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Group taking a van across country to protest the 'inauguration' later this month needs travel advise

A group of 8 or more of us will be taking a van (maybe even two vans) cross the country to be at the protests (concerning this selection of the President that happened in December) in Washington DC that will be taking place on Jan 20th. We'll be leaving from Santa Cruz California. Right now we are in the planning stages and have some general questions as none of us has ever driven a long distance like this. For one, how many days will this driving take us? We want to be sure to get to DC by like Jan 19th at the latest. We don't want to be too tired though once we get there. Is it best to stop at campgrounds over nights or should we just try to drive in shifts? Are there any highways we should avoid (because of traffic problems around cities or construction etc)? Thanks.

Good one! I'll be there in spirit, although I won't be able to join you. May The Force Be With You =)

It has been many years since I did a trip like this and we went from New Mexico to NYC but I still recall it well. IMO you should stop at night and not try and drive in straight through. If you try and drive it without major breaks you will be zombied out in the end. I would think this trip should take 4 days to get across the country. State parks have good campgrounds.

Here is a song to sing as you travel to your destination; Bush Inaugural Theme Song to the tune "What a Wonderful World" Music: Sam Cooke Words: Joel Landy Don't know much about history. Don't know much foreign policy. I don’t know the names of men I kill, Or implications of the seats I fill. But I do know who has paid my way. For corporate interests and the NRA What a wonderful world this will be. Don’t know much about ecology. Cutting trees has always worked for me. And I don’t know about the women’s vote, And I can’t think of any bill I wrote. But there's one thing that I know for sure, If the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor What a wonderful world this will be. I never claimed to be an " A" student, but I don’t have to be. If you have deep pockets and sell nuclear rockets You’re a friend of my family. Don't know much about air pollution. Don't know much about the Constitution. Don’t care much for solar energy. There’s nothing in it for my friends and me. And if we can’t find any on our soil We can go to war and get more oil, and What a wonderful world this will be. Don’t know much about the driving rules. Don’t know much about the public schools. Don’t know why the inner cities fail Why can’t folks get dad to pay for Yale? And if the issues that will make you lose Are never covered in the evening news, What a wonderful world this will be. I never claimed to be an A student, but I don’t have to be. If you have a brother who’s the Florida Governor, The result’s no mystery. Don't know much about history. Don't know much foreign policy. Don’t know much about the national debt. I never had to pay one off yet. But I do know who has paid my way. For special interests in the USA What a wonderful world this will be.

Now, that is one funny poem!! I love it!

What's the matter Nando, are you afraid your welfare benefits will get cut??? Why don't you go out and get a job instead of driving to Washington?

You liberals are so predictable. As long as everyone agrees with you, things are great but watch out if your guy loses or your special interests are threatened. I'm with the above poster. Good grief--why don't you work on making your own little corner of the world better instead of staging a meaningless protest?

And conservatives are just as predictable. Assuming liberals with time to protest don't have a job. geesh. I truly don't think the past election was worth protesting, and I am a liberal. If either candidate was truly the people's choice, we would have seen a clear winner. The President-select and his cabinet will do very little to change our way of life over the next four years. But it may be a good excuse to see the country anyway, and it is your right.

Catchy Tune. Love it. Lets have your people take a meeting with my people. And I'd take the advice of not trying to do this straight through. You'll show up like a Zombi. Four days will be a real stretch.

Wish I were going to be there with you..but that's okay Cheney will run the government and if he gets into trouble Dad will be there...the rest of his people are... It's going to be a long hard four years..and I am proud to be a Liberal and wish that Clinton were running again..the country is in great shape..Maybe if "W" keeps saying we are going to have a recesssion and then changes his mind..this too shall pass.. The same as Reagan..but don't look for any off the cuff speeches..from the Kid..he has those glazed eyes and can't string a sentence or paragraph together for heavens sakes..

Hey, I have a suggestion for you. Turn left at the Grand Canyon and drive off the cliff. That will be 8 less vermin that we have to deal with.

gads. The day that people stop staging "meaningless protests" we're in trouble. To me, "meaningless protests" seem a lot more meaningful then some people excerising their freedom of speech just on this forum. Nando DID NOT even mention what SIDE that he was going to be protesting for! I have heard that there are going to be protests against Gore as well as people protesting against the protestors. Should those supporting Bush also be looking for jobs?

Becky-Anyone that drives cross country in the middle of winter to protest has too damn much time on their hands or is one brick short of a full load! The previous poster was right, if you want to make changes, do it in your own backyard. Judging from Nandos spelling and grammar, he is probably a high-school drop out and needs to get his life together.

It takes 10 days to get from LA to DC while stopping at night, driving 5 hours a day, in the summer. You'll be driving in the winter, where most of the midwest is blanketed in snow. To get here by the 19th I think you should have left already. Otherwise, you're going to have to really haul a** and that doesn't seem to safe to me in the current wintery conditions.

Great song, Music Man. Nando, don't let those Reps. get you down. I think it is commendable that you feel strongly enough to do something. Too many people gripe but don't do anything about it. As a Texan, I do apologize for Dubya--to pick some of the people he did for cabinet when he didn't even win the popular vote and probably not the electoral, if truth be known--is very arrogant. Just don't let them get to you and have a peaceful protest, exercising your First Amendment Right!

I am certainly not a republican at all, but going to protest is something I feel is not constructive. He will be our President and there is not much you an all do about it. Why don't you do something constructive and take a van full of food and drive to homeless shelters instead of protesting.. Katy

Of course Nando has the time and money to make this protest rip. Unlike you typical Republican, he is not spending all of his money on tractor pulls, wrestling and beer.

I totally agree that your useless, waste of time treck will get you liberals NO WHERE !!! You lost we won now shut up ! We're sick and tired of our taxes going to social handouts and free rides at colleges. This country does not reward acheivement. And now it's time that hard work is rewarded. So if you don't like the new admisistration move to Russia - Canada doesn't want you or Barbara Streisand.

Dear Debby: You really think that Dubya worked hard--his oil company came from his dad's friends, the Texas Ranger baseball team was not worth much until his dad's friends helped convince the city of Arlington to pass bonds to build a new stadium. When the value went up, he got out. He was governor because of his dad's friends. He is president-elect because of his dad's friends and his brother, Jeb.