OT traveling from California to Mississippi any places to visit?

[1940_dodge]

I'm going to be moving east for 100 days for some training and I'll be driving the entire time. I'm making it a road trip and wanted to get a list of cool places to see along the way.

What are your suggestions?

Edited February 12, 2012 by 1940_dodge
Clarity

[TodFitch]

Someday I think I'd like to visit this place: http://www.theshadydell.com/

Also in Southern Arizona, this place was discovered after I moved out of the area and sounds interesting: http://azstateparks.com/parks/kaca/

[pflaming]

What is your starting location? It's a long drive from I-80 to I-10. I've driven all but I-10 and each is very different but each is very good.

[1940_dodge]

Starting location will be los angeles

[White Spyder]

Where in Mississippi you heading?

Might check out Avery Island if you are going the I-10. Home of Ttobasco.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Mississippi..that is just part of one river bank isn't it..I visited there in 71 and again in 72 and at that time I liked the rural southern Mississippi countryside..am sure it has changed from then but the memories stay the same..Plymouth Duster running all the backroads in Jerry Clower's back yard, Yazoo City, Summit and Amite river swamp land..McComb, Percy Quinn etc etc..and a very special young lady...

[Niel Hoback]

Tim, thanks for the memory jog, I have many Jerry Clower tapes put away and now I think I'll go get them and run them through once more. Ya gotta love that guy. A fertilizer guy you'd like to have for a friend. Minus the relatives.

[Eneto-55]

If you're traveling along more or less old route 66 you'll be coming through Claremore Oklahoma. If you like old guns, stop in at the Davis Gun Museum. The Will Rodgers Museum is there, too. (Not as good as it was before the made it "interactive high tech, but still interesting. The Davis gun collection used to be in the lobby of the Roy Rogers Hotel in downtown Claremore. That was in the 60's, so I don't know if it's even there anymore. Sometime in the 70's they moved it all out to a new building, with lots more space.)

If you like native American history, check out the Cherokee history museum in Muskogee. Cowboy Hall of fame - OKC.

Neto (a misplaced Okie)

PS Sorry, I guess you'll be going through south of there. - Just reread the original post.....

Edited February 14, 2012 by Eneto-55
addition

[JBNeal]

if you're taking I-10 all the way through Texas, maybe swinging off to Iraan to visit Alley Oop Fantasy Land for a photo op could break up the monotony of the whole lotta nuthin' between Fort Stockton & Junction...don't know if they're open this month tho.

[55 Fargo]

Yazoo City Miss, home of the famous Salesman Zig Ziglar

[1940_dodge]

Thanks for all the ideas, my destination will actually be Biloxi. I really like the Alley oop photo op and the gun museum sounds incredibly fun. I've pretty much narrowed it down to Route 66 the whole way. I want to stay as far away from the south coast (see desert) as possible.

[Harold M]

Go see the civil war gun ship Cairo at Vicksburg

[randroid]

1940,

I guess I'm glad I didn't jump in before now because I was going to talk about deserts without knowing you'd want to avoid them. This is the time of year to visit them, especially if you have an week or two before you leave, because if you ever have the opportunity to see a desert in full bloom it is something you're unlikely to ever forget.

The deserts get their annual watering in early March and put on a show like no other. We're all used to seeing the shifting, lifeless dunes of the Sahara and expect that's what they all look like, especially since we do most of our travelling in the Summer when we're warned to stay away from them or at least cross them at night. What isn't often taught is that deserts are comprised of some of the richest soil on Earth and without water to wash away the nutrients they keep getting richer every year. Sprinkle an inch of water on the untold generations of seeds in that soil and you find yourself immersed in colours that can spread for miles, and it spreads in 1\8" pixels. Absolutely incredible but only lasts a few days.

Route 66 would be good, too.

-Randy

[White Spyder]

Well if it is 66 you might be coming down highway 61 through the delta and there are great blues stops and a museum. Jim Henson birth place and the start of Kirmit the Frog. Vicksburg and the Civil War battle park. If you come through the Jackson area that is where I live and would be glad to meet up with you. I have family on thhe gulf coast as well.

[ptwothree]

I think rt 66 runs along interstate 40.....not the 10

[TodFitch]

I think rt 66 runs along interstate 40.....not the 10

Between LA and Barstow, US66 basically followed either I-10 or I-210 to I-15 to Barstow. From Barstow through at least Sante Fe it is mostly correct that I-40 and US66 share the route. However between Barstow and Needles and again for a long stretch in northwestern Arizona I-40 is many miles from the old US66 but they are basically going the same place.

Along the more southerly route, I-8 mostly follows the route of old US80 from San Diego to Gila Bend, AZ. At Gila Bend US80 headed north to Phoenix then down to Tucson via a different route than I-10 takes today. Through traffic between points east and California used to take Arizona 84 between Gila Bend and Tucson following generally the same route as I-10 and I-8 today to cut off the long leg up to Phoenix and back.

If you follow the old alignment of US80 between Phoenix and Tucson (now Arizona 79) south of Florence you'll cross over Tom Mix wash where the famous movie cowboy died when he crashed his Cord.

A bit east of Tucson US80 dropped south to Bisbee while I-10 goes north around the Chiricahua Mountains.

Once you get east of Arizona you get into terrain that I've only been on after freeways replaced the old US routes so I can't say how things diverge between the old US highways and the current Interstate system.

Edited February 15, 2012 by TodFitch

[Harold M]

Dont miss Oatman Arizona to Kingman on old rt.66 The miners from old left there Donkeys and they are still there

[BobT-47P15]

Interstate I44 in Missouri pretty much parallels 66.

Runs right thru good ole Joplin here.

Also runs thru Tulsa, OK.

[1940_dodge]

Well if it is 66 you might be coming down highway 61 through the delta and there are great blues stops and a museum. Jim Henson birth place and the start of Kirmit the Frog. Vicksburg and the Civil War battle park. If you come through the Jackson area that is where I live and would be glad to meet up with you. I have family on thhe gulf coast as well.

That could be interesting! I can post my itinerary once I get it all mapped out and if you're local to the route let me know.

[White Spyder]

That could be interesting! I can post my itinerary once I get it all mapped out and if you're local to the route let me know.

I will PM you my number.

[dirty dan]

On I-10 just east of Lafayette, Louisiana you'll drive across the Atchafalaya swamp (largest swamp in the US). Watch your speed on this 18 mile+ bridge. The posted speed limit is 60 mph and the Louisiana State Police and the Parish (County) Police departments are serious about that speed limit there. Most other places (on the interstates) you're good until 10 mph over the posted speed limits.

If you stay on I-10 (instead of going across I-12 to Miss) you'll drive through New Orleans, not my favorite place, but is very popular with the tourists and everyone should go to the French Quarter at least once in their lives. (Don't make any "bets" with the local hustlers in the Quarter.) Also, the National WW2 museum is in New Orleans and it is fantastic. Eat some seafood while you're in New Orleans. Try a 5 star while you're there, but also stop at a Mom & Pop cafe to see what the locals really eat. After experiencing seafood it in south Louisiana, you'll be forever disappointed with seafood anywhere else.

New Orleans is only @ 90 miles from Biloxi, so you could make a day trip while you're there.

When you leave New Orleans cut through Metairie back to I-12 and you'll drive across the Huey P Long Causeway across Lake Pontchartrain (longest bridge in the world). It's a toll bridge and will cost 2 or 3 dollars.

North of Baton Rouge is the Port Hudson battlefield and numerous plantation homes. There are also many of the antebellum period plantation homes in south Louisiana closer to New Orleans. LSU is in Baton Rouge and a drive through the beautiful campus isn't too much of a detour from I-10. Stop for a moment and see the LSU Tiger's mascot...his "home" is amazing in itself.

(I-55 will take to I-10 just before it goes into New Orleans)

Edited February 27, 2012 by dirty dan