[Dog Gone]

Bangladesh is nice this time of year.

Bangladeshi women dry cow dung cakes in the sun in Dhaka on January 5, 2003. The poor gather cow dung from different cattle markets in the city and turn them into cakes for use as cooking fuel.  REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman

[martin_fierro]

As ever, I am concerned for the friggin' peacocks.

<|:)~

[Dog Gone]

Pakistani women are pretty hot!

Pakistani women burn a mock U.S. flag during a protest in the Punjab provincial city of Multan on January 5, 2003. The Women Action Committee organiZed the event to protest against any possible U.S. action against Iraq.  REUTERS/Asim Tanveer

[Howlin]

Are you a member of AAA? If you are, go to their web site or call their office. They'll be glad to help you.

If you aren't a member, and are planning on driving, this might be a good time to join for the road services they provide......plus the discounts!

I'm jealous. It sounds like a great trip.

[neutrino]

Go by car. Get some good maps, and get off the interstate. Go into some of the smaller towns, eat at little non-chain restaurants...the ones with the pickup trucks driven by working men parked in front. Have a cheese burger and fries...and a chocolate malt! (Yeah, I know, you'll have to hit the gym when you get back...but it's worth it!)

If you're the sociable type, stay in a few bed and breakfasts - if you prefer your own company, stay in independent hotels/motels if you can. Get off the road early, take a nap, and read that book you've been wanting to get into (not professional reading - go for something enjoyable!).

Have you walked through any of the War of Northern Aggression battlefield parks? Seen any antebellum mansions? Gone to small town museums? I believe you'll find them to be well worth your time. In fact, visit a tourist trap or two...they can be fun! Do you have a favorite hobby or organization? I'd bet there are events that you'd love to see, all within easy driving distance.

Physical distance driven isn't important - emotional and psycological distance is. Make your vacation a real change of pace....you'll be glad you did!

[tet68]

It would help if we knew where you were coming from.

[Skooz]

I-40 through Albuquerque to Amarillo, Texas. From there take the HWY 287 to Wichita Falls.

287 turns into HWY 81, take this all the way to FT Worth and Dalls. Get on I-20 and go through LA and to Jackson, MS.

From there take the road that goes to Hattiesburg (HWY 49 South). Go through Mobile, Alabama. Stop at Destin, Florida and enjoy one of the nicest beaches anywhere.

You can find your way from there.

PS If you don't mind driving a few more miles, taking I-10 through El Paso to Dallas is more picturesque.

[Willie Green]

500 miles per day is kind of rough, especially when traveling with a pet that'll need frequent rest stops. My guess is 400~450 miles per day is more achievable, but even that is monotonous/tiring to maintain every day for the 5~6 days you'll need to cross the entire nation. Stick to the Interstates, you should make good time. Hope you have sufficient time available for the round trip. Whatever you estimate, add another day "just in case" for each direction of the trip.

[Rebelbase]

I drove west coast to east coast in 3 days once. I don't recommend that. Make it a 6-7 day trip.

[GOP_Proud]

Unless you want to stop and see sights along the way, I'd consider more miles per day, then more time can be spent with your aunt. Of course, the aunt may be just a place to go. If you're like me, the trip is what is the vacation. In that case, take it leisurely and just have fun meeting people and seeing things along the way. I envy you. I took a similar trip all around New England 4 years ago with absolutely no planning. It's good for the soul. Just stay south. I came thru Oklahoma City in January last year in a bad snow storm so be careful, but enjoy.

[socal_parrot]

Would I get my kicks on Route 66?

Be sure to stay here-

Wigwam Inn Holbrook, AZ

See this-

Monument Valley

But not this-

Meteor Crater

[cricket]

After seeing you homepage; why not just fly your Aunt out to your little paradise. . .looks incredible.

. . .of course, no place is perfect and the Socialists surely have no clue how they impact the environment; so a different kind of fresh air would be a nice change.

Happy trails :^)

[sockmonkey]

Would I get my kicks on Route 66?

I would think on Route 66 you might run into some snow this time of year. Lycos has a road trip page with some ideas. Road Trips

[blam]

Take I-5 south to LA, turn left (east) on I-10, go all the way across country on I-10, in north Florida, turn right (south) onto I-75 travel south to the Fruitville exit and turn right and you are in Sarasota. That's the least complicated way there. Should be nice there (Sarasota) this time of year.

[Howlin]

Also this one

[tpaine]

In the early spring a few years ago when I retired, I took the southern route to Florida from the SF Bay area with my dog along. Great trip.
Get a van type mini-motorhome [mainly for the dogs sake] if possible, - stay off the freeways, -- and forget trying to make mileage.

[dljordan]

Let's see. Hmmm. You're driving along on route 66 and get stopped by the Multi Jurisdictional Drug Task Force. They find your PC and camera and decide to conficate them under the Homeland Security guidelines. You protest and are thrown in jail for obstructing a police officer. Yeah, a nice coast to coast drive would be just the thing. Are your papers in order?

[Helifino]

If you take the southern route through Texas via I-10, take a Xanax before hitting the Houston traffic. Better yet, time it so you'll hit Houston either late at night or before dawn.

If time allows, travel the backroads. Talk to the people. If you're driving a two-lane backroad, watch the drivers as you pass. Notice the different types of waves they give you and count how many index-finger "waves" you get. Drive through Cut & Shoot. Ask the rural folks what they think of Hillary. :-)

Good luck!

Maps from University of Texas
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states.html

Texas Highways Online
http://www.texashighways.com/currentissue/index.php

Tourin' Texas
http://www.tourintexas.com/contents/index.htm

Texas Fun Travel Guide
http://www.texasfun.com/

Texas Historical Commission
http://www.thc.state.tx.us/

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/

@Texas
http://www.tourtexas.com/index.html

Texas (has some good links)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bdominguez/diversions/texas.html

Texas Hill Country
http://howdyyall.com/Texas/TravelEssays/HillCountry.cfm

Luckenbach
http://www.usatourist.com/english/places/texas/luckenbach.html
http://www.lone-star.net/mall/txtrails/luckenbach.htm
http://www.luckenbachtexas.com/

[blam]

Bellingrath Gardens And Home
Mobile, Alabama

[xJones]

One of the best moves my family ever did for long trips was to stop by a National Park (or National Historical, National Battlefied, anything National) and buy one of their little blue "Passport to your National Parks" books. They're $10 at the most, and list every National headquaters in the U.S. You can get your book stamped at eery location you go to, and it becomes a real game to see how many stamps you can collect as you visit the different Parks. Our kids have seen scores and scores of Parks, battlefields (I like the Revolutinary War ones also) and places we'd never have heard of otherwise.

California has tons of Parks, and there are the Anasazi Indian cliff dweller ruins in Arizona (lots of 'em) the great Chaco Canyon National Park in New Mexico, for instance. It's really great and you see and learn so much. If you've got the time for a few side trips to these National Park-type places, do it, you won't regret it. Just get the little book, they're at every Park headquators, no matter how small.