On the Road To 40

I only have 5 states left to visit North Dakota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, New Mexico - so for my 40th birthday vacation I decided to do the Rt 66 (in honor of 1966) and I- 40 corridor(in honor of turning 40).  This will check off 4 of the remaining 5 states with this trip.  The itinerary is compliments of  my traveling friend and former grad school room-mate efforts!

Sept 2- Pick up Rental Car Wilmington Delaware

Sept 5th Driver to  OH - Pick up  friend.  Drive to Southhaven, MS (11.6 hours -1 hour for time change. 

Sept 6th - Go to Nesbit MS (10 min) take photo.  Driver to MurfreesborAk, go to Crater of Diamonds State Park (AK).  Look for Diamonds ($6 entrance fee + rental).  Drive to Hot Springs for night.

Sept 7th - Hot Springs - Fordyce Bath House (visitor center- Free) Hot Springs Observatory ($6) drive scenic road (Route 7) to Route 40 and Tulsa OK.  Take picture of the GIANT concrete oil man leaning on an oil derrick at Expo Square (4.5 hours toll~$2.50).  Drive to Coffeyville KS (1.5 hours).

Sept 8th - Drive to Bartlesville OK (0.5 hour) to the Price Tower Center which is the only sky scraper Frank Llyodd Wright ever designed.  (opens at 10 am - $4).  Then depending on how ambitious we feel drive to Amarillo (6 hours) or Vega TX (+1 hour  or ~3.50 from Tulsa to OK City)

Sept 9th - Drive from Vega/Amarillo to Albuquerque Sandia Peak Aerocar and bum around Albuquerque.  Drive to Gallap NM 

Sept 10 Gallup to 4 Corners Monument ($3) then drive to National Park and find a Hotel in Cortez CO.  If we get in early enough - head into Mesa Verde National Park

Sept 11 - Mesa Verde (100th anniversary) for the day - drive to Moab, Utah)

Sept 12- Arches ( 10 min drive from Moab) then depending on how much time drive to Green River (fossil fish?) Salina or at most Panguitch

Sept 13 Drive to Panguitch for hotel - bum around Bryce National Park for day

Sept 14 - Bryce in AM - drive to Cedar City (1.75 hours)

Sept 15  - Drive to Zion (1 hour) then drive to Phaump NV (3.75 hour)

Sept 16 - Drive Pahrump to Death Valley (1.8 hours) to Yosemite (6 hours)

Sept 17 - Yosemite

Sept 18 - Drive to Sequoia (4 hours), if ambitious drive to N.  Hollywood

Sept 19 - North Hollywood or visit LaBrea ($9 +$7 parking) but the museum validates for $2) and the Getty Museum (Free - parking $7)

Sept 20 Friend flies back to OH, I  stay with cousin  in Hollywood and take LA area tours

Sept 24 I  drive back 1-40 with side trip to White Sands and Roswell NM

Sept 30 - PSU vs Northwestern U State College, PA and back to Delaware