Driving to Portland from the East Coast! (John Day: transplants, hotel)

[carolinajack]

Hi all, Im moving to Portland in 3 weeks, and will be driving on I 80, I 84 from Philadelphia.

Any new transplants or others driven this route moving out and how is it?

thanks for any help

[philwithbeard]

Pace yourself. Plan your stops carefully, as things really thin out past Iowa. Parts of Idaho are scary thin; long, long ways between exits. A couple of long haul inclines up hill, and then coasting downhill, but mostly in or near Oregon.

Plan extra rest before you hit Oregon. I-84 for a long stretch of the road is along side the Columbia River, narrow lanes with cliff to river on one side of road way, and mountain side on otherwise of roadway. Locals doing these curves at full speed, trucks don't give any extra inches for out of state plates.

When I came across, I discovered truck stop "Flying J" to be just great (prices, food, restrooms, and generally comfortable.) Only starts somewhere beyond middle of Wyoming. Heard tell the chain was sold a while back. Ask about if Flying 'J: on the Travel forum on this site:
//www.city-data.com/forum/travel/
I am sure someone will be able to give an updated review.

I recommend staying a night in Ogden UT for a night. It is usually a winter skier's vacation place, but in summer. lots of hotel deals during the week. I found the local friendly, as only many tourist towns are.

[lucknow]

Have driven this route many times. Great road, great scenery. I look forward to the next time I go this way.

[Ryant]

I've done it twice. Should be fun! It's a little boring in the heartland. I think the best part was when I finished up with the John Day drive, highway 26. Beautiful area.

[Leisesturm]

I too have done it a number of times. For the last year or so I have not been leaving the house without Missy, a Garmin 205 GPS. For $125 I got one that has the entire U.S. and Canada in her little brain. When you pull off the interstate in the middle of the night somewhere and can't find your way back to it (this can happen) you will be glad that you have a capable, patient, navigator that has every little back alley and access road at her fingertips. Boy, could I have used something like that on some of my earlier trips. Who knows I might still be married to my first wife. Nah... probably not...

H

[carolinajack]

thanks, i have all of my hotel stops booked up with 8 hour day driving for 5 days. i do appreciate it. Ive driven I 90 before and part of 80 back to the east coast but didnt do east west yet.

[scottykick]

Sounds like one fun trip, enjoy & be safe out on the road.

[sueisme]

We did this trip (or something similar) when we drove from NY to PDX. Spend some time in S.Dakota and Montana -- mind-blowingly beautiful. You've got the Badlands, the "big heads' (as my daughter called Mt. Rushmore), the Corn Palace (not terribly exciting unless you're 11 years old). Just outside of Sioux Falls, there's a *terrific* place worth stopping (briefly, anyway) -- a fake cowboy town filled with dilapidated robots. So, so worth it.

[sueisme]

Oh, and there's some great Ethiopian food in Sioux Falls. Who knew? Also, Bozeman is just gorgeous.

[khyron]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

When I came across, I discovered truck stop "Flying J" to be just great (prices, food, restrooms, and generally comfortable.) Only starts somewhere beyond middle of Wyoming.

All good advice Phil, just thought I would chime in to say that Flying J is all over the place. I grew up on the east coast and they're all up and down the whole thing, from NYC to Miami...we just stopped at one in the middle of PA last week in fact. As you mentioned, they're one company these days with Pilot. The Flying J logo is still all over the place though. Here's a complete run down on them:

http://www.pilottravelcenters.com/Lo...ind_Locations/ (view online)

http://www.pilottravelcenters.com/Im...avel_Guide.pdf (download PDF)