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2022 Road-trip - Los Angeles, California to Dallas, Texas - 1,500 miles ; Barely Survived! Thunderstorms.

Gonna do an epic road trip for 3 days and 2 nights from Los Angeles, California to Dallas, Texas.  A distance of about 1,500 miles.

Route Choice - I-10/20 vs I-40
I debated between I-10/20 and I-40 and opted to try a hybrid and go I-10 to Phoenix then cutover to I-40 and Albuquerque.

!!!Important!!! Check the Weather!
In hindsight, after my horrendous road trip, I should have checked the weather as there were storm clouds over NM and TX and I was hydroplaning, forcing me to stop in Santa Rosa.  Then powered through to Texas....1,070 miles...terrible idea.  Barely made it to Dallas.

My journey:

Day 1 - LA —> Phoenix ; 400 miles
- 11 am hit the road for Palm Springs
- 1 pm - Lunch 🌮 Felipe’s and look at the Dino’s.
- 3 pm - Joshua Tree 🌵 
- 6 pm - Phoenix, Arizona
- 6 pm - Dinner 🌭 Nogales or Lupita’s Sonoran Hot Dogs

Day 2 - Phoenix —> Amarillo ; 705 miles 🌧 
- 7 am - Breakfast 🥞 
- 9 am - Payson, AZ — mountain drive! 🌵 
- Noon - I-40 / Route 66 - Painted Mountains
- 2 pm - Albuquerque, NM
- 2 pm - Lunch 🌮 Frontier Restaurant 
- 5 pm - Santa Rosa, NM (rained out) 🌧 
- 7 pm - head to Amarillo ; waited 2 hours for rain to calm down.
- 11 pm - Amarillo, Tx (no hotel..)

Day 3 - Amarillo —> Dallas ; 365 miles
- 2 am - Bad rain on 287 🌧 
- 2 am - Memphis, Tx (sleep for 2.5 hours); wait for rain to pass.
- 5:30 am - head for Dallas
- 9 am - Dallas

Packing List
While I’m traveling during the hot summer months, in event of inclement weather I’m bringing some additional gear and a rollup blanket.

For food & water, I have 2 weeks supply of water and 1 week of food.  I plan on dining at restaurants along the way, but want to be prepared.

Bags & Clothes 💼 
  • Adidas Backpack
  • Jansport Fannypack
  • Uniqlo T-Shirts - Black x4
  • Adidas White Socks x4
  • Underwear x4
  • Jeans
  • Nike Gym Shorts
  • Khaki Shorts
  • Northface Rain Jacket
  • Adidas Track Jacket
  • Gap Crew Neck Sweater
  • Nike Shoes
  • Baseball Cap
Tech & Tools 📱 
  • iPhone 11 
  • Samsung A32 (backup)
  • Airpod Pro
  • Anker Battery Pack 10k maH
  • Power Cables x3
  • Charging Blocks (Car & Home)
  • Flashlight
  • Swiss Army Knife
  • Bic Lighter
  • Casio G-Shock 5600
  • Fleece Blanket (Rollup)
  • Car Kit
  • Laptop (work) 
  • Pens & Notepad
  • Toiletry Kit
Food & Water 🍱 
  • Water (24 bottles) x2 Cases
  • Chips (16 pack)
  • Food Bars (18 pack)
  • Trail Mix (12 pack)
  • Beef Jerky (8 oz)
Misc 🗺 
  • Print out of map and directions 
  • Schedule for daily calls w/ contacts (3x/day)
  • $400 cash ($20 x 10, $100 x 2)
  • Credit Cards, Apple Pay
Closing
That blanket and rain jacket were a lifesaver as I ended up camping out in my car one night (well for a few hours).  Always pack for unexpected situations and I was well stocked for the bad situation I encountered with thunderstorms.

I still want to visit Amarillo someday.

Picture Book


Cabazon, CA - Dinos



Palm Springs, CA 

Felipe’s, one of the best Mexican I’ve ever had.





Phoenix, AZ

Moreno’s also pretty good Mexican and more for your deep fried variety.




Albuquerque, NM

Frontier is good Mexican for someone who desired Taco Bell to step up their game.  If Taco Bell was this quality they would dominate the market.



Memphis, Tx…. 🌧 

Souvenirs…1500 miles…2 nights and 3 days.



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