Driving Croos Country, Which Way Should I Go?

maleko

gonna be driving from Los Angeles to Connecticut. the last week or so of April. which ways to you guys think will be best that time of year? i was thinking going north then accross the top of the country.
give me some ideas..??
would like to go to yellow stone park, mt rushmore perhaps, not sure what the weather will be like in that area, anyone from that area? is there still snow there, the last week of april??
Thanks...

Magnettica

I have to imagine there would be snow last week of April especially in the mountains.

Kaiser

I'd say it would be a great time to beat the crowds.

You might see some deep wet snow at the higher Elev. in April but I'd go for it.

I suggest you call ahead to Yellowstone and see if the roads are open, that place is something everyone needs to see.

It would be a shame to drive around it if you have the time.

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BattleRidge

get to minnesota and take HWY 2 into MT and then go south on 15 so you can hit glacier park and yellowstone, glacier is siiick.

cleveman

I drove to CT from Iowa in September, and I went up to Minnesota, then across Canada. I came down into Sault Ste. Marie and spent some time in northern Michigan, then on to Niagra.

I would recommend this route. It is much more scenic than the southern route.

Is this a one-way trip or will you be returning?

If you are returning, then when?

The reason I'm asking is because if you are returning in June for example, then take the scheit route out there in April and take the nice route back.

Teetorbilt

I'd go south if you want to make time and have a vehicle that can do it. Long stretches @ 150 MPH are possible. The general rule is that the cops stay within 10 minutes of the donut shop. This also applies to the northern routes in the summer in the big states.

Slice up north at the last possible moment, sleet, snow and ice will bog your trip down quickly.

From a former OTR trucker and cannonball runner.

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Chris Johnson

I've done both north and south from Ontario, Canada and I-80 is not fun in the winter from just north of Sacramento to Chicago. The southern route is fun, drive parts of ole route 66, Arizona is a nice ride, great scenes, New Mexico, jaunt north and visit Sante Fe for a truly friendly beautiful town, eat in Texas and if you eat the 72oz steak (including the potato, veggies and salad plus all you drink ice tea) your meals free (I had the 8oz...I'm a wimp, I can admit it), see the memorial in Oklahoma...just keep cruising it's a fun trip.

On the way back do I-80, When you hit Nebraska on 80...well let's just say I hope you like corn!!! after that Rushmore is nice and go see the Old Faithful, Stop in at Salt Flats and try and catch some time trials (I got lucky one trip and pulled in on a Saturday late morning and they were just getting started), Stay in Wendover for top notch casino fun, great food buffets and cheap stays (Sun-Thurs). And if you don't have the wife and kids with you...try out the Wild Horse Saloon (Who's googling that first?) as you get closer to Reno

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wizendwizard

Former OTR trucker here also, My prefered route in April would have to be
I 40 I 55 I 70 I 81 I 84

Alas, thats just me! I know snow falls in this country.

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TimNJ

I agree. I-10 through southern TX you can really move. Never 150mph, but 90+ towing a car trailer. Nice smooth road and nobody around for miles. I have also gone the mid route (I 40) but get a little nervous going through there during tornado season.
The only ticket I ever got was on I40 in TN. Plus, IMHO, I40 through TN is more boring a ride than Texarkana to ElPaso.

Floorwizard

Went on a similiar trip. Saw Yellowstone, Mt Rush, Crazyhorse Mtn, Black hills.
Was the best trip I ever took.

What sort of vehicle?

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cleveman

I forgot to comment on the black hills area. You may as well see devil's tower, the black hills (I call Rapid City Rapidopolous), the badlands, and check out the cruise missile installations just off the interstate near the badlands exit. This museum is worth catching. There is a sign on the vault door that says they can deliver a warhead anywhere in the world in 15 minutes or the next one is free.

You should have plenty of snow up there. Heck, there might be snow here in April.

Floorwizard

HA! that's good stuff!

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concretemasonry

Don't try to make your mind months in advance.

since you are traveling with the weather, check to long term forcasts a week in advance and then fine tune a few days before leaving. Nothing worse tham picking the wrong route and being in the weather as you go.

The choices for the last week of April would be the "southern route" through Arizona and possibly face the spring rains and possible tornadoes. The othe choice is the "northern routes" through Vegas and then Colorado or Wyoming, depending on the moutain weather. If the parks are open, the route through Utah/Wyoming to by the Tetons as, up to Yellowstone and then through Cody and the Black hills can be great. Rapid City can have some very nice, warm weather then.

From there, you end up on I80 and eastward unless you want to avoid the Chicago mess, so I70 might work.

Avoid NYC/NJ if possible. If you are going to nothern CT, going up to Scranton/Wilkes Barre will get you into CT and on to I84 quite easily and to Hartford. If you are going to the coastal areas of CT , you can go through NJ to the George Washington Bridge, then immediately north along the Hudson River to Yonkers, catch the Merrit Parkway and then jump over a couple of miles to I95. I95 is OK once you are east of Bridgeport or New Haven.

I routinely drove from Minnesota to New Haven or New London frequently in 2 days and found the easiest route in a car was I94 the Rockford exit, then down to the interstate through/around Indianapolis (day 1), then east to catch the interstate that was in the best condition through PA. If I was going to the coast, on to I95 and the GW turnoff or if I was going north, I would go up to Scranton, etc.

Some of the route looks a little out of the way, but it is easy traveling where you can cover a lot of ground comfortably, get decent mileage. If you go near Chicago, keep in mind that the timing is important and the effects of the city traffic affect large area. I have had situations where going directly through the heart of Chicago can be great with right route and timing. I have also wasted 3 - 4 hours trying to get through there.

If you have a problem in NYC, you may just as well forget about your car if it is the wrong freeway at the wrong time. - 10 minutes to strip a car, including fenders.

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BattleRidge

if you go to wendover there is the slat flats cafe that his kick ass foor, its the first exit coming from the east. Place is awesome. I go out and ride bmx in those big all things out there and camp for a few day at a time every once in a while. Its a perty cool place.

Floorwizard

20 minutes for me....looks like I need to practice more-

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rustyjames

That sounds like The Big Texan in Amarillo. I stopped in there and wimped out too but the steak I did have was one of the best I ever ate.

maleko

thanks guys, im gonna think about all your suggestions. so many ways to go, it will make me nutz. but cant wait. just gonna rent a car. but if i return it at a different location like in newark NJ. they want a $1,200 dollar drop off fee WTF.... so i might just drive back to LA. and use the $1,200 for fuel and hotels....

concretemasonry

If you have a way back home, there are ways to get around drop charges if you contact the different rental companies. They always have some cars that they must get back close to the base.

Renting is not a bad idea, even for a round trip, depending on the amount of time the car will be siitting.

One other possibility is driving someone elses car where they provide the car and pay the gas. You need to start early to find the right combination and get the license/driving history checked out. - Usually very, very nice cars!

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Dick

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PA woodbutcher

[quote=Floorwizard;582558]Went on a similiar trip. Saw Yellowstone, Mt Rush, Crazyhorse Mtn, Black hills.
Was the best trip I ever took.
quote]

I used that route one time in either late Apr or first part of May back in 88 or 89. Had beautiful weather and the prices were all off season. We stayed at the foot of Mt Rushmore in a room, during the "season" was $140 a night..cost us $60...complete with jacuzzi. Beautiful part of the country. I was out there again in 04 in Jul and the weather wasn't quite so pleasant...awful hot.

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concretemasonry

In the early part of the year you can expect some extremely variable weather on the east side of the Rockies. It can vary by the day or hour.

Today, 1/20/09, at noon it is 64F in Rapid City. Next Friday, the high will be 22F. Last week it was -20F or lower.

I have walked through frozen grass and frost in early July at Yellowstone to get to a stream for trout. I fished while a large moose was eating vegitation in the river about 50-100' away. That afternoon, I fished the Yellowstone and Madison Rivers and sweated since it was 85F plus. The weather is all part of the enjoyment.

We have people from Minnesota that go to Yellowstone when it almost snowed in because the sights and rivers are even better than they are in the summer. - The park is run unbeleivably well. We have stayed in some of the cabins owned by the park and there very reasonable, impeccible clean and of course very convenient in terms of time and driving. - Check ahead because they do have limits on how many people are allowed in the park.

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Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.