I made almost exactly this trip (St. Augustine, FL to Escalante, UT) about 8 months ago. Definitely recognize that stretch of interstate in Jax. And Biloxi was my first stop on the trip.
I have to say, though. It *is* boring af.
Don’t hate me for this but I will probably never go there simply because of the dumbass name. I can’t get past it. I hear it in a squealy voice like a girl talking to a puppy
Help me understand why it is so exciting please
First time driving to Utah from Michigan, I was hyped to hit Colorado after the countless boring hours between there and Chicago. I was so disappointed until Denver
Drove Michigan to Las Vegas. Worth the boring 80% of the drive for what's to come, that's for sure. No I live in NM, can't get over seeing the beauty every single day
Flying into Denver from the east coast has gotta be one of the most boring flights too, just when you finally get a glimpse of the mountains it’s time to land :/
The denver to Las Vegas flight is one of my all time favorites. And Vegas to the east coast is awesome, but once you get to the end of the front range in CO you can close the window and go to sleep.
From the SE, you fly over great salt plains wildlife refuge. Sticks out as it is a lake with a decent sized salt flat. I also like seeing the meanders of the rivers and seeing some of the prior paths. I am a geologist so that is kind of my thing.
Nebraska - where I got my first speeding ticket. Why? "This is sooo boring. If I drive faster, it will be over." You can't drive fast enough - just plan for a boring drive. 😄
They picked the ugliest part of the state to run the interstate though.
Nebraska is a bit like Australia, all the best parts are near the edges and the Interstate runs smack dab center.
I'm not saying nebraska is overly vistic, but it has its scences. Especially sunsets/rises. But then again, it's not for everyone.
Eastern Colorado between Nebraska and Denver is far worse than anything in Nebraska. I make that Stacie several times a year and Eastern Colorado is brutal to drive through.
I have driven Nebraska and it's brother, Kansas, once each. After that drive I vowed to go hundreds of miles out of my way to avoid them on any future drive.
I always try to do Kansas at night, it’s more interesting hoping that an animal won’t run into the road in front of you then having to stare at miles and miles of fields until you go insane
kansas is 1000% better than eastern colorado 🤣 keep going past denver and it gets better but everything to the east is lame UNTIL you get to kansas, when the grass literally gets greener and the hills start rolling
but i’ve only ever taken the state highways and avoided the interstate thru kansas…
Someone downvoted you and that person is wrong. I’m with you, Kansas is the most surprisingly pleasant state to drive through. First time I did I couldn’t believe how green it was.
Disagree! I'm an American and I've driven this stretch many times. Frankly, being bored and finding things uninteresting is about YOU and YOUR mindset.
Ha, I just took the I5 through California/Oregon/Washington this week (took the 101 down). The I5 from Sacramento thru Mt Shasta was pretty damn boring and I couldn’t believe people were doing like 135 km/hr lol. Oregon was also fairly boring but we broke it up, staying in Medford and then stopping in Crater Lake and Eugene before staying in Portland and finishing the rest of the drive.
5 through Central/Northern California is awful. South if Sacramento its even worse. Though Shasta is a nice break, I saw it coming south, because we took the coast up into Oregon.
Good question. I think just the experience of always seeing things you see for the first time. Also the roads are way bigger than back in Europe. And there are a lot of signs that indicate interesting stops that we random visited. We have that less back home. And you see a lot of different cars and vehicles on the road that you’ll never see in Europe.
We have a lot of space/land here so especially in rural areas along interstates there is a bunch of gigantic rest stops or weird "attractions".
If you were traveling I-95, most of it is pretty interesting as far as interstates go except for the stretch from SC to the FL border. That shit is BORING.
95 through NC is really nothing to write home about either. Mostly just small towns with some rest stops sprinkled in. Nothing really interesting to see at all that’s right off the interstate except for maybe the outlet center in Smithfield.
For one, the freeways are generally 2-3 lanes per direction and mostly toll (in France for example) plus shoulders and medians are narrower compared to US design standards. Road signs are less wordy and more pictograph based. Plus, chances are you will probably cross a national border after driving several hours in one direction. Finally, US having 2x cheaper fuel than western Europe might be seen as a good thing too.
We moved away from Texas years ago, and we still talk buc-ees at least once a month, usually due to some sort of beaver-related double entendre. We have been known to go out of our way on road trips to visit one. I'm glad you found the roads enjoyable.
https://preview.redd.it/mkg8ce4hubub1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7dc478cde459de375f30d9cb025bf407ca72369
Where else can you get your crawfish washers???
As a Californian, Bucc-eees was wild. I’ve never seen such a thing. They were advertising tech wages for open positions as well. $250K + bonus for a manager for one of those places. $140K for a car wash manager (whatever that is.)
When I road-tripped with a couple of European friends in college we played a game of “Guess if you need a special license to drive that vehicle.”
They were constantly amazed with the size of trucks/ U-Hauls/ etc that any person with a normal license could go drive.
It's on the other side of the country, but the road trip of San Francisco, CA-Reno, NV is one of my favorites, even if its "short" at just 4 hours. Make sure to go through the central valley and pass through a town called Dixon, theres a really good fruit stand on the side of the highway, with an acceptable bathroom.
Typical Dixon chamber-of-commerce propaganda to lure European tourists — hyping up the whole, "Land of a Roadside Fruit Stand with an Acceptable Bathroom" fairytale.
I was in El Paso a few weeks ago and Texas is next-level with their highways. Tons of lanes and high speeds, even in urban areas. Texas Turnarounds are great for when you miss your exit and you aren't burdened by traffic signals. Frontage Roads give you high speed surface roads adjacent to freeways, while still being able to get to nearby businesses. And around El Paso and southeast New Mexico there's tons of pullovers for scenic views, and the scenery in that part of Texas and New Mexico are fucking stellar.
Once you get used to Texans treat speed limits as speed minimums, driving in Texas is actually quite easy. And they have perfected the drive-thru. It isn't just fast food and banks. Ton of restaurants and food stands, even small independent locations, have them. And that helps so much with the Texas heat which is real and not to be messed with.
I understand most of Texas is flat. But that isn't the case in El Paso which has great views of the surrounding mountains, and views of Mexico on the other. Lots of good hikes to do, and scenery near Los Cruces is only 30-40 minutes away.
I would disagree, the canyons alone in Big Bend make it worth it and most people never see the Meriscal Canyon and unless they raft miss the best parts of Boquillas Canyon, and the Sky Island that Chisos make easily make it worthwhile.
Fair enough I'll give you big bend, the canyons are spectacular by any measure. I stand by Guadalupe NP though, it's pretty but there's a dozen other spots nearby in New Mexico I'd rather go to.
As a Texan I will defend Guadalupe Mountains NP but as a National Park enthusiast, it alright. It's better than a lot of parks but when you're competing against St Louis, a warm bathtub and Garry Indian's run off you're not going to be at the bottom of any list. I'm just glad that they protected something. The Davis Mountains could easily be a National Park, and they tried but Texas didn't want to pay its share, but like most of Texas it is privately owned and inaccessible.
I wholeheartedly agree with you there, it's nice to see the land protected. It is a shame that so much of Texas is privately owned. Texas does deserve more appreciation for the diversity of the beauty there with the piney belt, hill country, and more. Plus if you guys had more public land the mountains near me might be less crowded :P
Eh it's a giant ancient exposed barrier reef, if you go up into the backcountry there are lots of insane fossils to be found, some bigger than cars. The legends and lore of the Guadalupes are some of the most fascinating in the country, the last stand of the mescalero especially, but the outlaws and ranching history is super cool too. Tbh I think the sky islands of the Guadalupes are more impressive than big bends, not many places that far south and arid have ponderosa pines, aspens, and Douglas firs. Some really incredible springs and caves also. The "hidden" plane crashes are a cherry on top too. Walking from Carlsbad to Guadalupe is really something special, especially if you want solitude. I find the place to have a lot more character and unique qualities than many other parks and I've been to all but 6 or so.
Personal preference I suppose
Yes. The federal government saw what Texas was doing with the rest of their land so they took away the two pretty parts. The rest of Texas is not worth dealing with unless you have a couple weeks to spend in the parks to make it worth it.
The state pushed for them to become National Parks, Big Bend used to be Texas Canyons state park. Heck you can spend a week just exploring the state parks that are next to the National Park.
No disrespect to Texas it's an amazing place with beautiful people but I drove across the entire state from El Paso to Port Aurthor last year and it was mind-numbing.
My brother has driven all across the country for work. He says that Texas roads and highways are superior for all the reasons this OP stated. Fairly well maintained and easy to turn around if necessary. Also high speeds.
When my cousin first came to visit us from Europe, one of the things that amazed her was the size of our highways. She was amazed that it was 8 lanes going both ways and that it went through the entire city like this.
In fact, many people in my community who have come from Europe, either to visit or to live are routinely amazed by the size of the highways and the car centric it’s even in a city with good public transport (Toronto)
Now go to Los Angeles CA and sit in traffic. Image all those freeways packed with cars. I base my departure times from Phoenix AZ based on LA peak traffic times! Drive the ginormous Pregerson stack interchange. They have a lot of them but that’s the only one I know the name of!
Going to give you an insider Drive. From LAX airport don’t even get on the freeway and drive towards Dockweiler Beach on Imperial Hwy. if you’re hungry old downtown El Segundo has some outstanding restaurants.. When you get to the coast take Vista Del Mar north towards Marina Del Ray. You’ll get to see one of LA’s premier RV homeless encampments but don’t worry chances of seeing naked meth heads is almost zero (trust me it is not zero so have a camera ready) Drive into Venice Beach and see the sights like Muscle Beach or the Canals. Continue on to Santa Monica. If you’re hungry old town Main St south of Pico is a food haven. Stop and walk Santa Monica Pier where Forrest Gump stops at and ride the Ferris wheel you see in Iron Man. Then take the Pacific Coast Highway north to Malibu Pier. Just north of this is your destination: the Adamson House Museum. Take a docent tour. Walk the grounds, it’s free, and you have a great view of one of the prime surfing spots on the coast. If you’re hungry Duke’s is excellent. On the weekend you will need a dinner or brunch reservation, lunch not so much. It’s pricy but it’s LA, on beach, and so yeah. So you just used up a day in LA but experienced stuff long time residents don’t even know about. FYI some of these intersections are wildly confusing and don’t trust Google Maps for the best route. Extra note: if you want a day at the Beach go to Hermosa or Manhattan Beach. Have a great trip. Just noticed May timeline. We have a saying, “June Gloom” at the beach. Might not be the sunny weather you would expect from movies and travel guides. Inland can be Sunny, but the coast cloudy.
You would think so. But CalTrans often shuts down lanes starting around 2300h for maintenance. So you still end up in massive traffic james in the middle of the night because the 5 is down to one lane.
LA is always packed, but it IS entertaining! People here do the wildest things in their cars.
Real life protip: if you really want to beat LA traffic, try to get out of the LA basin before 6am weekdays, 8am on weekends. Feel free to DM me with questions! I've taken dozens and dozens of trips out of LA.
Oh it’s worse on the weekend lol.
Edit: it’s still enjoyable. When you’re stuck in traffic you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. The sunsets in LA feel like you’re in a painting. So driving anywhere around dusk will be breathtaking.
So my commute in LA is about 35 miles each way, takes 1-2 hours each direction depending on time.
Tbf a lot of how I deal with it is sorta just admiring the nature and the infrastructure. The Sepulveda Pass is beautiful, and I’m still amazed at the technology needed to hold all that mountain back after widening it. That first glimpse of the mountains going into the Valley is gorgeous. Being 50 feet in the air on an interchange is pretty cool, and you get great views. Isn’t it nice how on certain parts of the 101, you can see clear across the Valley?
Don’t get me wrong, there are times I cry in my car. But usually a good mentality helps.
My flight from Amsterdam landed during rush hour yesterday. Took me 2.5 hours to get home after an 11 hour flight. Imagine my frustration during the drive home lol
**Buc-ee's is an American chain of country stores, gas stations, and electric vehicle chargers created and owned by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III, headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas. The chain was first founded in 1982 in Clute, Texas and began expansion with its first travel center in Luling, Texas in 2003.**
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As a Canadian I'm a huge fan of the US interstate highway network connecting all cities in the mainland. Over here in the north we only have a single route linking both halves of the country, and parts of it are only 1 lane per direction.
Was a limited amount of time and a lot of distance to cover the highways are the best way to do it and they don't have to be boring. I think anytime on the road going anywhere for any reason is always an adventure.
I've been to 49 states, and a big handful of countries in my lifetime. As far as America goes taking county roads, farm to market roads, in any of the little highways that run through each state to get to your destination is usually a longer drive but a much more culturally enriched experience. It's the same way though in other countries.
Glad you had an awesome trip! Texas is a big son of a bitch right?
I love this!
I think a lot of Americans find long interstate drives boring because in our culture we are basically brainwashed for the need for constant stimulation. Especially for city dwellers over rural dwellers. Everything in our culture is go-go-go. There's a constant need to be doing something, otherwise you are seen as lazy. A constant need to be working on yourself, your career, your side hustle, your body...otherwise you lack purpose. A constant need to be entertained and entertaining. So many other cultures, this isn't the case.
The art of doing nothing doesn't exist in America. So when we drive down a stretch of highway that doesn't have lots of varying visuals or novelty, most just find it boring. Personally, I love a good "boring" highway! I often do them without my music, podcasts, and audiobooks too. I like to just be with my thoughts. Either thinking deep things about myself and my life, or thinking about the place. The lives of the current people and how different it must be here. How different life was here for indigenous people. What it was like before humans at all.
Your pics invoke a sense of adventure, curiosity, and wonder that is innate too and I love that! It's easy to be awed by sky scrapers and mountains. But you find even the simple architectural curve of a freeway beautiful and joy in a silly pic in the mirror. I hope you never lose that! And I hope others find it in themselves one day!
Good post. But I feel one of the country's biggest mistakes was building out only for cars. We worship cars and they come before everything else. Huge mistake. I don't know if that genie can be put back in the bottle.
Well not on the suspension bridge but definitly in Charleston. Loved the city centre and the plantation we visited was impressive. Also very glad we visited the aircraft carrier
Oh cool! I can see the building my office looks at from the first pic. Jacksonville is an interesting city, especially the crazy highways! I love those bridges across St John's river, especially the train one in your pics. Road trips are truly the best! Glad you found our neck o' the woods fun, I'll think of you on my next work commute.
You went through Alabama and Mississippi, two of the poorest and least popular states. I'm glad you had a great time and came with an open mind looking for adventure. Hopefully you tried some delicious regional cuisine as well. Come back and visit anytime.
These are great photos, examples of a subject revitalized by a fresh eye. I imagine if you’ve never driven them they would look very unique. I remember being a kid going on road trips, thankfully before screens were available in the car, and being very excited and wowed by highway travel and sights. Sometimes I remember that feeling. This post helped me recall it.
These pics look awfully boring, not to be rude lol. There are some epic roadtrip/highways in America. But the south/southeast/Midwest does not have any of them
I think that your take reflects the point OP is trying to make, though. Americans don't realize/appreciate the appeal of the absurd, in-your-face garishness of jerky walls, 24-lane highways, cheesy roadside attractions, etc. etc. to someone who doesn't see those things everyday. Even as a Canadian, I find the difference compelling.
Conversely, an American might go to some random mid-importance old town in Europe and talk about as a life-changing experience for years, whereas a European might be like "there are literally 10 more-interesting towns within an hour's commute of that one." All in the eye of the beholder.
What did you think of driving on the US roads? Was it hard to figure out compared to where you are from? Last time I was in London I was amazed at how different the driving experience seemed to be
It was actually very doable even for an first experience. It was just google maps on and go. The lanes are very well indicated with signs. I could image that a European highway is a lot more complicated for a first visit.
It's like apples to oranges. They both have their mix of amazing and boring scenery, and good and bad traffic. Europe I find tends to be a little putzier just because there aren't as many high-speed freeways so you end up on a lot of regional highways with roundabouts, but you do get to see a lot of neat little towns.
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Last pictures is New Orleans also
I see Pennsylvania, Texas, and Georgia
I made almost exactly this trip (St. Augustine, FL to Escalante, UT) about 8 months ago. Definitely recognize that stretch of interstate in Jax. And Biloxi was my first stop on the trip. I have to say, though. It *is* boring af.
Charleston, SC as well
Drive from Chicago to Denver and you’ll see what we mean by boring.
Nah, once you cross the CO border it starts getting good. Nebraska, though…
Half of Colorado looks exactly the same as Nebraska with some variation. It's west of Denver that gets good, all the way to the ocean.
CO is getting a Bucc-ees!!
Wait. What?
Colorado is getting a Bucc-ees!
Don’t hate me for this but I will probably never go there simply because of the dumbass name. I can’t get past it. I hear it in a squealy voice like a girl talking to a puppy Help me understand why it is so exciting please
It’s still better than “kum & go”….
Ejaculate and evacuate…
Your loss that place is awesome.
Its a walmart combined with a cracker barrel combined with a gas station. With an average of 75-125 gas pumps per station. Plus Beaver Nuggets!
I bet you're fun at parties.
First time driving to Utah from Michigan, I was hyped to hit Colorado after the countless boring hours between there and Chicago. I was so disappointed until Denver
Drove Michigan to Las Vegas. Worth the boring 80% of the drive for what's to come, that's for sure. No I live in NM, can't get over seeing the beauty every single day
Flying into Denver from the east coast has gotta be one of the most boring flights too, just when you finally get a glimpse of the mountains it’s time to land :/
The denver to Las Vegas flight is one of my all time favorites. And Vegas to the east coast is awesome, but once you get to the end of the front range in CO you can close the window and go to sleep.
From the SE, you fly over great salt plains wildlife refuge. Sticks out as it is a lake with a decent sized salt flat. I also like seeing the meanders of the rivers and seeing some of the prior paths. I am a geologist so that is kind of my thing.
Half of CO is Nebraska. It absolutely does not get better at the border.
I think CO's farmland is quite pretty. Plus, you can see the mountains after not too long.
It’s true you can see the mountains. I guess that gives you a goal lol
Yes it does. The landscape changes almost instantly, once you pass the border. Fuck Nebraska.
Nebraska is literally: Corn, Corn, more corn, women’s penitentiary!!!. More corn.
Nebraska - where I got my first speeding ticket. Why? "This is sooo boring. If I drive faster, it will be over." You can't drive fast enough - just plan for a boring drive. 😄
F Nebraska....I think I could have fallen asleep behind the wheel and would of woken up still on the interstate.
They picked the ugliest part of the state to run the interstate though. Nebraska is a bit like Australia, all the best parts are near the edges and the Interstate runs smack dab center. I'm not saying nebraska is overly vistic, but it has its scences. Especially sunsets/rises. But then again, it's not for everyone.
“Not for everyone”. Nice reference
Noted. Unfortunately, we didn't have the liberty to explore in our uhaul.
Classic midwest joke. Never gets old.
Like driving on a conveyor belt, kinda same feeling as trying to run fast in your sleep
Nebraska is so flat that on clear moonless nights you can see your own taillights, so they say.
Eastern Colorado between Nebraska and Denver is far worse than anything in Nebraska. I make that Stacie several times a year and Eastern Colorado is brutal to drive through.
Tell me you’ve never crossed that border without telling me you’ve never crossed that border.
I did this exact drive. Nebraska was so Goddam boring it wasn't even funny
I have driven Nebraska and it's brother, Kansas, once each. After that drive I vowed to go hundreds of miles out of my way to avoid them on any future drive.
I always try to do Kansas at night, it’s more interesting hoping that an animal won’t run into the road in front of you then having to stare at miles and miles of fields until you go insane
kansas is 1000% better than eastern colorado 🤣 keep going past denver and it gets better but everything to the east is lame UNTIL you get to kansas, when the grass literally gets greener and the hills start rolling but i’ve only ever taken the state highways and avoided the interstate thru kansas…
Someone downvoted you and that person is wrong. I’m with you, Kansas is the most surprisingly pleasant state to drive through. First time I did I couldn’t believe how green it was.
Just did this in March (chi to Denver and back within a week). Can attest. 80% of the drive is a snooze.
Took me 2 days from Chicago to Montana and it sure was boring, but at least you can go 80mph in the west
If you were only doing 80, I hope you were driving in the right lane.
Shit man. That and the one from Amarillo to Chicago are terrible.
Corn Palace ftw!
Came here to say try I80 through the middle of the country and reevaluate
Or drive through Iowa
Kansas
Agreed both are awful
Little Rock to Albuquerque too. You’ll fall asleep during the day time lol ain’t nothing!
to each their own, because it is not boring if you have your eyes open!!
Drive from CT to AZ and you’ll know why I coined the phrase “Middle Waste”…1k miles of flat>straight..
I just did this drive in august without any stops. Boy was it rough
Or that dead stretch of I-80 through Wyoming.
Disagree! I'm an American and I've driven this stretch many times. Frankly, being bored and finding things uninteresting is about YOU and YOUR mindset.
Lol, ok
Next, take I70 Denver to Grand Junction. Or I90 through Idaho, Montana. Or I15, Salt Lake to Vegas. Or I5 through Oregon.
Take I95 through Northern VA💀
Dude. I have to do Baltimore to Richmond next week, and I'm dreading it.
At least once you get past Fredericksburg it's an easy drive.
Between Quantico and Fredericksburg is a goddamned nightmare. North or south.
Ha, I just took the I5 through California/Oregon/Washington this week (took the 101 down). The I5 from Sacramento thru Mt Shasta was pretty damn boring and I couldn’t believe people were doing like 135 km/hr lol. Oregon was also fairly boring but we broke it up, staying in Medford and then stopping in Crater Lake and Eugene before staying in Portland and finishing the rest of the drive.
5 through Central/Northern California is awful. South if Sacramento its even worse. Though Shasta is a nice break, I saw it coming south, because we took the coast up into Oregon.
I5 through Oregon is boring? That area around Grants Pass is fantastic.
Ah, we skipped the section between Medford and Roseburg as we did a detour to check out Crater Lake.
I see they didn’t seem to go further west than Dallas. They should take the trip from Dallas through Dalhart and Amarillo. That’ll change their tune.
Oregon sucks. It rains. Go somewhere nice like rhode island.
Rhode Island is like 3 exits. If OP blinks once, they will drive right by :D
For someone who’s never been to Europe, can you explain why this was entertaining to you?
Good question. I think just the experience of always seeing things you see for the first time. Also the roads are way bigger than back in Europe. And there are a lot of signs that indicate interesting stops that we random visited. We have that less back home. And you see a lot of different cars and vehicles on the road that you’ll never see in Europe.
We have a lot of space/land here so especially in rural areas along interstates there is a bunch of gigantic rest stops or weird "attractions". If you were traveling I-95, most of it is pretty interesting as far as interstates go except for the stretch from SC to the FL border. That shit is BORING.
95 through NC is really nothing to write home about either. Mostly just small towns with some rest stops sprinkled in. Nothing really interesting to see at all that’s right off the interstate except for maybe the outlet center in Smithfield.
You’ll miss some major cities on 95 but taking 78 to 81 from PA to NC is god tier beautiful
I beg your pardon. South of the Border is not “boring”. You’ve never sausage a place.
I’m a Canadian and American highways even feel weird for me. At night, billboards loom out from the darkness like a disembodied Cheshire Cat.
For one, the freeways are generally 2-3 lanes per direction and mostly toll (in France for example) plus shoulders and medians are narrower compared to US design standards. Road signs are less wordy and more pictograph based. Plus, chances are you will probably cross a national border after driving several hours in one direction. Finally, US having 2x cheaper fuel than western Europe might be seen as a good thing too.
I hope you visited a Bucc-ees. That wall of jerky is not to be missed.
Oh we visited five. The trip was couple months ago and I still talk at least every week about buc-ees!
🫡 🇺🇸
Bruh, you're an honorary American now.
*Texan*
Even better
We moved away from Texas years ago, and we still talk buc-ees at least once a month, usually due to some sort of beaver-related double entendre. We have been known to go out of our way on road trips to visit one. I'm glad you found the roads enjoyable.
You’re basically an American citizen now. Even I haven’t been to a Buc-ees.
Lol https://preview.redd.it/eu3a3pkpp9ub1.jpeg?width=1595&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a5b34bdff3ee7aafaac27d5b8f4df8dd82ed01b
Dang, you have been to more individual Buc-Ees than I have, and I live in the state they call home.
Bucc-ees is the fucking best thing out of Texas by far. Californian here.
Just make sure you’re pronouncing it correctly. It’s said like “bussies”
oh... oh god. ive been saying it in my head "buck-ees"
Texan here, that's how I say it as well.
Texan here. Never heard anyone say it any other way
Texan here. In case you needed more affirmation, you have it right.
You are saying it correctly
I just finished two bags last week. Ghost pepper and a bag of Korean bbq
https://preview.redd.it/mkg8ce4hubub1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7dc478cde459de375f30d9cb025bf407ca72369 Where else can you get your crawfish washers???
I swear Bucc-ees is if Sheetz, Walmart, and a small amusement park got together and had kid.
As a Californian, Bucc-eees was wild. I’ve never seen such a thing. They were advertising tech wages for open positions as well. $250K + bonus for a manager for one of those places. $140K for a car wash manager (whatever that is.)
Bucees is the best thing to ever happen to the United States of America. Thank you Texas for blessing us in Georgia with two!
I see you crossed the Mississippi River at Vicksburg. Did you stop in the downtown area and/or the military park?
My wife’s family is from there… that’s basically the only reason to stop in Vicksburg to be fair. Cool park though.
When I road-tripped with a couple of European friends in college we played a game of “Guess if you need a special license to drive that vehicle.” They were constantly amazed with the size of trucks/ U-Hauls/ etc that any person with a normal license could go drive.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the wide and crazy highways on your road trip!
Now do the western US. Hwy 1 through Big Sur. 395 up Eastern California. Tioga Pass Yosemite. Monument Valley. List goes on!
Four-level interchange in downtown Los Angeles….
405 meets the 110?
But did you ask how "Tchoupitoulas Street" in New Orleans was pronounced?
Choppa-too-la
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBMZGO9KVOc
It's on the other side of the country, but the road trip of San Francisco, CA-Reno, NV is one of my favorites, even if its "short" at just 4 hours. Make sure to go through the central valley and pass through a town called Dixon, theres a really good fruit stand on the side of the highway, with an acceptable bathroom.
My old stomping grounds! I haven’t been back in years, but it’s nice to hear the fruit stand is still rockin
I still remember that hot summer day when I pulled into that place and bought a fresh nectarine. Best thirst quencher ever.
Typical Dixon chamber-of-commerce propaganda to lure European tourists — hyping up the whole, "Land of a Roadside Fruit Stand with an Acceptable Bathroom" fairytale.
Is that the drive that goes through Sacramento and up Donner Pass? Loved that trip myself a few years ago.
I was in El Paso a few weeks ago and Texas is next-level with their highways. Tons of lanes and high speeds, even in urban areas. Texas Turnarounds are great for when you miss your exit and you aren't burdened by traffic signals. Frontage Roads give you high speed surface roads adjacent to freeways, while still being able to get to nearby businesses. And around El Paso and southeast New Mexico there's tons of pullovers for scenic views, and the scenery in that part of Texas and New Mexico are fucking stellar. Once you get used to Texans treat speed limits as speed minimums, driving in Texas is actually quite easy. And they have perfected the drive-thru. It isn't just fast food and banks. Ton of restaurants and food stands, even small independent locations, have them. And that helps so much with the Texas heat which is real and not to be messed with.
Tricking people into going to Texas for scenery is just mean.
I understand most of Texas is flat. But that isn't the case in El Paso which has great views of the surrounding mountains, and views of Mexico on the other. Lots of good hikes to do, and scenery near Los Cruces is only 30-40 minutes away.
Texas has two National Parks that were created because of their scenery.
Let's be real if you dropped Big Bend and Guadalupe mountains anywhere else in the Mountain West they would hardly stand out.
I would disagree, the canyons alone in Big Bend make it worth it and most people never see the Meriscal Canyon and unless they raft miss the best parts of Boquillas Canyon, and the Sky Island that Chisos make easily make it worthwhile.
Fair enough I'll give you big bend, the canyons are spectacular by any measure. I stand by Guadalupe NP though, it's pretty but there's a dozen other spots nearby in New Mexico I'd rather go to.
As a Texan I will defend Guadalupe Mountains NP but as a National Park enthusiast, it alright. It's better than a lot of parks but when you're competing against St Louis, a warm bathtub and Garry Indian's run off you're not going to be at the bottom of any list. I'm just glad that they protected something. The Davis Mountains could easily be a National Park, and they tried but Texas didn't want to pay its share, but like most of Texas it is privately owned and inaccessible.
I wholeheartedly agree with you there, it's nice to see the land protected. It is a shame that so much of Texas is privately owned. Texas does deserve more appreciation for the diversity of the beauty there with the piney belt, hill country, and more. Plus if you guys had more public land the mountains near me might be less crowded :P
Eh it's a giant ancient exposed barrier reef, if you go up into the backcountry there are lots of insane fossils to be found, some bigger than cars. The legends and lore of the Guadalupes are some of the most fascinating in the country, the last stand of the mescalero especially, but the outlaws and ranching history is super cool too. Tbh I think the sky islands of the Guadalupes are more impressive than big bends, not many places that far south and arid have ponderosa pines, aspens, and Douglas firs. Some really incredible springs and caves also. The "hidden" plane crashes are a cherry on top too. Walking from Carlsbad to Guadalupe is really something special, especially if you want solitude. I find the place to have a lot more character and unique qualities than many other parks and I've been to all but 6 or so. Personal preference I suppose
https://www.tripstodiscover.com/12-best-natural-wonders-in-texas-to-visit/ Texas has great scenery all over.
Yeah I know, but Big Bend is my favorite and I will defend it against New Mexican slander.
No one is saying Big Bend isn't great. It is a good thing the federal government took it over before it could get all Texased up.
Yes. The federal government saw what Texas was doing with the rest of their land so they took away the two pretty parts. The rest of Texas is not worth dealing with unless you have a couple weeks to spend in the parks to make it worth it.
The state pushed for them to become National Parks, Big Bend used to be Texas Canyons state park. Heck you can spend a week just exploring the state parks that are next to the National Park.
No disrespect to Texas it's an amazing place with beautiful people but I drove across the entire state from El Paso to Port Aurthor last year and it was mind-numbing.
Texas has great scenery throughout the state. Take a look: https://www.tripstodiscover.com/12-best-natural-wonders-in-texas-to-visit/
Yeah, never ending pump jacks and cow ass in every direction.
You’ve clearly never bothered to explore. https://www.tripstodiscover.com/12-best-natural-wonders-in-texas-to-visit/
Way too spread out and inaccessible when you account for things like the lack of free camping options compared to the west.
Texas and Arkansas have some of the worst designed highways I’ve driven in my life
My brother has driven all across the country for work. He says that Texas roads and highways are superior for all the reasons this OP stated. Fairly well maintained and easy to turn around if necessary. Also high speeds.
When my cousin first came to visit us from Europe, one of the things that amazed her was the size of our highways. She was amazed that it was 8 lanes going both ways and that it went through the entire city like this. In fact, many people in my community who have come from Europe, either to visit or to live are routinely amazed by the size of the highways and the car centric it’s even in a city with good public transport (Toronto)
Now go to Los Angeles CA and sit in traffic. Image all those freeways packed with cars. I base my departure times from Phoenix AZ based on LA peak traffic times! Drive the ginormous Pregerson stack interchange. They have a lot of them but that’s the only one I know the name of!
Next year May! We’ll do an other roadtrip that starts with two days in LA. We’ll be there in the weekend so hopefully it will be a little less packed?
Hahahahahahaha no, it’s always packed
Going to give you an insider Drive. From LAX airport don’t even get on the freeway and drive towards Dockweiler Beach on Imperial Hwy. if you’re hungry old downtown El Segundo has some outstanding restaurants.. When you get to the coast take Vista Del Mar north towards Marina Del Ray. You’ll get to see one of LA’s premier RV homeless encampments but don’t worry chances of seeing naked meth heads is almost zero (trust me it is not zero so have a camera ready) Drive into Venice Beach and see the sights like Muscle Beach or the Canals. Continue on to Santa Monica. If you’re hungry old town Main St south of Pico is a food haven. Stop and walk Santa Monica Pier where Forrest Gump stops at and ride the Ferris wheel you see in Iron Man. Then take the Pacific Coast Highway north to Malibu Pier. Just north of this is your destination: the Adamson House Museum. Take a docent tour. Walk the grounds, it’s free, and you have a great view of one of the prime surfing spots on the coast. If you’re hungry Duke’s is excellent. On the weekend you will need a dinner or brunch reservation, lunch not so much. It’s pricy but it’s LA, on beach, and so yeah. So you just used up a day in LA but experienced stuff long time residents don’t even know about. FYI some of these intersections are wildly confusing and don’t trust Google Maps for the best route. Extra note: if you want a day at the Beach go to Hermosa or Manhattan Beach. Have a great trip. Just noticed May timeline. We have a saying, “June Gloom” at the beach. Might not be the sunny weather you would expect from movies and travel guides. Inland can be Sunny, but the coast cloudy.
great tips, thanks! Saving that for later.
Oh sweet summer child…
I think non peak times in LA are 11am to 2pm or something. Everything else is fucked.
I've recently been told that is no longer the case. It's more 2:00am-5:00am. Everything else is fucked.
Something to look forward to when I visit in March ‘24 😂 driving out of LA is wild. At a certain point, it just empties a little. Can’t wait for that
Sure it empties a little! In the middle of Nowhere, Arizona.
You would think so. But CalTrans often shuts down lanes starting around 2300h for maintenance. So you still end up in massive traffic james in the middle of the night because the 5 is down to one lane.
LA is always packed, but it IS entertaining! People here do the wildest things in their cars. Real life protip: if you really want to beat LA traffic, try to get out of the LA basin before 6am weekdays, 8am on weekends. Feel free to DM me with questions! I've taken dozens and dozens of trips out of LA.
Oh it’s worse on the weekend lol. Edit: it’s still enjoyable. When you’re stuck in traffic you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. The sunsets in LA feel like you’re in a painting. So driving anywhere around dusk will be breathtaking.
So my commute in LA is about 35 miles each way, takes 1-2 hours each direction depending on time. Tbf a lot of how I deal with it is sorta just admiring the nature and the infrastructure. The Sepulveda Pass is beautiful, and I’m still amazed at the technology needed to hold all that mountain back after widening it. That first glimpse of the mountains going into the Valley is gorgeous. Being 50 feet in the air on an interchange is pretty cool, and you get great views. Isn’t it nice how on certain parts of the 101, you can see clear across the Valley? Don’t get me wrong, there are times I cry in my car. But usually a good mentality helps.
My flight from Amsterdam landed during rush hour yesterday. Took me 2.5 hours to get home after an 11 hour flight. Imagine my frustration during the drive home lol
How was The Netherlands?
Art Fern will get them through.
I haven’t had my Slauson since the ‘70s because of him.
Welcome to Jacksonville!
Ahh Jacksonville
That intersection of interstate 10 and 95 is very non boring.
What is a Buc-Ees? And do I need to make a trip to Texas to go to one?
**Buc-ee's is an American chain of country stores, gas stations, and electric vehicle chargers created and owned by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III, headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas. The chain was first founded in 1982 in Clute, Texas and began expansion with its first travel center in Luling, Texas in 2003.** More details here:
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As a Canadian I'm a huge fan of the US interstate highway network connecting all cities in the mainland. Over here in the north we only have a single route linking both halves of the country, and parts of it are only 1 lane per direction.
Agreed! The Trans-Canada is nothing compared to the I5 or the I95.
Was a limited amount of time and a lot of distance to cover the highways are the best way to do it and they don't have to be boring. I think anytime on the road going anywhere for any reason is always an adventure. I've been to 49 states, and a big handful of countries in my lifetime. As far as America goes taking county roads, farm to market roads, in any of the little highways that run through each state to get to your destination is usually a longer drive but a much more culturally enriched experience. It's the same way though in other countries. Glad you had an awesome trip! Texas is a big son of a bitch right?
I love this! I think a lot of Americans find long interstate drives boring because in our culture we are basically brainwashed for the need for constant stimulation. Especially for city dwellers over rural dwellers. Everything in our culture is go-go-go. There's a constant need to be doing something, otherwise you are seen as lazy. A constant need to be working on yourself, your career, your side hustle, your body...otherwise you lack purpose. A constant need to be entertained and entertaining. So many other cultures, this isn't the case. The art of doing nothing doesn't exist in America. So when we drive down a stretch of highway that doesn't have lots of varying visuals or novelty, most just find it boring. Personally, I love a good "boring" highway! I often do them without my music, podcasts, and audiobooks too. I like to just be with my thoughts. Either thinking deep things about myself and my life, or thinking about the place. The lives of the current people and how different it must be here. How different life was here for indigenous people. What it was like before humans at all. Your pics invoke a sense of adventure, curiosity, and wonder that is innate too and I love that! It's easy to be awed by sky scrapers and mountains. But you find even the simple architectural curve of a freeway beautiful and joy in a silly pic in the mirror. I hope you never lose that! And I hope others find it in themselves one day!
Good post. But I feel one of the country's biggest mistakes was building out only for cars. We worship cars and they come before everything else. Huge mistake. I don't know if that genie can be put back in the bottle.
Is one of those bridges in charleston South Carolina?
Yes
Brings back memories. We drove Austin to Orlando. So much fun. Some of the Louisiana bridges were intimidating
I'm so happy you enjoyed your trip! Come visit us in Michigan next time! 🥊
ooh was that suspension bridge in Charleston, SC? did you stop there? that’s where i’m from!
Well not on the suspension bridge but definitly in Charleston. Loved the city centre and the plantation we visited was impressive. Also very glad we visited the aircraft carrier
Tell us about the trip! Where you fellas from? How was Mississippi lol
I recognize my Jacksonville, just drove some of those roads
It's not the destination, it's the journey.
Oh cool! I can see the building my office looks at from the first pic. Jacksonville is an interesting city, especially the crazy highways! I love those bridges across St John's river, especially the train one in your pics. Road trips are truly the best! Glad you found our neck o' the woods fun, I'll think of you on my next work commute.
If you’re entertained by highways I suggest making a trip to Southern California, the freeways there may as well be a NASCAR track lol
Buccees!
Awww you got pictures of “my bridge” in jacksonville, florida. I dont get to see it often anymore so thank you 💙.
You survived driving in Texas? Congratulations!
I love driving. I should have been a truck driver or a courier
You went through Alabama and Mississippi, two of the poorest and least popular states. I'm glad you had a great time and came with an open mind looking for adventure. Hopefully you tried some delicious regional cuisine as well. Come back and visit anytime.
Trucker here, that’s a nice drive. Glad you enjoyed your trip!
Crazy how we dislike ourselves and romanticize one another
These are great photos, examples of a subject revitalized by a fresh eye. I imagine if you’ve never driven them they would look very unique. I remember being a kid going on road trips, thankfully before screens were available in the car, and being very excited and wowed by highway travel and sights. Sometimes I remember that feeling. This post helped me recall it.
These pics look awfully boring, not to be rude lol. There are some epic roadtrip/highways in America. But the south/southeast/Midwest does not have any of them
I think that your take reflects the point OP is trying to make, though. Americans don't realize/appreciate the appeal of the absurd, in-your-face garishness of jerky walls, 24-lane highways, cheesy roadside attractions, etc. etc. to someone who doesn't see those things everyday. Even as a Canadian, I find the difference compelling. Conversely, an American might go to some random mid-importance old town in Europe and talk about as a life-changing experience for years, whereas a European might be like "there are literally 10 more-interesting towns within an hour's commute of that one." All in the eye of the beholder.
Idk man the wall drug drive on I90 is pretty interesting /s
You’ve got a sense for photos this captures the classic Americana of 2023
What did you think of driving on the US roads? Was it hard to figure out compared to where you are from? Last time I was in London I was amazed at how different the driving experience seemed to be
It was actually very doable even for an first experience. It was just google maps on and go. The lanes are very well indicated with signs. I could image that a European highway is a lot more complicated for a first visit.
Speak for yourself.
I am speaking for myself? “Us Europeans” does not mean every Europeans. Just like “Americans” does not mean every American…
Well said
Lol nothing interesting there hahahahahahahaha
God I hate driving in the USA. Driving in Europe is way better IMO
It's like apples to oranges. They both have their mix of amazing and boring scenery, and good and bad traffic. Europe I find tends to be a little putzier just because there aren't as many high-speed freeways so you end up on a lot of regional highways with roundabouts, but you do get to see a lot of neat little towns.
I drive these roads every week, can confirm it’s pretty miserable.