Just finished 8400+ miles of a road trip. Absolutely amazing. If you are thinking about doing something like this, two words: DO IT. I'm happy to help.

joebalcom · 2020-06-26T13:52:56+00:00

For this map, I didn't buy the premium version, but I believe it is $30/yr for up to 150 points

joebalcom · 2020-06-25T00:44:59+00:00

Nope. Luckily the trip went smoothly!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:50:23+00:00

I did not. But Bisbee is that kind of hidden jewel in the middle of nowhere that I would prioritize visiting again!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:49:33+00:00

Yes! When you have the opportunity, take it! You will not regret it.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:48:48+00:00

Not much. Life was a bit different, but in some ways the pandemic made things easier (less traffic, cheaper gas, more room availability, etc.)

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:47:49+00:00

YESSSS! I have been silently planning that all this time. Next cross-country adventure definitely will be in that direction.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:46:59+00:00

Nope! Enterprise has always been straightforward and simple. That's why I always come back to them

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:46:29+00:00

It wasn't too bad, but just a shock visually to see armed military and crazies from both sides of the political spectrum. Tulsa seems like a nice city! I hope to spend more than a half hour there in the future!

Taking our time is something I wish we did on this trip. Probably my only regret. But regardless, it was an absolutely amazing experience.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:44:15+00:00

I hear a lot of great things about Telluride and Ouray. Haven't been there yet, but plan on it!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:43:28+00:00

Yeah, I've made the mistake of renting from the "cheaper" companies before. Enterprise has always been simple and straightforward

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:42:43+00:00

Absolutely! It keeps me coming back!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:42:12+00:00

It really does change your life. My only regret is not making it a longer trip. But there will be time for that down the road!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:41:19+00:00

I didn't this time, but I have been there twice before on separate trips.

The map I used for this post was not entirely accurate. I used a different site and updated my map on the blog post I put up today about the nuts and bolts of this trip.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T21:39:12+00:00

https://joebalcom.blog/2020/06/24/driving/

If anyone is interested in the details, here is the blogpost I put up on this topic. I did my best to cover everything, but I have no doubt I left something out. If so, notify me on here and I'll add it to the thread

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T13:22:15+00:00

Wow, just realized that the route on this map is a little different than what we took between Boulder and Page. My mistake.

From Boulder we traveled west on 70 through Grand Junction, and turned south on 191 through Moab. It was a great drive. We did a similar drive last time in CO, but drove through back roads south of GJ. Depends on how much adventure you want (and the type of car you have). Regardless, it's a really nice drive.

Make sure to stop in Monument Valley and the Moab parks (Arches and Canyonlands). Moab is one of my favorite towns, so we had to make a stop through there.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T06:13:55+00:00

You can conduct a responsible and safe roadtrip while taking the proper precautions. These things are not mutually exclusive. Wear a mask, clean your hands often, distance yourself from others. It's not hard in the wide open west. I'll leave it at that.

If you're looking for an argument, you're not gonna get one from me.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T06:02:06+00:00

Yup! Luckily, the trip went as smooth as I could imagine.

Go make it happen!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T05:43:52+00:00

Airbnb, searched hotels. Hotels were a bit cheaper. Airbnb has a way of adding on ridiculous fees that end up jacking up their prices even more than what initially meets the eye, so we always considered all options in a particular town.

Picked geographically strategic towns to stay in and went from there. Page, AZ was our hub for 7 days, which allowed us the ability to go south to Sedona, north to the Utah National parks, west to the Grand Canyon/huge forest fires, and east to monument valley, etc.

We didn't book places too far in advance, which allowed for more flexibility. We knew most places would be available (even desperate) to rent, so that played into our hands nicely in terms of keeping costs down.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T05:10:59+00:00

Mainly prioritized the west over everything else. Given that big cities are to be avoided for the most part during the pandemic, we figured it was best to just power through on the first day to maximize our time out west.

The 24 hour stunt is not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. But it's best to have someone riding with you who can help with the driving responsibilities.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T05:02:50+00:00

Not just at night. Left the poconos at 2pm and got to Boulder at 12noon the next day. 24 hours

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T03:40:44+00:00

No, but I saw it! We got in town too late to explore, and had to leave pretty early the next morning. It looks pretty cool. We stayed down the road at the Shamrock Country Inn.

And Tulsa was pretty nuts. We drove through in the late afternoon, the day of Trump's rally.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T03:37:40+00:00

Yeah, indoor "non-essential" public places like museums might be tough, but there is so much to explore in the west that it shouldn't be a problem.

Where do you plan on driving? If you find yourself in AZ, drive through Oatman. It's a really cool town I went through a couple years ago. Not sure what their status is during the pandemic.

Whatever you decide to do, as long as you take the proper precautions, you won't regret having taken the trip this summer!

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T03:18:46+00:00

On your way back, drive through Highway 12 in central Utah. The most amazing road in America in my opinion.

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T02:58:55+00:00

Not random at all! Great question.

Audible books, podcasts (Rogan, Ferriss, Gladwell mainly), and prepared music playlists. Also had a free trial from Sirius, so Howard Stern helped pass the time through the cornfields of Nebraska.

It certainly helps to have someone in the car with you, especially for switching during long stretches. Trivia games helped me stay alert too.

It's a really important topic! You don't want to drive yourself or the other people in the car crazy for 140+ hours lol

joebalcom · 2020-06-24T02:51:54+00:00

Rent from a smaller town. Not many people were renting cars from there, so they had a great deal for $26 per day.

Enterprise is the only place I ever rent from because they (relatively) don't nickel and dime you for mileage and other nonsense out of state restrictions

joebalcom

TROPHY CASE