The way things are looking automotive companies in North America may be soon extinct. Isn’t it about time you fill the tank and head out of town?

As North American motor companies enter 2009, they face a greater fight for survival than ever before. The economy, product quality and the very fuel which powers them are working against every vehicle rolling down a highway. Assembly lines are closing, car lots are thinning out, and soon no one will be able to afford an automobile. Hopefully by then personal jet planes, or better yet those nifty transporters from Star Trek, will be common place. So before both the car and road trip become ancient history Automopedia has put together 5 great American journeys to experience while you still can.

Across the US – Canadian Border into Montreal

Seattle, WA to Montreal, Quebec (approx. 2900 miles, 1 day : 19 hrs)

Seattle is a vibrant and stereotypically rainy city. We suggest a day of riding the Space Needle, stalking the cast members from Grey’s Anatomy, then getting in your car to shout “Wagons, East!” Along the 49th parallel there are many detours for those looking for a little adventure. You can head up to the oil fields of Alberta, party it up in Edmonton Alberta, check out Mount Rushmore, catch a b-ball game in Chi-Town or The Cleve, skip Detroit all together, and spend a night out in Toronto. We recommend not teasing the border guards, as they are very sensitive about their furry beaver caps. Don’t use up all your strength, or funny colored money, before reaching Montreal. This small island is home to one of the most eclectic cities in North America, with a shockingly exciting night life and more strip clubs and sex shops per capita than any other place in the Western Hemisphere.

photo: knowledge rush

From Maine to New Orleans

Portland, ME to The French Quarter of New Orleans, LA (approx. 1600 miles, 1 day : 2 hrs)

From a chilly, watery city to a humid, watery city. The drive through beautiful New England, down Eastern Coast Southern States and on to The Big Easy is best done in the Fall. You’ll be privy to the changing seasons along the Eastern seaboard, and be spared 100% humidity in Louisiana. Plenty of former Confederate cities to check out along your way, but save your drinking caps for the streets of New Orleans and the gorgeous French Quarter.

The West Coast of the United States

Victoria, British Columbia to San Diego, CA (approx. 2150 miles, 22 hrs)

If you ever have ANY excuse to visit Victoria in British Columbia (aka B.C.) Canada, take it. West Coast Canadians know how to show visitors such a good time you may forget about your road trip all together. Heading down the West Coast, we suggest Portland, Oregon (especially if you like punk rock kids), the vineyards of Northern California, and San Francisco Bay. Ending up in San Diego you’ll see why Anchorman – Ron Burgundy tells everyone to “Stay Classy.”

Across the Deserts of America

Desert Hot Springs, CA to Del Rio, TX (approx. 1125 miles, 17 hrs)

“We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold.” – Words from the late, great Hunter S. Thompson, as his anti-hero Raoul Duke blows through the desert on his way to Vegas with lawyer/politico/drug abuser Dr. Gonzo. Whether you decide to carry a briefcase full of psychedelics on your road trip is up to your common sense. The deserts of Western United States hold the brightest sunsets one can ever witness. Stand in the spot where cowboys and Native Americans fought for survival, and where many fell. Once you reach Del Rio, take a siesta while heading into Mexico for a little fiesta.

New York to LA, or vice versa

New York City to Los Angeles, CA (approx. 2800 miles, 1 day : 17 hrs)

Many have debated over which is the pinnacle American city – New York or Los Angeles. On one coast you have the financial capital of the world, on the other, Entertainment headquarters of the globe. A cross country trek of this magnitude requires a lot of gas, good friends, and a constantly charged camera. What better way to see our Nation than from behind the wheel, with the ability to turn off and take everything in whenever you please.

Ok, it’s Monday, it’s winter, and the economy is plunging head-first into the toilet as blue-stained liquid pours it further down the drain. What, if anything, could bring us to a happy mental place for the coming week? How about 30 pictures of adorably cute animals driving! They must be pets from New Jersey, because we all know the Garden State hands out licenses to just about anyone. We kid, but here – enjoy a multitude of cuteness and furriness!

How about a very safe kitty driving video to start?

Umm…I can’t reach the pedal

Backseat driver

Which way to the dog park?

LOL

I think we’re lost

I will get it for you

Don’t make me honk the horn

Naa…I’m ok to drive

Wieners for Kia

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

Just act natural

Just keep looking forward

Marlon Brando Kittah

Man, these uppers are GREAT!

Will you stop and ask for directions already!?

I should pull over and get a coffee

Lilo will find a way! Or is that Stitch?

Not into getting dressed up for Halloween? Visit one of the real haunted houses and ghost towns below. Many of these places are legal to visit while others may require permissions from their land owners. To help you find your way to the spots listed below and some other spooky locations refer to the Google map below.

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1.The White Lady

Union Cemetery 39 Church Rd Easton, CT. This famous cemetery is home to “The White Lady,” a ghostly figure in a white night gown that had been seen in the cemetery and nearby road. Other strange occurrences in the cemetery include red-eyed apparitions and floating orbs. Many people have glimpsed this manifestation including police officers and local fire fighters. Many people claimed to have accidentally hit the White Lady. In 1993 an off duty fire fighter was driving when he saw the White Lady in front of his car with her arms reached out towards him. Slamming on his brakes, he heard a thud. After he stopped, the farmer was gone without a trace. There was a dent in his car, but the White Lady was no where to be found.

Orbs caught on camera at the cemetery

2.Dudley Town

Bald Mt. RdCornwall, CT. Dudley Town is a cursed ghost town located in Cornwall, CT. The story of the Dudley Town begins with Edmund Dudley , who was beheaded for attempting to overthrow the King of England in 1510. His son, John had his own plans for the King when he married his son to a woman named Lady Grey. It didn’t work and the three were beheaded. John’s one remaining son fled England and moved to America in 1630 bringing with him a curse that had been placed on his family for sins against the King. After he founded Dudley Town a series of strange events began to take place. Many men would go crazy for no known reason. The town was frequently struck with epidemics that killed hundreds of citizens. Families finally had enough and started moving out and Dudleytown quickly became a ghost town. Read more about the deaths of Dudley Town here. Be aware that many cults still practice rituals at this site.

The Dark Entry Rd. – Entrance to Dudley Town

3.Great Hill Cemetery

Cemetey Rd. Seymour, CT. Many individuals have claimed that this cemetery is haunted by a spirit known as the Hookman. One legend says a man with the last name Hookman was hung at the site while another story says that a boy was killed by the cemetery’s caretaker and found hanging by a hook from a tree. Many photos taken at the site have revealed an ectoplasmic mist. Learn more about the cemetery at Creepy Connecticut.

Ecoplasm at the Cemetery. Notice the demonic eyes in the background.

4.Little People Village

RT 63 Watertown, CT. The legend of the little people says that long ago a man living alone at the site began to hear voices in his head. The voices told him to build small homes and a throne. The man went completely insane and eventually died in his house at the location. Some of the small houses still remain at the site today and visitors claim that you can still here the little voices.

One of the little houses still remains intact.

5.Bara Hack

Rt 97 Pomfret, CT. Bara Hack or the “Village of Ghostly Voices” is a ghost town in Pomfret, CT. Today the abandoned village still has stone foundations, cellar holes and a graveyard. Visitors to the site claim to hear voices, the laughter of children and the rumble of a horse-drawn carriage traveling along a road.

The remains of a foundation at Bara Hack.

6.Tyng Mansion

72 Tyng Road Tyngsboro, MA. There are many different ghost at and around the Tyng Mansion. The main story of the mansion revolves around John Alford Tyng who hired a friend to kill his wife, Judith Thompson, and their three children. Within weeks of the murder the ghost of Judith Thompson began to haunt the grounds. The area is claimed to still be haunted, with numerous reports of people seeing Judith and John. You can read more about the Tyng Mansion Ghost here.

A sign where the house once stood.

7. Greenwich Village

Hardwick, MA. This old village was once home to 1800 residents in the 1800′s. It was a milling and agriculture town up until 1938 when the Quabbin Reservoir was built, flooding a large portion of the village. Visitors often report hearing voices and seeing ghost of former residents wandering the grounds.

Old foundations at Greenwich Village

8. Morgan House

33 Main Street Lee, MA. The Morgan house was built in 1831 and was home to the Morgan family for several generations. Many deceased members of the Morgan family can still be seen at the house. Previous owners have reported seeing is a nine year old boy who fell down a stairwell in 1898. Others have reported seeing the ghost of the family dog, Alfie, as well as seeing senior members of the Morgan clan. See more details about the Morgan House hauntings here.

The Morgan House

9. John Stone’s Inn

179 Main St. Ashland, MA. When entering this establishment a sign above the door reads “spirits, food and lodging,” and visitors soon learn the real meaning of the word “spirits”. The inn is filled with many secret passages that were once used to hide slaves. The most common ghost at the Inn is a 10-year-old girl who is often seen wandering the hallways of the inn. Numerous diners have also reported feeling hands around their necks and glasses flying across the table in the main dining room. for more details about the John Stone Inn visit Ghost Village.

John Stone’s Inn

10.Danvers State Hospital

Hathorn Grn. Danvers, MA. The Davers State Hospital is a favorite spot of paranormal researchers in New England. The 129 year old building has earned many nicknames related to its ghost including “The Haunted Castle” and “The Witches Castle”. The towering castle served as a metal institution up until 1992 and has since been a popular destination for ghost hunters and architecture enthusiasts. It is rumored that the hospital relied on questionable types of therapy including privative electric shock and hydrotherapy. There have been numerous reports of visitors seeing taking photographs of orbs, seeing apparitions and hearing mysterious footsteps. You can see the hospital in a bimonthly tour by calling 978-365-7352.

A passageway underneath the hospital

Every year, the desert comes alive with the sounds of music and images of people banning together as a single organism, sharing in the spirit of Burning Man. Some of the more eccentric sights to witness are the many Art Cars constructed by festival gathers. You’ll see everything from a Muffin-mobile to a two-story tall HUMMER made of recycled material.