Road Trip: Texas or Florida?

[Stutopia]

Reckon there'll be some decent jap car stores I could maybe pick up a couple of mods from?

 

Most of the US car stores I've been to over there are a bit poor... but I'm sure there's one or two tuning places about, any on google?

 

Had a quick look. Nothing there really got me close enough to marking them on my route.

[TomS]

The missus and I did 3 weeks in Florida last September. Think we drive around 1200 miles, was a great holiday! Should have a Google Map route somewhere.

 

Best tip, get a phone that is unlocked and just grab a T-Mobile pay per day SIM. It's $2-3 per day with unlimited data, used it for google maps mainly but was handy to have Internet out and about!

 

We had a convertible Camaro, ended up having the roof up 90% of the time as you can only get a nats testicle in the boot with it down.

Edited April 7, 2014 by TomS

[Stutopia]

We got three man's worth of stuff in last time, for two weeks! What the hell did you take along Tom?

 

Top tip on the cell phone, cheers.

Edited April 7, 2014 by SuperStu

[TomS]

In the boot with the top down?! You must have taken naff all. We couldn't even get 1 suitcase in due to the roof taking up all the height of the boot.

[Ceejay29]

A few years ago my girlfriend and I drove Vegas, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite, through to San Francisco and down the Pacific Route via Big Sur, LA etc to San Diego, before returning back up to Vegas. Took us three weeks in a Charger and we had the time of our lives.....look back at the memories most months. I think we will try the Northern and Atlantic route next year.

 

You'll have a blast Stu!! Extremely envious.

[Stutopia]

In the boot with the top down?! You must have taken naff all. We couldn't even get 1 suitcase in due to the roof taking up all the height of the boot.

 

Soft bags, not suitcases, so they were just jammed in and one on the rear seat FTW. I'm taking less stuff this time too and just buying fresh pants when they run out

 

A few years ago my girlfriend and I drove Vegas, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite, through to San Francisco and down the Pacific Route via Big Sur, LA etc to San Diego, before returning back up to Vegas. Took us three weeks in a Charger and we had the time of our lives.....look back at the memories most months. I think we will try the Northern and Atlantic route next year.

 

You'll have a blast Stu!! Extremely envious.

 

I loved that route so much, it's defo been a big factor in deciding to go back to the States.

[Stutopia]

Picked up our Camaro SS rental, had a drive over to Kennedy Space Center [sic] good fun so far, I remember it being a bit more impressive last time out, but that was before I owned the Zed

 

 

Sadly not orange

 

 

Seeing the space shuttle was amazing!

 

 

Saw 3 Zeds too, two nicely modded 50s and a stock 70.

 

[DoogyRev]

[Ekona]

Did you touch the piece of the Moon?! That was the bit I found utterly mesmerising, more so than even standing by the Saturn V.

[Stutopia]

Did you touch the piece of the Moon?! That was the bit I found utterly mesmerising, more so than even standing by the Saturn V.

 

Where was the moon? Must have missed it. I was too much excited by the shuttle

[DoogyRev]

Did you touch the piece of the Moon?! That was the bit I found utterly mesmerising, more so than even standing by the Saturn V.

 

Where was the moon

 

Perhaps it was a local lass just tying her show lace?

 

[Flex]

Did you touch the piece of the Moon?! That was the bit I found utterly mesmerising, more so than even standing by the Saturn V.

 

What touching a piece of rock?

 

Was it some sort of spiritual awakening?

[choptop]

Did you touch the piece of the Moon?! That was the bit I found utterly mesmerising, more so than even standing by the Saturn V.

 

Where was the moon

 

Perhaps it was a local lass just tying her show lace?

 

 

Gravity from it was pulling in burgers from all over the state

A moon landing takes on a whole new meaning

[Ekona]

I can't remember which hangar it was in now, but the case was almost blink-and-you'll-miss-it small. I only spotted it due to the amount of people standing around it, and I wondered what the hell was going on.

 

Yeah, I guess it was almost spiritual, if you replace the worshipping of a god for worshipping of technology. I just found it incredible that we as a species, despite everything, managed to get to space and bring a little bit of what's out there back for everyone to sample. If you stop for a moment and think about just how difficult that is, the obstacles that we needed to overcome, and the relatively limited technology (by today's standards) that achieved that, it's incredible.

[Stutopia]

I get what you're saying Dan. I felt the same way about going to Cristo Redentor in Rio (I'm not religious it was something I just al ways wanted to see, for as long as I can remember) it doesn't have to be rational

 

It's mental that a smartphone has more computing power than everything they used to send people to the moon back then, and I just use it to browse the forum and send messages

[Stutopia]

Just got the roof up for a while on account of some Alabama Hot Rain (34c) and thought I'd do a little review of Florida, as we've just left, and I can relax without being bettered by wind and scorching sun

 

Miami was good, expensive and touristy but well worth a visit. Miami Dolphins game ruled and the cheerleaders and are a different level of hot. The view of Downtown Miami from South Beach is tremendous at sunset. Got to put my Tony Montana shirt on and drive round like I was in Scarface and see the sights

 

The Keys were terrific, again touristy but it was cool to see the overseas highway and Hemingway House and generally hang out.

 

Tampa was great, much better than I expected, quite cosmopolitan compared to some places along the way Busch Gardens was brilliant and I got to see a parent screaming swear words at a child (Brits as well )

 

The Camaro SS has been great fun, not the most nimble and the sound is hugely disappointing, but it's a great cruiser on highways and the AC is freezing (thank God). It felt like a big car until we got to the South and pulled up alongside an F250 truck!!! Naturally in this beast the thing we've seen most of is gas stations! At 18mpg with two thousand plus miles to cover we do a lot of fill ups, but it's only £45 a tank so far in gas stations I've seen:

 

- A man spark a fag

- Pigs feet for sale (as a snack)

- Someone asked me to say hello to the Queen

- Cheese flavoured popcorn

- Peanuts served in a bag of water

 

I got to stay in the world's worst motel in Gainesville (video to follow, if I ever find wifi again) and also see a College Football game (Gators v Wildcats). See a gator up close. Ride an airboat. Found the Blackpool of USA (Panama City Beach). I've eaten all manner of burgers (Wendy's is the best so far).

 

I'm still hoping to fire a gun and go fishin' and go to Medieval Times!

 

Biloxi, Baton Rouge and New Orleans next.

[WhackyWill]

Florida all day long..done both no offense to Texas but the scenery is boring, and as said

 

before not geared for tourists, Dallas is OK.

 

Quick fact..:

 

You can fit the whole population of the World into Texas and give them 20 sq meters each..!!