Roadie Anyone?

Since we've been looking at some stops along the way, it may be of interest as to where we can drink along the way.  And not just when we stop but when we are on the road.  And, thank you to Amy for this topic.  It came to her while she was driving and thirsty.  :)

From OpenContainerLaws.com:

As of now most states are in full TEA-21 compliance. In order to be in compliance with TEA-21 states must: prohibit any open alcohol container or the consumption of alcohol in vehicles; prohibit open alcohol in vehicles in the passenger area including unlocked glove compartments where the driver can easily reach the container; prohibit all open alcohol containers with at least ½ of one percent of alcohol; prohibit open alcohol containers in any vehicle on the public highways including shoulders.

However, there are still seven states that allow open containers in vehicles; Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia. Mississippi is the sole state that actually allows motorist to “drink and drive” (as long as they stay under the legal blood alcohol limit). The others only permit passengers to drink. There are another four states that have partly complied with TEA-21 (Alaska, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming). Also, open container laws may be instated at the local level. So, even though a state may not have a specific restriction to open containers, a town or city may.Since the drive time in Mississippi on the way to NOLA will be 5 hours and 37 minutes, it's nice to know we can stay hydrated..... in a sense...... if we wanted.  Although potty breaks would increase so, we'll have to keep that in mind.

From Wikipedia:

The city of New Orleans, Louisiana allows the possession and consumption on the street of any alcoholic beverage in an open plastic container (not in glass bottles or containers). Throughout the rest of Louisiana, however, open containers are still prohibited, despite the fact that drive-thru frozen daiquiri stands are legal.

Drive-thru Daiquiri stands?  Where are these?  I want to visit one!!  I have no idea where these are in relation to where we are going to be but, I'm interested in finding out what is in the following:  Alligator, Attitude, and Kitchen Sink.

http://www.daiquirisandcreams.com/

I'll keep looking to see if there's another alternative

Vicksburg, MS

Visit Vicksburg

Above is the link for the Vicksburg online visitor's guide.  The official copy can also be requested at this site. It came with the Official Visitors Guide and the Vicksburg Area Nature Guide.

Vicksburg listings can also be found starting on page 286 of the AAA TourBook and in the book "1000 Places to See, in the USA and Canada, Before You Die"

Vicksburg is 3 hours and 17 minutes from Memphis and will make a perfect lunch stop in addition to a glimpse of the historic battle that took place here 151 years from the time we will be visiting.  This stop was inspired by a book Blake was reading, "A Chain of Thunder" by Jeff Shaara.  Maybe we should start a book club.  :)

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Man vs Food

Another request is to eat at a place that has been on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives or Man vs Food.  While I'm not interested in any of the massive or super spicy food challenges completed on Man v Food, I certainly wouldn't mind eating at any of them.  Below are links to restaurants I found on the show websites.  Don't look at these if you are hungry!  :)

Memphis

Diners Drive-ins and Dives

http://alcenias.com/

http://www.cozycornerbbq.com/

http://www.leonardsbarbecue.com/

http://www.marlowesmemphis.com/

http://www.rizzosdiner.com/#

http://www.southofbeale.com/

http://threeangelsdiner.com/

http://www.tomsbarbq.com/

http://unclelousfriedchicken.com/

Man v Food

http://arcaderestaurant.com/

New Orleans

Diners Drive-ins and Dives

http://casamentosrestaurant.com/

http://www.joeyksrestaurant.com/

http://www.katiesinmidcity.com/

http://www.mahonyspoboys.com/

http://www.parasolsbarandrestaurant.com/

http://www.surreyscafeandjuicebar.com/

http://www.creolecreamery.com/

http://www.alwayssmokin.com/

http://www.theoldcoffeepot.com/

Man v Food

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/index.html

http://www.deanies.com/

Biloxi

http://www.blow-fly-inn.com/

http://www.darwellscafe.com/

http://theshedbbq.com/

A Little Spookiness Year Round!

Listed as the Travel Channel's most haunted cemetery.  Tour prices run $20 with tours being at 10am.  The time in the morning shouldn't be a huge issue unless April's been riding the mechanical alligator the night before.  More to come on that later.  :)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60864-d108191-Reviews-St_Louis_Cemetery_No_1-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html

Although some of the reviews liked other cemeteries, it appears several are within walking distance from the French Quarter and a guided tour may not be a necessity.  St. Louis Cemetery No.1 Closes at 3pm.

This cemetery's photos look amazing as well and is ranked a tad higher on TripAdvisor.  Although, I have not researched its location in regards to our hotel.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60864-d144081-Reviews-Metairie_Cemetery-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html

Those interested in other haunted evening/night tours can check this out.

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/tours/hauntedtours.html

While looking for a map of NoLA's cemeteries, I came across this.... Wow

http://www.nolacemeteries.com/

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour

Daily at 10:00am, and Friday & Saturday at 1:00pm
Departs from the Basin Street Station lobby
501 Basin Street (next to the cemetery)
Tour lasts a little over 1 hour

Founded in 1789 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is located just steps outside of the French Quarter at the corner of St. Louis & Basin Streets. It is the burial ground of some of the most illustrious citizens of New Orleans, including Etienne de Bore, pioneer in sugar development; Daniel Clark, financial supporter of the American Revolution; Paul Morphy, world famous chess champion; and other local and national figures.
Notable structures include the famed oven wall vaults, the supposed resting place of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, and the magnificent tombs of the French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish societies.
Dramatically shown in the 1969 film, Easy Rider, the cemetery is the oldest existing cemetery in New Orleans. It is a maze of wall vaults, family tombs, and society tombs that artistically showcase the unique burial customs & traditions of New Orleans.
Save Our Cemeteries is the only non-profit in New Orleans that offers cemetery tours. Currently, all of our tour guides are volunteers, and much of our marketing & materials are donated, so over 90% of your tour ticket price will go directly towards our mission of cemetery restoration, education and advocacy.

Biloxi, MS Current Weather

It's 38 degrees outside and 60 degrees in Biloxi at 10 pm.  Maybe I should go scout out the area before we travel there.  Hmmm.........

Handles part II

Based on the Handle Generator posted below, here are our walkie talkie handles.  Brace yourself!

Mikki - Earthquake Shuffler
Sara - Non-Stop
Bobber - Getter Done
Jen - Straight One Eight
Amy - Rattler
April - Custom Thunder (lolololol)
Bo if he entered Billy Wayne - Big Rigg
Bo as Bo - Big Box Shaker  (lol)
What Blake thinks he and Bob should be - Smoky and the Bandit.
Blake (with the generator) - Mack Way
Bobber - Getter Done

All of them made me actually laugh out loud.

Road Trip Games

There will be some fun surprises along out journey so, I haven't listed those but here are some fun game ideas for on the road.  We will need to wait to get to a hotel to play Strip Poker (Or Happy Days Game for the FRIENDS watchers out there) or Twister or Uno for that matter.....  I would love to hear what your favorite road trip game is.  Feel free to comment below or send me an email.  :)

Would You Rather? Take turns offering various options to other passengers, either wonderful, horrible, painful, embarrassing, or otherwise. Find out who would rather jump in a flaming volcano or sit in a cage of snakes.

Counting Cows. This game is perfect for drives through rural country. Passengers must count and keep track of cows on their side of the car. If you pass a cemetery, it wipes out the cow count for the passengers on the same side of the car. Passenger with the most cows at the end of the trip wins.

Fortunately, Unfortunately. One passenger shares a statement beginning with the word, “fortunately.” As in, “Fortunately, I remembered to buy snacks at the gas station.” Another passenger must follow up with a statement beginning with the word, “unfortunately.” As in, “Unfortunately, I left them on the counter when I paid.” You can also switch the game around by starting with unfortunate ideas first.

Road Trip Bingo. Kind of like I Spy and Bingo all in one. Instead of numbers, you're looking for things out the window to fill your game cards -- fire hydrants, traffic lights, garbage cans. You can print out game cards before you go (many websites offer down-loadable versions), make your own, or pick up handy disposable options that open like advent calendars.

Possible Route Modification

Here's how you know I am really a sick, sick person.  Last weekend, while discussing the trip, I was asked "can we make a swing through Vicksburg, MS?"  I, of course, said Yes but in my head I was thinking..... Ooh, if we are able to leave earlier, we can stay in Memphis and I'll need to research some additional hotel options.  Woo hoo!  Is there a 12-step program for this?  :)  Another plus?  We would arrive in New Orleans during daylight hours.

Days Inn Memphis

 Travel Itinerary -  Saturday, June 28th - Sunday July 6th

     June 28 - Memphis, TN

     June 29 - NoLA

     June 30 - NoLA

     July 1 - NoLA

     July 2 - NoLA

     July 3 - NoLA

     July 4 - Biloxi, MS

     July 5 - Springfield, IL

     July 6 - Home

Lodging -

     Memphis, TN - Days Inn Memphis - 2 Rooms - $229.56

     NoLA - Wyndham La Belle Maison - $0

     Biloxi, MS - Quality Inn - 2 Rooms = $378.56

     Springfield, IL - Microtel Inn & Suites - 2 Rooms = $199.58

Gas -

     Based on 2 vehicles - $700

Attractions - pending....

     Jazzy Pass (NoLA street car) - $9.00 per person  ($3 per day unlimited)

     CoasTour Pass - $5.00 per person (Biloxi, 1 day unlimited pass)

Costs - $1767.70

     Lodging - $807.70

     Gas - $700.00

     Food - $

     Attractions - $

     Parking - $260.00

Per person - $220.96

Per couple - $441.93

    

On the road again......

Our journey to New Orleans will take us by way of Memphis, TN and Jackson, MS.  The tentative first night's stop will be in Cahokia, IL just outside of St. Louis, MO.  Total mileage to New Orleans will be approximately 1220 miles.  Approximate due to our different starting locations.  Trip starting/ending markers are figured from Eau Claire because that's where I live.  :)  ps.  Bob and I tend to be early risers on travel days so we can get to where we are going..... and have a drink...... or 3.

A potential lunch stop on Day 2 could be Memphis as it is about 4 hours from Cahokia and we will have a full 10+ hours of drive time.  I discovered an option, when planning our Girl Scout trip to DC, on Google maps.  After you have entered your location, select "Search Nearby" and it will allow you to enter anything general.  (ex: parks, grocery stores, gas stations, hotels, etc.,)  This is what I found when I entered Parks near Memphis. Google Maps - Memphis Parks  I'm sure will be some interesting finds on AAA (which is much different from AA) and we will need to check into TripAdvisor also.  You just never know what you'll find on a road trip!!


Distance from New Orleans to Biloxi is an easy 90 miles or 1 hour and 27 minutes according to Mapquest.  In case anyone is wondering, I am VERY excited to cross this gigantic bridge.  Can't wait!!



The return from Biloxi is listed as 1196 miles.  Our tentatively planned stop is in Springfield, IL and will be a full day of driving.  We'll have to be on the look out for some fun places to stop on the way home.

Why is Madison tagged as a stopping point?  I have a former employee who lives there and will be letting us park April's vehicle at his family's restaurant.  I may have to smooze for a few on the way down although maybe it will time that the club isn't open when we pass through and then I'll just leave a note on their door.
Hill Top  It appears their website needs to be updated but you get the idea.

Until next time........

Handles

Here is a list of handles.....
http://www.somethingawful.com/news/cb-handles/

If you didn't find anything you like, you can generate a name.....
http://www.quizopolis.com/trucker-name/name-generator/7120/

.... Mine came up as "Straight One Eight"..... not sure I like it though........ Next?

Costing an arm and a leg? You decide!! :)

Well!  Scratch that!!  The 15 passenger van, that is.

Enterprise Rental - $149.99/per day x 9 = $1349.91

(I will also note they do not include tax in their quotes and I don't even want to know what that would cost)

Mileage (2600 miles total) over 150/per day - $.40 x 1250 = $500.00

$1349.91 + $500 + gas = NO THANK YOU!

So, no good deal this year even though I mentioned the only reason I was calling them was because of their service and discounts for our Girl Scout council.  How many of us were or are registered Girl Scouts?  Never mind, it's their loss.

As a result, we will be taking two vehicles.  Bob's and Amy's.  Which just means we get to use our WALKIE TALKIES.  And, that's always a good day!!!  (There may be a "training" that takes place during Girl's Weekend!)  It will make packing a little different however, we should still have plenty of room if everyone only brings one outfit and their swimsuit.  lol   On a serious note, the timeshare facility does have washers and driers for us to use if we wanted to do a load of laundry.

In the pricing below, you will see a parking fee.  The timeshare charges $26 per day for parking.  I have read that we can park at the Harrah's casino for free if we gamble for 30 minutes per day.  Not sure which would be more cost effective although I don't mind playing there, I didn't want us to have to worry.... or have to drag all our belongings a few blocks.  As I always tell customers, it's easier to go down in fees than up.  Denise has let me know, we can pay her whatever we would like for the timeshare or I could work it off at her Just Between Friends events in October and May.  I would welcome additional help in May if anyone is available.  This past year, it was May 11th.  I was also thinking we should get her a nice gift certificate for doing this for us.  I'm open to suggestions and such.

The one subjective area will be food/drinks.  Not that we like to drink.  This is a church trip, right? 

We had talked about picnics while on the road but lunches and other meals while in NoLA will be something for us to discuss.  We always bring cases of water/beer/soda with us when we travel to cut down on costs two ways.  It's usually cheaper here and I'm not tempted to buy a bunch of junk from Festus, MO.  Unless any of you would like a shot glass from there.  Just let me know.

Also still up in the air are the attractions/activities to do while in New Orleans. 

We'll adjust the costs as we plan but here is the break down so far.

Travel Itinerary -  Saturday, June 28th - Sunday July 6th

     June 28 - Cahokia, IL

     June 29 - NoLA

     June 30 - NoLA

     July 1 - NoLA

     July 2 - NoLA

     July 3 - NoLA

     July 4 - Biloxi, MS

     July 5 - Springfield, IL

     July 6 - Home

Lodging -

     Cahokia, IL - Comfort Inn & Suites - 2 Rooms = 171.64

     NoLA - Wyndham La Belle Maison - $0

     Biloxi, MS - Quality Inn - 2 Rooms = $378.56

     Springfield, IL - Microtel Inn & Suites - 2 Rooms = $199.58

Gas -

     Based on 2 vehicles - $700

Attractions - pending....

     Jazzy Pass (NoLA street car) - $9.00 per person  ($3 per day unlimited)

     CoasTour Pass - $5.00 per person (Biloxi, 1 day unlimited pass)

Costs - $1709.78

     Lodging - $749.78

     Gas - $700.00

     Food - $

     Attractions - $

     Parking - $260.00

Per person - $213.72

Per couple - $427.44

    

Hotel Information

June 28th - Cakohia, IL

Comfort Inn & Suites

1607 Pontiac Dr, 62206

Trip Advisor Comfort Inn Cakohia

June 29-July 4th - New Orleans, LA 

Wyndham La Belle Maison

515 Gravier St, 70130
2 bedroom lock-off (1 studio & 1 bedroom room combined)

Trip Advisor Wyndham La Belle Maison
Wyndham La Belle Maison

http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/signup.php

July 4th - Biloxi, MS 

Quality Inn

2414 Beach Blvd, 39531

Fridge and Microwave in room

Free Wi-Fi

Free Breakfast

Trip Advisor Quality Inn Biloxi

http://coasttransit.com/

July 4
Huge annual Fireworks Display over the Mississippi Sound!  Fireworks shot from Deer Island! Hosted by the City of Biloxi!

July 5th - Springfield, IL 

Microtel Inn & Suites

2636 Sunrise Dr, 62703

Free Wi-fi

Free Breakfast

Trip Advisor Microtel Inn Springfield

July 6th - Home

Enter your address and zip here.