pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
Member Is Offline
|
|
I-80 versus I-40
Given that we only visit Baja for a week or so at a time, we've always flown, but in the longer term we are already planning on staying for a longer
stretch - and ultimately permanently - and therefore are beginning to plan a cross-country drive. On paper it looks like the northern route of I-80
from east to west is nearly the same in terms of mileage as the more southerly route of I-40 (about 2400 miles from Traverse City, MI, our projected
starting point). I-80 will take us through Iowa, Nebraska, Denver and Vega. I-40 will take us through Missouri, Oklahoma, Albuquerque and Tucson. Are
there any other things that might make one route preferable over the other?
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64835
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Depends what you want to see along the way... America has lot's of sites to see too! The time of year you drive may also affect the north route vs.
the south route?
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Trip info
Depends on the time of year and weather
|
|
|
pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Good points. We'll have our dog with us, so our sight-seeing will be limited to a scenic drive versus stopping at museums, casinos, etc. We won't have
a camper, so it will be strictly hotels for us.
As for what time of year, we haven't pinned that down just yet, but I suspect it will be during the winter, as we start becoming restless after the
third or fourth blizzard.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64835
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Google Maps should give you routes, and options... The meteor crater east of Flagstaff is cool, and the painted desert and petrified forest is close
by too.
Down on the southern route, east of Tucson is THE THING!
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
I'm not an expert, but you might run into less weather along the southern route
When we travel from Ensenada to visit the G-kids in Denver we look at long range (two week) weather forecasts for cities along a couple of routes, and
plan from there
You also might want to look at picking up the I-10 in Texas which "should" avoid some of the severe weather during the winter
Regarding your pet, we have always used La Quinta Inns as they are all pet friendly and selected Choice hotel properties that allow pets
We did the I-8 to I-10 route from Tecate to San Antonio, Texas in September last year, it was pretty painless..........If you want some suggestions on
that route, PM me
PS: When we travel with our two Labs, we usually plan on about 6 hours of driving (not including food, fuel and potty stops) per day.
[Edited on 8-30-2015 by bajaguy]
|
|
|
DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
I-80 can be quite tricky in the winter because at least through Wyoming, when a storm comes, they just shut down the highway and you have to return to
the last town you passed which becomes really overcrowded quickly. When those gates go down, you are stuck. And it has been declared one of the most
deadly highways in the country.
However, when we are in hurry we just watch the weather report and use I-80. I really detest those triple wiggle big rigs.
While we usually avoid interstates, the prettiest interstate is I-70 unless there is a major storm.
Which ever way you go, it is all about the weather. We have been on I-40 driving in a snow storm near Albuquerque. But shoot, you live in snow
weather, so you are used to it.
[Edited on 8-30-2015 by DianaT]
|
|
|
Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3504
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
Member Is Offline
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena  | | I-80 will take us through Iowa, Nebraska, Denver and Vega. I-40 will take us through Missouri, Oklahoma, Albuquerque and Tucson. Are there any other
things that might make one route preferable over the other? |
I-80 West won't take you to Denver but in Cheyenne, WY, you can go left (South) on I-25 to Denver (1.5 hours), then take I-70 West into the Rockies.
This is my preferred route. I-70 ends at I-15 (in the middle of Utah). 15 runs North/South. Head South and Vegas is about 3-4 hours
away. You can stay on I-15 all the way to San Diego -- assuming you are headed to Baja.
I-70 from Denver is a spectacular road all the way to Vegas (about 14 hours).
I-40 (from Albuerqueque to Barstow where it ends) has lots of traffic and every other vehicle will be a semi headed West (avoiding the mountain passes
on I-70).
If you are headed West on I-80 in the Winter, definitely head South on I-25 out of Cheyenne. 80 between Cheyenne and Salt Lake is not a fun road
when it's windy or snowing! And like I-40, it's a boring highway. High rolling plains and truck stops.
Before taking I-70 though (in the Winter), know the weather forecast before heading into the mountains. Vail Pass and Eisenhower Tunnel (Loveland
Pass) at 10k elevation can be treacherous. You don't want to be in these mountains without snow tires or 4WD. I've hit snow in the Winter all
the way to the San Gabriel Mountains (LA).
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
|
|
|
vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
|
|
Have driven both.First time in 64 when I 80 used to still be I 40,
In your case, if driving in winter, definitely I 40, since I 80 can be a bear with snowy and icy conditions requiring chains, 4 wheel drive or snow
tires.
|
|
|
durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena | Good points. We'll have our dog with us, so our sight-seeing will be limited to a scenic drive versus stopping at museums, casinos, etc. We won't have
a camper, so it will be strictly hotels for us.
As for what time of year, we haven't pinned that down just yet, but I suspect it will be during the winter, as we start becoming restless after the
third or fourth blizzard. |
Plenty of snow on the I-80 route but only some snow on the I-40 route. Be sure to bring us all some cherries from Traverse City.
Bob Durrell
|
|
|
mtnpop
Senior Nomad
Posts: 597
Registered: 9-8-2009
Location: Colorado/mulege
Member Is Offline
|
|
I40 will not take you through Tucson... more like flagstaff and further west... to CA. To go to Tucson you have to drop down I25 to I10..
winter around Flagstaff can also be hazardous driving...
I80 through Wyoming in the winter can be really nasty....as can be I70 through the Colorado Mtns...
Not much to see between N.M. and Flagstaff on 40... same way if you drop to 10 as the far south route... turns to 8 south of Phoenix..
But not like northern MI. in the winter....
Good luck and safe travels...
Common sense is a flower that doesn\'t grow in everyone\'s garden.....
A wise man once spoke nothing.....
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day!!
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Tire chains
Drive south until they don't sell tire chains, then head west
|
|
|
Sweetwater
Senior Nomad
Posts: 915
Registered: 11-26-2010
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilly today hot tomale
|
|
I can't think of a good reason to use the northern routes other than some bad weather systems to the south. There can be times when the monsoons and
twisters can be avoided by staying north but Lee posted some very accurate descriptions.....
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
|
|
|
pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thank you for some very helpful responses! It won't be this coming winter that we make this trek, but maybe in 2017?
For traveling with a dog, we have found Bring Fido to be extremely valuable for finding pet-friendly hotels and restaurants. For booking through its website, the Comfort Inn in Port
Huron, MI gave us a bag of biscuits and a toy for the dog. My wife and I got plastic room keys. 
|
|
|
DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena | Thank you for some very helpful responses! It won't be this coming winter that we make this trek, but maybe in 2017?
For traveling with a dog, we have found Bring Fido to be extremely valuable for finding pet-friendly hotels and restaurants. For booking through its website, the Comfort Inn in Port
Huron, MI gave us a bag of biscuits and a toy for the dog. My wife and I got plastic room keys. |
Hey, if you become a member of the La Quinta Rewards system and spend enough money to become an elite member, you get cookies and a bottle of water
when you sign in. 
I would rather have the treats for my fur baby. The good thing about La Quinta is they don't have a dog fee, and since we have to travel to Reno
often, we stay there and pay because it is usually cheap. We save our points to use for free nights at the expensive ones.
Bring Fido is a good site.
|
|
|
4Cata
Nomad
Posts: 115
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: Yosemite area
Member Is Offline
Mood: Siempre alegre!
|
|
Be sure to check what kind of door knob the room at LaQuinta has before leaving Fido free of his kennel. I didn't and returned to find that Jazzy had
learned to open the lever kind of knob and was roaming the corridors with a couple of other bright dogs who had discovered freedom was at hand, er
paw. Not all LaQ's have that kind, or didn't a couple of years ago. Maybe they have learned their lesson.
Agaveros, silk in a bottle, a beautiful bottle!
|
|
|
bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
|
|
There's also the I-10 / I-8 corridor. You can drop down east of the Rocky's and Continental Divide on I-25, then west from southern NM (Hatch to
Deming cut-off) then I-10 west through Tucson to the I-8 Jct. south of Phoenix, on to Yuma. Lots of open spaces, just have to worry about Albajerky
and Tucson traffic. Motels in large and small towns abound.
Key to winter traffic to Baja is to keep your nose into the breeze; watch the weather closely, and give yourself a few extra days' travel time just in
case you get faced with bad conditions.... keep a 'lay-over day' possible. Don't make an airtight itinerary. Happy trails. If you're curious of
stopover towns, u2u me, i'll be glad to help.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
