RE: U.S West Coast: My Dream Drive
Discussion
unsprung said:
DB9VolanteDriver said:
Prepay with cash, yes, but with a credit card?? I've never had to do this, ever. Author must be on crack, or doesn't know what a credit car is.
If the author was required to prepay whilst using a credit card, this would be, as you say, unusual. Indeed I've never heard of this.However, it may have been because his card is not issued by a US bank. I'm simply guessing.
In the US, if you pay for fuel with a credit or debit card, you simply swipe and pump. You do not prepay. You prepay only when paying in cash.
BigBen said:
unsprung said:
DB9VolanteDriver said:
Prepay with cash, yes, but with a credit card?? I've never had to do this, ever. Author must be on crack, or doesn't know what a credit car is.
If the author was required to prepay whilst using a credit card, this would be, as you say, unusual. Indeed I've never heard of this.However, it may have been because his card is not issued by a US bank. I'm simply guessing.
In the US, if you pay for fuel with a credit or debit card, you simply swipe and pump. You do not prepay. You prepay only when paying in cash.
If they absolutely require an amount, use an amount larger than what you expect to fill the tank, and they will refund it. Just the same as if you pay cash when filling the tank.
We drove San-Francisco -> Yosemite driving up to glacier point and then later leaving out the eastern side of Yosemite via Tioga Pass. -> Death Valley -> Vegas. Loved it.
Tioga pass is a beautiful piece of road if its open. Lovely lake somewhere at the top and its 10,000 ft! We then descended right down to - 290 ft odd as we dropped into Bad Water Basin salt flats somewhere near Furnace Creek.
Palm Springs next for all the cool 50s modernist houses.
Tioga pass is a beautiful piece of road if its open. Lovely lake somewhere at the top and its 10,000 ft! We then descended right down to - 290 ft odd as we dropped into Bad Water Basin salt flats somewhere near Furnace Creek.
Palm Springs next for all the cool 50s modernist houses.
Did a similar trip in 2006. In a 31 ft Winnebago having decided that the smaller, mutated-Transit RVs weren't rock star enough. You show them your licence and they wave you off in an eight-ton, eight-litre monstrosity. Which takes up four spaces in the supermarket. We were pulled over by a cop before crossing the Hoover Dam so he could check for explosives. Who would have thought the Vegas strip would be busy at 5pm? Next time it's the Mustang and motel-hopping.
The Zip code thing is spot on, Ive just moved to the US and had to go to the station to pay for fuel every time until I got a US debit card. The other thing to look out for are these crazy pumps that won't start pumping until you move some random handle down, I was standing there for ages till I clicked.
There are a believe it or not there are still a bunch of states you still can't pump your own gas!
There are a believe it or not there are still a bunch of states you still can't pump your own gas!
If useful... 15 apps for road trips
And one odd-ball site: RoadFood for the quirky or kitsch in local eateries
The above are not meant to replace large sites like Expedia, TripAdvisor, Yelp, VisitCalifornia.com, ILoveNY.com (and their equivalents in other states), etc. The above are just some interesting options.
And one odd-ball site: RoadFood for the quirky or kitsch in local eateries
The above are not meant to replace large sites like Expedia, TripAdvisor, Yelp, VisitCalifornia.com, ILoveNY.com (and their equivalents in other states), etc. The above are just some interesting options.
I had the pleasure to live for three years in Santa Barbara and drove around a fair bit. Costal highway Nr.1. 101, spectacular highway 33 in Ojai, the tramac mountain trails in the Santa Barbara mountains, Santa Ynez valley, highway 17 to Santa Cruz.....
Did it in my 89 Civic with some suspension work done and the mountains on my KTM Duke 2nd Edition with super sticky Pirelli MT66 Corsa tyres.
Most of the wy to Las Vegas or Highway 5 is rather boring.
Don't come off the road on highway 33. They'll find you years later. No cell phone reception either.
But almost zero traffic, no cops and turns, turns, turns, turns with spectacular views on top of it.
Did it in my 89 Civic with some suspension work done and the mountains on my KTM Duke 2nd Edition with super sticky Pirelli MT66 Corsa tyres.
Most of the wy to Las Vegas or Highway 5 is rather boring.
Don't come off the road on highway 33. They'll find you years later. No cell phone reception either.
But almost zero traffic, no cops and turns, turns, turns, turns with spectacular views on top of it.
just to join in the nerd fest regards fuel. I am an emmigre from the UK and I too thought U.S fuel was bad when I arrived until I read more, especially where I first lived as super was 91. Where I live now super is 93 and that gives me the full 420 instead of 412 from my Mustang. However, 91 can be "pure" without ethanol added which means you can get the same bang as 93 where around 5-10% is ethanol. The only difference I am aware of is in some of the high altitude states octane is lower as detonation at altitude with 91 or 93 can be problematic.
I've been living in the US now for about 7 or 8 months and plan to do a similar trip later this month.
Some other advice for fuel pumps here in the States. Some of them, after you lift the nozzle, you have to pull the black plastic assembly upwards where the nozzle was sat. I haven't come across many of these, but the first one I ever used had this. Confused the poop out of me. Fortunately the guy in the shop was very helpful and came out to show me.
One thing I love about living here is how helpful the people I have encountered can be!
Some other advice for fuel pumps here in the States. Some of them, after you lift the nozzle, you have to pull the black plastic assembly upwards where the nozzle was sat. I haven't come across many of these, but the first one I ever used had this. Confused the poop out of me. Fortunately the guy in the shop was very helpful and came out to show me.
One thing I love about living here is how helpful the people I have encountered can be!
Yeah bit of a short article to be fair and the northern part of route 1 was missed which is the classic best road in America to drive. I just got back from an 18 day road trip over 1800 miles from LA to San Fran up the beautiful Pacific coastal highway (route 1) and then through Yosemite, Mammoth lakes, Death Valley, Vegas, back to LA and home. Did it all on two Harley Davidsons. Anyone who says American roads are straight and boring hasn't been there or has done the wrong route, some unbelievable winding open roads on our trip which when on for literally hours and hours! Those Camero's and Mustags are everywhere! Couldn't believe how popular they are, bit like ford focuses or minis over here! I did want to have a go in one though through Death Valley when it was 45 degree heat in a bikers jacket! My Instagram account documented the whole trip: @syedwards .
LHRATL said:
The Zip code thing is spot on, Ive just moved to the US and had to go to the station to pay for fuel every time until I got a US debit card. The other thing to look out for are these crazy pumps that won't start pumping until you move some random handle down, I was standing there for ages till I clicked.
Me too! That and the pumps that you have to push the nozzle fully into the tank before they'll start pumping, some sort of switch in the nozzle.phast said:
I'm going to Florida in a couple of months and have negotiated a day to myself away from Disney hell.
Can anyone suggest a good road trip?
Smart move. Nevertheless, central Florida itself can be a kind of endless and soulless Hell. Grid roads, chain stores, barren sandy pine expanses.Can anyone suggest a good road trip?
Google around and you'll find off-the-beaten-path gems like this.
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