(no subject)

[oakenguy]

Stephen King has a disturbing habit of setting massacres in places where, in real life, my family shops.

That's a sidenote, though. The true purpose of this post is to say that there comes a time in a young man's life when the open road calls to him. And, without too much thought or planning, he has to listen to it.

The long and short of it is, in a couple weeks I'll be driving to Memphis to take a look at the Mississippi River. I haven't ever seen it, and I think I'm overdue. Plus I hear they have good bbq, and...um...some sort of gaudy palace/mausoleum where priestesses in beehive hairdos take the curious around to look at relics covered in rhinestones? Might be worth a look-see.

My roundtrip route'll take me through upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and most of Tennessee, it's worth noting. So if any of you have suggestions of things I can do along the way, I'd love to hear them.

Comments

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

If you're taking I-81 southwardly, I have a B&B to recommend in Cumberland, Maryland (which takes you ~9-10 hours to get to, due to the construction around Harriburg).

Oh, and, if you're on I-81, for Snape's sake, GET GAS IN WILKES-BARRE. Don't think, "I'll just go on, I'm sure there's gas stations further on, and I have over a quarter of a tank." There's nothing. Nothing.

The Mississippi is big and brown. Let me know how impressive it is in Memphis -- I wasn't impressed in St. Louis, but New Orleans... *mwah*

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

It's pretty impressive (and brown) in Memphis.

Bri, I'll try and look at my maps later and suggest some stuff.

[malterre.livejournal.com]

Oh, and, if you're on I-81, for Snape's sake, GET GAS IN WILKES-BARRE. Don't think, "I'll just go on, I'm sure there's gas stations further on, and I have over a quarter of a tank." There's nothing. Nothing. Let me second that. And there is a LOT of nothing in PA. Need to sleep with no distractions?-Pick a place there-just beyond wilkes-barre. (I stop in Huntingdon for that purpose)

Nashville is not as big as it should be. If you want a mind-jarring juxtposition of TOURIST and "beautiful garden" go to the Opryland Hotel (http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland/tour/tour_garden.cfm) and take a turn through their botanical gardens :) More as I think of it

[futileissue.livejournal.com]

I second that. I-81 can be death if you don't have gas for certain stretches.

[godswraith.livejournal.com]

Jealous!

Harry Houdini museum in upsate New York, Hershey and Gettysburg, oh and for pure spectacle, go to the Millenium Music Theater in Lancaster, where they produce NOAH in a 3,000 seat theater, 300 foot stage, 40 foot high sets and several hundred live and animatronic animals...

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Lancaster?

Lancaster PA?

This is in Lancaster, PA?

Blink blink.

(My mother's from there, see. It... doesn't fit my imagee of the place.)

[aquagirl.livejournal.com]

Gettysburg might be fun, as it's supposed to be all kinds of haunted by civil war casualties. Some might even be missing limbs, what fun*!





*= the sick thing is, even though this sounds sarcastic, it's not meant to be. ghosts are fun, and ghosts on period dress sound right up your alley, oaken.

[keelie.livejournal.com]

Don't go to Gettysburg! It's out in the middle of nowhere, it's like an hour from the highway and it's got nothing.

Nothing

Just lots of old monuments. I'm a history buff. And I hated it. Four hours of my life I want back :(

[godswraith.livejournal.com]

Wow, I don't know you at all, but I love you. Add me to your friends list!

[aquagirl.livejournal.com]

Aww, shucks!

[wanderingrogue.livejournal.com]

Well, apart from the Mississippi River, I've never been any of those places. The furthest I've been outside of NYC was Huntington, Long Island.

But definitely get all the BBQ you can while down south. The south is the only place to get really good BBQ. You just can't get it up north (I know, I've looked.)

[haycee.livejournal.com]

Have a good trip! I've always wanted to go a roadtrip, LOL, like the ones they have in those movies like Crossroads...yeah LOL, well not exactly like that, but I want to go on a roadtrip. I guess that's my point. Sorry for rambling. Have fun and take care!

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

LOL! Now I picture myself and two hitchhikers hitting a karaoke bar.

[nmsunbear.livejournal.com]

Oooh, Memphis! I went there once for a conference and loved it. The Rendezvous is probably the most famous BBQ joint there is -- and it happens to be good, too. The National Civil Rights Museum is there, in (I believe) the building where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. I wanted to go there, but everyone else I was at the conference with voted for Graceland. Sigh. So I've been to Graceland.

If you happen to be near Owensboro, Kentucky (which I doubt you are), check out the Moonlite BBQ Inn.

Well, despite my mom living in Tennessee for five years, that's all I got. I do second the Opryland suggestion.

[snowwand.livejournal.com]

Tenneesee: http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/
Kentucky: Mammoth Cave National Park (Sooo cool sounding!)
Pennsylvania: http://www.state.pa.us/papower/taxonomy/taxonomy.asp?DLN=30546 (They apparently just had a bunch of very powerful storms in Southeast Pennsylvania a few days ago so you might want to check and make sure that its ok)
The Constitution Musuem! The Liberty Bell!
New York: Statue of Liberty is re-opened
Ellis Island
Tour the UN with a costumed guide!

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Costumed guide?!? Someone in a costume who interacts with you?!?!?!? You know how I feel about that!

[snowwand.livejournal.com]

lol

The guides often dress in their native costume! How cool would that be?

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

If I get there and they're all dressed like residents of Jersey, you're in such trouble! ;)

[snowwand.livejournal.com]

oh that gives me an idea!
Mwahahahaha!!

[helianthas.livejournal.com]

ROTFLMAO!

*sings bruce springsteen while spraying her hair*

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

hey now! What's wrong with residents of Jersey?? I'm originally from Jersey!! :-D
I second the Mammoth Caves suggestion, and the Opryland Hotel is v. nifty - I stayed there once - they have a rotating bar in the middle restaurant part. Also you HAVE to go to Hershey park. I mean, a park all about chocolate!? Who wouldn't go there?
As I recall, from my MANY drives through Pennsylvania, there is a place called Zinn's Family Diner or some such (I forget where), that has decent food. But the real reason to go is b/c the placemats used to have maps of that area of PA, and that area happened to be the part where all the towns had names like "Bird-In-Hand," "Blue Ball," and "Intercourse." Really. So it was a lovely "Family Diner" placemat covered in sex innuendoes...I know *I* stole one!

[anadandy.livejournal.com]

Bring CDs. Pennsylvania is a giant wasteland for radio reception.

Other than that, upstate NY has some really pretty gorges and waterfall type places. Filmore Glen State Park is nice if you have time.

[helianthas.livejournal.com]

DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tell me where in the massive "Upstate NY" you're going to be, maybe we can play. I'll take you to gorges, waterfalls, county fairs...!

Seriously, let me know where you're gonna be & when. :)

[ice-cream-eyes.livejournal.com]

Wow- Dave I loved Gettysburg as well as other civil war battlefields in Virginia and thereabouts. Of course, there's tons of great revolution stuff in Philidelphia. And I thought Amish country was fascinating, though strange. At least stop to eat- they have delicious potato chips, cold cuts, pie . . .it's all really good!

Ah, the joys of home

[bad-gustav.livejournal.com]

Being a Lancastian (but NOT Amish), I can recommend some favorite foods:

Start with a bowl of Chicken Corn Soup. (amazing with a Fluffernutter!)
Move on to Chicken Pot Pie. Trust me, you have NO idea what this will look like. Those frozen pie thingies? not at all the case. Think more on the middle of the name.
End on Shoe-Fly pie

And never, EVER eat Scrapple if offered! Trust me on this!

Re: Ah, the joys of home

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Naw. Eat the scrapple. It's good. Just never, ever, ever (and I mean ever) ask what's in it.

[lediva.livejournal.com]

Where in upstate NY? If you're anywhere near Buffalo, try to stop at Mighty Taco (http://mightytaco.com/) (Super Mighty Burrito!) or the Anchor Bar (http://anchorbar.com) (Buffalo wings from the source!).

[(Anonymous)]

Don't do that, Mighty Taco is swill!

If you're taking I-80 across PA, I can't help but recommend a stop at Denny's Beer Barrel Pub (http://www.dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/6lbburger.htm) in Clearfield, home of the world's largest hamburger. (They're damn poor spellers, but I've never had anything to eat there that was worse than good.)

[lixie.livejournal.com]

Jealous jealous jealous jealous jealous jealous jealous jealous. I've had this dream of driving down the Grand River Byway from Minnesota down to New Orleans and I know it's not the same but Memphis, man, jealous jealous jealous.

RoadTripUSA has a neato site about the Grand River Road and I-50, which might factor into your plans. And of course, there's Dollywood.

Have I mentioned I'm jealous?

STOP IN PITTSBURGH DAMMIT

[ladyciaran.livejournal.com]

OK, now that I have your attention....*grin*. STOP IN PITTSBURGH! I even have a guest room. And as far as suggestions go, I may be able to arrange an aerial tour of the city piloted by yours truly, with enough notice!!

Re: STOP IN PITTSBURGH DAMMIT

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

*grins*

How can I resist?

Would Thursday work for you?

[spookyhandle.livejournal.com]

um, if by "upstate New York" and "Pennsylvania" you actually meant "northern New Jersey," then you should come see me. And possibly come to RHPS with me. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'm a little short on suggestions.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

You know, oddly enough I *might* be passing through northern New Jersey on Friday evening! Will you be performing then?

[spookyhandle.livejournal.com]

hrm, unfortunately HoH only performs on Saturdays. But what's the date that you'll be down here. Maybe we can do something else?

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

I'd like that! My route's still a bit sketchy, but I'll prolly be heading through on the 19th

[pour-moi.livejournal.com]

I miss road trips.
Sounds like your gonna have a blast on this one... Take lots of poictures!!
there's nothing like the open road.
Too bad your not going my way!
Well actually you are, but I'm further west. < f.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k > On my last trip we drove straight from CT to St. Louis non stop. If we had time we would have been tourist, but alias we couldn't.