Help From ATS Members! Road Trip I-80W, EC to WC... Suggestions?

Ok, So if your still reading. In about a week from today's post I will be traveling (road trip) with my GF from NY back to LA where I currently reside. She's coming to live with me and make a go at it out here.

Anyway, we have decided to take the northern route. I believe it is I-80 W.
We had made that choice in thinking the scenery would be more appetizing to the eye. I'm a big lover of the outdoors and if i have to drive, I'd rather be looking at mountains and forests... Being that it will be Oct. and in the spirit of our passions for the Unknown and Halloween, we wanted to make the trip even more exciting.

She is very much into the Supernatural/Paranormal subject and I'm more about the UFO/Alien area (I've had experiences throughout my life) but if you want my honest opinion... frankly I find it all interesting! We are both extremely open minded individuals but we also have a good sense of reality... skepticism can be healthy and should be used on a daily basis. So I think we are pretty balanced folk!

Here's where you good folks come in... I was wondering if there were any ATS members who would like to help us in pointing out any locations that are in the vein of the Paranormal/UFO phenomenon.
This could include:
Recent UFO/Alien sightings or Hotspots
Haunted/Poltergeist Houses or Sites (we could stay the night in and we relish in that idea!)
Vortex locations/Dimensional Rifts ( why not? I'm open)
Bigfoot sightings (as we will be doing a bunch of camping along the way to save $$$ and I'm always open to make new friends)
Even reputable websites would be helpful!! Etc...

I think you get the picture. The natural stuff is easy to find on the Net so I'm good with that end.
Any help would be greatly appreciated and we would be more than happy to try to document anything we may encounter along the way and report back to you all what we came across.
We want this to be a FUN trip as we are starting this life together (we've known each other for many years but only now are we realizing how it all fits almost too perfect with us) and we want to do it right by exploring the things we believe in, together.
Also I can eventually update this whole thread so we can all have a continuing cross country road map of the stuff we are all into!
A Paranormal Road map so to speak, for future unafraid, thrill-seeking, enthusiat's who are willing to go further than their computer screens for answers, to use as a guide...
So fire away my friends! Many many thanks to all who are willing to contribute!

From what I remember driving that route...I would recommend taking a slightly different route. I-80, I-55, I-44 and then I-40. Once on I-40 you will be going through many areas, including Arizona and New Mexico. Lots of weird native american stuff to look at. Also, you can swing through area 51 North of Vegas on your way back to LA.

Also, if you take I-80 you are very likely to be caught in snow storms. Better to take the southern route and there are more places to stop for gas, food, etc.

Dude, New Mexico is a treasure trove of weirdness. From Los Alamos to Roswell. If you can get yourself a book called TOP SECRET TOURISM by Harry Helms. It's available from Feral House. Lots of cool stuff. Have fun. I envy you. I'm only moving to Amsterdam.

you should be fine on i80 as far as snow and weather goes, now if it was i90 i would definatly say plan ahead... we get snow and winter early.
Snow on halloween, heck we have even had snow on 4th of july.

Not to sure about I80 route, but there are many locations in the U.S. that would be cook to stop and visit. I'd say do a search for "haunted/ufo" spots and see how close they are to your road trip plans.
I can think of many, but none on I80 or that far south.

Originally posted by ExPostFacto
From what I remember driving that route...I would recommend taking a slightly different route. I-80, I-55, I-44 and then I-40. Once on I-40 you will be going through many areas, including Arizona and New Mexico. Lots of weird native american stuff to look at. Also, you can swing through area 51 North of Vegas on your way back to LA.

Also, if you take I-80 you are very likely to be caught in snow storms. Better to take the southern route and there are more places to stop for gas, food, etc.

LOL thank you! You know been in LA 3 yrs now and snow never even occurred to me!
That would have been quite the mistake. Thanks again.

Originally posted by concernedcitizan
Dude, New Mexico is a treasure trove of weirdness. From Los Alamos to Roswell. If you can get yourself a book called TOP SECRET TOURISM by Harry Helms. It's available from Feral House. Lots of cool stuff. Have fun. I envy you. I'm only moving to Amsterdam.

NM is definitely on my list! I've been doing some research on the Dulce Thread.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Plus I just want to see NM. LOL
Thanks for the book info. Gonna look for it tomorrow.

I hope that was just sarcasm cause Amsterdam sound pretty sweet to me!
I hear it's incredible! Sounds like your the lucky one!

[edit on 19-9-2009 by Numb2itall]

Originally posted by severdsoul
you should be fine on i80 as far as snow and weather goes, now if it was i90 i would definatly say plan ahead... we get snow and winter early.
Snow on halloween, heck we have even had snow on 4th of july.

Not to sure about I80 route, but there are many locations in the U.S. that would be cook to stop and visit. I'd say do a search for "haunted/ufo" spots and see how close they are to your road trip plans.
I can think of many, but none on I80 or that far south.

Thanks I'm still searchin. It looks like I'm just gonna have to cross reference a bunch of stuff. I guess I was hoping there would be more responses from people in their areas...
I think if I list out the states I'll be traveling through, it might make it easier for people to respond.
Up until now I never even considered snow LOL. And I grew up in VT. How quickly one forgets! Must be all the sun...

I80 straight across is O so boring!
I too would drop down to I-40
Take 80 west into PA 70/76 to 71 south
270 west around Columbus get on I-70 go to st louis
take I-44 to OK City I-35 south "10miles" to I-40 go west
I believe it is hwy 54 "would have to look @ a map but it cuts down through Roswell NM and ends up being I-70 again.
If time is no problem go slightly north from there back toward I-40 and go down through Snowflake AZ, Sadona, and many other hot spots for the paranormal...
eventually ending up leaving Pheonix on I-10 west

Just an idea.,.,.,.,if its not obvious I have driven big rigs for years..
This is also the shortest route, well considering $$ for tolls on I-80 and how far out of route you go into AZ to see Sadona or Snowflake.."Travis Waltens experince happened there"
Just my .02
Hope you have a safe journey!

[edit on 19-9-2009 by Doc Holiday]

Originally posted by Doc Holiday
I80 straight across is O so boring!
I too would drop down to I-40
Take 80 west into PA 70/76 to 71 south
270 west around Columbus get on I-70 go to st louis
take I-44 to OK City I-35 south "10miles" to I-40 go west
I believe it is hwy 54 "would have to look @ a map but it cuts down through Roswell NM and ends up being I-70 again.
If time is no problem go slightly north from there back toward I-40 and go down through Snowflake AZ, Sadona, and many other hot spots for the paranormal...
eventually ending up leaving Pheonix on I-10 west

Just an idea.,.,.,.,if its not obvious I have driven big rigs for years..
This is also the shortest route, well considering $$ for tolls on I-80 and how far out of route you go into AZ to see Sadona or Snowflake.."Travis Waltens experince happened there"
Just my .02
Hope you have a safe journey!

[edit on 19-9-2009 by Doc Holiday]

Doc that awesome thank you! I actually got the opposite advice from folks who have made the trip... I was told that the Southern Route was nothing but fields or corn or nothing at all. I will certainly take your advice though. See, this is why I came on here asking...
Snowflake Az... that's where Walton got nabbed right? lol duh i just re-read your post. Sedona is definitely worth checkin out too!
Thanks for the well wishes and advice! I just really want to make this special for the both of us.

reply to post by Numb2itall


definitely take I80 through Utah and get off near Heber and go see the Skinwalker Ranch, among other treats...here on google maps
and here's directions and info that might interest you.
More generally Utah rules OK, it is simultaneously accursed and poisoned and soulless and squirrelly and weird and free and easy and full of possibilities...if you come through Salt Lake I can point you at more weird stuff than you will want me to type about...famous murderer and UFO and underground tunnel and regular Mormon and inbred many-million-dollars polygamist and Virgin Mary in the tree trunk and oh yeah, there's that one bed and breakfast where the Ghost Investigator's Society from Ogden played a digital EVP recorded "ghost voice" from one of the rooms on Art Bell, I can tell you where but I think it's about $90/per night...but if you are actually coming through then U2U me and I'll local-highlight-itinerary your ear off...sadly...And check out the fresh new bigfoot activity we have in our fine state...ATS thread - bigfoot encounter at Flaming Gorge Utah

But yeah, don't get me started...

But yeah, don't go nowhere else...as the hub city of the intermountain west, the road to Hell from pretty much anywhere passes right through SLC...

[edit on 19-9-2009 by nine-eyed-eel]

DOC's directions are probably better than mine. But, I agree take I-40. I-80 is nothing but corn fields and powerlines. I-40 will get boring through Texas, NM, and AZ but there are plenty of stops to make on your adventure along that route. Including the crater in AZ if you haven't been yet.

www.meteorcrater.com...

reply to post by Numb2itall


And but if you did decide not to go this-a-way , and went through Snowflake AZ, then you oughta go check out the twin UT/AZ border towns Hildale + Colorado City, cause Snowflake is not far from there...pure polygamy, all day every day...big houses, weird clothes...Those are the FLDS polygamists, a different faction than the local SLC ones I mentioned above.
And either I40 I70 or I80 are all convenient (enough) to check out Area 51 + nuclear test site NV while en route to CA...

Here's a little local color ...(UT destination ideas for particular people to consider and congregate, yep)

[edit on 19-9-2009 by nine-eyed-eel]

Originally posted by nine-eyed-eel
reply to post by Numb2itall

 

And but if you did decide not to go this-a-way , and went through Snowflake AZ, then you oughta go check out the twin UT/AZ border towns Hildale + Colorado City, cause Snowflake is not far from there...pure polygamy, all day every day...big houses, weird clothes...Those are the FLDS polygamists, a different faction than the local SLC ones I mentioned above.
And either I40 I70 or I80 are all convenient (enough) to check out Area 51 + nuclear test site NV while en route to CA...

Here's a little local color ...(UT destination ideas for particular people to consider and congregate, yep)


[edit on 19-9-2009 by nine-eyed-eel]

Awesome! thank you! I'm still looking myself and I have to go over everything with my girl. I will definitely U2U you at some point this week when I get things a bit more organized. The days are getting shorter it seems and I still have other things I have to take care of before I split.
Thank you all for helping with this!!!! It really means a lot to me!

Originally posted by ExPostFacto
DOC's directions are probably better than mine. But, I agree take I-40. I-80 is nothing but corn fields and powerlines. I-40 will get boring through Texas, NM, and AZ but there are plenty of stops to make on your adventure along that route. Including the crater in AZ if you haven't been yet.

www.meteorcrater.com...

Nice! Thank you! I was thinking of stopping over at the Crater. I've wanted to see it ever since the movie Starman!
I probably just misunderstood what other people were telling me about the Interstates and the views. Let's hope I don't screw up and get us lost! LOL but that would be ok too... we are pretty resourceful.

reply to post by Numb2itall


Be sure and spend the night at the Ale-inn at Rachel, Nevada.
See Google Earth.
There is a cool crater about 20 miles due east of Flagstaff, Az.
Stop at the Grand Canyon too.

I-80W...

Minuteman Missile Launch Control Facility

Minuteman Missile Silo

While you are there, might as well hit Wall Drug...



[edit on 21/9/2009 by Mirthful Me]

I've done a couple cross country trips, and I-80 just didn't cut it for me as far as purdy.....

I personally would recommend I-90....... as it hugs the Great Lakes, it also takes You through the exquisite Western Montana, North Idaho, and into Washington...finally into beautiful Seattle.

From there south You can take the I-5, or there is another road...???? It is right on the coast the whole way down into Cali....I'm thinking the 101??? It's a famous frickin road People......Help

Good luck with whatever Your plans.
S&F

Originally posted by Eurisko2012
reply to post by Numb2itall

 

Be sure and spend the night at the Ale-inn at Rachel, Nevada.
See Google Earth.
There is a cool crater about 20 miles due east of Flagstaff, Az.
Stop at the Grand Canyon too.

Thanks Dude! Think we are looking for something a little less like a tourist attraction but the crater is a definite. And I wasn't trying to argue with you earlier. It just bugs me that people will put there faith in someone from a TV show and assume that he's been fighting the good fight for years... when it's not that way at all. Hollywood really is a land of smoke and mirrors and nobody and nothing really is what it seems over here.
I hope I'm wrong. But please email him if you can... maybe he will go out there.

[edit on 21-9-2009 by Numb2itall]

Originally posted by sanchoearlyjones
I've done a couple cross country trips, and I-80 just didn't cut it for me as far as purdy.....

I personally would recommend I-90....... as it hugs the Great Lakes, it also takes You through the exquisite Western Montana, North Idaho, and into Washington...finally into beautiful Seattle.

From there south You can take the I-5, or there is another road...???? It is right on the coast the whole way down into Cali....I'm thinking the 101??? It's a famous frickin road People......Help

Good luck with whatever Your plans.
S&F

No I think your right on with that prob the 101 it runs down the coast up north. That's what i was originally thinking but some folks brought up the possibility of snow storms and if i can avoid them I'm gonna try. If it was earlier in the season i might try it and try to hit Gilliand's Ranch. But now i see there might be some activity in PA so i might head through there to start.
I would love to go back up to Pine bush NY! I knew Ellen Crystal back in the day... RIP
and I hear there are things still going on up there even now.
Too many places we want to go and see and never enough time or money

Wish i had more time and $$$ lol hell I would just be a gypsey!
Many thanks to you I screwed up on the I-80W decision. i will update the thread tomorrow with the states we will more than likely passing through.

reply to post by Numb2itall


Nope I'm outta here. Can't hardly wait. Six more long weeks. I'll send heads up on the health care system.