Driving across the US

Where are you travelling from? What is the distance of your trip? Our family of four did a 7,500 mile cross country camping trip out of our Prius this summer and it was wonderful. If you are interested in getting great mpg-- tire pressure up and speed down.

PA P

 

That sounds like an adventure! I can't advise you on the route, having been to LA a total of once in my life, and that was on the train. But, I have driven cross-country before.

Plenty of water and snacks would be good. Air conditioning is a safety feature on long drives - use it if you need it. A little electric cooler can be very handy for food, water, and wobbly pops. Are you travelling alone? Camping? Motelling? Sleeping in the car? Do you have time for scenic stops? Will you get the car serviced along the way? So many questions....were you asking for answers?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Annoying One @ Aug 30 2007, 11:24 AM) [snapback]504304[/snapback]</div>

I'd vote against this one because there is no I-78 from Memphis to Birmingham--it's US78. I don't know anything about that road, but I'd prefer to stay on the interstate.

 

I did the 2nd option but I broke north before I hit Atlanta. It was an ok drive.

I think my time from LA to Atlanta was around 22 hours. My final stop was Pittsburgh. I arrived 30 hours after I left Los Angeles. I was driving by myself at the time....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vagabond @ Aug 30 2007, 02:36 PM) [snapback]504520[/snapback]</div>

For what it's worth, I have a 12 hour limit for myself when I drive alone long distance. It's party for safety, and partly for comfort. I also try to limit night driving.

If you do drive late at night or early in the morning (1-3am) on the freeway, it is advisable to NOT drive in the fast lane.

Drunk drivers sometimes get on the freeway going in the wrong direction. They think they are driving in the slow lane, but they are driving down the wrong way. My sister and her family were nearly killed by one of these idiots.

 

I-20 between Tuscaloosa, AL and Atlanta always has tons of construction going on. I would do option 1 if it were me.

 

I've done LOTS of cross-country drives from San Diego to the east coast (NY and DC). I have a sister in Nashville (i.e. my hotel), so I always end up on I-40 at some point.

If you value your sanity, do NOT go anywhere near I-10 or I-20 in Texas!! Absolutely crashingly boring, desolate, and something I desperately try to avoid. The ONLY reason I take that way is if it's late in the year and I don't want to chance getting into any snow or ice on I-40. Also, cities are VERY far apart...I had to sleep in my car one night when the few motels I found were full and the next city was an hour away. I-40 is also pretty empty, but I find it to be less ugly than I-10, and there's a better chance of lodgings.

US-78 is only about 240 miles until you get to I-20, and I've never been that way so I don't know about the condition of the road. Since it links Memphis with Atlanta, two pretty major cities, I would assume that it is high-speed divided highway with minimal in-town driving. If you want to stop in Nashville for some fun along the way (it really is a lovely city, but the collection of roads going through there was dubbed "spaghetti junction" by my brother-in-law...), you could then go I-24 to I-75 to get to Atlanta.

BTW obey the speed limits on Memphis highways!!! I was going through there very late at night and didn't see the 55mph sign crossing the Mississippi River. I got pulled over for going probably 65 or 70, but the cop was very nice when I told him I had not seen the sign. He didn't ticket me, and I promised to obey the limits. I think he radioed some buddies to watch out, because on my way out of town (cruise set at 55), I saw two or three more cop cars. I'll bet they were waiting to catch me speeding and sock it to me on the ticket!

Check with gasbuddy.com to see where your least expensive gas will be on the way. I have found that the western outskirts of Albuquerque and Oklahoma City have reasonable gas prices (Love's, Flying J, etc.). Flagstaff is also pretty good (at the junction of I-17). If I remember, gas is cheaper in Arkansas (near the eastern border) than it is in Tennessee.

If you are the type who finds a motel on the road when you feel like stopping instead of getting one in advance, watch out for Oklahoma City...once you pass I-35 there's very little to choose from, and it's a long way to the next city if it's late and you want to turn in.

If you stop in Memphis (or Nashville) for the night, remember that Atlanta is in a different time zone. I almost screwed up a tight schedule one time when I didn't realize that until I was on the road. Fortunately, I had allowed enough time for leisurely driving--so I just changed to get-there-quickly driving and things worked out.

Have a great trip!!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Aug 30 2007, 07:01 PM) [snapback]504558[/snapback]</div>

The drive along I-24 from Nashville to Chattanooga is beautiful.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Annoying One @ Aug 30 2007, 07:01 PM) [snapback]504651[/snapback]</div>

No, but you might end up in Toad Suck, AR!!!

http://users.aristotle.net/~russjohn/toadsuck.html

 

A lot of US 78 has been updated to freeway standards from Memphis to Birmingham; this is the future I-22 corridor.

I'd go with I-40, since winter weather won't be an issue. It's somewhat more scenic.

 

A few more things to think about:

1. You'll use A LOT of fuel climbing 7,000 feet getting to Flagstaff. If you decide to go through Phoenix, get gas there. If you go I-15 to I-40, you may need to stop to refuel in Kingman AZ. It's 466 miles from LA to Flagstaff, and I seriously doubt if you could make it in one tank. On the brighter side, I got 68 mpg on my entire tank of gas from Gallup NM to Phoenix AZ last year--it was downhill all the way!!!!

2. If you want stunningly beautiful scenery to end your trip, go south on I-17 from Flagstaff on the way home. Go through Oak Creek Canyon (route 89A just south of Flagstaff) in the late afternoon and get to Sedona as the sun is setting. Magnificent!!!!! The red rocks look like they're on fire! If you get there early, just stay until the sun sets--it's well worth it if you appreciate natural beauty. Either stay in Sedona for the night or go on to Phoenix in the dark, and then you'll have a short drive home the next day.

3. There's a lot of climbing around Albuquerque, too, so make sure you won't be running on fumes by the time you get there.

4. Amarillo is the best place to fill up in Texas.

5. Be prepared for road construction in Arkansas--they're ALWAYS doing something to their roads, but it doesn't seem to make them much better!!!

6. If you don't go through Nashville, US-78 appears to be as major as an interstate--but my atlas shows a rather large construction area west of Birmingham (before you'd get to I-20) that might slow you down a bit. It looks like you'd be going slower for the last 50 or so miles before hitting interstate again.

I envy you your great trip! Do it again and go through Colorado the next time!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priimie @ Aug 30 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]504555[/snapback]</div>

I second that motion. I-20 should just be avoided at all costs.

I-85 or I-75 are the best ways to get into Atlanta. I can make it from 75N and 285 (Marietta) to Buckhead (NW downtown-ish area) in under 20 mins (never done it in a Prius though) and only slightly slower in traffic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Annoying One @ Sep 10 2007, 11:58 PM) [snapback]510439[/snapback]</div>

Ohhhh yeah, and there are plenty of seedy places in TN and N. GA... And the paper ALWAYS goes under; it's just wrong to do it the other way!

Glad to hear the trip is going good! Be sure to check out the Atlanta Aquarium if you have time. It's a tourist pit and a bit more commercial than the Tennessee Aquarium but it's still nice to see it. It's also comparable to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

If you have even more time, check out some of the Civil War monuments spread all over town. Kennesaw Mountain is a nice little hill walk with some interesting tidbits...