BS: Driving in the USA

Subject: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Stu
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 10:14 AM

Well, there's a possibility that we might be able to get away to the US sometime this year and we are thinking about hiring a car. However, with a limited budget and no idea of the speed of travel and cost of motels etc I was hoping to pick the brains of stateside catters.

I've been told a 926 mile drive can be done in 14 hours. As this is further than I could travel in a straight line in the UK, how possible is this? I was thinking more like three or four days.

Are roadside motels expensive?

Is the speed limit still 55mph?

How does the train compare?

I know these are simple, but last time we came we never left Manhattan Island.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 10:30 AM

1. Yes, at 70 mph that would take 13.25 hours -- but it would be a great idea to stop to empty the ol' bladder, eat, and so on.

2. We have a good system of autobahns, which we call "Interstates". Assuming, of course, that they aren't being repaired, which they always are.

3. I'd break a 900+ mile drive up into two days, assuming that there was nothing else you wanted to see along the way.

4. Motel prices vary, from about US $35.99 per night up to whatever you want to pay. Figure US $60 for two and that should get you a "Continental Breakfast" in the morning.

5. Speed limits vary; out here in the West it's generally 75 mph downward, depending upon the road. You can usually figure the cops will let you get by with an additional 5 mph.

6. Limited, but doable. They don't go everywhere you want to go, however.

7. Remember, DRIVE ON THE RIGHT!!

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:01 AM

Yeah, and lots of people here hang out in the left lane for no good reason and get in the way of people legitimately passing others... and yes, on interstates the speed limit is pretty nationally 65 except around large cities; but if you can, don't do it all on the interstates, it is worth taking a longer time and seeing a lot more.

If you're going to go a thousand miles, I'd take 3 days to a week to do it right. You could do it straight through, sharing driving, and be a lot less entertained.

Whither and whence are you planning to go?

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Stu
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:10 AM

Off to the wilds of North Dakota, not sure when but probably in July-Augustish. I know it's hot then, but it's also the field season for digging dinosaurs which we hope to volunteer for.


Thanks for the advice so far. Everything in the states is soooooo big compared to our crowded little Island.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Janie
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:17 AM

Rapaire may have a better handle on rates in the West and Mid-west, but here in the southeast and mid-Atlantic region, motel rates for places that are "safe" are probably going to be more like $80-$90 per night. There are lower cost chains, but without local knowledge of a particular motel in one of those chains, it is impossible to know if they are safe, clean, travel stops, or places often used for meth labs and drug deals, where muggings and robberies are fairly frequent. (That may not hold true for more sparsely populated areas in the mid-West.)

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Amos
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:20 AM

While the speed limits may be posted at 70, on many long stretches people cruise at 80 mph for hours at a time. Much more than that and you tend to be interrupted by the Highway Patrol on occasion.

For scale, the major landmass of the US is about 3000 miles wide and about 1400 miles north to south.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: mousethief
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:25 AM

Thanks for the advice so far. Everything in the states is soooooo big compared to our crowded little Island.

They say Europe is a place where 1000 miles seems like a long way, and the USA is a place where 1000 years seems like a long time.

O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:25 AM

My daughter and her boyf took a relatively easy tour, stopping to sightsee and take in music (and visit the JD distillery alas in a dry county) and reported
"21 days
2450 miles
1 Dodge Charger
AND LOTS OF SWAMP!!!"

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: PoppaGator
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:27 AM

While the speed limit is rarely any higher than 65 except in a few of the westernmost states (which you won't encounter between the East Coast and the Dakotas), in actual practice, almost everyone goes significantly faster on the interstates out in open country between population centers. I've set the cruise control at 80 for long stretches in the emptier parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, and been passed with regularity. I would advise you to pace yourself with the traffic; just don't go faster than the fastest other vehicle on the road at the time.

Driving on the opposite side of the road would seem to me to be pretty difficult. During my only visit to the UK and Ireland (for two weeks back in the summer of '04), my brother, who lives there, did all the driving. I would probably have caused an accident or two if I had been at the wheel.

As a passenger (sitting on the side of the front street that felt to me like the ":driver's side"), I knew I'd have been OK while driving straight down the road or street, but regularly felt disoriented at 90-degree turns. Perhaps it would have been less of a problem from the perspecive of sitting behind the wheel on the right ~ who knows?

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:29 AM

You won't see much swamp in North Dakota. Lots of other stuff, but no swamp.

You really must visit the University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople. The great PDQ Bach scholar is there.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:44 AM

A few months ago I made a run with a fully loaded rental truck of around 998 miles in just over 12 hours. It was from Ft Worth Texas to a town just north of Atlanta. I only stopped for gas and food breaks. They can often be done at the same location.

It's not uncommon for the police to have "speed traps" - officers with radar guns - just across the borders in some states. Louisina comes to mind. Often they sit just over the rise of a hill so you're tagged before you ever spot them.

What's in North Dakota that you want to visit? Other than digging for bones? Let me know if you need a good lawyer while you're there. Or a vascular surgon. I've got several cousins in ND.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 11:49 AM

"I would advise you to pace yourself with the traffic; just don't go faster than the fastest other vehicle on the road at the time."

Just don't be the last one in line if the whole line of traffic is going well over the speed limit. A State Trooper told me that the reason the last one in line is the one who gets stopped is that the last one doesn't have the excuse the others do, i.e. he doesn't have to travel with the pack.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: michaelr
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 12:28 PM

Driving on the other side did not take me long to get used to in Ireland - the narrow roads did.

There are only two things you need to know about driving in the US:

Anyone going slower than you is an idiot.
Anyone going faster than you is an asshole.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 12:35 PM

If you're driving on an interstate highway, if you look out for a rest stop just after you enter the state where you have planned a hotel stay, you can find coupon books with coupons in them that can save you a lot of money off your hotel stay. You can frequently find coupons for very nice hotels in the coupon books. After you get your book, find a hotel that looks or sounds nice to you in the place where you want to spend the night, then call the hotel and ask them if they have any rooms available at the coupon rate. JtS stays in a lot of hotels every year, and he saves a bundle of money this way.

Sometimes these books can also be found at gas stations (petrol stations) that are close to state lines as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 12:38 PM

Forgot to mention - the coupon books are usually found in little dispensing boxes out in front of the store (they look a bit like the boxes that newspapers are dispensed out of).

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: fretless
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 01:29 PM

Cars are straightforward and 900 mile drives can be boring. Dinosaur digs are more unusual. Do you have anything specific in mind? Earthwatch or some similar organization, perhaps. Just showing up and saying "Hi, I'm here to volunteer" often doesn't work. And don't forget to bring your wallet -- most field projects that offer spaces to volunteers ask them to pay for room/board at least, and they usually charge enough so that the fees subsidize the project.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Alice
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 01:44 PM

If you want to see the best dinosaur museum in the region, drive farther west from North Dakota to the Museum of the Rockies on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman, Montana.

Museum of the Rockies

The paleontologist there, Jack Horner, "Horner served as the technical advisor for all of the Jurassic Park films, and even served as partial inspiration for one of the lead characters, Dr. Alan Grant."
Bio
The first DNA extracted from dinosaur fossil came from research at the Museum of the Rockies.
"In 2003 Horner discovered a fossilized tyrannosaur leg bone from which paleontologist Mary Higby Schweitzer was able to retrieve proteins in 2007."

Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 01:50 PM

IF you have two drivers, and stay mostly on the interstate highways, 900+ miles 'can' be 1½ days. Making it full days can still keep it to one overnight stay in a motel.

There are several quite tolerable motel chains which are under $60 per night...(obviously, fewer bargains near tourist attractions). You can find websites with locations of places like Motel 6, and you can stop at a couple of the cheaper ones early in the trip and get maps & brochures listing all their locations....then you can call ahead if you have clear idea of where you want to stop. I'd guess Ohio might be a likely midpoint for a trip from NYC to N.Dakota.

So much depends on whether you want to do any sightseeing, your...ummm... age and stamina, and weather conditions.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 02:05 PM

And bear in mind that an Automatic (Nearly ALL Hire cars ARE) means that all you have to do is steer ! I initially only had an occasional problem with Left turns ! Wanted to stay on the Left !!
And the Interstate CAN be very boring ! I had a LOVELY relaxed run from Boston to South Portland up Route 1 and 1A in '05 !

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:08 PM

Driving long stretches of prairie on your way and in NDak (where I was born!) be sure to keep your car gassed up (petrolled) and always carry water with you for drinking, but we always carried it for the car, too, in case it overheated, but a rental car should be fine.

If you came to Western Colorado, you could ride the train like Micca did and see tons of beautiful scenery plus go over the Continental Divide in the Rockies. We've lots of dinosaur digs and a small, but impressive museum, plus just up the road and over a smallish mtn, there is a large in situ museum. That particular mtn. pass is scary, the semis (BIG lorries) have to go at a literal crawl and there are a lot of switchbacks, so I would NOT recommend it to anyone who isn't used to driving on two-lane mtn. pass roads.

If you are interested, let me know, and I'll dig (no pun intended) up some more info for you. FWIW, from what my family tells me, you've picked the best and only time to go to NDak....weather is pretty harsh almost anytime, but at least you won't have snow.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:10 PM

I found that driving on the other side of the road gave me a fierce headache for the first day or two.

It also took a while to stop reaching for the gearshift with my right hand -- and opening the driver's door isntead.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:15 PM

I'm still dumbfounded by the juxtaposition of the word 'hot' with 'North Dakota'.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Alice
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:26 PM

In the summer, the Dakotas and eastern Montana get very hot. It is an arid climate, even though we get snow in the winter.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Alice
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:30 PM

The highest temperature recorded in North Dakota is 121°, Fahrenheit. This record high was recorded on July 6, 1936 at Steele.

The lowest temperature in North Dakota, -60°, was recorded on February 15, 1936 at Parshall.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Maryrrf
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:36 PM

If you know about where you will be stopping for the night, scope out the hotels in the area on Tripadvisor and get an idea of where you might want to stay. That should enable you to avoid the real disasters, and find a satisfactory hotel for a good price. Outside of the big cities you can usually find very reasonably priced hotels that are clean and safe, which is all you probably need.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:47 PM

Koala Inn, Budget Inn, or motels with a breakfast lobby are quite affordable. Motel 6 kinda sucks but they will have vacancies.

kat is right, Colorado is nice if you can do it. From flat Denver the mountains look as though they go straight up with a few rolling hills in front.
(avoid Rocky Flats plutonium processing plant and town at all costs)

If you get into the Bad Lands up north you are in prime dinosaur fossil territory where glacial deposits run deep from the epic floods after ice ages.




Poppa Gattor, One way to get used to driving on the other side is to simply drive in reverse everywhere you go. I suggest a Porsche since you can do up to 50 in reverse !

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:51 PM

I've driven a club van along part of the Skyline Drive on one occasion.I found transferring to driving on the right easy, as the steering wheel was on the correct side - driving a UK car in Europe would be much worse.

The worst bit was getting away from the hire pick up at the airport (Boston)on another occasion, because you're jet lagged, in an unfamiliar town / city and the car doesn't say "Be gentle - I'm a foreigner" on the bumper.

The automatic helps a lot as there's less to think about. In the countryside there's far less cars per mile than UK, so traffic density isn't a problem outside the cities.

If you're handy with maps you shouldn't have a problem. I bought an AAA book which I've still got, but don't expect some locals to be able to help you with maps, or give coherent directions (mind you that's probably true here too!)

Cloverleaf junctions can be tricky to work out which slip road you need, as it's all "backwards".

I wish UK cars had variable speed windscreen wipers - they were a revelation.

I had great fun, and I'd like to do it again - drive right across, say, or up and down the Great Divide.

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Janie
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 04:16 PM

Bill D.,

I've been a Motel 6 fan for years of traveling on the cheap. However, in the past few years have had a few scares and/or pulled up to one on a trip that I chose from the website, without local knowledge, that really did not feel very safe, or where I had to ward off drug offers. At one, a crystal meth lab was busted two doors down one night, shortly after I checked in. At another, some one was threatened and robbed at gunpoint when they responded to a knock on their door. I won't stay in a Motel 6, Super 8, or Days Inn now unless I have checked out the location in advance. Any of this could, of course, happen at any hotel or motel, but is more likely to occur at the less expensive chains.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Maryrrf
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 04:23 PM

I agree with Janie, that's why I use TripAdvisor, or Yahoo. The User Reviews are very helpful.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 04:26 PM

Microtel is a great chain, but they are usually only found in towns of a certain size and cities. Still, if it's possible to plan to stay somewhere with a Microtel, they're almost always great hotels. The rooms are smaller than a lot of other hotels, which is what keeps the prices low, but they're almost always clean, safe, and well run.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: mg
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 04:41 PM

I think you will be fine in the countryside...but getting from the airport when you are not familiar with the driving here could be very dangerous...I probably would fly into CHicago and take the train and maybe rent a car in North Dakota where there is probably not a huge amount of traffic...mg

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Midchuck
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 05:51 PM

The greater Chicago area is Hell.

I-80 and I-90 merge through there, because I-90 has to veer south to get around the lakes. Too many vehicles. Hell.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: artbrooks
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:02 PM

You can easily do 900 mile days, as long as (1) you don't really mind driving from can't see to can't see, (2) are out of the effete east to someplace where speed limits are something reasonable and (3) are in too much of a hurry to enjoy the trip. On the other hand, even North Dakota has airports with car hire places. There is no reason to fly into Chicago and drive to Fargo.

IF you insist on driving, post your proposed itinerary here. We are spread out enough that Motel Mudcat may be available to you most nights. I have space in Albuquerque for muddy travelers.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: PoppaGator
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:13 PM

CarolC's tip about the motel-coupon books at state "Welcome Centers" is a good one. Even if you don't use a coupon (if you wind up staying at a place that isn't in the book), you'll learn all about room rates, with and without dicounts, in different locations. There is a BIG difference between the cost of staying in or near a larger city versus a location out in the countryside ~ even among members of the same hotel/motel chain.

As several folks hae mentioned, the most difficult driving is going to be when you first arrive and you have to exit the airport area through highly congested big-city traffic. Take an extra moment or two to collect yourself, do whatever you can to counteract the effects of jet-lag, hold on tight, and keep telling yourself that it's only going to get easier!

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Alice
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:17 PM

It is very expensive to fly in to a small town airport like Fargo. I know, because every airport in Montana is considered a small town, so it costs a lot to fly in or out of here.

Minneapolis, Minnesota (MN) is a hub for Northwest Airlines, now owned by DELTA airlines. You can fly from London to Minneapolis much cheaper than trying to fly in to Fargo.

I suggest you fly to Minneapolis, rent a car, and drive to N.Dakota.



Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:30 PM

I dunno'......There have been problems in North Dakota and you need to be careful as a foreigner in the state. Here's a featured news story that ran just last week:

North Dakota Found To Be Harboring Nuclear Missiles

   
BISMARCK, ND—The stage was set for another international showdown Monday, when chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix confirmed that the remote, isolationist state of North Dakota is in possession of a large stockpile of nuclear missiles.

"Satellite photos confirm that the North Dakotans have been quietly harboring an extensive nuclear-weapons program," said Blix, presenting his findings in a speech to the U.N. Security Council. "Alarmingly, this barely developed hinterland possesses the world's most technologically advanced weapons of mass destruction, capable of reaching targets all over the world."
After initially offering no comment on the report, North Dakota officials admitted to having a stockpile of 1,710 warheads at two military sites and confirmed that the state has been home to an active nuclear-weapons-development program for decades.
Blix called the revelation a "terrifying prospect for the world at large."
Within hours of the announcement, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged North Dakota to abandon its program.
"This is clearly an excessive number of weapons for a place like North Dakota to possess," Annan said. "In this post-Cold War environment, we should be moving away from nuclear proliferation among developing states."

Kofi Annan addresses the U.N. Security Council regarding the North Dakota situation.
European leaders also spoke out in opposition to North Dakota's weapons program.
"North Dakota, still in its cultural infancy, cannot be trusted to responsibly handle weapons of mass destruction," French President Jacques Chirac said. "We are talking about a place that doesn't even have a Thai restaurant or movie theater that shows foreign films, but still they have the resources to build thousands of warheads. Do not believe their claims of being 'The Peace Garden State.'"
According to Chirac, North Dakota's development of nuclear arms "represents a grave threat to peaceful states the world over, none more so than its longtime neighbor and rival across the 45th Parallel, South Dakota."
"The South Dakotans, while a simple people themselves, are friendly, hospitable, and far more in touch with the outside world," Chirac said. "Many people, myself included, have passed through and seen the Badlands and Mount Rushmore. North Dakota, on the other hand, is a bleak, racially homogeneous state that few people ever enter or exit."
After a joint meeting of the French and German cabinets, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said the two nations "agree that this situation must be rectified" and implored North Dakota to cease its uranium-enrichment program immediately.
"We have opened the door to talks," Schroeder said. "But, unfortunately, North Dakota seems unwilling to engage with the world community at this time."
According to Blix, North Dakota is home to 500 Minuteman III ICBMs and 50 Peacekeeper missiles, giving it one of the heaviest concentrations of the weapons on earth. The biggest discovery made by U.N. inspectors, Blix said, was a missile field at Minot Air Force Base, where they found an "almost unbelievable" stockpile of warheads.
The rogue state was also found to possess enormous stockpiles of fissile material.
"North Dakota could have as much as 75 metric tons of weapons-grade uranium and 8 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium," Blix said. "Just 55 pounds of uranium are needed to construct a simple nuclear weapon. Do the math—the prospects are terrifying."
The man at the center of the controversy is North Dakota's leader, Gov. John Hoeven. Having risen to power in 2000 after amassing tremendous wealth in the private sector, Hoeven lives a life of comfort and excess inside the heavily patrolled North Dakota governor's mansion, a lavish dwelling paid for entirely by the state, while many of his people engage in subsistence farming.
Some suspect that Hoeven is using the nuclear program as a bargaining chip to gain badly needed economic benefits for his state. Hardly at the forefront of technology in other aspects, North Dakota has a largely rural population and a child-poverty rate of 14 percent—a fact critics have been quick to point out.
"North Dakotans live a horrible life of isolation and deprivation, struggling to grow crops in a hostile, sub-zero climate while their indifferent government routinely prioritizes bolstering the state's military might," BBC World correspondent Caroline Eagan said. "There are people starving there, and yet high-tech weapons laboratories and military bases abound. It's deplorable."
Added Eagan: "And, no big surprise, the U.S. played a major role in arming this place. I hear most of the missiles are American-made."
Many U.S. citizens have expressed fear, some realizing for the first time that North Dakota has thousands of weapons capable of reaching any major American city within minutes.
"It is absolutely frightening that there are all these weapons of mass destruction practically in my backyard," said Karen Stiles of Moorhead, MN. "Do we really know enough about these people who have their finger on the button that could kill millions?"
Added Stiles: "How did our elected officials let this happen?"


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:34 PM

On the other hand, this is something of a "must see"!!!

New Strip Mall Of America Stretches Over 1/6th Of North America

   
FARGO, ND—Representatives from the North Dakota Department of Commerce attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday for the new Strip Mall Of America, the state's largest shopping center to date.

A tiny section of the mall, which stretches from Eldridge to the outskirts of Fargo.
"This new mall brings together all the low- to mid-range franchise stores that America loves," Strip Mall Of America spokesman Henry Sloan said. "It's the largest strip mall in the country—in fact, it's the largest in the world. It's your one 90-linear-mile stop for vitamins, housewares, Christian books, picture frames, and discount eyeglasses."
The dull-gray cinderblock and tinted-glass structure stretches along Interstate 94 from Eldridge to a point seven miles west of Fargo. Occupying six different zip codes, it is capable of hosting more than 4,700 stores and boasts 240,000 parking spaces.
While the mall's focus is on smaller chain stores, it does feature three anchor stores: a Marshalls, a Gymboree, and an Aldi grocery store, located in Jamestown, Valley City, and Oriska, respectively.
"There's something for everyone here," Sloan said. "If you're looking for gift wrap and festive decorations, visit one of our eight Party City stores. Arts-and-crafts buffs can choose between Michael's and Ben Franklin, not to mention Jo-Ann Fabrics. I don't want to jump the gun, but we're probably going to have a Radio Shack, too."
According to Sloan, only 40 percent of the retail space is currently occupied, and a full 3 percent of the storefronts house liquidation stores and cellular-phone outlets.
"We've got 18 Big Lots, 13 Dollars General, 11 Dollar Trees, and three Family Dollars," Sloan said. "While there are still a few more 'For Rent' signs than we'd like to see, we're confident that the unclaimed spaces will fill up soon."
Sloan added: "After all, we're in a great location, with easy access from the interstate via exits 251 through 338. Additionally, we are an excellent facility, featuring a well-maintained sidewalk and several benches in front of the Lechter's in Tower City. We're talking about getting a few potted trees."
The stores in the mall will not be limited to retail outlets. Sloan said the mall will "take visitors on a culinary tour of the nation's finer fast-food eateries and theme restaurants."
"Who wouldn't want to come and get a taste of North Dakota?" Sloan asked. "After a long day of shopping, you can stop at the Shakey's Pizza all-you-can-eat buffet and recharge your batteries. Or, if you just want to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop in at the Auntie Anne's or one of our 48 TCBY outlets."
One business unlikely to rent a spot in the mall is TGIFridays, which is currently building 18 restaurants at points just across the four-lane interstate.
While the mall caters first and foremost to residents of North Dakota, mall officials said they hope it will also draw tourists from all over the country, much like the popular Mall Of America in Minnesota.
"Why not make a vacation of it?" Sloan asked. "Bring the entire family and spend the weekend at one of the region's many wonderful Super8 motels. South Dakota has stolen our thunder in the past, but if you stack up their Wall Drugs and Corn Palaces against our Funcos and Pier One Imports, I think it's obvious who's the best Dakota."
Added Sloan: "It's us."
Sloan noted one additional feature of the mall.
"If you have car trouble while you're taking advantage of the variety of shops, you're in luck," he said. "As long as you're shopping at the Strip Mall Of America, you're never more than 34 miles from a Pep Boys Auto Repair Center. That's a guarantee.
"And, while you're waiting for the mechanic to finish, you can pop next door to browse at one of the Waldenbooks or have a coffee at a Gloria Jean's," Sloan added.
The Department of Commerce estimates the mall will provide approximately 30,000 jobs in the coming year. While many North Dakotans said they are excited about the employment opportunities, some have voiced concern over the 90-mile barricade separating the regions to the north and south of the mall.
"True, it is unfortunate that people who need to travel from, say, Hastings to Valley City will now have to factor in an extra two hours for their commute," Sloan said. "On the plus side, drivers can break up their trips by stopping in at the Petco to get a great deal on a 20-pound bag of cat food—or swinging by the Kaybee Toys to pick up a present for the little ones!"


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: M.Ted
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:34 PM

Travelocity and Expedia are very good, perhaps the best for rates and bookings, but it doesn't cost anything to check the others as well.

You are going at the height of tourist season, and even the "cheap" places will be expensive, meaning that it will probably be hard to find stuff in the $100 per night range. I pulled up rates for Deadwood, SD area on a site called Cheapostay, and the best rate I could find was $65 for July and August, which was at a place called Badlands Budget Hotel, it had a 1 Star rating, on a scale where The Motel 6 received 4 Stars--that was $86 per night, which was discounted from the regular rate of $150. Things went up fast from there--

A lot of the places increased their rates from the last week in July to the First week in August--some more than doubled--which tells you that you'd better make reservations, because chances are, you'll have trouble finding anything on the day you get there.

Word of warning!! Before you make reservations, either through an online service or with the hotel reservation service, check the cancellation policies and other fees! Many chains now charge for a night if you cancel after a cutoff date, and some places even charge a non-refundable booking fee in addition to the nightly rate.

If you can travel after Labor Day ( Monday Sept 6--the official end of Summer), things will get much less expensive, but the western weather can get suddenly colder then, too.

If you like camping, and have a pop up tent and sleeping bags, you can save a lot, and you'll meet a lot more people than if you stay in hotels. You'll probably need to make reservations a campgrounds, too, though. You could rent a camper, too(which might come in handy on a Dinosaur dig), but I am a simple man, and a backpack and a hotel room is all I need.

The real questions are about time and cost--the truth is that if you are going any long distance in the US, your best deal is to fly, and, if you need a car at your destination (which you usually do) to rent it. Long distance rail travel can be a lot of fun, but it isn't cheaper than flying, especially when you figure in meals.

As to how long it takes to drive 926 miles, it is completely dependent on where you start and finish--if you're driving on a rural interstate, particularly in the west, and have a mind to do it, you can drive 80 or 90 mph, but if you're driving in any of the vast urban nightmares that we don't even have names for (Washington to Boston Corridor is as close to a name as you'll find) you can average 35mph on the interstates, if you're lucky--

There are other reasons to drive, though, like wanting to see the scenery--the comment about 1000 years being a long time is way off the mark in places like the Grand Canyon, where you can see two billion years of history--at least on a clear day.

I better go--this is a really long post for me--

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:36 PM

Hmmm, Janie... we stayed at several Days Inn & EconoLodge 3 years ago, going to St. Louis & back, and had no problems. I agree it is a good idea to be aware of what general area it is in...especially near large cities.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: M.Ted
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:39 PM

Actually, as pointed out above, it is cheaper to fly into a major city, rent a car, and drive the rest of the way--

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:41 PM

If your primary destination is North Dakota, definitely fly closer (somewhere in the midwest, like Chicago or Minneapolis, or even out to Denver) and drive less: save driving time, car rental, motel, and gas costs. Heck, check flights to Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada)!

Don't rent a car on the east coast to get to North Dakota unless you want to see what's in between. Given that, there are things in between to see, but not much dinosaur-related. :-)

Regarding rail travel, if you have the money for a sleeper, that is a possibility, and if you're committed to flying to the east coast and don't care about stopping on the way, it may be a good choice. A hassle saver, but not necessarily a money-saver. Check this thread from last year.

~ Becky in Long Beach
(having crossed the continent many times and ways)

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 06:48 PM

JtS and I have not found it difficult to find hotels in the summer that are the same rate as they are the rest of the year. It all depends on what is near the hotel, and when they tend to have more guests.

Some times we've had to pay really high prices when there's a big event in the area where the hotel is located. But planning ahead can help to prevent that from being a problem. If you find a hotel that you think looks promising, call ahead and ask if there are any big events in town on the day you plan to be there.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 07:01 PM

There was a message from Charmion above that really got me worried.

Charmion, you're Canadian! Please do not drive on the "other" side of the road when you come to the United States!

---

Many years ago (1970), I drove from Milwaukee to Los Angeles in 2-1/4 days - I was on my way to see my fiancee after not seeing her for a summer. Nowadays, I think driving a hundred miles on a freeway is a horrible waste of time. If at all possible, I take the "scenic route" wherever I can; and I stay on two-lane roads through rural areas and old parts of towns. I never bypass the Main Street of a small town, and I get out and walk in the downtown districts of large cities. I may spend no more than fifteen minutes seeing a small town, but I try at least to get a flavor of the best part of the town. My job as a federal investigator required a lot of driving, and I suppose my tourist instincts made me less than ultimately efficient; but it made the job less stressful and a lot more enjoyable - and I held that job for 25 years. Knowing a little bit about the character of every town in California made me a very good investigator, and I could usually count on getting an annual bonus of $1,000 over my regular salary.

I can't imagine why somebody would want to come to the United States and drive 900 miles in a day on the freeway. I guess I should remember the exhilaration of my 1970 trip - covering so much distance in so little time (and finding good lovin' at the end of the road).

Have a good trip, Sugarfoot Jack...and may you also find good lovin' at the end of the road.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 07:56 PM

Janie, we found the Motel 6 in a couple of towns in WY to be full of druggies, all-nighters, etc. Right after we packed our stuff into the room, we turned right back and left.

I think Alice has given the best suggestion: fly to Minneapolis, get a car and drive to ND. We've driven from WY to MA and from CT to WY and that bit around Chicago is horrendous.

The only problem with backroads, etc., Joe, is if you don't know the area, you can get lost pretty easily. It sure can be fun and pretty, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 08:45 PM

When you are NOT used to the road signs , it IS easy to miss a turning , even on Route 1 I managed to get mislaid a couple of times
but was always pointed the right way by the first person I asked !
Navigating HAS to be easier with two of you though .

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: kendall
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 08:47 PM

I haven't read this whole thread, too dopey tonight, but I will say, travel in the USA is quicker and cheaper than in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 08:52 PM

You're right about getting lost on back roads, Kat. It's really tough if you don't have good maps - and good maps are getting harder and harder to find. Even the American Automobile Association is getting be be a cheapskate when it comes to maps - and the maps are why I joined AAA in the first place.

GPS doesn't make it, because you need to see the Big Picture if you're traveling back roads. I did have some trouble travelling Pennsylvania and Connecticut last fall - but I did it anyhow, and had a wonderful time. Got lost a few times, but so what? I always travel back roads, so I've developed a knack.

Speaking of GPS, Kendall and Jacqui had GPS when they came to visit a couple of years ago, here in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. THAT was very entertaining. Reminds me of the time when I went to a gathering in Downeast Maine, and two people attending were lobstermen who were five miles away from home - they had to pull off the road and call for directions, while I got there from California without assistance....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 08:59 PM

The train is a fine way to get from Minneapolis/St Paul to North Dakota. The train you want to take is called The Empire Builder. There is only one train per day going each way. It leaves St. Paul late at night and arrives in North Dakota in the morning. Driving that route would be boring anyway. If you like scenery, I'd recommend you continue your trip westward to Seattle or Portland.

Where exactly in ND would you be going?

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 09:16 PM

North Dakota is nice because like so many other states out that way (Kansas,SD,Nebraska,Iowa, etc) you can see the curvature of the earth from ground level!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Driving in the USA
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 09:27 PM

Delorme publishes a fine series of atlases, one volume per state. I own one for Minnesota and one for Wisconsin. Great for exploring back roads in rural areas—I believe they cover every drivable road. Not enough detail for big cities, though. Too expensive if you're merely passing through, but worth it if you're going to be spending an extended time in one state.

Wherever you can get an Internet connection, there's always Google Maps (or Bing, or Mapquest, but I'm most familiar with Google).