HELP PLEASE!!!! so many routes to choose from TX to CO

[edesign]

Originally Posted by TexaCo Mom

Yes there are towns along that way, but there's NOTHING in those towns - no gas stations or any other services available. Again, IMO, not a route I would choose driving solo with a baby. Oh, and try to get phone service out there - that's impossible.

Hmmm...I saw a ton of gas stations through there about two months ago and some looked like they had been there a while And even if one town didn't have a gas station the next one is 10-15 minutes down the road. What other services could you need aside from cell phone, which I agree was basically non-existant until almost New Mexico. Plenty of traffic out there including state police. I'm sure people drive that route with babies a lot.

And she's not driving solo, just the only driver...

[TexaCo Mom]

Originally Posted by edesign

Hmmm...I saw a ton of gas stations through there about two months ago and some looked like they had been there a while

Are we talking about the same route between Clayton and Raton? Now granted I haven't driven that route since 12/07, but there wasn't a single gas station on that road then. Did they throw up a "ton of gas stations" in the last year?

From the OP's post all I got was that it was her and a 1 1/2 year old. No mention of anyone else in the car...

As far as needing other services - as I mentioned before and you agreed, cell service is basically non-existent. What if you can't get service and the car breaks down? Or the baby gets sick? Having somewhere to go for help would be nice

[edesign]

Originally Posted by TexaCo Mom

Are we talking about the same route between Clayton and Raton? Now granted I haven't driven that route since 12/07, but there wasn't a single gas station on that road then. Did they throw up a "ton of gas stations" in the last year?

I was referring to the entire route 287/87 but yes, we are talking about one and the same. Also, if you look on Google Maps you will quickly see that there is less than 20 miles between towns. Hardly desolate...then again if you grew up in the city I could see where you might be uncomfortable. In Alaska, my home state, you can drive for almost 100 miles without getting to the next town...people drive with babies on such routes all the time, even before cell phone service. It's called "being prepared" and anyone taking a long road trip SHOULD be prepared.

From the OP's post all I got was that it was her and a 1 1/2 year old. No mention of anyone else in the car...

Originally Posted by jaimelyn

...as I will be the only driver and we will be traveling with a 1 1/2 year old which is going to be enough stress for us.

Easy to miss, but it definitely sounds like there will be another person with her...not sure on age.

As far as needing other services - as I mentioned before and you agreed, cell service is basically non-existent. What if you can't get service and the car breaks down? Or the baby gets sick? Having somewhere to go for help would be nice

Once we got close to the NM border our cell phone service (AT&T) began working quite well except for when you get in the valleys leading in to Raton past Capulin. Car breaks down? Flag a car down...simple, or wait for police to pass by. Baby gets sick? what are you going to do with a cell phone anyway? Call 911 and wait for the ambulance to arrive when you could simply drive to Raton much faster than it would take for the ambulance to come? If you have a baby you should know how to clear a clogged airway due to choking or how to perform CPR on an infant.

People in rural areas survive just fine without services five minutes away...

I'm not saying this is the BEST route for them, I'm just saying that it's not going to be a big issue should they choose it. If they are really worried about something happening to their child during this relatively short drive they are better off sticking to the interstates and adding some mileage. If the child is healthy they should be fine on this route, even if it got sick after passing Amarillo it probably would not be a life threatening situation (although the crying/screaming might make you wish for earplugs). Only the OP can make this decision.

[TexaCo Mom]

Originally Posted by edesign

I'm not saying this is the BEST route for them,

At least we agree on this point and I will leave it up to the OP to cipher through all the opinions and make a choice that works best for them. And as Forrest Gump once said, "That's all I've got to say about that."

[bluescreen73]

We travel from Little Elm to Brush, CO, about once a year and the I-35/I-135/I-70 route may be faster but it's the single most monotonous and brutal route there is.

You spend a majority of your time in Kansas (which is fine if you like Kansas, but it's pure hell otherwise).

We take 380 to Decatur then hook 287 all the way to I-70 in Limon. Once you're out of Texas, over half the drive is already in your rear view mirror. If you go the I-35 route, you still have a good 80-90% of the drive ahead of you when you enter Oklahoma.

The road is in decent shape, is four lanes from Decatur to Stratford, TX, is heavily traveled, and the largest distance between towns with services is probably 40-50 miles at most. Plus it's kinda nice to slow down and take quick peeks at all the dusty agricultural towns between hither and yon.