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Solo Road Trip: Chicago to Dallas

Driving alone from Chicago to Dallas was one of my most memorable road trip experiences—equal parts freedom, scenery, and "wait, what lane am I supposed to be in?!" chaos 😂. Below’s a play-by-play of my journey, with all the gritty details, stats, and surprises along the way! 🗺️ Day 1: Chicago → Bloomington (IL) – Easy Start to the Journey Departure: 6:00 PM from Chicago, temperatures hovering around 3-4°C ❄️ (packed a jacket, but had no idea I’d be sweating later!). Route: Straight down I-55 South – smooth highways, minimal traffic, and the sun setting over Illinois farmland 🌾. Drive Time: ~2.5 hours (no rush—solo road trips are about enjoying the ride, not racing!). Stopover: Bloomington (IL) – booked a no-frills hotel for ~$90 after taxes. Cranked up the heater, ordered takeout, and crashed early to prep for Day 2’s marathon drive. 🗺️ Day 2: Bloomington → Muskogee (OK) – 9 Hours, 570 Miles & Route 66 Vibes 🛣️ This was the longest (and most interesting) day—full of highway switches, scenery changes, and random finds! Morning Kickoff: Hit the road at 8:00 AM, still bundled up (Illinois was chilly!). Hopped back on I-55, then merged onto I-270 toward St. Louis. First Highlight: Old Chain of Rocks (St. Louis) – a iconic Route 66 rest stop! Pulled over to snap photos at the vintage signs and the famous "Chain of Rocks Bridge" 📸. It’s a tiny slice of nostalgia—worth the 20-minute detour. Route Update: Switched to US-44 West – highways got quieter, and the scenery shifted from Illinois’ flat farms to Missouri’s rolling hills 🌳. Coffee Break: Stopped in Marshfield (MO) for a much-needed latte ☕ – small-town cafes hit different during road trips. Also grabbed snacks (granola bars + fruit) to avoid fast food overload. Midday Drive: Passed through Springfield (MO) – home of Route 66’s birthplace! Didn’t have time to explore, but waved at the historic markers as I zoomed by. Route Switch: Near Vinita (OK), hopped onto US-69 South – roads got darker, traffic thinned out, and suddenly I was surrounded by Oklahoma’s wide-open plains 🌄. Stats Dump: Total Drive Time: 9 hours (with 3 short stops) Miles Covered: 570 miles Fuel Efficiency: 27.8 MPG (my car’s a champ!) Average Speed: 62 MPH (slower than expected, thanks to a few construction zones 🚧) Weird Side Note: Saw so many animal carcasses and broken tires on the side of the road 🦌🛞 – kept me extra alert! Stopover: Muskogee (OK) – another ~$90 hotel. By this point, the temperature had climbed to 22°C ☀️ – swapped my jacket for a t-shirt and wondered how the (temperature difference) hit nearly 20°C in one day! 🗺️ Day 3: Muskogee → Dallas (TX) – Welcome to Texas & Traffic Chaos! 🤠 The final stretch – equal parts excitement and panic (thanks, Dallas highways!). Morning Prep: Filled up the tank in Muskogee (gas was $3.49/gallon – cheaper than Chicago’s $3.99!). My car’s full tank only holds ~380 miles, so I made it a rule to refuel every 150-200 miles (never risk running out in the middle of Oklahoma’s countryside!). Route: Continued on US-69 South, which turned into I-75 South near Atoka (OK). Cruised through Durant (OK) – small towns with neon signs and BBQ joints 🍖 (tempted to stop, but Dallas was calling!). Big Surprise: Saw the giant "WELCOME TO TEXAS" sign 🤠 – instantly grinned! The scenery exploded into Texas’ signature wide-open prairies 🌾, and the sky felt bigger than ever. Final Pit Stop: Denison (TX) – ~100 miles from Dallas. Stretched my legs, grabbed a soda, and mentally prepped for city traffic. The Home Stretch: Hopped back on I-75 South, then merged onto I-635 to enter Dallas. And that’s when the chaos began… Lanes Galore: 8+ lanes of traffic, constant lane changes, and signs for HOV lanes, express lanes, and toll roads – my head was spinning! 🤯 Texas Drivers: They weren’t kidding when they said Texans drive like maniacs! Everyone’s speeding, tailgating, and weaving through lanes – I white-knuckled the wheel for 30 minutes. Traffic Jam: Hit rush hour (of course!) – inched along I-635 for 45 minutes, watching the Dallas skyline get closer and closer 🌆. 📊 Trip Stats & Budget Breakdown Total Distance: ~900 miles Total Drive Time: ~14 hours (over 3 days) Gas Costs: ~$72 total (paid $3.99/gal in Chicago, $3.49 in MO, $2.99 in OK, $2.49 in TX – Texas gas is chef’s kiss 💰!) Accommodation: ~$180 total (2 nights, $90/night after taxes – mid-range hotels with free parking) Food: ~$60 (mostly snacks, coffee, and takeout – avoided expensive restaurants) 🌟 Highlights & Surprises Scenery Shifts: From Chicago’s lakes 🌊 to Illinois’ farms, Missouri’s forests 🌳, Oklahoma’s plains, and Texas’ prairies – every state felt like a new world. Route 66 Nostalgia: Old Chain of Rocks was a unexpected gem – made me want to drive the entire Route 66 someday! Temperature Whiplash: Going from 3°C to 22°C in 2 days – packed layers were the best decision ever. #US #Texas #Dallas

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Sasha Bellamy
Sasha Bellamy
about 1 month ago
Sasha Bellamy
Sasha Bellamy
about 1 month ago
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Solo Road Trip: Chicago to Dallas

Driving alone from Chicago to Dallas was one of my most memorable road trip experiences—equal parts freedom, scenery, and "wait, what lane am I supposed to be in?!" chaos 😂. Below’s a play-by-play of my journey, with all the gritty details, stats, and surprises along the way! 🗺️ Day 1: Chicago → Bloomington (IL) – Easy Start to the Journey Departure: 6:00 PM from Chicago, temperatures hovering around 3-4°C ❄️ (packed a jacket, but had no idea I’d be sweating later!). Route: Straight down I-55 South – smooth highways, minimal traffic, and the sun setting over Illinois farmland 🌾. Drive Time: ~2.5 hours (no rush—solo road trips are about enjoying the ride, not racing!). Stopover: Bloomington (IL) – booked a no-frills hotel for ~$90 after taxes. Cranked up the heater, ordered takeout, and crashed early to prep for Day 2’s marathon drive. 🗺️ Day 2: Bloomington → Muskogee (OK) – 9 Hours, 570 Miles & Route 66 Vibes 🛣️ This was the longest (and most interesting) day—full of highway switches, scenery changes, and random finds! Morning Kickoff: Hit the road at 8:00 AM, still bundled up (Illinois was chilly!). Hopped back on I-55, then merged onto I-270 toward St. Louis. First Highlight: Old Chain of Rocks (St. Louis) – a iconic Route 66 rest stop! Pulled over to snap photos at the vintage signs and the famous "Chain of Rocks Bridge" 📸. It’s a tiny slice of nostalgia—worth the 20-minute detour. Route Update: Switched to US-44 West – highways got quieter, and the scenery shifted from Illinois’ flat farms to Missouri’s rolling hills 🌳. Coffee Break: Stopped in Marshfield (MO) for a much-needed latte ☕ – small-town cafes hit different during road trips. Also grabbed snacks (granola bars + fruit) to avoid fast food overload. Midday Drive: Passed through Springfield (MO) – home of Route 66’s birthplace! Didn’t have time to explore, but waved at the historic markers as I zoomed by. Route Switch: Near Vinita (OK), hopped onto US-69 South – roads got darker, traffic thinned out, and suddenly I was surrounded by Oklahoma’s wide-open plains 🌄. Stats Dump: Total Drive Time: 9 hours (with 3 short stops) Miles Covered: 570 miles Fuel Efficiency: 27.8 MPG (my car’s a champ!) Average Speed: 62 MPH (slower than expected, thanks to a few construction zones 🚧) Weird Side Note: Saw so many animal carcasses and broken tires on the side of the road 🦌🛞 – kept me extra alert! Stopover: Muskogee (OK) – another ~$90 hotel. By this point, the temperature had climbed to 22°C ☀️ – swapped my jacket for a t-shirt and wondered how the (temperature difference) hit nearly 20°C in one day! 🗺️ Day 3: Muskogee → Dallas (TX) – Welcome to Texas & Traffic Chaos! 🤠 The final stretch – equal parts excitement and panic (thanks, Dallas highways!). Morning Prep: Filled up the tank in Muskogee (gas was $3.49/gallon – cheaper than Chicago’s $3.99!). My car’s full tank only holds ~380 miles, so I made it a rule to refuel every 150-200 miles (never risk running out in the middle of Oklahoma’s countryside!). Route: Continued on US-69 South, which turned into I-75 South near Atoka (OK). Cruised through Durant (OK) – small towns with neon signs and BBQ joints 🍖 (tempted to stop, but Dallas was calling!). Big Surprise: Saw the giant "WELCOME TO TEXAS" sign 🤠 – instantly grinned! The scenery exploded into Texas’ signature wide-open prairies 🌾, and the sky felt bigger than ever. Final Pit Stop: Denison (TX) – ~100 miles from Dallas. Stretched my legs, grabbed a soda, and mentally prepped for city traffic. The Home Stretch: Hopped back on I-75 South, then merged onto I-635 to enter Dallas. And that’s when the chaos began… Lanes Galore: 8+ lanes of traffic, constant lane changes, and signs for HOV lanes, express lanes, and toll roads – my head was spinning! 🤯 Texas Drivers: They weren’t kidding when they said Texans drive like maniacs! Everyone’s speeding, tailgating, and weaving through lanes – I white-knuckled the wheel for 30 minutes. Traffic Jam: Hit rush hour (of course!) – inched along I-635 for 45 minutes, watching the Dallas skyline get closer and closer 🌆. 📊 Trip Stats & Budget Breakdown Total Distance: ~900 miles Total Drive Time: ~14 hours (over 3 days) Gas Costs: ~$72 total (paid $3.99/gal in Chicago, $3.49 in MO, $2.99 in OK, $2.49 in TX – Texas gas is chef’s kiss 💰!) Accommodation: ~$180 total (2 nights, $90/night after taxes – mid-range hotels with free parking) Food: ~$60 (mostly snacks, coffee, and takeout – avoided expensive restaurants) 🌟 Highlights & Surprises Scenery Shifts: From Chicago’s lakes 🌊 to Illinois’ farms, Missouri’s forests 🌳, Oklahoma’s plains, and Texas’ prairies – every state felt like a new world. Route 66 Nostalgia: Old Chain of Rocks was a unexpected gem – made me want to drive the entire Route 66 someday! Temperature Whiplash: Going from 3°C to 22°C in 2 days – packed layers were the best decision ever. #US #Texas #Dallas

Dallas
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Old Chain of Rocks BridgeOld Chain of Rocks Bridge