Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and details.

Guys,
Got questions about a lot of things. Perhaps if I tell you what the idea is you guys can fill in some of the blanks or teach me about some things I've missed.

When I get back, there is a dream to take a road trip around our country. There are so many good things to see. I want to put my little JRT in the truck and go for a ride. Roughly a start near the beginning of January for about two to three weeks. I hope to post progress reports to CPF from various café's and have photos to share.

The idea is to leave from Virginia and head south and 'do the nation in a clock wise loop'.

I remember hearing about a place called Lizard Lick North Carolina. That's a place to see. Perhaps their Chamber of Commerce is in a phone booth.

Want to see "South of the Border" in Dillon South Carolina. I remember seeing it as a kid. There was a huge fireworks store there. Perhaps pick up some and make some noise that isn't out to kill me. Make up for the forth of July that I missed here.

Got family in West Palm Beach Florida. My mom is not well and I'm getting signals that scare me. Best to see your surviving parent before they expire than afterwards. Mom should meet Myla the "grand dog" anyhow.

I've never been to Mississippi or Louisiana. I'm sure there are some fun things to see and do there. I hear the food is amazing, at least the KBR guys from there say so.

I think it would be cool to drive across Texas the long way. An epic trip along the lines of the Blues Brothers. Being slightly dyslexic you could say "I was on a mission from dog".

Want to see Benson Arizona. Mostly because that place was mentioned in the title song from the movie Dark Star. It's silly, but I do want to say "Been there, and done that", even if it's only visiting a service station, getting fuel and a microwave burger.

Might be fun to see the Grand Canyon in person.

I doubt I will be able to visit the Trinity site but it might be interesting to drive near it and think on it. Are any other nuclear test sites open to the public?

I'm going to give California a pass. It might be amazing, but I don't want my travel rifle impounded by the CHP if I'm stopped.

May want to take a class at Front Sight in Pahrump Nevada.

I gotta see Vegas at least once in my life. It might be fun to watch Myla bark at the lights.
Been watching CSI too much.

I have a friend near Idaho Falls to see.

The Chaplin here has invited me to visit his home in Wisconsin.

A visit to Niagara Falls might be in order. Since I will have guns in the truck, the dog and I might take a walk into Canada and see how the other half live.

Then to Hunter New York where I have some more family.

From there to my old life on Long Island. A couple of days there for sure. Friends from High School, various radio clubs, and family.

Got a brother and a few cousins in Northern New Jersey.

Then back to Virginia and to the work force again.

With that in mind, I'm having my truck rebuilt this year. New brake system, front end parts, rebuilt engine, radiator, and windshield. My mechanic feels that the transmission is just fine. Worst case, I will have empty credit cards and a fairly fat completion bonus to replace it during the trip.

Been busy buying stuff for the trip. Some new ham radios, running boards, antennas, cruise control, all kinds of useful things.

What I need is experience on a few products.

Satellite radios. I'm leaning to the XM system.
Anybody here have them?
Likes, dislikes, and how good is the normal AM and FM performance?
There is something magical about AM radio and a long night drive. How many of us have tuned in WWVA, WKBW, or CKLW while on the road? AM performance is important to me.

What I can't get from little blurbs is straight answers to a navigation system.

Anybody here have experience with them?
What I want to do is locate various addresses and places. Things to stop and see. Alarms to remind me to check on items.

I want to get a cap for the truck (Full size Chevy '89 C1500). The cap I like has a vertical door and is made from fiberglass. Perhaps I could use it as a low rent camper if I don't find a motel that accepts pets.

I'm open to ideas at this point. What should I see, where should I eat. Are there any trust worthy places to leave the dog while I sight see.

Get back to me here, or by PM.

Thanks in advance
Jack Crow in Iraq

Good call on the navigation system. I'm not leaving home without mine.

I'm using the Garmin GPS V, which is a fairly plain vanilla automotive GPS compared to some of the truly fancy units around. It's far from entry level, but it lacks the color display, voice prompts (you just get a beep and a huge arrow). If you can afford it go for the higher end units. I am aware some of the CPFers use the StreetPilot III, which is very impressive and has all the bells n whistles. Twice the price of the GPS V. Oh well poor ole me will just get by /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I am aware my GPS V has an alarm, but I think it only accepts one time and is probably only useful for waking you up. Not exactly your dream PDA or digital organizer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

You will need to download the maps to the GPS. Of course, this means BUY the maps from Garmin on top of the basic unit. I like the autorouting feature, in which you can say to the unit "Get me to X" (name your destination) and it will automatically plot a route from your position to the place. It'll get you where you're going. Some versions of the nav software, depending on what you buy or what is bundled in the package (if you get a package deal, may be cheaper), have amenities data, like gas stations, B&B places, etc.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

If there could be two states called "God's country", you missed both of them, Oregon and Washington.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

If you come through Houston, we just HAVE to meet up at one of several eateries.

Chuys if mexican floats your boat. Luthers if Texas Style BBQ is your thang. There is a bitchin' Chinese buffet too. Or I can even put you on a killer burger.

I can show you a couple neat guns too.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

Catch upstate NY in the Fall when the trees have started turning. The colors are amazing, the grapes are being harvested (pies, as well as wine and juice -- yum!), and the weather is prettty nice. All sorts of good things to eat and pretty things to look at (especially in some of the college towns!!). Not all of this state is like NYC, as you well know. Even these days, much of it is green, green, green. Yep, we got deer, bear, and even starting to see moose come back. Great roads, too (I always thought interstates were way too boring). The dog will like it, too.

As for the XM radio, I've had one for a year and a half. Be warned -- it is like crack for your ears. You will never turn it off. As long as the antenna (very, very small, not anywhere near as large as a DSS dish -- think cigarette pack size) can see one of the two satellites or a terrestrial repeater, you have digital sound. Many tunnels and urban areas have repeaters but not all. Pretty much if you find one of the 130 channels to listen to you can hear it uninterrupted over most of North America, so it would be ideal for that trip. Check out XM411.com for info and good prices.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

If you can swing through Colorado try Trail Ridge Road over the Contenental Divide. It's in Rocky Mountain NP http://www.nps.gov/romo/ I think it's the highest road in the contiguous US.

>>Better link I think http://www.nps.gov/romo/visit/weather/history.html

Sounds like a great trip. Be safe.
LT

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

I enjoyed Carlsbad Caverns, just north of El Paso. Too bad about California -- the drive from LA to SF along Hwy 1 is just fantastic. Beautful scenery.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

You gotta drive the Blue Mountain Driveway in NC.

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

You gotta see Vegas but plan to spend more than one night to see it all and take your wife to the Fashion Show mall. Ask Sasha about it....... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Take a chopper tour of downtown...see Lake Mead...rent a houseboat....go to the FlyAway....see redrock....have a microbrew at the Holy Cow...is you like rollercoasters go to the Stratosphere...hehe...catch a race at the speedway...see some shows....EAT.... Cheap Eats in Vegas

Re: Post Iraq plans, need help with ideas and deta

I like the Garmin GPS too. I've used the Street pilot III for several years. You have to take a few things into account;

1) Most come with a base map of all the highways and some of MAJOR streets. Add on high detail maps are available but you usually have to download the deta from a PC. Some of the new GPS have enough memory to hold the whole dataset in memory.

2) Autoroute is really great to have. I would not have one without it for driving.

3) Recent changes may or may not be on the maps. New sub divisions frequently are because the developer files the plans years in advance. New freeways frequently aren't because it's hard to know when they will be open for travel.

4) GPS map upfgrades are not free. Count on spending a hundred dollars or so every year or two.

Garmin's new quest is quite appealing, as is the Garmin streetpilot 26xx series. Some of the models (2620 and 2660) have the complete detailed US map built in. The 2610 uses compact flash, so you can load the whole US map in a 512 meg card and go anywhere in the US.

Maps.... I can load the entire california information into 100 meg. I have an older GPS that uses memory cards. For an extended road trip I'd normally load the info for the paths I might take. I bring a laptop PC and cdrom with me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif They come in chunks, like the whole San Francisco penninsula or all of Arizona. Small states fit in only a few megabytes.

I count on my GPS whenever I go out of town as well as when running around my home area. I would buy a new one in a minute if thsi one died.

Magellen makes some nice units too. I've not used them as much except for when renting cars with the "neverlost" model.

Good luck on your trip and welcome home.

Daniel

[ QUOTE ]
I want to put my little JRT in the truck and go for a ride. Roughly a start near the beginning of January for about two to three weeks. I hope to post progress reports to CPF from various café's and have photos to share.

[/ QUOTE ]

Somehow, it seems most have missed this salient point. Probably the most difficult time of the year to go cross country, even by southern route I-10 from Florida. Weather can put a stop to all travel plans very quickly in January, with treacherous weather for driving. Of course you know that for the Rose Bowl game, it's almost always sunny, making everyone want to move to Los Angeles...eek, too many people already! But you have to visit with mom, that is a requirement!

I have AFOAF who is just now turned 50 and previously was mostly based out of San Diego, because he was a commander of one of our destroyers in both gulf wars. Now a primarily a desk jockey with the Pentagon, we call him DC Bob. My friend and this guy did the cross-country thingy during the early summer from DC to San Diego a few years back. 2 male adult drivers going mostly around 80mph, with quick stops each day to see planned sights, and it took one-week of pretty much non-stop driving. Going from Virginia to Florida and then cross country would take a lot of time if you are sightseeing and not driving throughout the nights. I drove by myself from Seattle to LA a couple of times in the '90's non-stop for 1,200miles over one day of 20+hrs of driving. That was brutal, brutal, brutal. Takes a good 3 days of insanely long driving days to make it the 3k miles across the country.

I guess the first thing to consider is how many miles, over how many days, then try to put into your plans for so many hours per day for stops. You're not just going to show up to see mom and leave an hour later correct?

Guys,
Answers interlaced......


Kevin
I will look into the goods. The problem with computer magizines is that they tend to disagree on details. More research is needed.
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Empath,
I left those off the list because of time and distance. This trip is not outside finaced and I had to put some limits on. So much of things will be done on the ground, the above was just a tenative plan.
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PBJS
Houston sounds like fun. Myla dog loves to explore and sniff things. Will keep you posted.
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chmasm
I can't change my time window on this project. Ive been in upstate New York during the change of season. Like I said there is family in Hunter New York. There is some very cool effects when a thunder storm get's stuck between the mountians.

Mostly I want to see something other than desert, even winter is an improvment over greater down town Iraq.

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LT,
I don't plan on visiting Co in the dead of winter. My truck only has 2wd and I don't want to end up like the Donner Party. Im sure it's wonderful place but like I told other respondents there are limits to time and money.

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PB,
No doubt Calfornia has many wonderful things, it's the politics I have a bad time digesting. Perhaps another trip then.
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GL
That's a possibility. This trip is not about rapid transit but exploration and having one of lifes little adventures.
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14C
I may take a day or two in Vegas. Will depend on if I can find a kennel for the dog. Mostly to walk around and see the sights. Im not much on gambeling. Perhaps a dollar or two on the slots, and on the roulett table. If I loose 20 bucks that will be a lot. One of the fields im thinking of geting into again is servicing of electronic signs and vegas has some amazing ones..
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GL
I will take your advice into the mix. Right now Im still nosing around. Time is something I have at the moment.
I may or may not want to tie this into a ham radio APRS network, that way the wife can see my location in areas where APRS is avalable.
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UD,
Like I told another responder, this is a casual trip. A few hours here, a few hours there. I figure the cruise control is going to get a groove at 55 and 65. At my age there is no profit in doing 80. Lots of little adventures.

Another problem is the dog. In addition to the seizure issue she has SBS. Small Bladdar Syndrome, so frequent stops are going to be the rule.

One of the guys on a gun rights board suggested I try Key West Florida, that will give me two visits to moms. Again more ideas.

So this trip is low stress and no rush. 300 miles a day would be fine. Two to three weeks to get reaquinted.

After convoy driving, snow is a snap.
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All of you
Thanks so much for the answers and giving me more to think on.

Later and be well
Jack Crow in Iraq