Herm

Have got to go to the States for a few weeks soon and am toying with the idea of driving up to Utah from LA (I think I must be reverting back to some childhood dream although OH thinks its male menopause )

Anybody got any advice on driving through/away from LAX?

Thanks

danny.f

1st bit of advice would be to post this on the American site-and watch your responses double!!
I would love to do that-been an ambition of mine too.

Best advice really would be to use some form of automotive transport. A car maybe,or even a motorhome.
Alternatively do one of those car transfers-where you pick up a car in LA and deliver it where you wish to end. Flydrives or something?

Pony

I've driven my fair share of long distance trips in the US. a 6,000 mile road trip (from Texas to Canada over 19 days touring the SW to NW US), a 2,400 road trip (through the central US from Canada to Texas) and a recent 1,500 road trip (from Texas to LA). All made in the same car, which is starting to show the strains of so many road trips.

What advice are you looking for? The route to take, where to stay, what to see etc?
LA to Utah is not that far at all, the interstate freeways are easy going. My only initial advice is to wear longs sleeves and long trousers. Shorts and short sleeves WILL leave you sunburned if you travel for any period of time during the summer. Tinted windows are not usually enough to prevent the sun.

Herm

Thanks Pony - How easy is driving in LA?, I've got 2 days - can LA to Salt Lake easily be done in that time?, Areas to avoid? Plenty of Gas stations on route? Will the route be fairly built up or am I crossing deserts?

That sort of thing.

Cheers

CaliforniaBride

Dead easy.

Paladin

I recommend reading Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" on the plane and then re-enacting the whole road trip as you leave LA!!! Otherwise, its crap traffic all the way out of LA on Interstate 15 up to Barstow followed by boredom of miles of dry dusty scrub and desert and fascist State Troopers with Radar Speed guns!!



Dave

Herm

Thanks heaps - I'm so depressed now not sure I'll even bother going...

Paladin

Don't worry, by the time you've consumed the same amount of alcohol and psychedelic drugs that Hunter & his attorney did, you won't remember you're depressed and in fact will think you are living in an alternative reality!

Pony

I moved from rural Texas to LA and the change in traffic volume was unreal. Every highway is busy at any time of the day. I've found as long as I avoid the 405 and 10 during rush hour its usually fairly OK. I left the UK 2 years ago and although its busy here its not as busy as trying to take the M61 to Manchester in a morning.
Once you get used to the crap and inconsiderate drivers (I find a valium helps) then you should be just fine. Gas stations are not a problem, its the price of gas that is (its a dollar more a gallon here than in Texas).
Have you driven in the US before? If not then driving in LA may not be such a great idea, unless you have driven in Bombay then its about the same
You can drive at any speed in LA, the crazier the better (you'll look like a local). Once you get out of the built up areas use cruise control all the way - unless you like collecting speeding tickets. You can be on a stretch of road that runs dead straight for hundreds of miles, through the desert, with apparently nothing else on it, the limit may be 65 and if you do 66 houdini the cop appears with his lights flashing. Some interstates are 80 mph.
I actually think areas of the desert are really pretty in this area - a lot nicer then west Texas desert.
Take your own entertainment as your radio will not pick much up.

If you only have a couple of days a road trip may not be your best use of time.

Cava Fizz

My advice don't visit Utah. Isn't Salt Lake City practiclly alcohol free?

Herm

A real bugger but I don't have a choice - Its Utah or nothing.