Despite rising gas prices, car trip can be tasty, affordable

[Food Network Fan]

Despite rising gas prices, car trip can be tasty, affordable


With the price of gas rising like a heat-seeking missile the past year, many experts are predicting a steep drop in summer excursions via motorcar. But if a recent long-weekend trip is any indication, a fun driving trek in our neck of the woods is possible -- and affordable.
Inspired by a Route 66-flavored episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" hosted by Guy Fieri on the Food Network, my wife Kathy and I again hooked up with friends from Missouri on a trip that was all about food.
Here's a look at what worked (passing zone), and what didn't work quite so well (no-passing zone), to help you better plan your own dining drive.
The ride
• 2005 Mazda Miata
Passing zone: Few things (that are legal) beat top-down motoring on an intimate stretch of highway.
No-passing zone: Small trunk.
The route
• Wichita to Fredonia to Thayer to Baxter Springs to Stroud, Okla., to Wichita.
Passing zone: Highway 400 has made trips to southeast Kansas much quicker and less stressful than in the old Highway 96 days. Who misses stacking up behind a belching 18-wheeler for miles on end?
No-passing zone: 600 miles
The cost
• The Miata prefers premium fuel, but at an average of 28 mpg, we spent about $80 in gas. Two nights' lodging was $200, souvenirs set us back $125, and food came to $110.
Passing zone: We spent less on fuel than a one-way flight to just about anywhere worth visiting.
No-passing zone: Our inability to say no to Route 66 souvenirs and dessert.
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[Food Network Fan]

Sometimes it's nice to explore locations close to you. You might find something you have overlooked for years.