sept road food trip to mass via blue highways

I'm new here, although I've been getting tips for Chicago eateries for some time from others' posts. Thanks for all that help.

I'm seriously considering eating my way from Chicago to the Boston area sometime in September. I want to avoid the interstates and find little local diners, roadhouses, BBQ joints and other such places.

I'd appreciate any pointers: your own experience, recommended books, etc.

All too many times when a new poster at Roadfood.com asks for Chicago suggestions, the response is, "Check out LTHForum.com for the best recs in Chicago. Based on your query and the parameters of what you are looking for, it is now my pleasure to say to you, "Check out Roadfood.com for the best recs for little local diners, roadhouses, BBQ joints and other such places."

Buddy

Thank you Buddy. I'll go check it out.

harv47-

I'm from New England (grew up in CT, went to school in Boston), and don't know what you mean by "blue" highways. If you can give us your general route, maybe some of us can provide you with suggestions.

Hi Aschie and all,

There was a book by the title "Blue Highways." It refers to secondary roads, which were colored blue on the author's map.

I have complete freedom to choose my route, based on suggestions from all of you. My only(!) restrictions are time and money.

I made the mistake of picking up a (cheap, used) copy of the Sterns' book "Eat Your Way Across the USA." It's 14 years old and probably useless. I get the impression that they're not highly regarded here.

I looked around on roadfood.com (thanks to BuddyRoadhouse) and was overwhelmed by both the breadth and depth of info there.

Do any of you have experience with the "premium" (fee) service there?

harv,

Pick up a copy of the Stern's 500 Things To Eat Before It's Too Late. The book is cross-referenced in such a way that you can look things up based on regional specialties, geographic area, or a specific destination. It was infinitely helpful to us when we drove to New Orleans last fall. Great recommendations in Memphis and throughout Mississippi, not to mention New Orleans itself.

Although Michael Stern is a native Chicagoan, he and Jane have made Connecticut their home for the past several decades. As such they are particularly familiar with, and write extensively about the northeast and many points along your potential route.

Buddy

Thanks Buddy. I'll get a copy.

harv47 wrote:Do any of you have experience with the "premium" (fee) service there?

I subscribed for a couple of years. I suppose it's worth the price, but it's really more a relatively inexpensive gesture of support for a worthwhile cause. Even though I unsubscribed, they've still been sending me the email newsletter. Shhhh!!

You get the e-mail newsletter whether or not you are a Roadfood.com subscriber. If you subscribe you get a tag of Roadfood Insider in the forum and access to other things. Anyone can read the forums and the restaurant list and reviews even if you don't log in. I've posted nearly 4,800 forum messages there, posted several trip reports in the forums and probably have posted in excess of 1,500 food photos but have never subscribed or become a Roadfood Insider.

I love to travel the "blue highways" as William Leastheat Moon dubbed them. I've put over 55,000 miles on the road in a Class B camper van RV these past 5 years that I've had it and I estimate nearly 85-90% of those miles are on the blue highways (non-interstate or non-limited access highways). Even on the blue highways always take the business route through towns and check out Main Street. You'll mostly find chains on the bypasses. I sometimes check the Roadfood.com listings but I mostly make notes of what forum members say as well as here and other forums. Then if nothing interests me from that research I am more than willing to look at lists in Google, Yelp, Urbanspoon, etc. and just throw a dart (make a guess) and explore, or just stop if I see some place that might look interesting. I'm generally not a footstep follower as many seem to be on Roadfood.com. The most frustrating thing about travel is to just finish a big breakfast and drive by a great looking luncheon stop at 10 AM in the morning.

Davydd wrote:You get the e-mail newsletter whether or not you are a Roadfood.com subscriber. If you subscribe you get a tag of Roadfood Insider in the forum and access to other things. Anyone can read the forums and the restaurant list and reviews even if you don't log in. I've posted nearly 4,800 forum messages there, posted several trip reports in the forums and probably have posted in excess of 1,500 food photos but have never subscribed or become a Roadfood Insider.

Thanks for that info. Another poster considered the subscription a donation for the site.

Davydd wrote:I love to travel the "blue highways" as William Leastheat Moon dubbed them. I've put over 55,000 miles on the road in a Class B camper van RV these past 5 years that I've had it and I estimate nearly 85-90% of those miles are on the blue highways (non-interstate or non-limited access highways). Even on the blue highways always take the business route through towns and check out Main Street. You'll mostly find chains on the bypasses. I sometimes check the Roadfood.com listings but I mostly make notes of what forum members say as well as here and other forums. Then if nothing interests me from that research I am more than willing to look at lists in Google, Yelp, Urbanspoon, etc. and just throw a dart (make a guess) and explore, or just stop if I see some place that might look interesting. I'm generally not a footstep follower as many seem to be on Roadfood.com. The most frustrating thing about travel is to just finish a big breakfast and drive by a great looking luncheon stop at 10 AM in the morning.

That's very good to know. I would have taken the bypass, not the business route.

What other forums should I check? Are there regional ones? I can enjoy reading about places west of the Mississippi, but I won't be going that way on this trip.

The Chowhound.com message boards break down areas into smaller regions that seem to get more specific local participation similar to the Lthforum here than say Roadfood.com.

Thanks, davy

I'll check Chowhound.com.

Speaking of regional, isn't Minnesota a little non-local to LTH? Or is it more geographically varied than I think?

harv47 wrote:Thanks, davy

I'll check Chowhound.com.

Speaking of regional, isn't Minnesota a little non-local to LTH? Or is it more geographically varied than I think?

LTHForum is global!

Thanks for the info. I suppose it should have been obvious, given the reach of the Web.

Global is right! Look here to find some beautiful stories about Sweden and its food.

Geo