For those from Arizona and New Mexico
06-24-17, 07:13 AM
#1
For those from Arizona and New Mexico
I will embark on a 2200 mile trip from San Diego CA to Atlanta GA after my vacation out of the country this summer. So am planning for that cross country trip. I will pickup a 2004 SC430 to complete my Lexus SC collection . It has been certified by the Lexus Dealership to be able to make the trip so that is the good part. But of course anything can happen.
What I want to know is which part of Arizona and New Mexico would be a better route , I-8 / 1-10 corridor (lower part of those states ) or the I-40 corridor (upper part of those states) in terms of scenery , better roads and availability of help like shops if something happen along the trip. It will be at the same time a leisure / vacation trip for me and my wife so a lot of stops along the way. Texas and states on its right .. quite familiar with those states since I have driven basically all over the central and eastern states picking up MKIVs.
Can members from AZ an NM give me an insight ? My wife wanting to go through Grand Canyon makes me want to choose the I-40 corridor . But my first priority would be abundance / availability of help if ever since I don't know much the condition of the car we will be picking up.. I hate to be stucked in the middle of nowhere with a small car that barely have any space
. The sight seeing is secondary but will be nice.
Why pick up an SC430 from the west coast ? It has the external color and interior combination I have been looking for a long time !
What I want to know is which part of Arizona and New Mexico would be a better route , I-8 / 1-10 corridor (lower part of those states ) or the I-40 corridor (upper part of those states) in terms of scenery , better roads and availability of help like shops if something happen along the trip. It will be at the same time a leisure / vacation trip for me and my wife so a lot of stops along the way. Texas and states on its right .. quite familiar with those states since I have driven basically all over the central and eastern states picking up MKIVs.
Can members from AZ an NM give me an insight ? My wife wanting to go through Grand Canyon makes me want to choose the I-40 corridor . But my first priority would be abundance / availability of help if ever since I don't know much the condition of the car we will be picking up.. I hate to be stucked in the middle of nowhere with a small car that barely have any space
. The sight seeing is secondary but will be nice.Why pick up an SC430 from the west coast ? It has the external color and interior combination I have been looking for a long time !
06-24-17, 02:36 PM
#2
Hey Gerrb, I'm not from Arizona or New Mexico. I have passed through though and If it was up to me I would try to stay away from the border and bordertowns. Just isn't the best neighborhoods and not really worthy for sight seeing. Just a personal opinion. Have fun and enjoy your trip!
06-24-17, 04:20 PM
#4
gerrb..... I obviously am not from Arizona as you know, but trust me you wanna drive through the northern part of AZ if you're looking for a scenic route. I would plan to go through Flagstaff and Grand Canyon. I wish we had more time on our trip 2 years ago to really explore the area in more detail, but even in our short stay it left lasting memories.
It's breathtaking. And should be alot cooler than going by Phoenix.
It's breathtaking. And should be alot cooler than going by Phoenix.
06-25-17, 04:27 AM
#6
thanks guys ... yeah, looking at the I-40 route from Los Angeles.. coming from San Diego . My wife do not want to miss the Grand Canyon scenery as Dmitry (or Roman / 97-SC300 ) mentioned will be memorable . 
The SC430 has 65k miles so hopefully wherever I get it through , will not give me any problem. Hope to get tons of pictures with it on a top down against good back drop especially at Grand Canyon.
The SC430 has 65k miles so hopefully wherever I get it through , will not give me any problem. Hope to get tons of pictures with it on a top down against good back drop especially at Grand Canyon.
06-26-17, 12:09 AM
#7
Gerry, I'm just now seeing this. When would you guess that your trip will be, as a ballpark? If you do plan to come up from San Diego through Los Angeles and then east I hope we can meet up!
This is a drive I have made several times. I would recommend the I-40 corridor over I-10, although both have interesting possibilities in each.
You definitely should not miss the Grand Canyon. That is an excellent stop and it should be an extra day at least in order to fully enjoy it and not be rushed.
To not do too many miles each day and become exhausted I would recommend something like this route:
San Diego, CA --> Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles --> Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff, AZ --> up north to 64 which brings you to the Grand Canyon (you can make it a day trip and return to a hotel in Flagstaff or use a hotel in the tourist area of the park)
Flagstaff, AZ --> Albuquerque, NM or on up slightly north into Santa Fe, NM which is a beautiful place to visit with many things to see
Now from here, and depending on what stops you have planned for I would note Amarillo, TX as being a good backup stopping point between Albuquerque, NM & Santa Fe, NM. The next good stop on the I-40 corridor would be Oklahoma City, OK.
Incidentally Amarillo, TX is famous for having the Cadillac Ranch standing art installation. I believe it is still there. It's a fun and short stop if weird and odd roadside sites are of interest.
From there you could continue east on I-40 to Memphis, TN and slightly north into Nashville, TN or southeast on highway 22 to Birmingham, AL and then into Georgia.
Or your could venture from Oklahoma City, OK south to Dallas, Austin or Houston, TX to connect with the I-10 corridor for part of your journey.
If doing the entire trip on a tight schedule with the exception of the car pickup and New Mexico and the Grand Canyon it should take five days to do without fatiguing yourselves. Maybe four, but still I would give extra time for the Grand Canyon leg. It is a beautiful, breathtaking place and it is impossible to do it justice in a single day. If you can, bring a camera a good wide angle zoom lens. The colors look amazing when dusk begins to set in and the hues change over the canyon.
There are also many sections of old Route 66 that you can find from I-40. It is a slower rated road and curved and banked like a very old road but always a blast to drive on. The Route 66 section from Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ is a lot of fun but will not be for speed, just slow cruising and taking in the surroundings and very tight mountain sections. There is a touristy mountain town closer to the Kingman side. Again... one of these suggestions that is good if it sounds good to you both but only if you want to dedicate some extra time to a slower drive with big spaces between the next town or big city.
Also... in Arizona there is the National Petrified Forest. That is a really cool (but very long) drive if you want to see geology and landscape nearly locked in time. There are almost no trees and thus there is almost no audible sound out there since there is little to reverberate off of. It is eerie but amazing. Like another world. They do close up at dusk though so you would have to be out of there before the gates close. I am 50/50 on truly recommending this but it depends on what else may be of interest along the way.
Finally... Sedona, Arizona is also a great picturesque place to stop and get a room for a night/day. Definitely worth it in the opposite direction from the Grand Canyon south of I-40. There is a nice little hotel I stayed at there a couple of years ago-- I will produce the name soon if I can recall. In Sedona there was a nice area with some shops and restaurants too.
I think that perhaps the Grand Canyon and greater New Mexico are what are what you and your wife will mostly want to plan for but since it is a long drive back east I thought some extra suggestions would be good just in case
This is a drive I have made several times. I would recommend the I-40 corridor over I-10, although both have interesting possibilities in each.
You definitely should not miss the Grand Canyon. That is an excellent stop and it should be an extra day at least in order to fully enjoy it and not be rushed.
To not do too many miles each day and become exhausted I would recommend something like this route:
San Diego, CA --> Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles --> Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff, AZ --> up north to 64 which brings you to the Grand Canyon (you can make it a day trip and return to a hotel in Flagstaff or use a hotel in the tourist area of the park)
Flagstaff, AZ --> Albuquerque, NM or on up slightly north into Santa Fe, NM which is a beautiful place to visit with many things to see
Now from here, and depending on what stops you have planned for I would note Amarillo, TX as being a good backup stopping point between Albuquerque, NM & Santa Fe, NM. The next good stop on the I-40 corridor would be Oklahoma City, OK.
Incidentally Amarillo, TX is famous for having the Cadillac Ranch standing art installation. I believe it is still there. It's a fun and short stop if weird and odd roadside sites are of interest.
From there you could continue east on I-40 to Memphis, TN and slightly north into Nashville, TN or southeast on highway 22 to Birmingham, AL and then into Georgia.
Or your could venture from Oklahoma City, OK south to Dallas, Austin or Houston, TX to connect with the I-10 corridor for part of your journey.
If doing the entire trip on a tight schedule with the exception of the car pickup and New Mexico and the Grand Canyon it should take five days to do without fatiguing yourselves. Maybe four, but still I would give extra time for the Grand Canyon leg. It is a beautiful, breathtaking place and it is impossible to do it justice in a single day. If you can, bring a camera a good wide angle zoom lens. The colors look amazing when dusk begins to set in and the hues change over the canyon.
There are also many sections of old Route 66 that you can find from I-40. It is a slower rated road and curved and banked like a very old road but always a blast to drive on. The Route 66 section from Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ is a lot of fun but will not be for speed, just slow cruising and taking in the surroundings and very tight mountain sections. There is a touristy mountain town closer to the Kingman side. Again... one of these suggestions that is good if it sounds good to you both but only if you want to dedicate some extra time to a slower drive with big spaces between the next town or big city.
Also... in Arizona there is the National Petrified Forest. That is a really cool (but very long) drive if you want to see geology and landscape nearly locked in time. There are almost no trees and thus there is almost no audible sound out there since there is little to reverberate off of. It is eerie but amazing. Like another world. They do close up at dusk though so you would have to be out of there before the gates close. I am 50/50 on truly recommending this but it depends on what else may be of interest along the way.
Finally... Sedona, Arizona is also a great picturesque place to stop and get a room for a night/day. Definitely worth it in the opposite direction from the Grand Canyon south of I-40. There is a nice little hotel I stayed at there a couple of years ago-- I will produce the name soon if I can recall. In Sedona there was a nice area with some shops and restaurants too.
I think that perhaps the Grand Canyon and greater New Mexico are what are what you and your wife will mostly want to plan for but since it is a long drive back east I thought some extra suggestions would be good just in case
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06-26-17, 04:36 AM
#9
thanks guys ...
Craig - I will talk to you on the phone . I forgot , you did this trip so many times back and forth Los Angeles and Florida .
I am more than convince to take the I-40 corridor (route 66) up to Oklahoma City due to better scenery and I guess less heat . My wife whom you met already when you went to my place up North GA and I will love to meet you again in Los Angeles for a drink if your time permits.
The trip will be a leisure trip so no fix time to get back quick to Atlanta. We will make the most out of it. From Oklahoma , I will head down through Dallas then Austin where one our daughters is then to Houston ... Louisiana . Got to go through the French Quarters since my wife loves that place and I would have to see Aaron (geauxsimon) in that area, before we head to our place South of GA through I-10. Would leave the SC430 in the South since I still have a lot of vehicles up North. Some of those SCs as you know have to go. As mentioned to you on the phone, I have made up my mind on which ones are staying with me.
Craig - I will talk to you on the phone . I forgot , you did this trip so many times back and forth Los Angeles and Florida .
I am more than convince to take the I-40 corridor (route 66) up to Oklahoma City due to better scenery and I guess less heat . My wife whom you met already when you went to my place up North GA and I will love to meet you again in Los Angeles for a drink if your time permits.
The trip will be a leisure trip so no fix time to get back quick to Atlanta. We will make the most out of it. From Oklahoma , I will head down through Dallas then Austin where one our daughters is then to Houston ... Louisiana . Got to go through the French Quarters since my wife loves that place and I would have to see Aaron (geauxsimon) in that area, before we head to our place South of GA through I-10. Would leave the SC430 in the South since I still have a lot of vehicles up North. Some of those SCs as you know have to go. As mentioned to you on the phone, I have made up my mind on which ones are staying with me.
Last edited by gerrb; 06-26-17 at 04:46 AM.
06-26-17, 05:41 PM
#10
Sure thing, Gerry! You know how to reach me
I would definitely love to meet up with you both in L.A. on your way up and east. Plenty of good places for food and drink in L.A. to choose from.
Going to Austin, Houston and Louisiana will be great! New Orleans and the French Quarter are always great to visit and spend time in.
Regarding Route 66, just to be clear I-40 is not going to be a part of the old Route 66 except in certain sections where you will be able to turn onto the old road if you know where to go off I-40. Route 66 does parallel I-40 in some areas, notably in part of the Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ section... but it will still diverge and go around a mountain. Think of it more like a narrower European mountain road where the speed will be more like 15-20mph in some sections (around the mountain only) but in others it's basically a 40, 50, or 60mph road. It is also good to have a full tank of gas at the start of it because it's a distance on that route with no refueling station for a while.
Flagstaff, AZ also has a turnoff or connection to Route 66 if I recall correctly. It was right near a hotel I stayed in at Flagstaff.
The thing about that old historic road is that it was, at one time, the only major corridor to get from (I think) Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles before the interstate system was built. Over time Route 66 was broken up and/or repurposed but the markers of the famous old highway were left since it had such a huge cultural impact. Today many sections of 66 can be accessed at specific entry and exits and in some small towns the road is just a remaining part of them.
It is possible to drive I-40 from L.A. to far eastern states and almost never get onto 66 but especially if not in a rush it's always fun to work part of it into an eastbound or westbound trip at least once.
Apart from Route 66 another nice couple of roads to drive on very early in your trip (time and both your interest permitting if a driving road factors in any way) would be a couple of parts of Mulholland Drive and also Latigo Canyon Road or some roads in the Angeles Forest. Mulholland Drive is the easiest to access if you're staying just inside L.A.
Of course I'd mention fun roads to you though, haha
Things and people to see will be the biggest draw for your coming road trip.
I would definitely love to meet up with you both in L.A. on your way up and east. Plenty of good places for food and drink in L.A. to choose from.
Going to Austin, Houston and Louisiana will be great! New Orleans and the French Quarter are always great to visit and spend time in.
Regarding Route 66, just to be clear I-40 is not going to be a part of the old Route 66 except in certain sections where you will be able to turn onto the old road if you know where to go off I-40. Route 66 does parallel I-40 in some areas, notably in part of the Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ section... but it will still diverge and go around a mountain. Think of it more like a narrower European mountain road where the speed will be more like 15-20mph in some sections (around the mountain only) but in others it's basically a 40, 50, or 60mph road. It is also good to have a full tank of gas at the start of it because it's a distance on that route with no refueling station for a while.
Flagstaff, AZ also has a turnoff or connection to Route 66 if I recall correctly. It was right near a hotel I stayed in at Flagstaff.
The thing about that old historic road is that it was, at one time, the only major corridor to get from (I think) Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles before the interstate system was built. Over time Route 66 was broken up and/or repurposed but the markers of the famous old highway were left since it had such a huge cultural impact. Today many sections of 66 can be accessed at specific entry and exits and in some small towns the road is just a remaining part of them.
It is possible to drive I-40 from L.A. to far eastern states and almost never get onto 66 but especially if not in a rush it's always fun to work part of it into an eastbound or westbound trip at least once.
Apart from Route 66 another nice couple of roads to drive on very early in your trip (time and both your interest permitting if a driving road factors in any way) would be a couple of parts of Mulholland Drive and also Latigo Canyon Road or some roads in the Angeles Forest. Mulholland Drive is the easiest to access if you're staying just inside L.A.
Of course I'd mention fun roads to you though, haha
Things and people to see will be the biggest draw for your coming road trip.
06-26-17, 08:10 PM
#11
Did this drive back in the 70's in a 68 Javelin twice. Also drove up the coastal highway from San Diego to Wheeler Ca. Took southern route out, northern route back. Absolutely a lot to see and enjoy. Plan on doing it one more time in my SC in a couple of years, when I retire. By then I'll have replaced just about every thing or rebuilt. Envy your trip. Good luck and have fun. Post many pics.
06-26-17, 08:30 PM
#12
As an Arizonan for the past 30 years or so, I would suggest I-40. Frankly, if you have the time, Route 66 parallels I-40, and is very nostalgic with lots of quaint stops. Northern Arizona is more scenic for sure, and you avoid the traffic of Phoenix and Tucson. The Grand Canyon is quite the detour off the main I-40 Interstate, but not accessible from I-10. Sedona is close to Flagstaff, and is beautiful, though can also get mighty hot in the summer. Also, traveling Southern AZ in the middle of summer can be a major bummer if you have a breakdown because of the extreme heat. You won't find either route lacking in auto service, but the only Lexus dealers are in Phoenix and Tucson.
Sounds like a very cool drive!
Sounds like a very cool drive!
06-27-17, 03:12 PM
#13
I did a coast to coast (CA to NC) road trip last summer and took the I-40 from Los Angeles to Albuquerque. That part was very beautiful, especially the Painted Desert - and was very smooth. As mentioned above, Grand Canyon is a slight detour but worth it.
I cut down I-25 to the 10 to get to Austin though so I can't speak to the rest of the I-40. Went through NOLA, Nashville, then Durham. Hope you have fun!
I cut down I-25 to the 10 to get to Austin though so I can't speak to the rest of the I-40. Went through NOLA, Nashville, then Durham. Hope you have fun!
06-27-17, 04:46 PM
#15
thanks to all ...
yeah , my wife's condition for her to go with me is we have to go through the Grand Canyon... so that definitely will bring me through I-40 and divert upwards to the canyons . I have always heard from my uncles and aunts about that old Route 66 coming from St. Louis MO all the way to the west. Everyone says it is worth seeing the Canyons so we will definitely go there.
Never drove through Arizona or Mexico so I just wonder how a small car like the SC430 will perform during hot summer days above 110F in those states or is it worth waiting for Fall. The car had been paid for and it is in a garage at my cousin's place so it is not going anywhere. It just need to be picked up and driven back to GA . I just want to make the trip an enjoyable one so the sight seeings are a bonus since my wife and I never have done any land travel in those states so far. We have driven as far as Colorado , Utah , Wyoming and all the central and eastern states.. but not those two states. So I don't know what to expect .
But I do believe it will be a fun drive. It will be nice to see again friends and family in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Kira X - I will have to plan my detailed itinerary once am back from Europe. Was thinking to go to Oklahoma city before heading down to TX.
Craig - Why don't you bring your SC300 to FL for your 2jzgte swap since you are building the engine in FL . Maybe we can do the trip together from Los Angeles .. hahaha
yeah , my wife's condition for her to go with me is we have to go through the Grand Canyon... so that definitely will bring me through I-40 and divert upwards to the canyons . I have always heard from my uncles and aunts about that old Route 66 coming from St. Louis MO all the way to the west. Everyone says it is worth seeing the Canyons so we will definitely go there.
Never drove through Arizona or Mexico so I just wonder how a small car like the SC430 will perform during hot summer days above 110F in those states or is it worth waiting for Fall. The car had been paid for and it is in a garage at my cousin's place so it is not going anywhere. It just need to be picked up and driven back to GA . I just want to make the trip an enjoyable one so the sight seeings are a bonus since my wife and I never have done any land travel in those states so far. We have driven as far as Colorado , Utah , Wyoming and all the central and eastern states.. but not those two states. So I don't know what to expect .
But I do believe it will be a fun drive. It will be nice to see again friends and family in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Kira X - I will have to plan my detailed itinerary once am back from Europe. Was thinking to go to Oklahoma city before heading down to TX.
Craig - Why don't you bring your SC300 to FL for your 2jzgte swap since you are building the engine in FL . Maybe we can do the trip together from Los Angeles .. hahaha
Last edited by gerrb; 06-27-17 at 04:52 PM.