Traveling cross country

[brazos parker]

Went thru Kansas last June on the way west...mind-numbing on I-70. No problem w/ target fixation...unless the far horizon is your "target."

 

[markjenn]

The Great Plains are open/flat/boring no matter where you cross - Canada, ND, SD, Neb, KS, or TX/OK.

That being said, I love all riding and I've enjoyed some great trips across the plains. There are tons of great roads in all the plains states and the small towns are a hoot if you get off the talk to people. Get off the interstates, get a copy of Road Trip USA, plan reasonable days (e.g., 350 miles), and have fun. It's the journey, not the destination.

- Mark

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

I really enjoy getting into more rural agricultural areas staying off the slab. Some of the ranches are really incredible with homes dating back to the original <european> inhabitants. In particular, there are some really nice ones on Hwy 20 and Hwy 30 through Nebraska. To me, this kind of cross country travel is a lot more fun than slabbing. As flat as Nebraska is, there is certainly some neat history and to me, this place seems to conjure up thoughts of western expansion and pioneerism that is such a great part of our country's past. Then again, I'm an optimist. I like most things.

If you take 30, stop in Fremont and say hi to everyone from me. My daughter was born there while I was in the USAF.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I'm with you guys (markjenn & o'vale). Since you mentioned Fremont (o'vale) -- you brought back a memory of a delicious 'blue plate special' eaten at a truck stop on the north side of town (US 77) the likes of which, I think, you'd have a hard time duplicating at the eating places usually found along the Interstate. Same goes for eating adventures (home made) in small towns almost anywhere.

Sounds like some, tho, are convinced it's gonna be miserable out there -- no matter what we say...? :dribble:

 

[FlyingLow]

How's this for boring. I-15 starting from Corona, 700 miles to Salt Lake City [then hang a quick right to Park City].

Absolute torture. I would rather trailer my bike and have someone else drive while I indiscriminately drank myself stupid in the back, then slept the rest of the way :lazy2:

So suffice to say, I'll take 2 days on mostly 2 lanes to get to WFO.

Utah: Awesome highways and one brutally boring slab.

 

[BugR]

I'm planning on diverting through Canada. It's only a 1,000 mile detour and I should be able to do that in about 10 hours. Barring MID (Moose Induced Deceleration).

?? After you write off everything between Thunder Bay and Calgary (2200km) what's left to divert to?

I wouldn't go so high. The I90 axis starts to get interesting midway through SD.

+1 Route 2 is another option slightly north of I90.

Pretty dramatic as the plains transform themselves into the badlands.

The other option is run I-80 at night, much less traffic, almost no Leo's, (I had one RD hit in 10 hours). no laser either.

Chris

 

[Bounce]

IMO the "painful" states are the congested ones. Penn would be okay but their roads are underposted for their design and over patrolled for income generation. Most of the NE corredore is a PITA because of the congestion. I95 in the SE wouldn't stand up to the expectation of the term "Interestate" in most other places. At best it's a state highway without a shoulder and marginally maintained in many places (an FM road in Tx). CA from LA to Sandiego would also be on my list a "painful" for the same congestion reasons.

At least in the flatter states of the Western US, the low volume of traffic and higher posted speed limits minimize any other issues. Most anything west of the Mississippi River will give you either interesting roads or interesting speeds. Some states let you double dip with both.

 

[Shane Stump]

Lets say that hypothetically one were to be traveling from New York to Utah. Which states, from a boredom standpoint, would be the most painful traveling through on an interstate and how can they be avoided.

Kansas and Nebraska aren't as bad as everyone has said they are as long as you know the secret: TRAVEL @ NIGHT while going through them :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: !

Best Regards,

Shane