some other info for sight seeing. I can see to that if you like. Let me know.
Rent a Dodge Magnum wagon with a Hemi engine. They get pretty decent gas mileage too. Chrysler 300 Hemi is a great sedan.
America in 3 weeks? Boy oh boy. I've got 62 years in and haven't seen half of it.
America is absolutely astonishing from its topography, our people (who will surprise you) to our history. It takes nearly 4 days of hard driving just to get from one coast to the other. If you're flying into the west coast I'd land in Seattle and zig zag my way south seeing that you want to see Texas. That should take 10 days. Then fly to Washington DC from Texas and do the Capitol, museums and historic sights in the east; Revolutionary and Civil War. I've got a close friend that is a Revolutionary War reinactor and historical author about that period. He could fill you in, I'm sure. That ought to take another 10 days. That'll whet your appetite to come back and we'll tell you what to do next.
Post by: garrettwc on May 02, 2006, 06:19:12 PM
For a different kind of horsepower, Churchill Downs (as in Kentucky Derby or "Darby" for you blokes) and the surrounding horse farms and bourbon distilleries.
If you're a Civil War buff, then definitely get in touch with Mike Irwin and mtnbkr. A huge chunk of the major battles were fought in and around the area where they live.
As for the rental car the Dodge/Hemi combo is a good one. Hertz recently announced they are bringing back the Hertz special edition Mustangs for rental so that's a choice too. The Dodge will be closer to the 5.7 litre formula you specified, but the 4.6 liter Mustang is a stout performer.
Post by: K Frame on May 02, 2006, 07:42:07 PM
Yep, there's an incredible number of major battle/campaign sites within a day's drive of here...
Antietam (Lee's first attempt at invading the North), 1st and 2nd Bull Run, Gettysburg, the Peninsula Campaign, the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Petersburg, Balls Bluff, Appomattox Courthouse (Lee surrenders), Cold Harbor, the Wilderness, Chancellorsville (Stonewall Jackson fatally wounded), Seven Pines, Brandy Station (largest cavalry battle in North America, ever).
All in all there were something like 123 separate battles in Virginia, and a bunch more in West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
I know quite a few people in my neck of the woods, right outside DC, who have found Civil War era bullets on their property.
Post by: jefnvk on May 03, 2006, 09:24:30 AM
Post by: K Frame on May 03, 2006, 09:30:40 AM
Post by: 280plus on May 03, 2006, 09:58:20 AM
Post by: TarpleyG on May 03, 2006, 10:10:45 AM
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/byr/index.jsp?targetPage=USshelbygth.jsp&leftNavUserSelection=globNav_3_5_1®ion=United%20States
Greg
Post by: 280plus on May 03, 2006, 10:36:22 AM
Post by: K Frame on May 03, 2006, 10:51:28 AM
6 pounds, 8 crowns, 11 guineas, 13 florins, 9 schillings, and 23 pence....
Never did understand British money!
I found an MSNBC article from last August saying that gas in Britain was averaging about 88 pence a litre, or something just over $6 a gallon.
Post by: 280plus on May 03, 2006, 01:40:22 PM
Post by: thebaldguy on May 03, 2006, 02:00:21 PM
Oh, and if you get stopped by a cop, tell them that you're a foreigner and don't speak english...lol
Post by: Iain on May 03, 2006, 02:09:48 PM
Mike we decimalised in 1970 something, before I was born in the ancient times about which I care nothing
Post by: Art Eatman on May 03, 2006, 02:39:17 PM
San Francisco is worth seeing. Sundown drinks/dinner at Cliff House is worth the trip, even if you ignored the rest of the city. Sausalito, across the Golden Gate is worth a couple of hours of walk-around.
The drive from San Francisco through Yosemite is spectacular. Rest up in late afternoon and cross Death Valley at ngiht, though. That is serious HOT. East from Las Vegas over Boulder Dam and on toward Flagstaff, turn off to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Work east past Flagstaff and then southeast to Alpine, Arizona. Go on south to Silver City, New Mexico. The Gila Cliff Dwellings are an interesting side trip.
It's miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles from Deming, New Mexico on through El Paso and eastward to a little "don't blink" called Kent, Texas, east of Van Horn. Turn south on State Highway 118. That takes you into some fairly high mountains and past the McDonald Observatory, with one of the world's largest telescopes.
Going south from the old western town of Fort Davis and the restored cavalry post there takes you to US 90 at Alpine, Texas. That takes you to San Antonio, and is the more scenic way across southern Texas than the Intersate.
In San Antonio, the most interesting part, IMO, is the center of town. The shops and cafes along what's called "The River Walk", and the Alamo. Otherwise, it's just another large city.
Lotsa options from San Antonio. The Texas hill country north of there has some scenic drives, with early German-settlement towns like Fredericksburg, yuppified though it has become.
Austin has all manner of entertainment, all over town. You couldn't take it all in in a month, really.
From the Austin area, you can run southeast if you want to see the Gulf coastal area, or northeast through rural country to Interstate 20 and on eastward or northeastward...
Houston is nothing but a pain in the butt to get through. Good Cajun cooking and music in Louisiana, particularly at Mulate's Restaurant at about the 108 mile marker on I-10.
If you get to Nashville, Tennessee, the Opryland Hotel is an intriguing monument to bad taste. If you like country music, I highly recommend the Ernest Tubb record shop, across the street from the Opryland on the north side. They have lots of the old stuff as well as the modern.
My home is about 100 miles south of Fort Davis, Texas, on the west edge of Big Bend National Park. Terlingua. An old mercury mining town, now a tourist area. It's hot, though, and dust is a notable part of life, here. Except when we get summer rains and then it's mud for a day or so.
But if you like to shoot, that's easy to do. I have a benchrest on my front porch and a pistol range behind the house. If I'm here, when you're in the area, I'm pretty easy to find., Art
Post by: Ron on May 03, 2006, 03:25:33 PM
Just driving through it on the interstate is!
Post by: cfabe on May 03, 2006, 03:40:17 PM
I would suggest for a 3-week trip you could drive a sideways "U" Start in texas, head to Las Vegas hitting grand canyon along the way, then head to sanfrancisco hitting yosemite along the way, Drive up through Marin on US1 along the coast, hit redwoods and/or sequoia natonal park which is just amazing, cratar lake in oregon, head up to seattle, see the rainforests on mt ranier, then head back east through idaho into montana and see glacier national park, then south into wyoming and spend some time in yellowstone and grand tetons. Of all the parks I think yosemite is my favorite, but it can be hellishly busy in peak season, glacier is a close second and less busy, but the grand canyon and sequoia shouldn't be missed either.
This trip will take every bit of 3 weeks and you'll still be missing tons of stuff. And honestly, the middle part of the country is flat and borning, mostly endless farm fields. Then you can come back later and do a tour of the east coast.
Post by: garyk/nm on May 03, 2006, 03:52:11 PM
HOT!
Not "Muffy, be a dear and turn the fan up a tick" uncomfortable, but skin searing , 2nd degree burn HOT!!!
110-120F is not uncommon during that time period.
Other than that, it's a nice place to visit.
If you end up in New Mexico at some point, you must try a green chili cheeseburger. If you are in a New Mexico restaurant and you are asked "red or green", the correct answer is "green". Hate to ruin your holiday with a severe case of flame tongue.
Post by: Monkeyleg on May 03, 2006, 05:52:20 PM
Southern Utah is like no other place you've seen, unless you've been to Mars. The entire southern part of the state should be a national park.
Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and other national parks in Utah are just the beginning. The scenery between them is just as stunning.
The Grand Canyon and Yosemite have turned into bumper-to-bumper traffic jams, especially in the summer.
There's so much to see here in the US that you pretty much can't go wrong.
Post by: Larry Ashcraft on May 03, 2006, 06:01:50 PM
COLORADO!
Tallest state in the union. I've lived here 56 years and still haven't seen it all. And when I've left the state I'm always glad to be back.
The Rocky Mountains are absolutely awesome, even if you grew up with them. We live at a relatively low altitude of 4800'. Colorado has over thirty mountains above 14,000".
On my morning drive to work, I can see Pikes Peak on my right, La Cuerna Verde (The Greenhorn) slightly left, and to my far left, the Twin Peaks. The closest one is about forty miles away, but they look like they are standing right in front of me.
World class hunting, fishing, skiing, dining and accomodations.
Trouble is, there is no way to even start experiencing Colorado in three weeks, let alone passing through.
Post by: Stand_watie on May 03, 2006, 06:20:36 PM
Quote from: Larry Ashcraft
Apparently the best kept secret (since no one has mentioned it).COLORADO!
Larry is absolutely right about Colorado. Unbelievable. Just west of Colorado Springs is breathtaking. Don't write off what people are telling you are the "boring parts" though, I drive through a boring part of Texas every day and am constantly amazed by the beauty. Try to spend some time off of the major interstates and you'll see more wildlife and scenic views.
In all fairness, 3 weeks is probably just about enough time to get a nice overview of California. I know that British customs suscribe to the "more is better" notion when it comes to travel, but you'd get a better, more worthwhile trip if you stayed closer to your debarkation point and saw more instead of driving more.
Post by: Smith on May 04, 2006, 02:06:10 AM
Larry, any chance I could get a favor from you sometime? If you can, please shoot me an email at mahp2004@yahoo.com thanks!
Steve
Post by: Stetson on May 04, 2006, 04:36:53 AM
Quote from: Stand_watie
Quote from: Larry Ashcraft
Apparently the best kept secret (since no one has mentioned it).COLORADO!
Larry is absolutely right about Colorado. Unbelievable. Just west of Colorado Springs is breathtaking. Don't write off what people are telling you are the "boring parts" though, I drive through a boring part of Texas every day and am constantly amazed by the beauty. Try to spend some time off of the major interstates and you'll see more wildlife and scenic views.
In all fairness, 3 weeks is probably just about enough time to get a nice overview of California. I know that British customs suscribe to the "more is better" notion when it comes to travel, but you'd get a better, more worthwhile trip if you stayed closer to your debarkation point and saw more instead of driving more.
I-70 West Bound at the buffalo overlook looks like a postcard of the Rockies as you crest the hill.
I-25 West Bound at the top of Wilkerson Pass.
There are places like Tarryall Res that have off road trails you can still drive down provided you have 4 wheel drive. Last time I was there I did hit an impasse. I was on the trail and so was a bull elk. He may have weighed more than my truck did so I just waited for him to move on.
There is all that and more all over the U.S., you may just have to look a little harder for it.
Post by: K Frame on May 04, 2006, 04:43:53 AM
I hit Telluride just as the sun was starting to set. It was painting the mountains amazing colors. I pulled over to the side of the road and sat on the hood of my car, just watching. A cop pulled up beside me and wondered what the heck I was doing. When I explained to him that I'd never been west before he stuck around with me for about 20 minutes watching the sun on the mountains.
Just east of Raton is Capulin Volcano, a National Park. You can drive up to the rim, park and either walk the whole way around the crest or take a trail down into the crater. The views from the top are absolutely spectacular.
Post by: Art Eatman on May 04, 2006, 05:25:27 AM
Driving north from LA up the coast highway with side trips could easily take three weeks to get to Seattle. Yosemite, Muir Woods, Crater Lake...Victoria, B.C. is worth two or three days.
Post by: Art Eatman on May 04, 2006, 05:31:11 AM
Anybody who says the drive on I-10 from Fort Stockton to Ozona is "scenic" is a refugee from the State Home For The Bewildered.
But, it's 880 miles from New Mexico to Louisiana. If you don't like what you're seeing in one spot, just wait a bit; it'll change.
, Art
Post by: BillBlank on May 04, 2006, 08:15:17 AM
Thank you all so very much, SWMBO and I will probably be spending a fun hour or two this evening googling and poring over maps trying to find some of these places.
Harpers ferry, pretty much the whole of Tn, Virginia and DC for the museums etc. is where I would spend my three weeks with maybe a side trip to see the NHRA top fuellers, my sister crewed on one last year in the euro championship. I'm still begging for a dead piston as an ashtray. It's not like they haven't got any spare ones, kabooom
. But then I remember yosemite, Crater lake and Art goes and hands me a route on a plate through texas and recommends a restaurant. Then theres Montana, Colarado, the great lakes, Niagra (sponsored by pfizer yet?) aaargh. Too much stuff 1800 miles from houston to LA, you're right those are big numbers, a pity she hates flying really
. But, wait, whats this, A shelby mustang, from HERTZ? Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.Petrol locally has just hit £1 a litre, so yes I do feel shocked when I read about how much yours is.
This is why I asked you guys, hearing you talk about your country and your love for it would have inspired me to come for pleasure rather than work for a change, even without my wife nudging me every month or so. I may post for advice on how to survive as a tourist on THR when I have a better Idea of where we'll be. I must admit that personal safety may well colour the choice of route, hence why I'm keen on the area's with less gun control. I hated certain parts of D.C when I was there.
Thanks again for the GREAT idea's and feel free to continue to debate what the best bits are, though I am surprised anyone here was foolish enough to be rude about Texas lol.
Post by: jefnvk on May 04, 2006, 08:40:53 AM
Quote
I'm still begging for a dead piston as an ashtray.
Dunno about NHRA, but if you're in the North Carolina area, hit some of the NASCAR shops. They all got blown or busted car parts they sell as souviners for a few dollars.Plus, its just cool to watch them build the cars
Post by: BillBlank on May 04, 2006, 08:47:31 AM
Post by: 280plus on May 04, 2006, 10:03:46 AM
Post by: Old Fud on May 04, 2006, 10:29:07 AM
One way or another, everybody is trying to tell you the same thing.
"doing America" in 21 days is not a thing to try.
In round numbers, America is 3000 miles wide by 1500 miles high. If you do the "U" track you mentioned in an early post, that's over 6000 miles of TRAVELLING -- no sightseeing.
That's roughly half of your vacation time doing nothing but sitting in a car.
Oh-by-the-way, let's make sure we agree on units of measure, OK?
A gallon is roughly 10% less than 4 liters.
Today's rate of exchange is $1.85USD to 1 Pound British.
If you are paying 1 pound/liter, that's on the order of $6.65 per gallon.
Right now, most of our pumps are running just over $3 per gallon.
Highway prices tend to run higher than community-local, but the 6000 miles you wer thinking of will cost you $900 to $1000 in fuel alone.
You really need to make hard choices and limit your trip to about 1/4 of the country.
Texas and all the "Great Plaines" states (west of the Mississipi) have an awful lot of "Same" to the day of travel for what you get in points of interest.
Much as we love our mountains and delight in looking at them, I suspect you might find "satisfaction" in some of those "alps" that are a bit more local to you.
I'm from California, and don't suggest you spend your trip here.
If you want beauty, and history, and cars, and guns --- South East is your place.
Just make very sure you have an air-conditioned car, don't eat the grits and try not to irritate the tobacco-chawing, chain-saw-weilding, rotten-toothed rednecks you will have to wade through. According to the Brady bunch, One of the Bush family just gave them license to kill you on sight.
Fud.
Post by: mtnbkr on May 04, 2006, 10:36:38 AM
Quote
don't eat the grits
Why avoid such an American culinary delight? Seriously, if you spend time in the south or the west, the food is what you'll want to try. Quote
and try not to irritate the tobacco-chawing, chain-saw-weilding, rotten-toothed rednecks you will have to wade through
Less of that these days than people think. You may be better off picking a few regions you want to explore, fly to them, rent a car at each stop, and spend a few days exploring that area rather than trying to drive everywhere.
Chris
Post by: K Frame on May 04, 2006, 11:06:48 AM
In fact, I'm thinking seriously about making cheese grits with sausage for dinner this evening.
Also, when you're in the south, I recommend stopping at the crappiest, dumpiest looking road side BBQ stand.
In my experience, the ones that have the worst appearance have, by far, the best food. I suspect it's because they're concentrating on their food, NOT on making the place look pretty.
Post by: BillBlank on May 04, 2006, 11:17:15 AM
Yes Fud, 1000ml or 1ltr of 95 octane petrol costs 99.9pence drop me an email and I'll post you a picture of the sign at the local petrol station. It really is that expensive. Why do you think I like the states? You're right though, on our map most of the pins are clustered E - S/E.
I know the journey is long, very long, but the wife will not fly that often. Guess Who'll be doing the driving? If it was just me I'd crate up my bike and ship it over. That things a time machine, Where I used to live in ramsgate it was next door to the eurotunnel so the south of France was an easy days ride away, northern italy was a day if you were blessed with good weather and no sense of self preservation. What worries me is the forward facing speed cameras on Highway patrol vehicles that can snap you even if they are driving towards you. No fair
.We're both working at the same school so six weeks is now looking more of a possibility, if we can find someone to feed the cats for that long.
This will be the last big holiday before we seriously try for kids. We're having a few weeks in Egypt this summer, we've been to the tropics for the wedding and our anniversary in the last twelve months so after some snowboarding for me this winter the USA is the last one on the list. I've been there for work in a previous life but never a holiday. We also want to get a feel for it, house shop a little and see if we could cope with living there. Considering a package holiday for the two of us for two weeks would cost just over $5000 before you factor in spending money, eating, drinking etc we are of the attitude that we might as well do it properly and see the things we want to see. The phrase "Once in a lifetime" applies here.
Post by: mtnbkr on May 04, 2006, 11:30:34 AM
Quote
In my experience, the ones that have the worst appearance have, by far, the best food. I suspect it's because they're concentrating on their food, NOT on making the place look pretty.
Definately. That said, just because the place looks ratty doesn't mean the food WILL be good. Just don't let that turn you off before sampling. Chris
Post by: jefnvk on May 04, 2006, 12:15:05 PM
Quote
Where I used to live in ramsgate it was next door to the eurotunnel so the south of France was an easy days ride away, northern italy was a day if you were blessed with good weather and no sense of self preservation
Therein lies the difference between Europe and America. I go to school in the same stte that I live in. To get to school, is 7.5-8 hours worth of straight driving (no stops). I never leave the state. To me, it is a foreign concept that you could drive for a day and go through three or four different countries. Maybe I just have to view states in America as countries in Europe.But the race shops are real cool, if is what you like. We did about ten of them one day, they vary in what you can see or do. Penske Racing had a catwalk above their operations, so you can look down and watch them install engines, or hang sheet metal, or whatever else they were doing. One of the engineers even seen us watching and stopped to talk to us for a few minuets about what they were doing.
Can't really help you with much more though. If you get Michigan way, take a drive up and see the Mackinaw Bridge, or maybe a day trip to Mackinaw Island. The bridge is the largets suspension bridge in America (just under 5 miles long), and the Island is filled with history from the time of the French fur trappers to the War of 1812, where the Brits had a fort. Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie are fun, if you enjoy watching shipping vessels. Plenty of auto history to see around Detroit, I believe someone already mentioned the Henry Ford Museum. Plus, you always have the Great Lakes, the large lakes in the world. There's also some of the deepest mines in the world up in the far northern tip, although that is way up and out of the way if there is nothing else up there you are going to see.
Post by: BozemanMT on May 04, 2006, 03:45:29 PM
Oh, the reason your gas is so expensive is because of taxes, but you knew that, you just forgot. Like I said and a couple people have mentioned, America is BIG. But me, I think driving around through the country is sightseeing. :-)
I would pick an area and concentrate on that, you can see a lot in 3 weeks of driving. I would go west, big wide open spaces and majestic views, things you just aren't going to see in Britain. The south is great too, but not in a big majestic way.
Post by: Larry Ashcraft on May 04, 2006, 08:13:22 PM
About four years ago, we had a family get together near Antonito Colorado. Big park, cabins, tents picnic, the whole works.
My friend Bud had brought his horses and we trailered them up to a trailhead in a wilderness area. From there, Me, my son, and Bud rode back into the area about nine miles (five hours on horseback), and fished for a little while.
There was not a footprint, a piece of trash, NOTHING that said anybody had ever been there before. And the fishing was like nothing I had ever seen before, and that says a lot. I've been fishing Colorado for probably 50 years.
I hooked one monster who just slammed my pole down, sliced my finger with the line and was gone. I'd liked to have seen just how big he was.
Those places still exist, they are just a little harder to find.
Post by: jefnvk on May 04, 2006, 08:15:41 PM
Quote
Those places still exist, they are just a little harder to find.
Same goes for the backcountry camping in Glacier National Park. Quite possibly my favorite place in teh country, although two weeks aren't enough to make a trip out of the park alone.
Post by: doczinn on May 04, 2006, 08:42:03 PM
Quote
It takes nearly 4 days of hard driving just to get from one coast to the other.
I did it in 36 hours!
Post by: K Frame on May 04, 2006, 09:40:36 PM
One of the things that absolutely blew my mind when I was in New Mexico at the Whittington Center is that on part of the property you can still see evidence of wagon ruts from pioneers going west on the Santa Fe Trail.
Post by: BillBlank on May 04, 2006, 09:40:54 PM
Quote from: doczinn
Quote
It takes nearly 4 days of hard driving just to get from one coast to the other.
I did it in 36 hours!
Post by: Smith on May 05, 2006, 06:31:00 AM
Let me know if you're headed through NC.
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 05, 2006, 07:30:14 AM
These are the places I know about that are absolute must see's. Not very up to speed on anything east of the Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas line.
FYI - southwest Colorado looks like this (Dallas Divide between Ridgeway and Telluride)...
and this (old mines above Creede)...
Post by: K Frame on May 05, 2006, 07:41:45 AM
Post by: mtnbkr on May 05, 2006, 07:46:08 AM
Another pretty area is to be in the Pisgah Nat Forest of Western NC when the rhodadendrons (yeah, I mangled the name) bloom. Some of the trails are nothing but tunnels through huge thickets of the stuff.
Chris
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 05, 2006, 07:46:32 AM
The mines are on the Bacholor Trail historic loop above Creede. I coulda stayed there all day (and the next, and the day after that...)
Glad you like them!
Wish I had more.Brad
Post by: K Frame on May 05, 2006, 08:12:14 AM
Post by: Iain on May 05, 2006, 08:16:29 AM
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 05, 2006, 09:08:31 AM
Quote
...could I possibly have a larger version?
Wish granted.http://static.flickr.com/16/22230743_c6393c0a8f_b_d.jpg
Brad
Post by: K Frame on May 05, 2006, 09:16:40 AM
Just to play tit for tat on the photo views, though, here's one I took a couple of years ago...
Longest stone arch railroad bridge in the world, just outside of Harrisburg, PA, about a mile from where I grew up.
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 05, 2006, 09:31:35 AM
Hope this thread is giving Mr. and Mrs. Bill plenty of ideas for their trip.
Brad
Post by: Waitone on May 05, 2006, 02:00:15 PM
Rent a DVD before coming. Rent North and South the series. A remarkably accurate drama about the Civil War. A lot of the exterior photography and sets were in the Charleston area. While in Charleston make an appointment to see the USS Hunley being restored at an old naval base. Hunley was the first submarine to sink a warship in combat. It sunk immediately thereafter and stayed down until a few years ago. It was recovered and currently undergoing restoration. The Hunley was sunk off charleston but had a hard link to the battle of Shilo, half way across the continent.
If you get to Charlotte go to the Charlotte Motor speedway and have dinner in the club. Head off to Mooresville where something like 60% of the NASCAR teams work.
If you get here at the right time of the year you can park your four wheeler and rent a Harley then take a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway during leaf season. People come from all over the world to see the change of season.
You got a big task ahead if you go with a tour of the US. Good luck and keep us posted.
Post by: doczinn on May 05, 2006, 05:38:34 PM
Post by: Stand_watie on May 05, 2006, 07:24:14 PM
Quote from: Waitone
Reading through your response it seems cars and the civil war plays large in your expectations. Perhaps a regional tour is appropriate. Depending upon the time of year you can see a lot in the southeast. Charleston north through DC and west toward Harper's Ferry will put you in the heart of the Civil War. You could easily spend a full day at Harper's Ferry (a precursor to the war featuring the major leadership before they became famous) and Antietem (bloodiest single day in American history). DC to Richmond is the heart of the war. Gettysburg is a must. Get close to DC and there is the Smithsonian and the Air and Space Museum. Easily a day in each. Take a look at the Bull Run battlefield then make your way eventually down to Appomatox Courthouse where Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia (hint: the Civil War ain't over. Lee surrendered one army)
Rent a DVD before coming. Rent North and South the series. A remarkably accurate drama about the Civil War. A lot of the exterior photography and sets were in the Charleston area. While in Charleston make an appointment to see the USS Hunley being restored at an old naval base. Hunley was the first submarine to sink a warship in combat. It sunk immediately thereafter and stayed down until a few years ago. It was recovered and currently undergoing restoration. The Hunley was sunk off charleston but had a hard link to the battle of Shilo, half way across the continent.
If you get to Charlotte go to the Charlotte Motor speedway and have dinner in the club. Head off to Mooresville where something like 60% of the NASCAR teams work.
If you get here at the right time of the year you can park your four wheeler and rent a Harley then take a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway during leaf season. People come from all over the world to see the change of season.
You got a big task ahead if you go with a tour of the US. Good luck and keep us posted.
Right on about the Blue Ridge parkway. And a note about Charleston, they are known for being a remarkably friendly and polite town, even by Southron standards. For that matter, if you're into DVD watching as an idea of scenery, a lot of the scenic cutaways in 'The last of the Mohicans' (1992) were done in the Blue Ridge mountains. The Smokies, just west of there are just as pretty if you want to cruise over to Nashville to see the Hollywood of country music.
Rent a DVD before coming. Rent North and South the series. A remarkably accurate drama about the Civil War. A lot of the exterior photography and sets were in the Charleston area. While in Charleston make an appointment to see the USS Hunley being restored at an old naval base. Hunley was the first submarine to sink a warship in combat. It sunk immediately thereafter and stayed down until a few years ago. It was recovered and currently undergoing restoration. The Hunley was sunk off charleston but had a hard link to the battle of Shilo, half way across the continent.
If you get to Charlotte go to the Charlotte Motor speedway and have dinner in the club. Head off to Mooresville where something like 60% of the NASCAR teams work.
If you get here at the right time of the year you can park your four wheeler and rent a Harley then take a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway during leaf season. People come from all over the world to see the change of season.
You got a big task ahead if you go with a tour of the US. Good luck and keep us posted.
Post by: BillBlank on May 06, 2006, 12:32:28 AM
Quote from: Brad Johnson
Hope this thread is giving Mr. and Mrs. Bill plenty of ideas for their trip.
Brad
You could say that.Brad
Ideas and plenty of scope for verbal knife fights over destinations
. The current one is trying to find something nice for madam to do whilst I go and play at somewhere like steel rain. I am tempted to hire a bike out there but taking my own gear over would be a pain, I like wearing my own lid you see.Waitone may have hit the nail on the head, I'm leaning towards picking one or two regions, spending ten or so days in each and budgeting an extra week to travel between them. What SWMBO thinks has yet to be announced
Thats why we're planning a year in advance lol.
Post by: mtnbkr on May 06, 2006, 02:09:52 AM
Quote from: doczinn
If you get to *Eastern* North Carolina, never mind the shrimp and grits, get a pulled-pork sandwich. There, unlike the rest of the world, they know how to do pig right.
Oh yeah! If you come through NoVa and can give me adequate notice, I'll look into making some Eastern NC bbq for you myself. Barring that, there's a local bbq shack that makes a very close approximation.Quote
The last of the Mohicans' (1992) were done in the Blue Ridge mountains.
When I saw that movie for the first time, I was thinking to myself, "I've seen those places before". I was right. I had been to some of those exact spots (mostly the area used for the final fight scenes) a few years before. Chris
Post by: K Frame on May 06, 2006, 03:15:22 AM
Take him up on it. I've had his NC BBQ... It's kind of shocking the first time he pulls his pork in front of you, but...
To be honest, it's not the absolute best I've ever had, but it's certainly worthy of being sold out of a run down shack by the side of the road.
You talking about Dixie Bones, Chris? We need to go back there. Their beans are good.
And if it works out when you come over, I'll make you a specialty from my heritage -- Shoo Fly Pie.
Post by: Guest on May 06, 2006, 05:11:57 AM
i can't pass a gas station without cringing now.
for that kind of coin, you would be well served to look at buying something from a used lot, and selling it when you get to the end. perhaps ebay?
Post by: doczinn on May 06, 2006, 05:25:07 AM
Post by: Art Eatman on May 06, 2006, 05:27:43 AM
Lots of clean, inexpensive motels, too, if you can get past the smell of curry in the office.
Art
Post by: Parker Dean on May 06, 2006, 09:08:54 AM
Quote from: BillBlank
Ideas and plenty of scope for verbal knife fights over destinations . The current one is trying to find something nice for madam to do whilst I go and play at somewhere like steel rain.
Perhaps this may add some flexibility to the schedule if you're planning on visiting Texas.
. The current one is trying to find something nice for madam to do whilst I go and play at somewhere like steel rain.Post by: mtnbkr on May 06, 2006, 11:12:44 AM
Quote from: doczinn
Mtnbkr, wanna pass along your recipe?
Sure, well, as much of a recipe that it is...Depending on the number of people we're feeding and what sort of grill facilities we have, we use anywhere from a single shoulder to an entire hog. A 50lb (Dressed) hog will make enough bbq to feed 50-60 people. That's what we use for our yearly bbq at my aunt and uncle's house. When my parents make bbq for us ('rents, brother, me, my wife, and daughter), they use 2 shoulders and have plenty left over.
Cook said pork over low or indirect flame. If using a gas grill, put the meat at one end and turn the burner on at the other end (if possible). It'll take anwhere from 3hrs to all day to cook depending on amount and heat. Slower is better. When doing a whole hog, the carcass is over direct flame and it takes 6-8hrs to cook, though about 4hrs into the process, we're pulling ribs for lunch. If you're cooking a whole hog, make sure you put a piece of chicken wire or something similar on the cook surface before you lay the hog down. Have another piece handy when it's time to flip the hog (about halfway through). You'll make a "hog sandwhich" with the chicken wire and flip the hog using that instead of grabbing it by the legs like some people do. I've seen a hog fall apart when folks try to flip it by the legs. It'll make you cry.
Also, smear lard on the skin to make it crisp. This is VERY tasty, though not very healthy. Then again, this isn't about your cholesterol numbers...The sauce is the final part. I don't have the recipe handy, but it's roughly 1gal cider vinegar, 1 12oz bottle of ketchup, 1/4lb of dried pepper flakes, a small bottle of Texas Pete hot sauce, juice of one lemon, salt, and probably a few other ingredients I've left out (but those are the main ones). It's not a "cast in stone" recipe, just whatever you think is right. However, this is a thin, watery sauce. It is not like KC Masterpiece or any of the other thick sauces you get at the store. Mix the ingredients while it cooks over medium heat. If cooked indoors, it will open your sinuses.
Let cool, bottle, and you're set. As you cook the pork, liberally bath the meat in this sauce. Once meat is cooked completely, you cut it off the bone, then transfer to your chopping block in small batches. Chop it till most of the piecs are 1/4" to 1/2" in size (and some larger). Add sauce to personal preference as you chop. This is messy and you will get it on you so wear an apron and do this outside.
Most of the time, there's not much to do, so fill in the emptyness by sitting around and bullshittin', drinkin' beer, etc. It's a glorious way to spend a fall day.
That's basically it. Here are some pics from our last family bbq:
After about an hour of cooking
Making the skin crisp
The hog is split down the spine to let it lay flat like this
Chopping the bbq (Btw, the cleaver is made from an old bush ax, I have one like it)
Time to eat
BTW, in the latest Stuff magazine, they do a cross country tour of the best bbq shacks. Wilbur's in Goldsboro (same town my grandparents live in) was on the list. Wilbur's is much like what my family makes. The sauce is nearly identical.
Sorry for the thread drift...
Chris
Post by: doczinn on May 06, 2006, 04:34:50 PM
Best pork I ever had was a wild hog we killed and cooked in Iraq....
Post by: mtnbkr on May 07, 2006, 04:03:15 AM
Quote from: doczinn
It's the sauce recipe I was looking for, actuall. But ketchup? Maybe I'm more East than you.
The ketchup could be a result of my grandfather's thriftyness. He probably saw that it required a source of tomatoes and felt ketchup was the path of least resistance. I think I left out the brown sugar. There's roughly 1/4 cup of brown sugar to a gallon of sauce.If you can find it, there's a brand of sauce available in Food Lion called Scott's (tagline: The best ye ever tasted). If you can find that, it's worth getting. It's very similar to other bbq sauces from the Goldsboro area (probably because the company is from Goldsboro). I haven't seen it outside of NC in years though.
Where in NC are you located? My family's in the Goldsboro area, which is roughly midstate, maybe a bit east of middle.
Chris
Post by: K Frame on May 07, 2006, 04:42:26 AM
I use it as the base for a lot of my sauces. Absolutely consistent in flavor and quality, and cuts down on the preparation time.
Post by: 280plus on May 07, 2006, 05:09:28 AM
Quote
So what's wrong with using catsup?
I'm never really sure whether I should use catsup or ketchup. I keep both on hand just to be prepared. How do you determine which is right for what purpose? A real quandry, to be sure.
Post by: K Frame on May 07, 2006, 06:11:27 AM
This will help ease your troubled mind...
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-ket2.htm
Post by: mtnbkr on May 07, 2006, 06:17:12 AM
BTW, how did we go from touring the US to ketchup?
Chris
Post by: doczinn on May 07, 2006, 07:45:47 AM
Post by: BillBlank on May 08, 2006, 12:49:40 PM
THANK YOU.
Lots of great idea's, few of which are in any guide books and I would have missed. You've been lovely and reminded me why this is one of the few boards I bother with on the web.
Four pages, wow. What's with the banana ketchup though? Freak
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on May 08, 2006, 01:25:16 PM
Quote from: Parker Dean
Petrolhead huh?
Well then, you should probably try to hit one of the NHRA Nationals. Everybody who's into cars should see (and feel) Top Fuel at least once in their lives.
You are 100% correct about that.Well then, you should probably try to hit one of the NHRA Nationals. Everybody who's into cars should see (and feel) Top Fuel at least once in their lives.
From the Winter Nationals in Pomona, CA:
http://sixforsure.org/sight/v/nhra2006/
Post by: Ron on May 08, 2006, 02:52:31 PM
Post by: RadioFreeSeaLab on May 08, 2006, 02:55:15 PM
Post by: Ron on May 08, 2006, 03:19:33 PM