Yeah, I know...this OCD/Chaos Aversion stuff is hard to overcome.

I may start a thread this winter to get some ideas: how to live out of a freakin VetteVert for 3+ weeks, without killing each other. How to live
on less than $2 Bens a day on the road. What posters here will let us
roll by for a "mini-meet" and cheap dindin, etc.

But, guys like blktoptrvl and X5Flyboy do some serious road work all the time, so I would really like to read some of their tricks, tips and methods, here on the Board, or in PMs.

And, why aren't you woikin' today?!
BR, mD

Well MD, I guess I gotta go with that ^^^ with a LITTLE planning thrown in. I take at least two long trips a year. And the planning usually consists of:

1. Find a likely travel companion if I don't already have one.
2. Decide in general where I want to go. For this trip I KNEW I wanted to see Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone.
3. Find the date my companion(s) can go. If I am alone, I don't bother with this step.
4. Make reservations for the ultimate destination if I think there is any chance there will be a crowd.
5. Do a little maintenance on the target vehicle in prep.
6. Call the bank and threaten to cancel my accounts if they cut off my debit cards while I am traveling (banks seem to think I need their "permission" to travel).
7. Get 5C out of the bank in case they do cut off my cards.
8. Gas up the car and go. Other than those for the destination location, I never make reservations all along the way at hotels. I just figure I will find one when I need it. (With that said, I DO make sure to travel with a hotel guide for my favorite chain so that I can call and make reservations at least 4 hours before I plan to stop. I do it this way because I really never know for sure where I will be when it is time to get some shut-eye. I also make sure to dive off the road as soon as I see clouds and rain because the hotels do fill up fast when it starts to rain.)
9. Enjoy the trip - wandering wherever I want to go. The long miles between cities is great to me because if I do not have to be anywhere at any particular time I am more likely on a back-road rather than an interestate and I always find those roads interesting and beautiful. Even stopping in and slowing down for the hundreds of small towns is great because they are just a slice of Americana. [BTW- this is how I found the giant Superman statue and the Superman museum in Metropolis, IL])

I never try to plan too much. In fact, after most trips, I really don't have any idea how much I spent on the trip - knowing that would put a damper on it; especially if I concider the stops in Casinos - where BTW I usually get a night for "free."

Take off, explore, take a camera and at least 10 gigs of memory stick, and enjoy.

I remember one year coming home from a spur of the moment trip to Montreal; no shoes or socks, a pair of loose shorts and a wife beater on; nothing else; driving 1000 miles home - 200 through light to heavy rain with the top of my convertible down all the way. I could see people pointing and laughing because I guess they thought the roof was stuck or something. I was warm, safe, and dry inside and loving the air. [The Mazda RX7 is the all around best convertible I have ever been in.]

This is a little score card I like to keep.

Attached Images

 

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2006 X5 Sport 4.4i

I'll add this little tidbit...

When packing, I find all my old clothes that are near retirement and take those with me. Along the trip as I finish wearing them, I toss them.

This way I do not have to worry too much about repacking or bringing bedbugs home with me. This also provides me with more room for souvenirs.

Those clothes I do not toss include several pairs of short pants, one pair of long pants, and 3-4 of my Phillies jerseys. They are grrreat travel clothes. They are never too hot or too cold and they can be tossed into a bag without concern for wrinkles - if you get any, they steam out in the bathroom easy.

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2006 X5 Sport 4.4i

Biggest headache is trying to avoid the weather. They measured the largest hailstone ever this summer, at 8"dia! They calculated the updrafts in that thundercell had to be at least 190mph to build it up to that size. Don't know about you, but I don't plan to re-paint my X5 as a golf ball.

Remember to start looking for a gas station at 1/4 tank. The reserve may not get you there. I ALWAYS have the car checked out before heading cross country. Bring an extra SD card for the camera. I know I've GOT to start adding some Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives stops into my trips.

Still on my bucket list is digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

Try making it from Idaho Falls to Nashville with only $270 & change. Forgot my wallet, but never leave all my cash in the wallet, so I did have $270. Had one of those Mobil/Exxon keyring things back then (before switching to top tier) That worked 'til Cheyenne..., next one St. Louis! But that was rush hour and I was towing a trailer. Illinois? Not in southern Illinois. Using change now. Pulled into Nashville with only a $10 bill. THAT I blew on breakfast. Yeah, the car got fed, I didn't; and SC & my wallet (FedEx'd to my sister's) was in the tank.

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Mark _______________________________
2001 X5 4.4i topaz blue/sand Sport, complete Dinan S2 , hitch, V1, tint, BSW Stage 1, Alpine INA-W910BT
___________
Life is not fair!
You can't protect people from their own stupidity!
Laughter makes life worth living

While I was in Buffalo Bill State Park it started hailing. I was lucky it was only small stuff about the size of a nickel. It is a shame there are very few if any motels that have cover.

I decided that I would not go below 1/2 while in the big open states like South Dakota and Montana.

Thanks for the tip! I can use a few diamonds.

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2006 X5 Sport 4.4i

Just caught your map. Have to say, I've only missed Hawaii & North Dakota (they still have triple digit license plates?) - And I've slept in virtually all of them. Tried to think of one I had not..., maybe VT or NH, slept in one of them though. I do get around, but I've been doing that for almost 61yrs now.

Yeah, that Crater of Diamonds State Park has fascinated me ever since I read about it in the Rand-McNally years ago.

__________________
Mark _______________________________
2001 X5 4.4i topaz blue/sand Sport, complete Dinan S2 , hitch, V1, tint, BSW Stage 1, Alpine INA-W910BT
___________
Life is not fair!
You can't protect people from their own stupidity!
Laughter makes life worth living

Since you are in SC, I wonder if you are framilier with this guy... He is not too far away in Charlotte and he rebuilds early 70's GMCs

Bethune Sales, GMC Motorhomes restored, for sale and buying.

After I buy a little land, I plan to buy one of these MotorHomes... I like the size, weight (although I plan to reduce it by about 15%), style, and especially the cost of these.

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2006 X5 Sport 4.4i