EDIT: Started a new thread
If all pans out, I'll be driving this sexy beast from Denver to North Georgia at the end of the month.
HOPEFULLY my BFF in Denver is gonna be riding with me. And I really don't like doing more than 8 hours in the car at a time.
Would love to stop in NOLA, and it's 8 hrs from home.
Any thoughts on a cool place to crash between Denver & NOLA? Amarillo?
I'll get the city/bar/casino thing outta my system in NOLA. Would rather crash in a "sleepy" town that maybe has a bar or good restaurant or two & zero crime on the way there so my E36 M3 doesn't get stolen.
PS: BUY MY V!!!
Maybe somewhere in the NE corner of NM?
There is nothing much between Nola and Denver. Basically you have the choice of Amarillo, DFW metroplex, or Shreveport. Alexandria, LA has a funky vibe with the old mansions there but at that point might as well push to NOLA or Baton Rouge.
If I had to choose, I would do Ft Worth depending on what time you leave Denver. Sounds like you have a local but if you need anything holler. I'm right downtown Denver.
Since you mentioned Amarillo . . . if you want to stay somewhere "cheap". All 3 times I've gone to the Runoffs at Road Atlanta Amarillo was the first night's stop. I was alerted by another driver on the way that the KOA closed it's office relatively early and opened relatively late in the AM. When I pulled in a bunch of west coast SCCA guys were there. When I pulled out with all the others the office had not yet opened. I can't say if it is the same now - just sayin.
Amarillo is Meh, I stayed there with a friend once driving cross country.
Is 4 corners on the way?
Edit: nope, that’s the other corner of NM.
Is Tulsa on the way? I’ve heard it’s decent. I’ve never been though.
4 Corners is all closed pretty much. It's also way out of the way. The Navajo nation pretty much closed everything they own in the area due to Covid. I was just through there a couple days ago.
Marfa, Texas has a weirdly hip vibe, so I’ve been told. If that’s on your way it could be worth a look.
Sorry, looks out of your way too.
What about Austin? Probably too far. I’ve heard Denton, Texas is kinda cool.
Ive driven in this area of the country and it’s pretty much the middle of nowhere.
Being isolated in the mountains, and just so stoked to buy this car, I kinda forgot COVID was "a thing."
Re-evaluating....
TX is the second biggest hot spot behind florida and seeing the local response in Colorado I think we will be rising with a bullet. Bars closed again here in Colorado last week. They are evaluating Dine in again.
TOLA was my sales territory for years and now I cover the 4 corners. Trust me there isn't a lot there that is close to direct. Marfa is way out of the way and unless you are a bit nutty, I didn't find it all that interesting. Austin is an option if you want to go back roads and go down 183 through TX. For smaller towns, Waco and Fredericksburg hit the description. There are great driving roads out by Kerrville with the 3 sisters if you want to play but that is way south and out of the way.
Stillwater actually is close to the best option IMHO with the description. Problem is it's not really "on the way" Eskimo Joe's is a good place for dinner and drinks and the OSU campus should start to be coming alive again.
In reply to poopshovel again :
There's a really sketchy looking rest stop south of Shreveport. In fact, it's the only one I encountered within the state(vs. as you crossed the state line). I'm betting they like hand-whammies there. You should check it out & report back if you survive.
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
It's not THAT bad during the day. Now I've never stopped there after the sun goes down so it may be a different story then. The one on I-10 as you cross the border is much sketchier IMHO.
IDK WTF I was thinking. Might get a cheap flight out. Hang with my homie for a couple days. Watch the car go on the trailer, & fly back. We'll see.
Y'all are horrible human beings, and I love you.
bmw88rider (Forum Supporter) said:
TX is the second biggest hot spot behind florida and seeing the local response in Colorado I think we will be rising with a bullet. Bars closed again here in Colorado last week. They are evaluating Dine in again.
TOLA was my sales territory for years and now I cover the 4 corners. Trust me there isn't a lot there that is close to direct. Marfa is way out of the way and unless you are a bit nutty, I didn't find it all that interesting. Austin is an option if you want to go back roads and go down 183 through TX. For smaller towns, Waco and Fredericksburg hit the description. There are great driving roads out by Kerrville with the 3 sisters if you want to play but that is way south and out of the way.
Stillwater actually is close to the best option IMHO with the description. Problem is it's not really "on the way" Eskimo Joe's is a good place for dinner and drinks and the OSU campus should start to be coming alive again.
Love Stillwater, my alma mater. I'm a bit south in OKC, if you end up this way, you'll have a free bed to sleep in and a lot of our favorite places have started to open back up.
Well if you do make the drive and end up on I-10 near Henderson, LA right before the bridge over the Bayou, stop at the Chicken On The Bayou & Boudin Shop. It's a cultural experience you'll never forget. Between there and the Crawfish USA just up the Highway, you get a true taste of bayou culture.
Never been to this place but I've heard it is good - https://www.bigtexan.com/
I live a thousand miles north-north east of Denver. There is nothing of interest between here and there. The map posted above gives me no reason to believe there is anything of interest within a thousand miles of Denver when heading any kind of East.
Unless you enjoy checking wheat fields.
From Denver I'd drive through Kit Carson on to Medicine Lodge KS. After that, if you are okay with adding a little mileage, I'd head to Frontenac KS for the best fried chicken I know of in the world at Barto's Idle Hour. Stay the night in Pittsburg, get breakfast at Harry's downtown in the morning, and then head to NOLA ASAP because nothing matters after that.
where is Cadillac ranch ?
Cadillac Ranch is just west of Amarillo.
I've driven probably 20 different routes between Tallahassee and Denver. Just did a round trip in January.
Went up from Amarillo through Raton Pass and on up I-25. Years ago it was fun. Now the population from Pueblo to Denver has grown so much that I-25 can turn into a parking lot, especially north of Fountain.
We came back the last trip on the US287 route. It was a pleasure.
pirate
HalfDork
7/6/20 1:59 p.m.
bmw88rider (Forum Supporter) said:
Well if you do make the drive and end up on I-10 near Henderson, LA right before the bridge over the Bayou, stop at the Chicken On The Bayou & Boudin Shop. It's a cultural experience you'll never forget. Between there and the Crawfish USA just up the Highway, you get a true taste of bayou culture.
Another great place to eat in the I-10 I-49 Lafayette La area is Prejeans (http://prejeans.com/) never had a bad meal there. Used to travel to Dallas a lot and would plan my trip for lunch or dinner there. You won't be disappointed or hungry after leaving.
I opened this to offer you a place to crash in Houston but before I could type it all out it occurred to me that it'a really not the right time for that and that makes me sad. 
mazdeuce - Seth said:
I opened this to offer you a place to crash in Houston but before I could type it all out it occurred to me that it'a really not the right time for that and that makes me sad.
Yeah man. Likewise. Again, IDK WTF I was thinking.
It's looking more & more like I'll just have the thing trailered. Might try to catch a cheap flight on Spirit, hang with my homie for a couple days, watch it get loaded on the trailer & fly back. I dunno.
I've done the 287 route from Denver to Ft Worth a couple times. Be careful in Oklahoma, Highway Patrol is always out in force for that little part.
I recommend Fort Worth. Depending on how you want to get to NOLA, if it's thru Dallas, then down 45 to 10 there, you could stay in Dallas, see Dealey Plaza, ect...
