"Berang" (berang)
09/01/2017 at 10:35 • Filed to: None
1
12|
"Berang" (berang)
09/01/2017 at 10:35 • Filed to: None | 1
| 12 |
I’m going to go on a tour of the southwestern states this year for my birthday. Visiting old friends, seeing sites, getting away from Texas for a bit. I want suggestions for things to see, places to go.
Not necessarily car related stuff, for example I’ve got the Capulin Volcano in NM on my list of things I want to take in, so just about anything interesting out there, I’d like to hear about. I’ll be travelling in October. I will be in the SAAB, so if anybody has tools/can offer help in case of a breakdown and lives in New Mexico, Arizona, or California, that might be good information to have as well.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 10:51 |
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I’m partial to state and national parks. Off the top of my head:
Grand Canyon
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest
Sequoia National Forest
Redwood National Forest
I’m sure the local guys can come up with more obscure places to go, but all of these were amazing and are readily accessible.
benjrblant
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 11:14 |
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Depends on your route, but you might consider Marfa, Big Bend, White Sands NM, Saguaro NP, Four Courners, Monument Valley, Phoenix is pretty fun, Joshua Tree NP. I’ve heard the Coronado Trail/Hwy 191 is supposed to be some excellent driving from Alpine, AZ to Morenci, AZ.
FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 11:24 |
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The VLA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_G._Jansky_Very_Large_Array
Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 11:42 |
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If you enjoy driving fun roads, try the roads up/down Palomar Mountain in San Diego County. When doing this, stop in Julian or Santa Ysabel for apple pie.
Joshua Tree National Park is really interesting, then in the Palm Springs area you can catch the Aerial Tram up Mt. San Jacinto. Highway 74 over the mountains (Pines to Palms Highway) is fun, as is 243 & 371 out there.
If you want to go somewhere people that aren’t from around there rarely go, check out catching a boat to Santa Catalina Island (locals simply call it “Catalina”).
Take Highway 1 up the coast of CA from north of San Luis Obispo (locals call it “Ess El Oh” (SLO) all the way to San Francisco (if you want to go there). 17-mile-drive is scenic.
Zion NP is always crazy, but pretty cool, if you find yourself close to the UT border.
If you end up in/near Tucson, eat some tamales (the fresh corn is what dreams are made of) and/or carne seca at El Charro Cafe. Tuscon is also famous for bacon-wrapped hot dogs.
Phoenix has no redeeming qualities, I’d avoid it where possible. Las Vegas is pretty terrible as well. Flagstaff is cool, so is Kingman.
ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 11:42 |
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Capulin Volcano is a good call. Benjrblant has a good list. I’d add Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. One could take the I-10 Deming route to Silver City and up to the Cliff Dwellings, loop back through Lake Roberts and then take 152 over Emory Pass (which is a supremely good driving road with absolutely no traffic on it) to hook up with 1-25 and continue to Northern NM. The Gila National Forest, and particularly the Gila Wilderness area has some great hiking, backpacking and hot springs, if you’re into that kind of thing. There is also Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument here in Las Cruces with some great hiking, but it is much more desert than alpine. Albuquerque is neat, as is Santa Fe. There is a ton of stuff to do in both places, and there are countless great driving roads in the mountains of NM. The high road to Toas is probably the quintessential Northern NM experience.
I live on the Far West side of El Paso and work in Las Cruces. If you come through this way, I can offer beer, meals and assistance in the event of mechanical need in the Borderland area. If problems arose in Abq, I could point you in good directions for help up there.
DipodomysDeserti
> Berang
09/01/2017 at 12:08 |
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Hit up the Vermillion Cliffs area and cruise down the 89A. Probably my favorite spot in Arizona. Hang out in Flagstaff and and Sedona. Beautiful drives in the nlrthern portion of the state. Beautiful drives in the southern portion as well if you want to hit up Bisbee.
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DipodomysDeserti
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/01/2017 at 12:10 |
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If you are in Tucson you have to get tamales from “the tamale lady” who sells them at random spots throughout the city.
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Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> DipodomysDeserti
09/01/2017 at 13:11 |
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This sounds interesting, but sounds more cruel than sending someone to find a Kogi truck in Los Angeles (which is at least somewhat predictable and you can follow them on Twitter and their site).
Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious
> Berang
09/02/2017 at 12:10 |
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The Trinity Test Site is only open for like two or three days a year, and in my opinion, is worth a visit for the historical value alone. (It’s one of those sites where humanity did something that drastically changed the world forever and shaped the world we live in now.)
Not far from it is the bar/restaurant where the green chile cheeseburger is purported to have been invented, and in my opinion, is worth a visit for the historical value alone. (It’s one of those sites where humanity did something that drastically changed the hamburger forever and shaped the creativity people have with hamburgers now.)
Dusty Ventures
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/17/2017 at 11:49 |
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I think you’ve been doing Vegas wrong
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Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> Dusty Ventures
09/17/2017 at 20:27 |
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Vegas has no redeeming value. I’m not doing it wrong, I’m being realistic about it. It’s always too hot or too cold, with a foul wind that carries discarded leaflets for strip shows. It’s just a disgusting place with nothing interesting.
On the other hand, Mount Charleston is nice. Everything nice there is somewhere outside the city.
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Dusty Ventures
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/17/2017 at 20:39 |
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Like I said, doing it wrong
I also like the arcades, roller coasters, and Cirque, but that’s just me.