Ameeeeerica

[robbmcaulay]

So I'm almost 100% certain I'll be heading over in July.

The main reason (read: excuse) for coming over is that my girlfriend's flatmate is getting married in Mississippi but I figured I would kick around for a few weeks and take in some sights.

I have a place to stay in Brooklyn so I figured I'd hit New York for a few days then bus it up to Minneapolis for the 3rd annual Deep Blues Festival, camping locally over the weekend then bus(?) it down to Mississippi for the wedding.

A damn good friend of mine has been living in Whistler, BC for almost a year now and I'd love to head up to see him. I entertained the idea of busing it (or even taking my sweet time and hitching it, is that even possible these days?) but I reckon a cheap domestic flight would be the wise move.

I have notions of heading back to NYC for a few more days but I think flying home from San Fran would be the more sensible option.

Anyway, you should take a look at the map I've loosly knocked up and tell me what you think. Suggestions of places to go along the way, methods of travel etc.

Google Map

[robbmcaulay]

So I've been looking up greyhounds for getting between NYC and MN pretty cheap at $77. Takes just over a day with a couple 1hr+ layovers. I'm no stranger to 12hr bus rides with no stops so I think it should be bearable.

[Loyal Rogue]

Hey Robb, figure out the dates and if my mom has gone back home to the UK by the time you get here then I'll have a spare bedroom you can use as a base to explore the Orlando/Fort Laud/Miami/Florida Keys area from.
She should be heading out on the week of the 20th if things go according to plan.

[lefteyewilly]

yikes. with that avatar, i'd stear clear of loyal rogue, robb. Sounds sketchy to me.

[WannaBe_80z]

Yeah seriously. Nice "guest" room.

[hanratty21]

NYC --> MN = long, slow ride. I did that a few years back when moving out west. I'd advise against hitching...that's just not a good idea.

Just a thought...I am looking at this map and you are covering a LOT of ground over a few weeks. Are you actually planning on making stops along the way? Renting a car or something so you can manage your own time? This a lot of of land to cover if you are 'tramping' it, which is what you seem to be describing. The bus stops are going to be very uneventful -- enough to get out of the bus, get some bad food in an ugly part of whatever town you are stopping in, then back on the bus.

If you must get to Whistler from Mississippi, try flying, then rent a car to drive down the coast on your own time. You can still camp and save some cash there, but vagabonding your way through this trip seems like a recipe for disaster.

All of that being said...

• NYC - Just enjoy your time there - pick what you want to do/see and just have fun.
• Trip to Minn - not a very eventful drive...just deal with the crappy bus ride.
• Down to Jackson - Consider a rental car for this too -- while not a very majestic drive, you will be passing thru the heartland of America, then St Louis, then Memphis, which seems right up your alley. A bus trip will not do you any justice.
• Up to BC -- Driving will be a blast. If you time it right, you can stop in KC for some BBQ (killer), then head up to the Dakotas. National parks galore. Yellowstone, Badlands, Mt Rushmore - all are a must see, and Yellowstone deserves AT LEAST an entire day, including an overnight. Time yourself right and you can hit Sturgis in time for Bike Week. Continue on thru Wyoming, Montana, Washington and bring your camera. You will see sights that you'll not see anywhere else on the planet.
  ***or***
  If you fly to BC, then you can rent a car and hit all the cities on the way down the coast...
• Vancouver - great town
• Seattle - great town
• Portland - great town
• SF - great town

That's it...for now.

[gerbick]

Oh lord. Mississippi? Prepare for heat and humidity like you've never known - place your head in the ****ing oven for a primer. And look for a quick flight to Atlanta - you can get some JetBlue charters for under $100 round trip, quicker than a bus to Mississippi (that's gonna be an entire weekend) from NYC.

I'll weigh in more a bit later.

[hanratty21]

Yeah - the more I think about it, you better scrap any idea of a bus...from the UK, you're probably not familiar with the vast land mass of the US. A bus from NYC to Minnesota is like taking a bus from London to Athens. Lame. Search for cheap(er) flights on Expedia or Priceline.

[gerbick]

Where is Minnesota coming from?

[hanratty21]

Where is Minnesota coming from?

ummm...

So I'm almost 100% certain I'll be heading over in July.

The main reason (read: excuse) for coming over is that my girlfriend's flatmate is getting married in Mississippi but I figured I would kick around for a few weeks and take in some sights.

I have a place to stay in Brooklyn so I figured I'd hit New York for a few days then bus it up to Minneapolis for the 3rd annual Deep Blues Festival...

[gerbick]

The main reason (read: excuse) for coming over is that my girlfriend's flatmate is getting married in Mississippi but I figured I would kick around for a few weeks and take in some sights.

Shows you where I stopped reading.

[FlashLackey]

Oh lord. Mississippi? Prepare for heat and humidity like you've never known - place your head in the ****ing oven for a primer.

Maybe I'm crazy. But, I actually like the heat and humidity down there. Kind of helps make it what it is for me.

...

If I were you, I'd take LR up on his offer and get down to the keys. But, maybe that's just me.

[flashpipe1]

COOL!!! Done many cross country drives/trips and it looks like you've got some great ground to cover...

Sort of depends on what you want to accomplish. If you're looking to spend lots of time driving and seeing the sights, I would definitely recommend a rental car vs. busing around the US...Greyhound certainly lets you see an "interesting" sub-section of US culture, but it takes FOREVER...you might want to look into trains, but rental cars are a much more "American/freedom/consumer" choice. If you're looking to spend more time in the big cities/hot spots, look for some inexpensive one-way flights and save the driving time...

Looks like a nice driving route, South Dakota has the Black Hills, Wyoming has the Rockies and Montana has WIDE open "big sky" spaces. If it were me, I'd take my favorite route, southern Kansas, Rt. 66 (VERY different than FLAT northern Kansas), Colorado (so many beautiful areas here), Arizona (Grand Canyon, etc.)...

As an alternate route from NYC to Minn., you can come up through upstate NY (you're welcome to crash at our house in Rochester), pass Niagara Falls, go through Canada into Michigan and jump back on your route...maybe a few hours more to the trip, but Niagara Falls is pretty spectacular...for a high tourist site.

Most of all...have fun and take pics!!

[robbmcaulay]

Thanks for all the advice folks!

I did think about hiring a car however I can't drive an automatic and from making a few searches it's quite hard to get a manual. The automatics are pretty cheap to rent though, £85 for 4 days! daaaaaaaaamn. Maybe I should just learn to drive one over the next few weeks?

However a couple of long bus rides don't phase me. I have some good things to do when I get to my destinations so that'll keep me from going crazy from thinking about what I'm missing along the way!

As it stands I'm thinking of cutting the Vancouver leg off the trip, it's just too far and awkward. Plus returning home from San Fran adds £200 to my flight costs. Another time.

Thanks for the offers of a place to crash LR and FP, very generous of you! I doubt I'll be heading down Florida way, how does the heat compare to MS?

FP I did consider taking that route to Minneapolis and if I do hire a car, I may just take you up on that offer!

I think I'll be camping when I hit Minneapolis in an RV park near the venue, is this wise? What is a night in a motel sitting at these days?

[WannaBe_80z]

You can drive a manual but not an automatic? How does that even work? An automatic takes all the shifting out of it. You just press the gas and go.

85 pounds for 4 days? Just buy a cheapo $200-300 car and run it to the ground driving around the country and then ditch it haha. Just don't get pulled over with it.

[lefteyewilly]

FP I did consider taking that route to Minneapolis and if I do hire a car, I may just take you up on that offer!

If that happens, the 3 of us HAVE to get a beer! Seriously. If I remember correctly, FP is only 10-15 minutes from me.

[robbmcaulay]

**** renting a car... I didn't realise they rape you with charges if you want to drop it off somewhere other than where you picked it up!

Lefty a bus from NY to Rochester is only $15... **** it, why not?

Wannabe, trust me, if you've been driving a manual for 6 years it's hard to trust an automatic. It just feels wrong.

[creativeinsomnia]

I think I'll be camping when I hit Minneapolis in an RV park near the venue, is this wise? What is a night in a motel sitting at these days?

From what I've seen, the Deep Blues Festival is in Minneapolis so I dont really know of any camping sites close by. I imagine you'd be a ways away from the actual festival if you camped.

I also noticed that one of the shows is at the 331 club. I was just there last week and I would imagine no more than 50 people could be in there for a show. Maybe its going to be hosted outside or something.

I'd recommend staying at a hotel/motel if you have the cash...couldnt be more than $70/night.

[hanratty21]

Lefty a bus from NY to Rochester is only $15... **** it, why not?

Uh, why not? You get a good look and smell at the derelicts you'll be sharing that bus with and you'll understand why it's $15. Is your girlfriend joining you on this jaunt? If so, I'd highly recommend you find a different mode of transportation.

[gerbick]

Stale piss, old folks and bad cigarette stench... yeah. Buses. Not the way I want to travel... ever again.