The 60 and I are headed back across the country!

Well things weren't really happening for me at the shop here in Nc. On top of the fact that i don't think i was cut out to live in "The South." i've had a lot of fun here for the last few months, but i can not wait to get back home! Both my jobs are hiring me back, a good friend and i are gonna rent out a shop to build in, and i can get crankin on the projects i left behind.

Well i was fairly confident that my 60 would make the trip out here, despite nearly everyone telling me otherwise, but i was releaved when i did make it with only minor complications. Going back i'm still pretty confident though the chance of failure seems a bit more likely. I will be traveling again in my 1960 Pontiac Ventura, with my Beagle Maggie, and this time around i got a girl from back home flying out to make the drive with me, despite me telling her there was a strong likelihood of us getting stranded somewhere, but she's all for it! The route i'm taking this time is a little shorter than when i came out here, though in an effort to stay out of Ne, Ks, and the Dakota's due to the lack of scenery and chance of weather, i'll be doing a little bit of zig zagging.

THE PLAN: We'll be leaving here on the 18th of March, headed to Nashville Tn then down to Memphis Tn to check out some Elvis stuff, then down towards Oklahoma City, then Amarillo Tx, to try and hit the Cadillac ranch, Albuquerque Nm, Grand Canyon Az, Salt Lake City Ut, and finally home to Boise.

My last trip, i ran into some really great people willing to help me out on my way. If anyone in the general area would like to meet up, cruise around, grab some lunch, offer up a floor or couch, or need any parts delivered or picked up along the way let me know! Also any suggestions on what to check out between here and there would be GREATLY appreciated, nothing is set in stone route wise, i'll be hittin route 66 for a bit and i am pretty stoked for that!

 

Hey watch what you say about the Dakotas! Stick to WESTERN South Dakota, Gods country

 

I had the same fate with my Nashville trip. 3 Years in the south whooo. When ya go by give it the finger for me. It's a fun drive, till ya hit the hills have eyes section of th DaKotas. Nothing like a break down there at 3 am. Yup good luck man.

 

Funny, folks traveled all around the country in these, and much older, cars and today people think they're only made for local transportation.

Have a great trip.

 

I was gonna offer but you had posted this:

So now you can forget it!

 

I can't for the life of me guess why you are taking that route unless you have family/friend in St Louis, MO OR why you would want to get anywhere near Atlanta, GA.

Go thru the Smokey Mountains, then Nashville, then head west from there along 40. When you get to Colorado head north on 25 thru the mountains there to 80 then 84 to 86. Obviously not staying on the highway but following a secondary road in this direction. Myself I would avoid St, Louis, Atlanta, and all those other big cities like the plague.

 

Ya gotta admit bud KS is not the most scenic state in our union
With that being said though I would stop and visit you in a heartbeat if I was heading in that direction.

 

I 40 was shut down in NC near the Tn state line due to a BIG rock slide. Might do to check before taking that route.

 

ok, ok, i didn't mean to offend any midwesterners. I guess you guys are keeping all the cool stuff out there a secret from the rest of the world, because when i am researching places to check out i can't find ANYTHING in those states! with the exception of Mt. Rushmore of course, i'm tempted to make a run up there just to see that thing.

As far as Atlanta and St Louis and such, I'm from out west and i can't help but be in awe of these big eastern cities, i'm not sayin i'm gonna up and move to one of them, i just like to see em' that's all. Don't worry i try and stay off the interstates and hit up as many scenic highways/biways as i can too, so i get the best of both worlds.

-Ryan

 

He would take the highway thru the mountains to get from NC to TN right?? Not I40. The pick up I40 on the other side of Gatlinburg?? Just doing this from memory.

 

Mt Rushmore is cool but it pales in comparison to the rest of the Black Hills and the Badlands. It's a must do BUT it's the weather in those northern states that I'd be concern about that time of year.

If you are going home that way then you might as well forgo the southern states and go home thru Yellowstone after the Black Hills.

 

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.




I had a bunch of stuff typed out trying to explain myself, but I don't think I can.

 

That dang Mt Rushmore is lame. I went an hour outa my way to see that bastard, and it was closed! How the heck do you close a mountain? Wall Drug is cool giant jackalope!

 

That's because you didn't google "World's Largest Ball of Twine" !!!

 

Denise is right, swing through here and we will show you more than just some faces on a mountain.

 

Good try bud but that's not the scenery I got going across 160 and 400 last summer.

 

Thats actually one of those Inspirational Posters from his office. The bottom says "You can do it!"

 

You mean like I was saying to myself while I was crossing the whole state of Kansas.

If it wasn't for the HAMB Drags beign at the end of that day I might have just slit my own thoat about midway thru.

 

touche!

 

"Some faces on a mountain", are you kidding me?

Just the reults of a man and his family's life's work honoring 4 of the greatest United States Presidents, no biggie, I guess.

 

Nope folks think that is the only thing out here. As Denise said the rest of the Hills and the Badlands are as much if not more impressive. Oh, and Crazy Horse which is about 20 times the size of Rushmore.

Blam, whichever way you go you will have fun as I am sure you know from your trip East. Good luck.

 

cool car, cool dog, lady friend passenger

what more do you need to have fun?







........beer

 

Every state has it's scenic areas and it's non-scenic areas. You chose to drive through a very non-scenic area.

 

I had a blast on my trip out here! i'm stoked to have a traveling partner this time, (one that'll be a little more talkative than little maggie) but i was a little hesitant to extend the invitation to anyone, because i had so much fun by myself last time.

Bottom line, i could drive through just about anything and have a good time with it, i just like driving my car. I'm just kidding around with you guys, I'm from IDAHO for crying out loud! If you think for a second that i haven't heard my fair share of potato jokes and sore comments towards my hometown you got another thing coming! Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota's it's all good....well maybe not Nebraska.

-Ryan

 

I have made to haul out to the WEST coast a few times ...

The route Denise mentioned is the MOST SCENIC ... IMHO. Catch I-95 out of Wilmington ... get on I-40 and get off @ exit 27 in North Carolina.

Maggie Valley, Cherokee Nc ( Harrahs casino ) and then head across the mountains to Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge is right next door. Then you can head to Nashville ... then Memphis ( Elvis ... and the Blues scene )

Cross the Mississippi.

The Grand Canyon is on the right. Vegas also. If you get back on 1-40 after Vegas ... get off after Flagstaff and go down in Lake Havasu AZ ... see the London Bridge. Go on down out the bottom of Arizona and cross over into California @ Wyatt Earp California ... Yes, there is a Wyatt Earp California and it has POST OFFICE. If you stay on the right hand side of I-40 ... near Vegas is Monument Valley Utah and 4 Corners. The only place in the USA that 4 states actually touch.

LOTS of cool things to see via the I-40 and a little bit off it.

Randy

 

What's so wrong with your car that you think your chances of making it are a lot slimmer this time?

 

YEY!! Yankee going back home...YEY!.... Good luck...go thru Texas really quick you might like it here.

 

I think the main reason i am sweating it this time is that i have a girl coming with me. If its just me breaking down, its no big deal, and i don't worry about things as much, but when i get somebody else coming with me i get a little more freaked out that something might go wrong.

 

X2 Denise! Did that run a couple years ago and loved it!
Boondocks & Deadwood in the Black Hills
Stop in at Devils Tower ( there is a great KOA at the foot of it )
And the cool down town of Sheridan Wy

And note I'm not just promoting my home state

 

If she is a girl you're into. It will be the acid test. If she is cool with a dude in a broken ride, she can handle anything.