Cross Country: I-40 or I-80?

[Corey]

I'm driving with my girlfriend from California to Washington, DC. I've read all the threads about what to expect doing this but none addressed which roads to take.

From near Fresno, taking I-80 from Sacramento to Cleveland then cutting down to DC is about the same distance as taking I-40 from Barstow to Tennessee then cutting up to DC.

A couple of things first:
*Ignore weather issues (doing thismemorial day weekend)
*This is NOT a vacation, I really don't care how scenic anything is or places to visit. We are doing this in 3 days (maybe 4).

Does anyone have any experience as what to expect from these specific routes? Tolls? Speed limits? Stupid local cops? Shadiness of roadside hotel areas? Difficulty of drive (she's your typical female driver)?

[jesusarenque]

The speed limit is 70 in Tennesee. I don't know about Ohio.

[ceyoung]

US-50 goes directly from sacramento to DC. I know someone that took that, they didnt have any problems.

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
US-50 goes directly from sacramento to DC. I know someone that took that, they didnt have any problems.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for the suggestions, and it is one that I thought of, but US-50 meanders ts way through the country often at lower speed limits than the interstate. Not plan A for time issues. A vacation, maybe. Moving? No chance.

[groo]

[ QUOTE ]
US-50 meanders ts way through the country

[/ QUOTE ]

"The loneliest highway in America" is scenic, but definately slow moving through Nevada.

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
US-50 goes directly from sacramento to DC. I know someone that took that, they didnt have any problems.


[/ QUOTE ]

I used to live along US 50, unless this is a vacation I would not do that. I do winder why he excluded I-70; it doesn't go all the way to CA, but perhaps US 50 across NV and then pick up 70 in Utah.

[Cubswin]

Do not take 50!!! I drove from Cincy to DC via 50 and it took about 3 hrs longer then it would have if i took 70. Plus... do you really want to drive through west virginia???

[ceyoung]

i didnt know the time difference. my friends are from sacramento, and they enjoyed the novelty of taking one road all the way.

[Cubswin]

It was quite a nice drive though.... until it started snowing in the mountains of WV. Lots of neat little towns along the way... but it is a two lane road at many points and some stop lights.... blah

[fishsauce]

I have driven back and forth from the southeast to the west coast three times in the last two years and am getting ready to do it again in about a month. I always pick up I-40 in Memphis and I stay on it all the way to Barstow, then pick up 58 to Bakersfield, then make my way to I-5 to get to the bay area.

I have considered going the I-80 route as well for a change of pace. I spoke with someone from Atlanta who went that route and told me that it was very nice and scenic, but there were times when he thought his Civic wasn't going to make it up the mountains. Because I go to get there and not sightsee along the way, I will keep going 40.

I-40 through Arkansas is ok (lots of truck traffic outside Memphis) but once you get to Oklahoma it is easy driving. OK and TX are flat as pancakes, and NM and AZ get a little hilly in some places but it's not bad at all. My 4-cyl Nissan pickup with a full load doesn't struggle on this trip. The speed limit in NM is 75 on I-40, and I-5 in Cali is an easy drive as well. I recommend this route.

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
I drove from Cincy to DC via 50 and it took about 3 hrs longer then it would have if i took 70.

[/ QUOTE ]

I lived close to 50 in Ohio. There is a newer route (32 I think) that cuts an hour off the trip across Ohio. US 50 in scenic, but being an old US highway it goes through all the little towns along the way.

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
US-50 goes directly from sacramento to DC. I know someone that took that, they didnt have any problems.


[/ QUOTE ]

I used to live along US 50, unless this is a vacation I would not do that. I do winder why he excluded I-70; it doesn't go all the way to CA, but perhaps US 50 across NV and then pick up 70 in Utah.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did forget 70. It does not go over the mountains into CA. Basically:
I-80----->
<font color="white">XX</font> |M|
<font color="white">XX</font> |T|
Me |N| I-70---&gt; DC
<font color="white">XX</font> |S|
<font color="white">XX</font> |||
I-40----&gt;

I guess I could take 40 then cut up to 70 along the way (Checks the map) in OK City via I-44

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
there were times when he thought his Civic wasn't going to make it up the mountains [on I-80]

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'll be in a Civic probably near it's abysmal load capacity. I assume the mountains through AZ/NM are not as brutal as the northern rockies.

Thanks for the info!

[Cubswin]

Well, I'll be in a Civic probably near it's abysmal load capacity

This sounds like one fun drive /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]


Well, I'll be in a Civic probably near it's abysmal load capacity

This sounds like one fun drive /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Add in two people to around 325 plus a numch of crap including books, and you can get close to the 1000 pounds or whatever Honda passes off as it's safe carrying weight.

It's made it up and over the grapevine many time from SD to Fresno, but I'm sure that doesn't compare to crossing the rockies.

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess I could take 40 then cut up to 70 along the way (Checks the map) in OK City via I-44

[/ QUOTE ]

I did this in reverse moving from Columbus, Ohio to Las Vegas. I have also driven 40 in both driections between Barstow and Memphis. I have also done the Memphis to Columbus circuit many times (but none since 1998). I have never driven 80 so I have no opinion of that. WHen I did Columbus to Vegas it was in Dec so I dropped down to 40; 70 was the preferred route if I remember.

[fishsauce]

Sorry, forgot to add: it usually takes 3 pretty full days (~12-14 hours a day) of driving for me to get from SE to the bay area on 40. My last trip I stopped for the night in Arkansas, NM, then the bay area (that was a long last day).

I have never been pulled for speeding on this trip and do not usually see a lot of cops along the way. The traffic is dense near the cities of Memphis, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque but it is pretty sparse otherwise.

[TaxGoddess]

Avoid I-80, too many tolls. I preferred the drive on I-40, also more areas of 70 mph.

[TomCollins]

Randy,

32 is in fact MUCH faster than 50. My sister goes to Ohio U. One time, we took 32 to get to Athens, and 50 to come back. 50 is perhaps 20 miles shorter, but took over an hour longer.

I still would recommend the highways over 32 though. I think 80 is Toll through Ohio, but am unsure. 40 gets pretty hilly and slow past Knoxville. Not sure where you plan on cutting down, but you are going to have to drive through the mountains somewhere in there.

[DCIAce]

I was on I-80 from Sacramento to Des Moines (then north on 35) about 6 months ago. I can vouch for it being a pretty easy drive until that point. Speed limits are 75 most of the time, I was going 80 in cruise control, someone was flying by me at 100-110 every 30 min, and I didn't see a single person pulled over all trip. Maybe 2 cops in 1800 miles.

Don't know about the tolls in Ohio or whatnot, though.

[Cubswin]

"Speed limits are 75 most of the time, I was going 80 in cruise control, someone was flying by me at 100-110 every 30 min, and I didn't see a single person pulled over all trip. Maybe 2 cops in 1800 miles."

Moot point really... didnt you see the part where he mentions he'll be driving a civic?

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
One time, we took 32 to get to Athens, and 50 to come back. 50 is perhaps 20 miles shorter, but took over an hour longer.

[/ QUOTE ]

This seems very accurate. I need to take a trip to Athens, it has been quite sometimes since I was there. I am too old these days, I dont' know if I can handle Court Street.

[PoBoy321]

[ QUOTE ]
"Speed limits are 75 most of the time, I was going 80 in cruise control, someone was flying by me at 100-110 every 30 min, and I didn't see a single person pulled over all trip. Maybe 2 cops in 1800 miles."

Moot point really... didnt you see the part where he mentions he'll be driving a civic?

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact that he's driving a civic isn't really important. I've actually hit around 110 in my civic (granted, under ideal conditions), but he will have a problem with the huge load he's got in the back.

[PoBoy321]

What're you coming to DC for?

[Broken Glass Can]

I-80 to Cheyenne
I-25 to Denver
I-70 to St Louis
I-64 to I-79 (in WV)
I-79 to I-68 (in WV)
I-68 to I-70 (in MD)
I-70 to I-270 (in MD)

I have done the Eastern US via this route, and it is very good without heavy traffic, although not obvious to the casual map reader.

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
What're you coming to DC for?

[/ QUOTE ]

I live in Arlington (moved here in February). She will be getting her California teaching credential in May. I am flying one-way out there and will be accompanying her on the drive back. Obvioiusly I feel she can do it alone, she claims otherwise.

It seems the consensus is to go easy and take I-40, but doesn't that have just as great of a climb up to Northern Arizona? Plus, if I take I-80 I can possibly stay a night in Reno and hit a poker room (I had no idea how desolate DC was in terms of Poker)

[HDPM]

Few things in life are as bad as I-80 across Wyoming. But you are right, it probably won't snow too much on Memorial day.

[wonderwes]

Better buy a psp for the trip. When I drove to TX to L.A. we used a small mini TFT screen, power adapter, and played ps2 all the way there.

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
Few things in life are as bad as I-80 across Wyoming

[/ QUOTE ]

I-80 through Nevada much worse, I-80 through Nebraska not too good either.

[pc in NM]

...plan for food stops with this site - greatway to add EV (Enjoyment Value) to any trip....

RoadFood.com (http://www.roadfood.com/)

They have books, too...

[PoBoy321]

[ QUOTE ]
(I had no idea how desolate DC was in terms of Poker)

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, aside from private home games, you're really not going to find much action. I remember Berge20 tried to get some games together a while back, but I think they've kinda fallen to the wayside. The closest you're going to find is up in AC and that's about a 3 hour drive.

[MowrMowr]

I drove to LA to DC by myself a few months ago...I took 70 all the way from Utah across (15 goes from LA to 70), and it was great. You can drive very fast the whole way...only got pulled over once (in Kansas during morning rush hour), and he let me go with a warning after 2-3 minutes.

I did the trip in 2.5 days on my own by the way (in a Corolla, so I feel your pain in advance)...with 2 drivers who want to get it over with quickly (and don't need hotels to sleep), it can be done in 2 flat.

Even though you said to ignore the scenic parts, driving through Utah and through the middle of the Rockies is absolutely amazing when you're used to the world as DC and its suburbs.

[BadBoyBenny]

I 80 through Ohio is all tolls, it might be in Indiana too, I can't remember. I 80 in Ohio (on memorial day weekend)will be filled with state troopers looking to brethalize or otherwise hassle out of staters. I know a friend who got a ticket for going 7 mile over the limit on Fourth of July a few years ago. The turnpike will still be a pay road, and will be shitty all through PA. Can't help with the other stretches, but unless something is wrong with the southern route it will probably be a better option.

[Corey]

Thanks for everyone's input. With a mjority of my east coast travel on memorial day, I'm thinking I'll go with a modified Broken Glass Can route:

locals to I-40 in Barstow
I-40 East to OK City
I-44 East to St. Louis
I-64 to I-79 (in WV)
I-79 to I-68 (in WV)
I-68 to I-70 (in MD)
I-70 to I-270 (in MD)

In order to minimize time, tolls, exposure to cops on main thoroughfares, and exposure to extreme climbs, I think this would be the best route. Doing this in four days in going to be ridiculously easy, but that's the way she wants it.