pflaming Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 (edited) Every mile from Grand Island NE to Sterling, CO is I-80 unless you take old hwy 30. I-80 took a new path down the platte river so 30 is all intact. You can also drop south at GI to the next east west highway. There are some neat little towns on that. Go through Minden, McCook, Imperial, Sterling CO. If you travel HWY 30, Grand Island, Kearney, Lexington, North Platte will be slow, slow driving. I would go the Southern Nebr route through Minden - Sterling. Small towns, more interesting. IMHO OR go west out of Columbus through the Sand Hills, miles of rolling grass and cattle, the largest sand dunes in North America. Turn south at Broken bow. They are unique because they are covered with grass. I grew up in the North Platte area. Edited May 3, 2013 by pflaming Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 Yes, I routed across 30 in Nebraska. It parallels I80 for quite a stretch. Also, for those in the know, what is 34 and 40 like heading west from Loveland, CO? I'm guessing it's fairly mountainous. Merle Quote
48Dodger Posted May 3, 2013 Author Report Posted May 3, 2013 I know that 70 is a nice drive across the Rockies, mostly 2 lanes for traffic. 40 looks to be a 2 way hwy with a fair amount of traffic. I used google maps and street view to see what was there. You might be pulling over more often? The scenery looks great either way you go. 48D Quote
pflaming Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 I think II - 70 has the Eisenhaeur tunnel. That cuts out going over that summit. Route 34/40 I believe has a high summit to drive. But sure would be beautiful. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 (edited) Delta does not have those sights featured on their itinerary take the southwest route, and when you complete they will call it the Deadadillo highway...run over all of them... Edited May 3, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams Quote
TodFitch Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 Those who live in the area will know better but my recollection from driving that way in the past is there is a high pass just east of Steamboat Springs. At least in a modern car not too bad, just a long grade. I think my '33 would do that one okay. The steep, winding, difficult one on US-40 is between Winter Park and I-70. Even that would be okay in an old car except for the traffic. I haven't driven US-34 so I don't know how it is. Seems to me that there is another high pass going by US-40 in Utah when you are heading northwest into Salt Lake. But I think if you are going to Helper you are off US-40 by then. Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 Delta does not have those sights featured on their itinerary take the southwest route, and when you complete they will call it the Deadadillo highway...run over all of them... This is the view from Southwest... shortly after taking off from Denver, heading to Sacramento. Quote
TodFitch Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 This is the view from Southwest... shortly after taking off from Denver, heading to Sacramento. photo.JPG If I got it recognized properly, the ski area there would be Winter Park/Mary Jane and you can see US-40 switch backing up to the pass going to I-70. Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 Wow Tod, if you are correct I'm impressed that you can know that from an aerial photo. Do you frequent that area? Quote
TodFitch Posted May 3, 2013 Report Posted May 3, 2013 Wow Tod, if you are correct I'm impressed that you can know that from an aerial photo. Do you frequent that area? Skied in that area a couple of times and visited there a couple of more times in the summer for hiking, etc. I do enough hiking, camping and backcountry skiing that I am fairly good at recognizing terrain. Expecially terrain I've been in before. Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 OK... A little more playing... Alternate Route #1 Day 1. Waukesha to Blair, NE (just N of Omaha) = 477.2 miles (longest day at 9+ hours) Day 2. Blair to McCook, NE = 288.7 miles (shorter day. Paul, can you give more info on the Dunes route?) Day 3. McCook to Cannon City, CO = 348.7 miles (detour into Kansas just because) Day 4. Cannon City to Salina, UT = 457.5 miles (a short stint on I-70, but not many other good route options through there) Day 5. Salina to Fallon, NV = 480.7 miles (longest mileage day, but 1 hour shorter than day 1 according to the map program. Day 6. Fallon to Estrada Ranch = 190.6 miles Total mileage = 2243.4 If nothing else, planning it is fun too. Merle Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 I was thinking I would drive my truck and trailer out to Cold Springs Stations,NV and follow Merle the rest of the way out of the desert. 48D Whatsamatter Tim... You think I'm gonna break down on the last leg of the trip? Merle, do I need to post the picture of the skunk in the popcorn box again? OK Mark... Don't make me start a poll thread... Which mascot is more bad @$$? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 Day one, drive 23.7 miles to Pilottruck stop...2.46 for cup of cappuccino and a bear claw..chat up the truckers going west with flat bed dry empty run..load car and sleep till we arrive west coast.... Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 Whatsamatter Tim... You think I'm gonna break down on the last leg of the trip? OK Mark... Don't make me start a poll thread... Which mascot is more bad @$$? both look a bit "squirrelly" to me...maybe they out to trade these guys in for a rabid pit bull or something Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 Day one, drive 23.7 miles to Pilottruck stop...2.46 for cup of cappuccino and a bear claw..chat up the truckers going west with flat bed dry empty run..load car and sleep till we arrive west coast.... LOL... Where's your sense of adventure Tim? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 this is about as adventurous as I can muster for the west coast at this time...... Quote
TodFitch Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 OK... A little more playing... Alternate Route #1 Day 1. Waukesha to Blair, NE (just N of Omaha) = 477.2 miles (longest day at 9+ hours) Day 2. Blair to McCook, NE = 288.7 miles (shorter day. Paul, can you give more info on the Dunes route?) Day 3. McCook to Cannon City, CO = 348.7 miles (detour into Kansas just because) Day 4. Cannon City to Salina, UT = 457.5 miles (a short stint on I-70, but not many other good route options through there) Day 5. Salina to Fallon, NV = 480.7 miles (longest mileage day, but 1 hour shorter than day 1 according to the map program. Day 6. Fallon to Estrada Ranch = 190.6 miles Total mileage = 2243.4 CA Trip_Wisconsin.JPG CA Trip_Iowa.JPG CA Trip_Nebraska.JPG CA Trip_Colorado.JPG CA Trip_Utah.JPG CA Trip_Nevada.JPG CA Trip_California.JPG If nothing else, planning it is fun too. Merle Yes, tour planning can be fun too. I spend a lot of time with paper and on-line maps thinking about "what if". What if we drove the old car to ... Hey look, there is an interesting looking road just a little north of the direct route..., etc. By the way, what mapping program are you using? The generated output looks different to me than either MapQuest or Google Maps. Quote
pflaming Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 The great 'Sand Hills' are due west of Columbus. But if you do that you will quickly add 50+ miles to your trip. The route you have is a good one. Dropping south of the Platte River (I-80) route to the Frenchman valley via McCook is nice '50's country in the sense that while the ag is high tech, the small towns are really not changed much. At lunch look to see where the farmers eat. Then order the item most ordered. Remember this is not armadilla country, but they may lean out the red meat with some cyotte meat. Seriously, steak, especially chicken fried is the fare. Quote
48Dodger Posted May 4, 2013 Author Report Posted May 4, 2013 I like it Merle....looks like a winner. Not that I think you'll break down.....it just I want a piece of this trip dude. lol when I rode across country I didn't map anything out...just loaded the bike and took off. No schedule or nothin'. Of course no internet, just trusty ol fold out maps. I still have my orginals with pen marks and notes to myself......a trip like that Merle you will never forget. 48D 1985 New England Quote
Merle Coggins Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 Thanks guys. I would like to find some points of interest along the route. Maybe I'd stumble across things that are interesting to stop and see, but planning for a couple would be nice too. I'll have to look into the Sand Hills more. I could afford some extra mileage that day the way I have it routed currently. I may have to try to get more of the car guys involved, as there are likely more of them along the route path. Tod, I'm using Microsoft Streets & Trips 2011. It's not an online maping program. It's a software program I have on my computers. I was also going to try my Garmin Base Camp maping program, but apparently I don't have that installed on my home computer. I'll have to find my install disc and correct that. All of the yellow numbers are stop points that I had to add in to get it to route the way I wanted it to. There seems to be some glitches in the program. Even if I selected the "shortest" route from point to point, it would detour 50 miles out of the way, like it thought the road straight across didn't exist. Imagine that... Microsoft software with glitches. Quote
Young Ed Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 Day one, drive 23.7 miles to Pilottruck stop...2.46 for cup of cappuccino and a bear claw..chat up the truckers going west with flat bed dry empty run..load car and sleep till we arrive west coast.... LOL... Where's your sense of adventure Tim? So you're saying loading a truck onto some random trucks trailer and then sleeping all the way to the coast wouldn't be an adventure?? You wouldn't catch me in that sleeper cab......... Quote
ggdad1951 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 (edited) Whatsamatter Tim... You think I'm gonna break down on the last leg of the trip? OK Mark... Don't make me start a poll thread... Which mascot is more bad @$$? I see Buckey the BADger is smiling as well, but he's also squinting, must not be to bad a$$ if he can't see you! Edited May 4, 2013 by ggdad1951 Quote
pflaming Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 East / west across Iowa, on any route will be very similar, that is corn country,and in spring/summer beautiful. So you may want to go to Souix City, Iowa - Alliance, NE - Scottsbluff, NE - Denver, CO. I think the miles would not be that much more and you'll then drive through the heart of the sand hills (Alliance). Scottsbluff is Chimney Rock and other very interesting mesas which rise some 400 feet above the North Platte Valley. There are several interesting routes from Scottsbluff to Denver but I think I would go west of Scottsbluff to Cheyenne, Wy then drop down to Denver. This would be a much more interesting route then to parallel I-80. In late April this area would be lush green. Elevation in Souix City aboutd 1100 feet, Scottsbluff about 4,000, Cheyenne about 7,000' with no summits, just a gradual climb not noticable with a car, but the truckers notice it . Denver the mile high city at 5,000' Paul Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 ne not in sleeper cab...me in my vehicle on the flatbed.. Quote
Don Coatney Posted May 4, 2013 Report Posted May 4, 2013 48D 1985 New England scan0255.jpg Who is that skinny dude sittin on the table? You wouldn't catch me in that sleeper cab......... Actually I would not want to catch you in that sleeper cab. Rosemary is more to my liking... Quote
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