# Camping in my car with a dog driving across the US to California **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 5, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889 "2009-07-05T14:44:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/1 "2009-07-05T14:44:48Z")
What is the best way to get to Big Sur from Chapel Hill, NC? I’m leaving in a day or two, sleeping in my car with my dog and want to get to Big Sur, go north to Canada on Hwy 1 and across Canada to Maine. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/2 "2009-07-05T23:26:41Z")
What exactly is your question? Routes? It sounds like you’re already going on a couple-thousand mile detour, so just go wherever you want to! Edit: Oh, I see, you’re starting at Chapel Hill and then going to Canada on the way back. Well, what do you like? You could do the old Route 66 if you’re into that sort of thing, or through Colorado and all the national parks Utah. Really, there’s no one particularly good route-- they’re all pretty nice. ---
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/3 "2009-07-06T13:10:19Z")
Hi, I relisted because I forgot to say where I was leaving from. Chapel Hill, NC. I’ve decided to quit obsessing and just go I 40 so I can get to Big Sur, seeing some things out the window on the way. Slowing down once I get to CA. Then, wondering what it’s like across Western Canada. To go on to Toronto and Maine from there or dip down in to the US to see MN, Wis, Chicago, etc. Haven’t been there either. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![hd72mm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9fc29f/32.png) [@hd72mm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hd72mm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/4 "2009-07-06T13:32:47Z")
Mapquest has a way to plan a backroads way, check it out ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/5 "2009-07-06T13:53:57Z")
Right, after you get your results on [Mapquest.com](http://Mapquest.com), select “Avoid Highways” and “Avoid Toll Roads” and “Avoid seasonally closed roads.” Then select “shortest distance” instead of “shortest time” and click “update directions.” Sometimes on a long trip they limit some of these selections, so you might have to identify some towns on the first plotting and then plot smaller trips. After that, you can add more destinations to the trip. ---
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/6 "2009-07-06T14:10:52Z")
I didn’t find how to use mapquest and backroads. Can you send a specific web address? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/7 "2009-07-06T14:19:34Z")
Mapquest didn’t allow me to select avoid highways. Also, it only gave written directions and didn’t show a map showing the roads it chose. It also chose I40 no matter what I selected. AAA was much easier to use. How do you rate it? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/8 "2009-07-06T14:44:35Z")
Buy a Rand McNally road atlas and look for the ‘scenic routes’ (green dots) on the state maps. No PC needed, and you’ll have it with you. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/9 "2009-07-06T14:56:46Z")
“Camping in my car with a dog driving across the US to California” Safety tip: If the dog is going to do the driving, as implied in your post, make certain that he doesn’t drive with his head out the window. Otherwise, you should be safe. I’ve never seen a dog driving along talking on a cell phone. (Sorry,I couldn’t resist making this comment. Have a great trip!) ---
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/10 "2009-07-06T14:58:07Z")
I don’t necessarily want scenic routes. I want the safest fastest route to Big Sur from NC. That looks like I 40. I also would like to know what the road across Western Canada is like. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![violet\_canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@violet\_canary](https://community.cartalk.com/u/violet_canary)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/11 "2009-07-06T15:01:11Z")
My dog is a girl. Loulou ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/12 "2009-07-06T15:16:02Z")
Oh, then I40’s it, for sure. As for Canada, you’ll be taking route 1 all the way, I’d guess. Good road, far less traveled than I40. Make sure you have cell phone, charger, AAA membership, and a good road atlas, you’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/13 "2009-07-06T15:52:38Z")
Turn off Loulou’s cell phone and put it in the glovecompartment while she drives. I can’t find any research on whether male or female dogs are more apt to be on their cell phones while driving, but I’ll bet government grant money might be available to study this problem. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/camping-in-my-car-with-a-dog-driving-across-the-us-to-california/32889/14 "2009-07-06T16:56:55Z")
I don’t know about mapquest, but Google maps also has the “avoid highways” option that keeps you on the two lanes. Just click on the “show options” button under where you put in your destination. You can also add destinations in your trip or you can actually grab the route it makes and move it if you want to change it.