Cross country route

[Shaun @ Tru6]

if you haven't been to Mount Rushmore, it's worth the trip north IMO.

[MMiller]

Agree, go see Mount Rushmore!

[Scott Douglas]

By all means, if you can work it into your trip, go see it.

[GH85Carrera]

If the Targa has the parts, fix the AC before the trip!

The southern route can take you through Flagstaff, and that area. Super nice tourist places like the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified forest. I-40 is right along Rt66, and many cool attractions along that route.

I have driven I-40 west to where it ends in Barstow California, or starts depending on which way you are going. I have wonderful AC in my 85 Carrera, so I satay cool.

I-40 is pretty boring past Arizona going east.

You can always get further north to Utah, and there are a TON of wonderful national parks there. Monument valley, Zion, and Arches, and many more.

[matthewb0051]

Don't be afraid to get off Interstates in the West. Lots of state highways that are 4 lanes and just as big as the interstates. Much less traffic and far more scenic.

Not sure I'd recommend state highways in the east/north though.

The dog: done it a few times. Our Bagel the Beagle was not a good traveler. The vet prescribed Trazadone and she was fine, just in haze poor thing.

Oh yeah... I would highly recommend against anything on I-95. I lived in Northern VA for 6 years and 95 is horrible there and points north and south. Heavy volume and usually construction.

[Tobra]

Shaun has the best route. Do not take the dog

Wait, you are moving from LA to Boston?

[speeder]

Shaun has a great route if you're starting in Portland, which he is not. He'd have to drive 1000 miles north to start there.

I'm guessing that there is some compelling professional reason for this move.

[Tobra]

I guess I must have misunderstood what he meant by, "We have time."

I took it to mean time was not a significant concern.

[speeder]

Good point but having time does not always translate into wanting to add a lot of miles. FWIW, I've often thought that I would take some detours on a trip but once I get out on the road, I end up wanting to cover ground. It's a big country we have here.

[Scott Douglas]

I'm much the same way. Back in summer of '15 I drove back to KC Mo for a friends wedding. On the way there I didn't really want to take the time to sight see. On the way home it was another story but it was the middle of July and freakin' HOT so going to see Moab again was out of the question. No way was I going to traipsing around in the desert when it's 105* outside.

[Tobra]

If you are taking two cars, get good walkie talkies. I would ship the Subie, fix the A/C in the 911(Glen has a happy story to tell) and drive it, if it were up to me. Take appropriate spares, set up a Pelican network along the way ahead of time, in case of emergency.

Either way, I would include a number of spots along the way.

I would go see Zion and Bryce, then go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is a very specific cabin that I would want, but you are not going in 3 years, so settle for any cabin or hotel room on North Rim. MUCH less traffic on the North side. I would drive up through eastern Utah, Arches and some very scenic roads. Continue through Wyoming, Yellowstone, on to Glacier, because, Going to the Sun Road. I would probably want to stay in Many Glacier or Lake McDonald Lodge there. I would go see Whitefish Lake too, but you don't know that guy, so maybe not for you. I would go through Billings, Sheridan and Gillette on my way to Mount Rushmore, but you don't know any of those guys either. From Mount Rushmore, I would continue South to Scottsbluff National Monument, but you don't know anyone there either. I-80 East, probably would want to take a tour of Fallingwater in PA. Niagra Falls and upstate NY, on to Beantown.

It would take a couple weeks

[Tobra]

If you are taking two cars, get good walkie talkies. I would ship the Subie, fix the A/C in the 911(Glen has a happy story to tell) and drive it, if it were up to me. Take appropriate spares, set up a Pelican network along the way ahead of time, in case of emergency.

Either way, I would include a number of spots along the way.

I would go see Zion and Bryce, then go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is a very specific cabin that I would want, but you are not going in 3 years, so settle for any cabin or hotel room on North Rim. MUCH less traffic on the North side. I would drive up through eastern Utah, Arches and some very scenic roads. Continue through Wyoming, Yellowstone, on to Glacier, because, Going to the Sun Road. I would probably want to stay in Many Glacier or Lake McDonald Lodge there. I would go see Whitefish Lake too, but you don't know that guy, so maybe not for you. I would go through Billings, Sheridan and Gillette on my way to Mount Rushmore, but you don't know any of those guys either. From Mount Rushmore, I would continue South to Scottsbluff National Monument, but you don't know anyone there either. I-80 East, probably would want to take a tour of Fallingwater in PA. Niagra Falls and upstate NY, on to Beantown.

It would take a couple weeks.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

What did you decide on?

[Dan J]

The AC on the Targa ,if in good nick, Should be fine for any of these routes
It's not a g body for cripes sake
To put it in good shape is cheap money

[Noah930]

It's an on-again, off-again plan. But as of now, we're thinking of taking our Subie Outback, with working AC and everything. Not as romantic as a pair of air-cooled 911s bombing across vast expanses, but more comfortable, for sure. It'll be three of us (two bigger kids are flying, so just myself, Mrs. Noah, and the littlest Noah). Still undecided about the dog. We'll ship the Targa. I'll fix the AC nonetheless. Just missing the belt (and a recharge) as far as I know. Mrs. Noah has a relocation service helping with the tab. And then we'll come back for the Turbo another time; it has a temporary home for the time being.

Appreciate all the advice. Exactly what I was hoping for with this post. I don't know if we'll go northerly enough to hit Mt Rushmore. Maybe when we bring over the Turbo?

[Noah930]

Which is worse: driving across Kansas? Or driving across Nebraska?

A) Kansas has nothing to see, but it's on the way to Missouri (where Mrs. Noah's brother lives).

B) Nebraska has nothing to see, but it's on the way to Iowa, which I'm told (by a co-worker who married a native Iowan and visits annually) also has nothing to see.


So our tentative plan:
1) LA to Las Vegas. 2) Then spend a couple days at Zion/Bryce/Arches (pick one) on the way through Utah to Green River. 3) To Denver. 4) Then through Kansas (where to stop for the night, Hays?), on our way to 5) Columbia, MO (Mrs. Noah's brother). 6) Then to Indianapolis (can't miss the IMS museum). 7) Then to Canton, OH (Football HoF?). 8) To Buffalo/Niagara. 9) Then to Albany?. 10) And the last hop to Cape Cod, MA. Right there is a 10-12 day trip. (Buffalo/Niagara to Cape Cod is just a wee bit far with a kid & dog in tow.)

Any other suggestions?

I don't think we'll have time to hit Mt. Rushmore, unfortunately. Just too far of a detour from our planned route.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

If you will be in Iowa August 7-17, you should go to the Iowa State Fair. If not then, see when other midwest state fairs are taking place.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Noah930

) Then through Kansas (where to stop for the night, Hays?), on our way to...

Over twenty years ago we did a cross country trip with our kids, who were under ten years old at the time.

We stayed with a friend in Colorado Springs then headed east. We left after lunch and stopped in Hays for the night...like leaving from Denver, it is around a five hour drive.

We stayed at a hotel with a huge indoor pool that all the rooms surrounded. Sounds like a mess but the kids had a ball.

The kids still talk about it.