We returned home Saturday and we were greeted with traffic in Victorville, Ontario and Corona. The only traffic we faced in the entire trip was in Nashville (because everyone from Cali is already there)
Total miles in this 16 day trip was roughly 5550 miles and we paid between 4.39 - 4.87 for gas outside the state of California. We only hit bad weather in North Carolina ( one afternoon of torrential downpour which flooded the 40 freeway). Normal for folks from NC, totally weird for us from California.
The great thing about traveling I - 40 is that it criss-crosses old route 66 from California to Oklahoma...there is so much history in these small little towns that are dotted along I-40 and it was truly wonderful to see the inspiration that Pixar saw for their movie "Cars"...I really wish I could visit the real "Radiator Springs" and soak up that 1960s feeling...
Cant recommend the app Roadside America enough...most of the really interesting stuff we found on the road came from this website....
Least Favorite Thing on this trip - Long periods of driving and see absolutely NOTHING...Large portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and the panhandle of Texas...
Favorite things from our trip...I will put this down by state...
waffle house is an underrated institution...I know it is a southern thing but they make great food and inexpensive prices...I don't want these to come to California because this state will somehow screw it up
ARIZONA
The cities of Holbrook and Winslow...Winslow (because of the Eagles) and Holbrook because there was so much from the movies "Cars"
NEW MEXICO
Roadrunner Motel - Tucumcari unbelievably awesome 1960s roadside motel on route 66
Earl's Family Restaurant - Gallup, NM - Navajo Fry Brad Tacos....enough said..
TEXAS
Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo - Check the above link on Roadside America
Crush Restaurant - best place to eat in Amarillo
OKLAHOMA
Cheap gas & lots of Indian casinos
ARKANSAS
Cheap gas and lots of humidity
TENNESSEE
Best BBQ in Memphis - http://www.interstatebarbecue.com/
Best Tennessee Whisky in Nashville - Green Brier
Best Moonshine - Old Tenn Moonshine
NORTH CAROLINA
Durham Bulls A Must Visit
Best Southern Food in NC - https://www.getsouthernfood.com/
Best open trail to run in a big city - http://www.triangletrails.org/american-tobacco-trail
Best winery we found in NC, make a great Red Blend - JOLO winery
Thanks for following along on our trip across the US...late summer of 2023, we might be back at it to go bring Keegan home...
Mark & Kim Zavodnik