Vegas to Kansas Roadtrip 2010
Justin bought a new (used) car in Phoenix. He had to go pick it up and then get it back to Kansas. SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association)'s big annual show was in Vegas about the same time. Randy and I knew it was a short flight from Los Angeles, and I smelled an opportunity to roadtrip!
So the three of us did SEMA for a day, then Justin and I did another half day, then Justin and I packed it back to Kansas in his new (to him) 2005 Saab 9-2x. Vegas to Flagstaff (Arizon) and then to Gallup (New Mexico) the first day of the trip. From Gallup to Los Lunas via I-40 and Route 66, then up to Albuquerque and onward to Armarillo (Texas) for Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan Steakhouse. Pushed on after that to Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) to meet up with Justin's friend Mike and his wife. Did a day and another night in OKC, then off to Kansas before lunch to end the trip, meet up with Justin's family (they wanted to see his new car, too!), eat BBQ at Arthur Bryant's, and see a tad more of KC than Joel and I did the last time four years ago...
By leg:
~436 miles from Vegas to Gallup, NM, over about 8 hours including dinner.
~704 miles from Gallup, NM to Oklahoma City, OK over about 14 hours including stops.
~367 miles from Oklahoma City, OK to Kansas City, MO over about 5 hours including stops.
1,508 miles total.
So individual driving days were all pretty decent. Nothing crazy like the last roadtrip. Justin threw in at least another 300 miles in Phoenix and a few more driving around OKC and KC, getting his 2,111 miles total.
Day 1 - Arrival in Las Vegas.
Day 2 - SEMA.
Day 3 - SEMA, then onward to Arizona and New Mexico, mostly in the dark.
Day 4 - Gallup, NM to OKlahoma City, OK via Route 66, Albuquerque, and Armarillo, TX for Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan Steakhouse.
Day 5 - Oklahoma City, OK to ATV all day and see the sights.
Day 6 - OKC to Kansas City, MO, the World War 1 Memorial, Arthur Bryant's BBQ, etc.
Day 7 - Back to Los Angeles!