Thanks, Bob. You've got lots of good stuff there to consider but I'll
have to ignore some of it. Since it's late in the year we're not going
to Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas or northern California. Encountering
snow is not part of our goal. And with the exception of Yosemite (we
shoulda done it) we already did the northern route in 2008. We will go
to California but directly from Las Vegas to Pomona since there I'll be
on a specific mission.
We also already did the Nebraska sand hills because people told us it
would be beautiful and covered with flowers. But apparently that's only
in the spring because we saw hardly any flowers at all in mid-September.
And getting to the sand hills... well, my wife says she doesn't want
to go to Nebraska ever again. :-)
But I'll consider all the rest of it and roll it in together with all
the other great suggestions I've gotten.
ps: This list is just something else. I knew I could count on y'all :-)
Chuck Norcutt
On 9/22/2011 7:13 PM, Bob Benson wrote:
> If I were planning such a trip:
>
>
>
> 1. Stay off the interstates in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona.
> You miss everything.
>
> a. In Nebraska: consider taking state highway 2 through the middle of
> the state, to Wyoming. Gets you thru the Sand Hills (take a couple of
> 30-mile trips north into the hills themselves.) You'll see some really
> great small towns, lots of vistas. (Trivia note: Nebraska has 8 of the 20
> counties in the USA with less than 1000 residents.) This is 7on a scale
> of 10
>
> b. In Kansas: consider US 50 thru the state. Lots of "trail" history.
> In particular, see the TallGrass NP, in the middle of the Flint Hills. Not
> at all spectacular, but just terrific. (Trivia Note: the Flint Hills has 3
> of the 4 largest cattle ranches in the USA.) This is a 6 on the scale.
>
> c. In Oklahoma, consider Lawton and west. Completely empty
> semi-mountainous country except for the town with the airbase, which I can't
> currently remember the name of. Starts with an A. Altus maybe? They train
> the C-17 crews there apparently. This is 5 on the scale.
>
> d. In Arizona, consider Blanding (in Utah) to Kayenta, including the
> Valley of the Gods side road / park. Check out Comb Ridge. A terrific dirt
> road - actually two - up and down the edge of the ridge, about 30 miles each
> way. A real adventure. On the East road, climb up the Ridge. The vistas
> are unmatched. This is 9 on the scale if you do the drive thru the Valley
> of the Gods park.
>
> e. The road to Kayenta is Monument Valley, though I think that is
> second rate compared to the area around Mexican Hat, Bluff, Blanding.
> (Don't speed in the reservation.) This is a 6 on the scale.
>
> f. In South Dakota, consider driving up to Pierre. Consider going
> from there to Rapid City on the US highway. A lot more interesting than
> the Interstate. This is a 5 on the scale.
>
> g. In North Dakota, if you get that far north, consider doing the
> Missouri River area - a grand canyon like area. Quite amazing actually.
> This is 6 on the scale.
>
>
>
> 2. Utah should always take more time than you plan for. If you
> haven't been to these Parks, you really have to .
>
> a. Arches. Just stunning for the first-time visitor. Stunning I say.
> A 10.
>
> b. Capital Reef. If you go there, consider driving down to Buffalo
> (or is it Boulder; I can't remember) down towards Escalante. Have lunch
> there, a wonderful little restaurant. Then .. if that's the way you go to
> Bryce Canyon (highly recommended), you'll pass thru the Escalante River
> canyon area. Wonderful. From Boulder (I think it is) consider a side
> drive down the "burr trail", recently paved, but still great. You'll drop
> into the canyon/desert areas around Lake Powell. A 9.
>
> c. Bryce (which others have mentioned). An 8
>
> d. Natural Bridges, least of the four. A 7.
>
> e. Canyonlands (see White Rim Trail below). A 10+ if you do the drive.
> 7 otherwise.
>
> f. I've already mentioned south east Utah. An 8 overall.
>
>
>
> 3. In Utah:
>
> a. drive to Moab down state highway 126 (I think this is the right
> number) from I 70. It goes along the Colorado River. You'll stop 50 times
> for pictures. Maybe 75. A 9.
>
> b. Drive the White Rim Trail. It's in Canyonlands. This should be the
> highlight of the trip. Drive in from Moab and come out of the Canyon at
> Schaeffer Trail (I think, about 20 miles in, but don't quite remember).
> Before you go up Schaeffer Trail, go further down the White Rim about 5
> miles. Just phenomenal. I can't recommend anything more highly. When you
> get up on top, go to the end (south) for vistas. PS: you probably want an
> SUV for this. A 10+
>
>
>
> 4. In California,
>
> a. drive down the road (US 191? Don't remember) from Mammoth to Lone
> Pine. Particularly if there's snow in them hills. An 8.
>
> b. At lone pine (I think .. there's another small town in that area)
> there's the road up to Mount McKinley. Take it. Also, right there, are
> the Alabama Hills. Most of the really interesting older westerns were shot
> there. I think Gunga Din was too, though that might be a bad memory. An 8.
>
>
>
> 5. Driving thru the east portal of Yosemite is always wonderful. A 9.
>
>
>
> Again, avoid the tendency to take the interstates. So much more
> interesting and dramatic off of them.
>
>
>
> Bob Benson
>
>
>
> PS: sorry for some of the non-specifics; I'm writing this from Mexico City
> w/o my maps and stuff.
>
>
>
>
>
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