Corona Cross Country - Bay Area to Maine

I did the same thing. The problem is now I find myself on the least coast. Fucking have to fix that soon. You’re not alone brah. Do not pull over and eat McDonald’s while crying. It’s a bad look.

True. Enjoy those smooth braskan roads though.

 

Me and my friends used to do MN to vegas in a straight drive then off to california (yearly car show), we always left MN at around 7pm so we hit nebraska at night. By the time morning came we were at the foothills and got to drive the mountians in the day time. We usually hit vegas around 10pm the next day.

 

I will be doing something similar, but in reverse. Going from MA to Southern CA in early June to start my job.

If possible and safe (personal decision), I would recommend planning a route through ID, WY, MT, SD, and ND. Though many will tell you these states are boring and flat, they are incredibly beautiful. You have picked a great time to be driving in the Rocky Mountain West since there will be plenty of snow high up but usually good weather at lower elevations. Some spots/things I would recommend:

• Driving US 191 north from Rock Springs, WY to Bozeman, WY
  • If the section from Moran, WY to West Yellowstone, MT is closed, go over Teton Pass through ID
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
• Devil's Tower
• Mt Rushmore
• Crazy Horse
• Sitting Bull Burial Site Memorial
  • Not because the Ft Yates Cemetery is anything amazing, but because to get to Ft Yates from RT 90 in SD is an amazing drive through both the Cheyenne River Reservation and Standing Rock Reservation

Podcasts are great once the music gets boring. Some recommendations are Past Gas, Crime Junkie, Freakonmics, Lore, the Moth,

In terms of sleeping, people already mentioned USFS and BLM land. Another place I like to sleep is actually just on the side of smaller roads. Many US, State, and County highways have sections with large shoulders where you can pitch a tent or sleep in the back of the truck. I have done it a handful of times with no issues.

Gallatin County, MT:


La Sal Mountains, UT:


Summit County, CO:


If you are interesting in some pictures from my drive from WA-MA, follow this link: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/rishabas/trip-reports/2019/west-to-east

As always, PM if you want more details

 

An empty gatoraid bottle makes excellent piss bottle. Just make sure there are no burrs on the inside of the neck and you're good to go.

 

Wow. Thank you all so much for the fantastic trip and life advice. I'm sure your contributions here will help others down the line too. Stress has mostly turned to excitement and I couldn't be more grateful. Going to further digest all of this and will post updates as I further nail down plans, and during the trip too.

 

Safe travels!

 

Where in Maine are you heading?

 

Agree. Been in Cali all my life. So ready to head out now...

 

If you end up as far south as western North Carolina you could pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Great Smoky Mountains which feeds in to Skyline Drive which will dump you out 50 miles west of DC.

 

I did the reverse drive Boston - Bay Area last summer.

One of the lesser know campgrounds I loved was Maple Grove in Scipio, UT 84656, I also really enjoyed Caprock Canyon State Park in Texas. Both are low frill composting toilets etc. Water available but don't expect a meal or the amenities of a KOA or some of the big National Parks, but neither were crowded and both had incredible scenery.

 

Epic post!

 

I have always said that everyone should just, at one point in their life, say "Screw it" and walk away from the rat race.

That's how I did it. 12-15 hours on my feet walking freight docks 7 days a week. No lunch, no breaks and don't get caught in the bathroom.
Saw a sunrise outside a dock door after a night of running 100+ doors of freight......loosened up my tie.....it felt good....took it off and threw it on the ground.....it felt better.....went over to the standing desk (sitting down and chairs were not allowed), typed, "I Quit" and walked. Never looked back. Drove home and found the ex wife and her mother sitting having coffee. Told them the free ride was over. They were all going to have to get jobs. I had three jobs to support her, her Mom and her sister's family. Two days a week, every week, I worked 20 hours straight. Those sucked.
I remember, I had 43 minutes of free time a day in which I would slowly build custom wood expedition kayaks, but could never use them.. I worked 7 days a week with a total of 11 days off a year including weekends and holidays. I did this for 14 years.

When the hammer fell and they went for the money grab because they knew I meant it when I said the well had dried up, I got my stuff in order and took time for myself. And it was gooooood!
That next year, I made just $6800 and saved $2000. I didn't even care. It was the most fun year ever of playing in the woods and discovering my new home.

I highly recommend it. That was 17 years ago. It's been great since.
But had I not taken that step, I would own my own company that is thriving today.

Roll that dice once....if only once. But you just have to do it.

 

As of this afternoon, we are in tentative plans to travel from Maine to the West coast and back. we are thinking 2 to 3 weeks, pulling a pop up camper. Lots of great info in this thread and worth following along as I put a plan together.

 

Don’t plan routes, plan destinations.

Put in some reading and research and decide on the things you want to see, then drive from where you are to the next point. Shortest route isn’t always the best.

I would say that you should look in to what is open and not right now. Maybe a week long drive out to Maine and an extra long return trip when everything is open would be more feasible. Best of luck, and be sure to share your adventure with us.

someone said it but I’ll give my usual goodbye before a big trip

Godspeed

 

Agreed. Wander around, find places that sound interesting and let the GPS do the heavy lifting.

 

The same woods I grew up in, near Athens.

 

Awesome! I can’t help much with the route, but you have a great spot to return to.

 

Since you are planning on I90, the longish run down the Mohawk River Valley in NY through Rochester, Syracuse, and on to Albany can be a little flat and boring. Hop off I90 at Albany, take 87 North and hop on Route 2 east. You'll cross the Hudson River into the small city of Troy, then out into into woods and over two small mountain ranges that are excellent... with twisty roads, steepish terrain, and great views... it will run you right into 495... and the. on up to Portland.

 

As a retired 50 year old I have had a lot of thinking time on my hands the last 8 years. I retired at 42 years old and drank when bored for the first 5 years. After a party and feeling hungover I decided “Okay I’m done with drinking” so that is when the battle for my mind, ego, self and sanity started. For the first time I had no escape and had to process emotions that I didn’t even know were there.
So with that brief summary I can tell you if you take a long drive but you let your mind fall into the same thought patterns as they always have then when you arrive 3000 miles away you will realize you have actually gone no where. So I have 2 real life suggestion. On a cross country journey get thought provoking audio books. I suggest the Something by Eckart Tolle Like “ A Journey Into Your Self” or the first one “The Power of Now“.
Suggestion number two is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!
Get the app RVparky it will show you all the Walmart and Cracker Barrels etc that are sleep friendly and with reviews. I have relied on it many times and it’s never let me down from NY to Texas or NY to the very top of Maine. Good Luck

 

I'm going to be doing something similar in mid-June.... moving from Austin to San Jose for a new job also.
But gonna be doing it in my WRX with my cat (then coming back to move the furniture with a uhaul). Factory shutdown delayed my Tacoma order too long, so I'll have to find one after I move.