Road Trip - Coast to Coast

[JimHoek]

Just like prior years, I'm going for a Road Trip again.
Flying into Los Angeles CA February 12th and leaving from Houston TX March 2nd. This time I’ll be taking a different route, From the Californian West coast we’ll be travelling to the Texas Gulf coast. We’ll be staying a few days in Corpus Christi TX before we’ll leave for home again.

The first week or so we’ll be spending in Monterey CA, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, Bishop CA, Las Vegas NV and Flagstaff AZ.
After that, plans/route as for now are roughly through the southern states. Roughly, because any deviations are still possible.

You probably know that besides 50s Airstream I'm deeply into 50s cars too. Therefor I would like to know wheather there are any interesting salvage/wreckage yards or any automotive/swap meet/car shows/ travel trailer shows along the way that you know of. If so, I would surely like to know!
I want to visit as much as possible. And just like prior years, I'll make a photo inventory on the Internet, for us all to see.
While I'm there, I might even 'take your orders' to return the favor.

This time I'm traveling with my 12 year old daughter and it will be her first visit to the US. Her interests are science and nature, so we’ll be visiting some National Parks and Museums.
And so, any touristic tips are very welcome too!

Looking forward to your reply!

[reday]

If you come through TN on Interstate 40:

In Nashville, you will find the Lane Motor Museum. Unusual because it specializes in European cars.

Lane Motor Museum - Nashville, TN

East of Nashville in Lebanon TN you will find Classic Cars SE.

Hours 9am-4pm Monday thru Friday**Saturdays by Appointment** Car Clubs Welcome!!

Plenty of other things to do/see in the Nashville area and it is not all country music!

For your daughter:

Adventure Science Center

[willyd]

Wow, what a trip in front of you. I have done it and loved every moment and mile. Best of travels to you.

[mandolindave]

Your first week itinerary sounds awesome but I could at least a week
in and around Flagstaff ( Grand Canyon ). Bryce and Zion are relatively closeby.

[myoung]

Jim,

At first glance, your planned route seems a little ambitious unless you don't plan to spend more than a night at each stop. Going from LA to Monterey and back again can take several days alone. If you want to see the National Parks, then San Diego, etc. takes you out of the way of places like Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon. Then it is a long ride from Arizona to Corpus Christi with few stops of note in Texas along the likely routes (I know I'll get flamed by our Texas friends for that comment).

Also, traveling at the higher elevations in February increases the chances of very cold weather and possibly snow and ice that could challenge a tight schedule.

Planning trips is always fun and there are certainly many resources available to make the job easier. I find that Google Maps helps and on it you can easily put waypoints and adjust routes to examine the options.

Good travels.

[ROBERT CROSS]

This is a lot of fun...may be out of your time frame though.
Route 66 Association of Arizona

[flyfshr]

If you get the opportunity, you should make plans to stop in and visit us at the 4CU rally in Cottonwood's Dead Horse Ranch State Park. The rally goes from Febr. 13 through Febr. 16 and there are plenty of places to overnight around or in Cottonwood. There is also other items of interest in the area like Jerome, Montezuma's Castle, Tutzigoot, Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, the best preserved section of Route 66, Meteor Crater, Sedona's red rock country plus a litany of others.

Sounds like a fun and exciting trip for you both.

Brad
FF

[SteSpot]

Originally Posted by JimHoek

Just like prior years, I'm going for a Road Trip again.
Flying into Los Angeles CA February 12th and leaving from Houston TX March 2nd. This time I’ll be taking a different route, From the Californian West coast we’ll be travelling to the Texas Gulf coast. We’ll be staying a few days in Corpus Christi TX before we’ll leave for home again.

The first week or so we’ll be spending in Monterey CA, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, Bishop CA, Las Vegas NV and Flagstaff AZ.
After that, plans/route as for now are roughly through the southern states.

I was trying to get my head around this itinerary and thinking about pulling an Airstream in 2+ weeks and then I realized that you must be flying....silly me. Keep us posted on this trip.....the Petersen Automotive Museum is in Los Angeles....you will miss their current exhibit "From Autocamps to Airstreams" that closes on Feb. 8. but they have a lot of other autos. pj

[ROBERT CROSS]

This one is nowhere near your planned route, Poland NY, but they are out there. Ask the locals.

[safari57]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

This one is nowhere near your planned route, Poland NY, but they are out there. Ask the locals.

Oh boy, Robert, you have found car guy nirvana. I am sure my wife is delighted that it is on the other side of the continent or our yard would start to look like that one.

Barry

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by safari57

Oh boy, Robert, you have found car guy nirvana. I am sure my wife is delighted that it is on the other side of the continent or our yard would start to look like that one.

Barry

Barry,
I call it Griener's Dream Yard.
3/4 mi. from Sandy's mom's house just outside the Adirondack State Park.

Learned to drive on a 53 Stude like you see there, compare that to "Bertha", that Stude was way ahead of it's time, Mr. Loewy had it together.

[safari57]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Barry,
I call it Griener's Dream Yard.
3/4 mi. from Sandy's mom's house just outside the Adirondack State Park.

Learned to drive on a 53 Stude like you see there, compare that to "Bertha", that Stude was way ahead of it's time, Mr. Loewy had it together.

I have always wanted an early Stude. There was one for sale here, a '53, a couple of years ago but he wanted huge dollars and it was not in that good of condition. I've seen a couple since running around one of which is pristine, the other looks really used. I also like the '64. I've seen a red one with red interior that really was stunning. You are right, RL really knew what he was doing.

I'm enjoying this thread. A trip across Canada heading East and then return across the US is our hope in 2010. Ourselves with our '57 and '51 Flying Cloud, a buddy with his '54 Ford wagon and his same year Flying Cloud, possibly another buddy with a '57 Pontiac 2dr and a '53 Flying Cloud, and likely several of our car club buddies with their hot rods and vintage SOB's. We are in the very very early discussion stages at the moment, but in the meantime I'm keeping an eye out on what other folks are doing.

Barry

[ROBERT CROSS]

Barry,

My Dad loved 'em... we had several when I was growing up all 53's except my Mom's last, a 57 Golden Hawk we had during my high school years. Needless to say I was pretty popular among the car guys back then. I still consider that the first muscle car, scary fast and soooo cool. That engine turned dash with all those SW gages.

Dad also built a 53 Champion Studelac that I could never get my hands on, wonder why?

I still think the 53 Coupe is one of the best looking American designs ever!!!

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Barry,

My Dad loved 'em... we had several when I was growing up all 53's except my Mom's last, a 57 Golden Hawk we had during my high school years. Needless to say I was pretty popular among the car guys back then. I still consider that the first muscle car, scary fast and soooo cool. That engine turned dash with all those SW gages.

Dad also built a 53 Champion Studelac that I could never get my hands on, wonder why?

I still think the 53 Coupe is one of the best looking American designs ever!!!

My dad had a black ’53 hardtop that he decromed, there was very little to begin with, and had the hood louvered. Very nice car. As a kid, it was nice to have the console in the back. Check out Vintage Air - Inventors of Performance Air Conditioning - www.vintageair.com and their 219 mph at Bonneville with the AC on ’53.

Back to the original part of the thread, if you are coming down I40 through Arkansas for any reason, I can point our several things to do. There are several auto museums (Cars Cars Cars), including the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain featuring the Winthrop (son of John D. and former governor of Arkansas) Rockefeller collection. One of the unusual cars is a Kaiser Darrin (Kaiser-Darrin Convertible - Supercars.net) that had pocket doors. It’s the only one I have ever seen. I’ll admit, I think about it when I’m in tight parking lots.

There is also an excellent rail museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Enjoy the trip, and keep us informed.