Cross Country: I-40 or I-80?

[Randy_Refeld]

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

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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]

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


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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.

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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]

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

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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 [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Corey]

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

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

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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]

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

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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.