the DC to Denver drive (safe, move, food)

[ALStafford]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

The most scenic parts of Nebraska are well north of I-80. The Sand Hills between North Platte and Valentine, the Wildcat Hills near Scottsbluff, and the Pine Ridge escarpment near Chadron are not what you'd expect from Nebraska.

Agreed, but all you mention here is pretty far out of the way for someone driving from DC to Denver. I grew up in the Sandhills before moving to Lincoln in high school. It is beautiful there, and if someone asked the best drive from Denver to the Black Hills, I'd recommend this. But for DC-Denver, not so much.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by ALStafford

Agreed, but all you mention here is pretty far out of the way for someone driving from DC to Denver. I grew up in the Sandhills before moving to Lincoln in high school. It is beautiful there, and if someone asked the best drive from Denver to the Black Hills, I'd recommend this. But for DC-Denver, not so much.

I agree. I was just throwing an observation out. I should've put that in as a caveat.

[xeric]

I'd take secondary roads (at least once you get out of the midwest). Highway 36 from Hannibal, Missouri through northern Kansas is interesting (not scenery-wise particularly) but you do go through these little Kansas farming towns, and it feels like the type of travel you would have experienced 50 years ago. And Hannibal, Missouri is the birthplace of Mark Twain.

[eearhart]

Wow, great info all! Sandsthree, we'll be checking out the red roof inn for dog friendly options if we need to. That said, we are thinking of renting an RV for the one-way trip to make it a little easier on us with the kiddos. Good luck to everyone else making the drive and keep us posted if you make your way soon!

[davidv]

Originally Posted by QuinDuke

Thanks for the recommendations, folks. We're doing Centreville, VA to Denver in two weeks. A couple people in our family want to see the arch, so we'll probably do 70, but I've never Sto Iowa or Nebraska so I was thinking about swinging North at Kansas City on I-29 to meet up with I-80 in Omaha and go to Denver from there. But that all depends on if everyone's up for the addition 50 or so miles of driving that would take.

The difference between the routes (I-80 vs. I-70) is only 50 miles if you pick either of those routes and stick to it.

If you drive all the way to St. Louis first and then change routes, you will add about 120 miles and 2 hours to the route. Since there is nothing of real importance on 1-80 to see, that is 2 hours of your life you will never get back.

Originally Posted by eearhart

That said, we are thinking of renting an RV for the one-way trip to make it a little easier on us with the kiddos. Good luck to everyone else making the drive and keep us posted if you make your way soon!

If you are renting an RV, be aware that out west, I-80 has much more traffic than I-70. Since I-80 goes all the way to California, it is the preferred route for truckers moving goods across the country. Driving across Nebraska is never lonely. There will always be some traffic around you. Driving across Kansas and eastern Colorado there are times when you will be the only car around.

[eearhart]

Originally Posted by davidv

The difference between the routes (I-80 vs. I-70) is only 50 miles if you pick either of those routes and stick to it.

If you drive all the way to St. Louis first and then change routes, you will add about 120 miles and 2 hours to the route. Since there is nothing of real importance on 1-80 to see, that is 2 hours of your life you will never get back.




If you are renting an RV, be aware that out west, I-80 has much more traffic than I-70. Since I-80 goes all the way to California, it is the preferred route for truckers moving goods across the country. Driving across Nebraska is never lonely. There will always be some traffic around you. Driving across Kansas and eastern Colorado there are times when you will be the only car around.

Yes great advice. We were planning to take the 80 route but with an RV the higher mph won't make much of a difference since we'll top out at 55/60 mph. We'll just have to be sure that the tank is full for the long stretches of nothingness!

[davidv]

Originally Posted by eearhart

Yes great advice. We were planning to take the 80 route but with an RV the higher mph won't make much of a difference since we'll top out at 55/60 mph. We'll just have to be sure that the tank is full for the long stretches of nothingness!

Good decision. When I drive to Omaha, I set cruise control at 80 mph (speed limit is 75) and the semi-trucks keep pace with me. An RV going 60 mph would cause a lot of drivers to slam on their brakes and could be a dangerous hazard.

[otterprods]

I lived in NOVA many years ago and hated it, so I can understand where you're coming from both literally and figuratively.

My recommendation is to fly yourself and the kids out and then have your husband drive himself and the dog out as fast he can (25 hours) via I-70 to meet you and then spend any extra travel time you have touring the front range and the high country (depending on the condition of your car, time of travel, and weather preferences) and possibly places further west. There are a few interesting things along that way, and there are plenty of fine people in the midwest, but it doesn't really get good until you cross I25 so why waste any time getting here? Or, if your kids are exceptionally good sleepers and you want to save some cash, pile in the car at 8 am, drive all day and all night and be done with it the next morning. This is all assuming that you have a house or some other nice place to sleep lined up upon arrival.

[QuinDuke]

Originally Posted by davidv

The difference between the routes (I-80 vs. I-70) is only 50 miles if you pick either of those routes and stick to it.

If you drive all the way to St. Louis first and then change routes, you will add about 120 miles and 2 hours to the route. Since there is nothing of real importance on 1-80 to see, that is 2 hours of your life you will never get back.

Yep, after familial conversation, we've decided that it doesn't make sense to divert that much. We're going to look in a couple of days to see if it weather will affect either route more than the other, and then go with the best-looking one.

[eearhart]

Thanks for the recommendation Otterprods..that is definitely an option