So, on the road again we go!  This time we are heading from Orlando to Layton, Utah cutting across the middle part of the country. Along the way we are going to highlight a few nice spots and some of the cities to visit. This was a quick trip and several of the spots are worth spending more time.

The US Interstate system is very impressive and the numbering system provides a great way to measure relative distances and your location in the country.  North-South freeways are odd numbered and go from I-5 on the west coast to I-95 on the East.  The East-West freeways are even numbered and go from I-10 across the southern US to I-90 across the North.

There are some exceptions and you do have additional freeways like I-74 which goes diagonally and some Interstates like I-4 which just crosses Florida but if you understand the basic layout of the Interstate System you can never get too lost (relatively).

In this case, we were going from I-4 between I-95 and I-75 to I-80 and I-15.  When you plan these big trips you will often find that the most optimal route is only a few miles shorter than a route that includes some points of interest to explore and that was the case here.  If you do make long trips often between the same destinations, its easy to add some variety and see some new roadside attractions.

Our first stop was to explore one of the Florida Natural Springs where in warmer weather you can rent tubes or kayaks and float down crystal clear water through dense vegetation.  This is a big draw for native Floridians and will be on our agenda next year.  Ichetucknee Springs State Park, White Springs Florida lies along I-27 between Gainesville and Tallahassee, so it can easily be reached if you are coming into the State along I-75 or I-10.

Unfortunately, we were running late this time and it was a cool afternoon.  There were only a couple of cars in the parking lot and things were wrapping up for the day.  But I have to say this will be a future must visit location for us in either the Spring or Fall.  During the summer the crowds are just too big.

After a night at a very poor Country Inn and Suites in Tallahassee (I understand why it was $44 on Priceline) we headed west.  The drive across the panhandle of Florida and our southern States is always pleasant and easy.  The one exception is heading north out of Mobile, AL.  Here once you leave I-10, the Interstate system is not complete and you have to deal with heavier traffic along with small towns and some red lights.  You will quickly cross into Mississippi and after three hours or so, you will hit I-20.

Our next stop was Shreveport Louisiana.  I had driven through here probably a dozen times and never stopped.  But the timing was right and they have a beautiful Riverfront lined with parks, shops and casinos.  A night at a 4-star casino hotel was $80 (Priceline) and gave us an opportunity to walk and explore the City for a bit.  Like many of the small cities across America this one was pleasant and a nice place to park the car and donate some money.

Next morning, we were back on the road and heading toward Dallas.  There I-20 and I-30 merge and once out of the Metroplex we could venture off into west Texas and the road to Amarillo, which lies along I-40.  Once you leave Dallas you enter the Plains and traffic drops and the speed limit increases.  The stress of driving falls and the drive becomes more relaxing.  As you slowly climb into the plains, the trees disappear and the horizon appears endless.

Several hundred miles from Amarillo you begin to see the famous billboards offering you a free steak if you can eat the 64 oz monster.  Yes, this is Texas and everything is bigger here.  Texans have an attitude about them that is hard not to love….big skies, big highways, big flags.  I don’t know many state flags, but I know Texas’s.  The lone star flies high right next to old glory.  Yea, don’t mess with Texas!

Now there were two things we wanted to see in Amarillo.  The first was Palo Duro State Park.  This is the second largest canyon in the country and almost no one knows about it.  Unfortunately, the park closed at five and we couldn’t get there before four and the weather was not going to be good in the morning.  So we opted to head to the Embassy Suites (21,000 HH points) downtown to check out Amarillo…..no 64 oz steaks for us.

Downtown Amarillo is quite pleasant and the Embassy Suites is across the street from their minor league stadium and the convention center.  The hotel itself however was quite a destination…..new, modern and clean.  Because of the pandemic there was no evening happy hour but we had our own wine and a nice view overlooking the little city on the plain.

The next morning started with a visit to the second thing we wanted to see in Amarillo: the Cadillac Ranch.  This is one of America’s great roadside attractions and even though I had passed it many times before, we had never visited. 

Cadillac ranch is just ten Cadillacs that were planted nose first in the ground back in 1974.  Its in a field just along the I-40 frontage road.  Everyone is invited to come visit, climb and spray paint graffiti on the cars.  Surprisingly at 7:30 in the morning there was already ten cars parked in front of it and 20 plus people running around in the cold painting and climbing.  I have to admit this was a fun stop and a nice break along the highway.

Normally we would drive through Albuquerque and visit friends before heading further north.  But since New Mexico was shutdown due to the pandemic, we opted to cut across central Colorado.  So we headed northwest toward the Rotan pass that lies along I-25 and marks the border between New Mexico and Colorado and headed toward Denver.  A couple hours south of Denver we turned west across the Rocky Mountains toward the town of Montrose.  As states go, its hard to beat the beauty of Colorado.  Wide open plains, huge mountains and plenty of parks, it’s a very nice place to visit.  We have spent a good deal of time in Colorado and we didn’t take much time to visit anything ….just enjoy the scenery along the drive.

The evening in Montrose at the Holiday Inn express (12,500 IHG points) was exceptionally pleasant.  We were upgraded to an extra large two-room suite and the hotel was next door to a grocery store.  No need to drive more today.  Also, the hotel had both an indoor and outdoor hot tub with a nice fireplace in the lobby.  A great location just on the other side of the mountains and only about a six hour drive from our final destination which we would reach the following afternoon.

The next morning, we headed toward Grand Junction and I-70.  It’s interesting how some roads hold special meaning in your life.  Interstate 70 is one of those for me.  I have driven every mile of that road many times and it seems that it is always part of my way home.  As we crossed into Utah, I remembered that I-70 ends in Utah where it connects with I-15 on top of a mountain pass.  That seemed appropriate for both the highway and me. At least on this trip.  In Green River, we cut off toward Price and the pass that would take us north to I-15, I-80 and our new home.

This was a quick trip with a few interesting stops along the way.  Not including food, much of which we had packed with us, we spent about $250 for the entire trip. $122 on hotels (two nights were free) and $113 in gas (we drive a Prius).

Often, we forget that the true adventure is not the destination but the journey and the memories you make and share along the way.  The people you meet are entertaining but the real joy is in your traveling companions and the personal time you get to spend with them.