Driving from Boston to San Francisco

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: RU482
Aug 25-26....be prepared to resist the temptation to buy a gun and shoot yourself

Why?

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: RU482
Aug 25-26....be prepared to resist the temptation to buy a gun and shoot yourself

Why?

Because, for the most part, it's a long boring drive with little to break up the monotony.
Unless you just want to take your time, you SHOULD be able to make that leg of the journey in one (long) day. Maybe take turns driving...at 65 mph, that's a 13 hour drive. Add a couple of hours for gas, food, and pit stops, and 15 hours gets you across "the fly-over" part of the trip. 😀 (of course, if you increase your average speed by just a bit...you can cut down the travel time.)
(Wisconsin is 65, Minnesota is 70 for rural interstates, and South Dakota is 75)

Just set your cruise control to the posted limit +5 and you're good to go. VERY FEW cops will fuck with you for being 5 over on the interstate.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: RU482
Aug 25-26....be prepared to resist the temptation to buy a gun and shoot yourself

Why?

Because, for the most part, it's a long boring drive with little to break up the monotony.
Unless you just want to take your time, you SHOULD be able to make that leg of the journey in one (long) day. Maybe take turns driving...at 65 mph, that's a 13 hour drive. Add a couple of hours for gas, food, and pit stops, and 15 hours gets you across "the fly-over" part of the trip. 😀 (of course, if you increase your average speed by just a bit...you can cut down the travel time.)
(Wisconsin is 65, Minnesota is 70 for rural interstates, and South Dakota is 75)

Just set your cruise control to the posted limit +5 and you're good to go. VERY FEW cops will fuck with you for being 5 over on the interstate.

Not at all. It was a good part of the trip for me. Between Chicago and the Badlands, after seeing many signs, stopped and visited the Spam Museum, The Corn Palace and Wall Drug. Broke-up that leg of the trip and saw some pretty interesting places that you'll never see anywhere else.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Not at all. It was a good part of the trip for me. Between Chicago and the Badlands, after seeing many signs, stopped and visited the Spam Museum, The Corn Palace and Wall Drug. Broke-up that leg of the trip and saw some pretty interesting places that you'll never see anywhere else.

Good points. The Spam museum wouldn't interest me. (NASTY stuff) nor would the Corn Palace, but Wall Drug used to be a fun place to stop. There's "touristy" stuff in lots of places, like you say, some stuff you'll never see anywhere else.

 

[Sukhoi]

I drove about half that route (joined I-90 at Souix Falls and went west) summer of 2007. It was great, and I highly recommend it. You do have some rather long days, but not insane. I was in a fully loaded '95 Corolla and it made it through all the mountain passes without trouble.

Your Aug 27 schedule is pretty decent. Badlands is definitely a nice place to visit, but you can do it in a couple hours. It's mostly a car tour. We drove all the way from Nebraska City, NE to Buffalo, WY in one day and did the Badlands on the way.

You *have to* go through the NE entrance to Yellowstone. It's US-212 from Billings. The road goes over a really high mountain pass above the tree line, before dropping down into Yellowstone. It's really cool.

Personally I liked the Grand Tetons more than Yellowstone. My trip was in early July, and a lot of the thermal stuff in Yellowstone was dry. I presume that is because it's dry over the summer so there just isn't much water to boil and stink and such. The Cascade Canyon trail is a must in the Tetons. If you're not big hikers at least do the initial climb and then hike into the canyon a mile before you turn around.

Night of Aug 27 I would stay in Buffalo, WY. The Motel 6 there is actually pretty nice. Then the next day drive I-90 up through Montana and into Yellowstone. IMHO do anything you can to stay in the park. We stayed in West Yellowstone and it is a total pain in the ass trying to get into the park in the morning. Huge lines at the entrance station unless you go in very early. Plus you waste all that time driving in and out. If you are driving to Buffalo in the dark be careful about deer. They are everywhere. Don't plan on going 75+ at night. I was (with bright lights on even) until I passed a deer that was standing in the next lane looking at me. Then I slowed down to 60 for the rest of the trip. 😱

Unless you need to be in Palo Alto early on the 1st I would plan to arrive around dinner. Stay in Yellowstone the night of the 28th, and the Grand Tetons on the 29th. Then the 30th leave after lunch, see Craters of the Moon, and stay in Wells, NV. According to Google the Motel 6 there is actually real nice. Also FYI that there is *nothing* on 93 from the Idaho-Nevada state line to I-80. Then on the 1st drive to Palo Alto. Remember being a weekday there will be rush hour traffic. Avoid going through San Francisco unless you really want to. I would take 80 W to 680 S to 580 W to 238 W to 880 S to 84 W into Palo Alto. There may still be some traffic but it will be a lot better than trying to go over the Bay Bridge and through SF.

PM me if you want more details.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd take all the historic highways(whatever they are) to get out there. It would take much longer, but you'll get to see the real towns and countryside. Interstate driving sucks. It all looks the same with varying amounts of traffic.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: RU482
Aug 25-26....be prepared to resist the temptation to buy a gun and shoot yourself

Why?

Because, for the most part, it's a long boring drive with little to break up the monotony.
Unless you just want to take your time, you SHOULD be able to make that leg of the journey in one (long) day. Maybe take turns driving...at 65 mph, that's a 13 hour drive. Add a couple of hours for gas, food, and pit stops, and 15 hours gets you across "the fly-over" part of the trip. 😀 (of course, if you increase your average speed by just a bit...you can cut down the travel time.)
(Wisconsin is 65, Minnesota is 70 for rural interstates, and South Dakota is 75)

Just set your cruise control to the posted limit +5 and you're good to go. VERY FEW cops will fuck with you for being 5 over on the interstate.

Not at all. It was a good part of the trip for me. Between Chicago and the Badlands, after seeing many signs, stopped and visited the Spam Museum, The Corn Palace and Wall Drug. Broke-up that leg of the trip and saw some pretty interesting places that you'll never see anywhere else.

Heh, I've heard of the Corn Palace and Wall Drug, but from a quick google search, they didn't look too exciting. What makes them so unique?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I drove about half that route (joined I-90 at Souix Falls and went west) summer of 2007. It was great, and I highly recommend it. You do have some rather long days, but not insane. I was in a fully loaded '95 Corolla and it made it through all the mountain passes without trouble.

Your Aug 27 schedule is pretty decent. Badlands is definitely a nice place to visit, but you can do it in a couple hours. It's mostly a car tour. We drove all the way from Nebraska City, NE to Buffalo, WY in one day and did the Badlands on the way.

You *have to* go through the NE entrance to Yellowstone. It's US-212 from Billings. The road goes over a really high mountain pass above the tree line, before dropping down into Yellowstone. It's really cool.

Personally I liked the Grand Tetons more than Yellowstone. My trip was in early July, and a lot of the thermal stuff in Yellowstone was dry. I presume that is because it's dry over the summer so there just isn't much water to boil and stink and such. The Cascade Canyon trail is a must in the Tetons. If you're not big hikers at least do the initial climb and then hike into the canyon a mile before you turn around.

Night of Aug 27 I would stay in Buffalo, WY. The Motel 6 there is actually pretty nice. Then the next day drive I-90 up through Montana and into Yellowstone. IMHO do anything you can to stay in the park. We stayed in West Yellowstone and it is a total pain in the ass trying to get into the park in the morning. Huge lines at the entrance station unless you go in very early. Plus you waste all that time driving in and out. If you are driving to Buffalo in the dark be careful about deer. They are everywhere. Don't plan on going 75+ at night. I was (with bright lights on even) until I passed a deer that was standing in the next lane looking at me. Then I slowed down to 60 for the rest of the trip. 😱

Unless you need to be in Palo Alto early on the 1st I would plan to arrive around dinner. Stay in Yellowstone the night of the 28th, and the Grand Tetons on the 29th. Then the 30th leave after lunch, see Craters of the Moon, and stay in Wells, NV. According to Google the Motel 6 there is actually real nice. Also FYI that there is *nothing* on 93 from the Idaho-Nevada state line to I-80. Then on the 1st drive to Palo Alto. Remember being a weekday there will be rush hour traffic. Avoid going through San Francisco unless you really want to. I would take 80 W to 680 S to 580 W to 238 W to 880 S to 84 W into Palo Alto. There may still be some traffic but it will be a lot better than trying to go over the Bay Bridge and through SF.

PM me if you want more details.

Awesome reply, I really appreciate it 🙂

I'll definitely make the changes you suggested.

 

[BoomerD]

Wall Drug is a remnant of yesteryear, when it was one of the only places to stop along the way. Food, refreshments, tourist trinkets, etc. They've always had a very eclectic collection of stuff there...and while it's certainly not gonna be the most memorable stop on your journey, it's usually a fun place to peruse while stretching your legs from the road.
http://www.walldrug.com/

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Wall Drug is a remnant of yesteryear, when it was one of the only places to stop along the way. Food, refreshments, tourist trinkets, etc. They've always had a very eclectic collection of stuff there...and while it's certainly not gonna be the most memorable stop on your journey, it's usually a fun place to peruse while stretching your legs from the road.
http://www.walldrug.com/

I concur. While you're driving, you'll pass Wall Drug signs for about 100 miles. If you don't need to make a pit stop, feel free to pass by it, the Corn Palace, etc.

I drove solo with three dogs, so I had to make a pit stop every 3 hours or so. Making my pit stops at these places, just added to the cross-country drive. I only spent about 5 minutes at the Corn Palace, 45 minutes at the Spam Museum about 1 hour at Wall Drug. But when I look back at the experience, they are places I remember from the drive.