The Guardian is launching the third of its reader-assisted road trips through the US on Monday 24 June, relying solely on social media-sourced tips to guide us through a thousand-mile stretch of the American south and south-west.

Armed with little more than a laptop and my mobile, I'm covering this leg of these interactive trips. I'll be tootling around Austin, kicking off on 24 June, and I'll wind up in Albuquerque by 28 June (all being well). In between those two key destinations, there's plenty of desert (and desserts), a colourful assortment of small towns … and a huge amount of driving. The 1,030-mile route I'm hoping to cover is ambitious but is designed to provide insight into one of the most distinct – and perhaps misunderstood – stretches of American landscape.

In addition to Austin, I'm planning to visit Pecos, which has one of the largest rodeos in the West, which happens to be starting Wednesday 26 June, in the middle of our trip.", Roswell (home of American UFO lore) and a few assorted national parks and landmarks, including Carlsbad Caverns national park. If you know any out-of-the-way destinations along the route – bonus points for quirky diners and motels – please send them my way.

Here's the ground I'm hoping to cover, and take a look at the map below and send your tips to me (@KatieRogers). You can also use the hashtag #TwiTrips and I'll see your tips roll in.

As with the two Guardian journalists who travelled before me – Adam Gabbatt traipsed through Florida and Jacob Steinberg drove up the Pacific coast – travel writing is not my usual day job. But unlike those two, I'm the first American to be sent on one of these trips. I'm originally from Indiana, and where I'm from it's not very scenic (there's probably a reason the Guardian doesn't have a "Midwestern plains" edition of this road trips series). Everything outside of Austin will be completely new to me, but I asked the Texans in my life to give me some tips. My first discovery of the trip came two weeks early: Texans are deeply proud of their weird and wonderful state.

Proposed destinations so far:

• "Big Red"

• "Visit Texas A&M and learn about Aggie pride"

• "Visit Barton Springs and Hippie Hollow (unfortunately the second is clothing-optional, and this is a family newspaper)"

• "Go to a rural rodeo and talk to a bull rider who has been on the circuit for awhile"

• "Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor outside of Austin. BEST"

• "Check out the Texan court houses in the small towns and tell me what you think."

• "Visit Gruene, TX and listen to some TX county at Gruene Hall"

What else? This trip is up to you, readers, and any and all ideas will be considered. Tweet me – if I'm not there, try @GuardianUS or @GuardianTravel – or leave your tip in the comments below …