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Old 05-30-2011, 07:56 PM
 
47 posts, read 111,309 times
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Hi all-- need a lil' advice on how to proceed with driving from MN to OR. I will be driving solo and wondering which way to head to avoid dangerous mountains, etc. This will be my first solo cross country trip and need some coddling as well. thx!
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:58 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
9,858 posts, read 11,868,701 times
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IMO it doesn't get anymore sanitized for your protection than the interstate highway system. If possible they will tunnel through mountains. You should know, however, that a trip like you are considering will have elevation changes that are considerable. If you are nervous about it you should work it out of your system locally. You are going to be crossing the Rocky Mountains... ... there isn't really any 'avoiding' them possible. If you are driving an automatic transmission put it in 2nd gear and stay in the righthandmost lane and you will be fine.

The East/West interstate that has always made the most sense for my trips is I80/84. It wouldn't be out of reason for you to head south out of MN, pick up 80/84 and take it right into Portland. When you leave Idaho and enter Oregon... ... breathtaking. I was looking at Google and it is also possible for you to take 90/94 through North Dakota and Montana. I don't know nuthin' bout that route. I have heard tell that there is an insanely high speed limit in Montana. Sounds like fun, but maybe not if you are timid about your roadcraft. I don't see why you should be. You drive now, I presume. Driving to OR is no different than driving to work, its just longer. Lots longer. So what... take it one mile at a time. Get a GPS. I know it's just a superslab snooze cruise but a GPS has uses way beyond telling you when to turn right or left.

H
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Old 05-30-2011, 09:26 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Keep in mind there may be flooding in the most direct route.
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Old 05-30-2011, 09:58 PM
 
Location: Portland
117 posts, read 273,199 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramsey View Post
Hi all-- need a lil' advice on how to proceed with driving from MN to OR. I will be driving solo and wondering which way to head to avoid dangerous mountains, etc. This will be my first solo cross country trip and need some coddling as well. thx!
I have never driven anywhere from MN, so I have no suggestions specific to your drive, but...

for any cross country drive my advice is plan ahead... look at the map, plot a course, decide how many hours a day you can safely and sanely drive, find a target town, have a motel room or a camp site reserved for each night... know where your long stretches of empty highway with no services are so you dont look down and see the gas gauge on "E" and then look up and see a sign that says "next gas 100 miles"... and if you get tired, stop, stretch, take a short walk, etc...

scout it out and plan it out.. one day at a time... and dont forget to plan in a little extra time for traffic and weather delays, and hopefully some sight seeing along the way..

and yes, stick to the Interstate... safer and easier to get help if needed.
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Old 05-30-2011, 10:08 PM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,619,917 times
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You are correct.
Here is the site for travel in Montana.
Montana Department of Transportation Traveler Information Map
90/94 is forecast to have some closures at this time.
You could travel up to east grand forks, pick up highway 2 and then come across the upper part of North Dakota, Montana then drop down to Great Falls then come back onto 90 around Missoula, up into Idaho, Spokane then drop back into Oregon. good luck~

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nell Plotts View Post
Keep in mind there may be flooding in the most direct route.
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Old 05-30-2011, 10:24 PM
 
86 posts, read 108,951 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramsey View Post
Hi all-- need a lil' advice on how to proceed with driving from MN to OR. I will be driving solo and wondering which way to head to avoid dangerous mountains, etc. This will be my first solo cross country trip and need some coddling as well. thx!
Its an awesome drive. There are so many nice things to see on the way, especially after Montana!
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Old 05-30-2011, 10:33 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
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I love Montana too but... Montana Flooding Frustrates Residents Who Must Brace For More Rainfall
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Old 05-31-2011, 01:06 AM
 
Location: Portland, OR
865 posts, read 2,492,015 times
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Used to drive this route for college in MN. I-90 is the way to go (provided the current flooding doesn't create closures) My memory doesn't include many sections low enough to the rivers to be affected, but definitely check on it and plan ahead. You could take US-12 across SD and join up to I-90 in eastern MT. Would likely be prettier in SD than ND, but wouldn't save any time (despite being a littel more direct).
You take I-90 all the way past Spokane, WA and then take 395 south to I-84. The drive from Big Timber, MT onward to the west is really quite beautiful and enjoyable.
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Old 05-31-2011, 07:17 AM
 
Location: The greatest state of them all, Oregon.
780 posts, read 1,568,861 times
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I'll be making the cross country (Ohio to Oregon) move next week in a 26' uhaul w/trailer. While I've been to all fifty states, the one I've seen the least of was North Dakota (as boring as it might be in stretches), so I was kind of thinking of doing the 90/94 route.

According to the Montana DOT, there is only one section of I-90 w/standing water & reduced laneage. In North Dakota, there are two stretches of I-94 that have warnings, but neither appear to be on the highway itself (one is a business loop & the other is a rest area).

I leave next Tuesday, so I'm crossing fingers that it works out, as I don't want to do I-80.
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Old 05-31-2011, 08:15 AM
 
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We are making the drive in a two car caravan at the end of June and we are taking the I-90/94 route although I will have to check the flooding, we will have two little ones with us and don't want to deal with any delays.

We are stopping at Mt. Rushmore because we figure we'll never be that close again and we are looking forward to Montana, I'm told its beautiful this time of year!

Thanks for the links!
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