Probably too much information, but I just copied and pasted right from my OneNote collection of my agendas for my trips over the last few years.

Probably too much information, but I just copied and pasted right from my OneNote collection of my agendas for my trips over the last few years.

That is fine, i will sort through it. Thank you. The Brinkley stuff, not sure about as it will be Sunday morning when we leave there.

I got nothing. Looks like you have plenty of suggestions already.

I took the same trip, but I was moving from Delaware to Roanoke, Texas (not far from Colleyville), so no time for sightseeing.
Two overnight stops to rest/sleep, and just gas/food stops.

Don't know if you have a Radar Detector, but they are illegal in Virginia. You can't even have one in the vehicle.

Texas Toll roads are something to be wary of.
I don't know if this is still a problem, but the article below was a woman's nightmare in 2016.
She wasn't the only one.  One guy had to pay over $4,000.



I have been "attempting" to communicate with the TXTag Toll office via email/phone since October 17, 2016. I emailed to ask why I had received a bill with interest added onto a toll fee that should have been automatically paid by the card on file with them that I had set up with autopay to avoid receiving bills. I was responded via email to be informed that they were looking into my inquiry and they would get back to me with their findings. a month later, I still hadn't heard back, so I messaged them again stating that I was still waiting to hear from them, with no response until December 19th, 2016.

 

The response was short, generic and not an actual answer, they attached a pdf stating that the reason I was charged a toll fee was because my vehicle had never been registered with a TXTAG account. (Which is odd, considering my vehicles had been registered an working with the TXTAG sticker for over a year at this point. One day, the sticker just stopped working and my fees weren't being removed from my sticker any longer, causing the balance to build, unbenounst to me until I received a large bill.)


In the meantime, my husband called the TXTAG office when we got new license plates to see if that was why the stickers had stopped working on our account, and they told him that no, the new plates would automatically be switched over and the stickers would begin working with the new plates.

I then emailed them again saying that their email didn't answer my questions, and was incorrect information, that I would like them to give me the contact information for someone who would actually be able to help me, and they never responded. I logged into my account and paid the fees so that they wouldn't continue to escalte, as they had gone from $32 to over $160 in the time I was waiting to get my issue resolved and my tags up and running again so this wouldn't happen again. I paid a balance of $162, and an additional balance that had apparently acrued on my other vehicle for $180 (I avoid the toll roads at all costs, so I am not sure how I could owe so much money) and figured that had resolved the issue at least, so I wouldn't have any additional headaches later.

 

I then received a bill in the mail for over $500 that reportedly was from a "separate account" , however I had paid both of the accounts off and hadn't used the toll road again in that time. I thought maybe it was a mistake, and the amount I had paid hadn't been adjusted and once they finalized my payment on their end, that it would clear up, however I then received another bill in the mail shortly after for over $2000, because apparently my account had been sent to collections, and collections was adding on interest, even though my bill was received as a TXTAG bill, not a collections bill, and when I made a minimum payment on this to keep interest from continuing to accrue, the payment went to TXTAG NOT the collections agency, meaning that the collections agency is continuing to add late fees, even though I have paid off TX TAG for the balance they sent to collections, and additional money.

 

I went to the "Customer Service" office, and received no assistance on any of the issues, and they asked why I was paying them the $162, $128, and $189 payments that they had billed me, since those were due to collections, and not them..... sooo, basically when I attempted to pay the amounts I "Owed" them, via THEIR website that showed I had a balance owed, none of it was even going towards my bill, causing it to continue to acrue fees/interest when I have been trying to resolve this on my end LONG before it spiraled out of control like this. The women at the office said there was absolutely no one there who could do a thing for me (after being denied the priviledge to talk to a manager) I was sent on my way saying that this was something I would have to try to beg the collections agency to work with me on, and see if I could talk them down on the fees. I asked them mulitple times if there was someone at the office who could write a letter on my behalf to the collections agency, in order to show that I had been attempting to work this out with them before the bill was even sent to collections in the first place, and stating that I had paid them the specified amounts that were sent to collections to begin with, in order to resolve the issue with them and they wouldn't write anything, nor would they let me speak with a manager. They gave me a 1-800 number to call, and the collections agency to deal with the issue myself, even though she had said that she saw my payments and wasn't sure why I had submitted the payments to them since I didn't even owe them anything.

 

I am beyond irritated with this whole ordeal, and I will be avoiding the Texas Toll roads at all  cost from now on. I do not wish to ever give them another penny with the horrible service I have recieved from them.

I saw on my map the only toll roads were once I got to TX, so I was going to find a away around them anyways.

Are they well labeled? You are not just driving along and then all of a sudden find you some how have gotten on one?

She wants to move down there, housing prices look crazy to me, then trying to figure out the taxes. I was looking at some realtors and there were $400K houses with about the same land size that were cheaper than some houses going for $250 to 300K Maybe after my trip I will not want to move there.

Really appreciate the info. No radar detector. I take my chances, I am pretty lucky and if I get caught, I am upset but figure it is pennies per infraction because I break the law almost every time I drive.

The toll roads are well marked that I have seen.  There are some around Austin, but not San Antonio.

I've seen a couple of recommendations of Central BBQ. I'll pile on there too as long as it's the Central Ave. location.

Craig's BBQ in DeValls Bluff AR.  You'll have to get off I-40 before DeVall's Bluff and get back on after as there is no exit there.

Whole Hog Cafe(as mentioned in Peace, Love, and BBQ) in Little Rock and N.Little Rock.  Both are good.  They have a website

Lindsey's Hospitality house in NLR.  A good selection of soul food sides.  They have a site too.

David's Burgers.  Several locations in Central AR. Daily hand ground Chuck burgers with hand cut twice cooked fries.  Website too.

Sims' BBQ in LR.  Mustard sauce, white bread BBQ.  Another website.

The Faded Rose.  As good as Cajun/Creole gets this far from New Orleans.  $$$  Also a website.

Hot Springs

The Arlington Hotel.  Grand old hotel thou a bit tired.  Good restaurant with a Friday(?) night seafood buffet and a Sunday brunch worthy of mention.  With a website.

Trejo's Mexican

Jose's Mexican

Don Juan's Mexican

All have multiple locations and websites.

Rod's Pizza.  Has a website.

McClard's BBQ.  Legendary BBQ Joint.  Has a website.  Hint - Try the half spread tamale plate.

Stubby's BBQ second to McClard's but normally good.  Website too.

Well the trip is over, really appreciate all of the suggestions, we had plans on stopping at a few of them. Plans never really work out well for me, as we drove she saw things and said we should stop there and that is pretty much how it went. Time was never on our side, neither was the weather at times with all of the rain encountered along the way.

 We did hit Hillbilly Hot Dogs in WV I remember seeing it on one of the food network shows a long time ago, interesting place what I had was good but its a hot dog/sausage kind of hard to mess it up. She saw Kentucky Down Under a little zoo thing so we stopped there on Saturday as well as a small General Store, by the time we got to Nashville it was 4:30 and she had asked about how far the motel was when she found out it was still 4 hours away she did not want to do anything but keep going. Sunday was all about getting to her Aunt's house, she saw Buc-ee's and we had to stop there so that was an hour, then she needed something and she said there is Walmart, so yes I drove 1200 miles to go to Walmart, I usually only go to one close me maybe twice a year if that. Along the way we needed to stop so she could get out for bathroom and smoke breaks, I was not aware that she got so antsy sitting, so instead of just stopping for gas we had to make stops in between.

 We did go to the Stockyards in Fort Worth to see the cattle drive they put on every day and hit a few little shops there for some things to bring home for her family, went to ATT Stadium so she could buy a crapload of Cowboys stuff, visited some more of her family that was a short drive away. Just drove around some looking for things to do and getting lost in the area, so much road construction in the area.

 Trip home was about the same, had to stop at Buc-ee's again, then another little place not sure of the name sold little souvenirs, gas and had some different foods. Stayed in Brownsvill TN on the first night got up Saturday looking for a little breakfast place, apparently people do not eat breakfast on Saturday mornings there, as the only choices were fast food places. We did find a little Donut shop so she was happy. Had sen a sign on the way down for a Tina Turner museum and discovered it was kind of right behind the hotel we stayed at so we went there while waiting for an old classmate who lives in Clarksville to get back to me. Then we set off to see him and drove through the floods that they had there Friday night Saturday morning. Then to the next motel in Elizabethtown KY. Sunday was all about getting home no stops were planned and she found out her Uncle had passed Sunday morning, she was hoping to get home to see him before that happened.

 Discovered that when the map shows your destination 8.5 hours away it is going to take you 11 or 12 minimum, and that is driving well over the speed limits.

 We ate a several places along the way, Culvers, really liked that, Reggies BBQ in Jackson TN, she had her first Waffle House experience, sadly it was not a good one, she wanted to go to Whataburger as they used to go there when she was little, nothing special to me, went to an In and Out I liked it was Steak and Shake with a different name. her family ordered brisket and ribs for the first night there, both were very good, they took us to a nice Mexican restaurant one night that was great, her Aunt made something they call chicken enchilada because she knew she liked it, and they bought strip steaks one night I did them on there grill with huge baked taters and tomatoes. Found a Hardees on the way home, wanted to try Jack in the Box but didn't find one when it was time to eat. Culvers had the best burger of the trip. Hit another BBQ place The Hogs Trough in Grayson KY, it was good also but not as good as what we had at her Aunt's.

 She wants to move to TX, I don't think I would mind, although it was in the 90's when we were there and they said it is usually 104 or so was never a fan of the heat but when it is 95 I guess another 10° really isn't going to make much difference. Trying to find a house will be my issue, most seem to be on .25 or smaller lots, not a fan of being that close to neighbors.

She wants to move to TX, I don't think I would mind, although it was in the 90's when we were there and they said it is usually 104 or so was never a fan of the heat but when it is 95 I guess another 10° really isn't going to make much difference. Trying to find a house will be my issue, most seem to be on .25 or smaller lots, not a fan of being that close to neighbors.

We lived north of Ft Worth in Roanoke. Wife was terrified of the tornado warnings so we moved out of TX.
I was OK with it, really liked the house we had built.  But... happy wife, happy life.

I would urge going back there a few more times during different times of the year before you decide to make the leap.  Moving is very expensive and having to do it soon after you get there if you decide you don't like it could be costly.

As for your last trip, did you go inside the Tina Turner museum?  The day I drove from Memphis to Nashville and went by it the museum was closed.  I knew that but stopped anyway to take some pictures.

As for fast food burgers, Culvers have been my favorite too.  Have not had one in a few years since I have not been back to the Chicagoland area since Nov 2019 for work.

I would urge going back there a few more times during different times of the year before you decide to make the leap.  Moving is very expensive and having to do it soon after you get there if you decide you don't like it could be costly.

As for your last trip, did you go inside the Tina Turner museum?  The day I drove from Memphis to Nashville and went by it the museum was closed.  I knew that but stopped anyway to take some pictures.

As for fast food burgers, Culvers have been my favorite too.  Have not had one in a few years since I have not been back to the Chicagoland area since Nov 2019 for work.

I can live with just about anything, I used to really love winters in the southwest PA mountains, now that I have difficulty walking well I don't love them so much any more. I imagine we will have to make a few more trips, moving will not be easy, I have to much stuff. Plus a lot of things to figure out and get in order.

Yes we went in, it opened at 9am I think. The main building had several smaller rooms, one for the Cotton industry, one for the rivers and habitat, it had a few aquariums and some other items like old depth equipment, a huge mount of an alligator snapping turtle, some insect displays. A room with musicians from the area or maybe just TN, Carl Perkins, Tina, Koko Taylor, TG Shepard, hank Williams Jr, Billy Wier, had some Elvis stuff on loan to them. Then there are two out buildings, one was the last home of Sleepy John Estes, and the other was the school building where Tina went to school, both were moved there. The school building is where the Tina stuff is, a lot of costumes, records, a case with books on her and some articles about her, a beautiful violin and it had a video playing of a concert. The back part was the school desks and some other items from the school, there was a video playing telling about it and it came to be. Apparently someone bought it and used it as some sort of storage building or barn for a while.

The Culvers we ate at was in Elizabethtown KY on our first night, we were tired and just looking for something quick and easy.

There were a lot of things along the way I would like to go back and see,, a few railroad museums, we past the Makers Mark distillery, would have liked to have stopped there. Past a lot of other distilleries also, did not imagine the size of the aging sheds were so large.

She wants to move to TX, I don't think I would mind, although it was in the 90's when we were there and they said it is usually 104 or so was never a fan of the heat but when it is 95 I guess another 10° really isn't going to make much difference. Trying to find a house will be my issue, most seem to be on .25 or smaller lots, not a fan of being that close to neighbors.

We lived north of Ft Worth in Roanoke. Wife was terrified of the tornado warnings so we moved out of TX.
I was OK with it, really liked the house we had built.  But... happy wife, happy life.

I saw where Roanoke was on the map when I was looking for semi affordable housing. From talking to the GFs Uncle, there is nothing cheap or affordable right now, he works in banking and with construction companies, they have lists of people wanting houses before they are complete, he said that people pay well over asking price for some places because they want one so bad. He told me that it can't sustain this pace for ever and that in a couple years there will be a lot of bargains. I was looking for places out a bit like Saginaw, Azle, Heston. Odd the family didn't mention tornadoes.

You probably drove through Jackson, TN.  There is a Casey Jones Museum there if you are into railroads.

I lived through 3 boom and bust cycles in LA and then Vegas.  My home in Vegas sold in 2005 in a bidding frenzy for $350,000. I bought it in early 2010 in a short sale for $150,000.  I can guarantee there are a lot of folks panicking and overpaying right now.  In a couple of years there will be bargains to be had.

You probably drove through Jackson, TN.  There is a Casey Jones Museum there if you are into railroads.

I think that was one of the signs I saw. I guess I am in to just about anything with a motor, not to the point of I gotta see this, but more of if I have time I would like to have a look.