Which states do you think are most boring to drive across? (construction, vs)
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Pennsylvania becomes boring after a while. If you're driving through E-W, it's a long drive, and while scenic, Pennsylvania isn't so beautiful as to keep the drive interesting.
Indiana and Illinois might be boring, but they're brief. There's a little morale boost for every state you get through that keeps both Indiana and Illinois from being tortuous to drive through.
Iowa and Missouri are both pretty bad. Vast, bleak plains that go on forever. Both big enough to make it a pain.
The worst though, has to be Nebraska. The longest drive of any I've mentioned, and criminally boring. In the central part of the state, things pick up a bit. The sloping green hills are pretty by Nebraska standards, but the scenery is very underwhelming when given the scope of the drive. I've driven across the state and back twice, there's not a whole lot to see, abd what there is to see ain't worth seeing.
On the positive end of things, New Mexico is gorgeous, especially around Albuquerque. It's still a very long drive, but goes by more pleasantly than a trip through Nebraska.
King of the hill, though, of all the places I've driven through, is Colorado. The eastern plains can be a little dull, but the front range cities are all beautiful, and southern Colorado is amazing.
Two comments here. Pennsylvania is a very tough state to traverse, because of the layout of the mountains that diagonally traverse the state from northeast to southwest. The original Pennsylvania Turnpike was the first limited access highway, and it actually blasted through the Allegheny's four separate tunnels to combat the ruggedness. Before this route was built in 1939, it took a long haul trucker over 14 hours on average to drive from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, according to the book I am reading "Divided Highways". The first limited access highway became a necessity due to Pennsylvania's unique terrain. For me, three separate old US pre-Interstate era routes stand out: US 220, US 322, and US 15. I've driven on each of these roads, and they are magnificent drives, only if you aren't in a hurry. Pennsylvania has long been a state very dear to my heart, it's laid out differently than almost any other state, in due part to the unique terrain structure.
The second point is about Missouri. Part of my drive here was taking old US 54 through the Ozarks, and I have to say it was probably the high point of my drive, especially the area between Eldorado Springs and Osage Beach. I would think that I-70, in direct contrast to this road, is rather tedious to the eye, in contrast, though I haven't yet driven across the state using it. And truthfully, I probably wouldn't want to anyway.
Iowa...nothing but corn for a few hundred miles. I always thought Oklahoma and Nebraska would be the worst, but at least they have a few lakes and forests along the way through the state for some scenic diversity...
I-40 from OKC to Amarillo, yes. I-40 from OKC to Ft Smith, no way. Those stretches of road look like two different states.
OKC to almost the Texas border is actually still rolling terrain. It's not even close to flat. But it's so wide open that the horizon gives the impression that it is flat. And when the wheat is sprouting it can be quite green. In July, after harvest it will be brown for sure, but nothing like on further west.
West Texas once you are on the cap rock is really flat but it least they grow things there so at times there is some greenery.
My vote goes to the Permian Basin.
I'd say I-20 from about Big Springs to Van Horn, Texas is about as bad as I've seen. Brush and mesquite with literally no cultivation. No trees. There is even a town called NoTrees, Tx northwest of Odessa. Great sunrises and sunsets at times on that stretch though.
I would vote for Nebraska or North Dakota. I once drove I-80 from the west going east. First sign across the NE border says "Omaha 425 miles" (or something similar)...and it is all completely flat land.
ND is very isolated, also flat...
Drove across South Dakota to Montana, also very, very boring.
I-76 (I think that's the one) hooking into I-80 through Nebraska was terrible. I think they're better if you're not on 80, but 80 was bad there. I actually thought Mississippi was bad too because it was just a tunnel of pine trees for a few hundred miles.
Indiana and Illinois might be boring, but they're brief. There's a little morale boost for every state you get through that keeps both Indiana and Illinois from being tortuous to drive through.
You've obviously never done IN or IL N-S, then! I've done the 6-7 hour length of Illinois route more times than I can count, and it's absolute torture.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dude1984
Iowa...nothing but corn for a few hundred miles. I always thought Oklahoma and Nebraska would be the worst, but at least they have a few lakes and forests along the way through the state for some scenic diversity...
Well, this is another case of interstates creating poor impressions. Areas of Iowa are very beautiful, in fact I think it's one of the most underrated states in the country for natural beauty, but this beauty doesn't run throughout the entirety of it and you're not going to see any of it on the main I-80 coridor that everyone uses to drive through the state (and form those impressions).
The best area is NE (in Iowa's portion of the Driftless):
Pretty towns along the Mississippi River.
Giant bluffs throughout the region.
There are also other nice regions, like Loess Hills on the opposite side of the state from the Driftless (a more Western landscape):
Similar things could probably be said about a lot of states, but I think Iowa has more to offer off the interstates than most states you'll find on this thread.
^ yes (even a jaded ex-New Yorker like myself gets a bit of a rush when I finally see the skyline on the horizon).
Plus, if you equate boring with a reason no to pay attention to your surroundings, being bored on the NJ Tpk is a very dangerous proposition (they recently expanded so that from Exit 6 northwards is 12 lanes of vehicular dodgeball!)
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