I'm buying an old car and driving it across the country - another route thread

[Otter74]

After years of navel-gazing, etc. etc. I am finally replacing my reliable-but-boring "normal" car. Naturally I am replacing a low-mileage Honda with an 80s Euro car because that MAKES TOTAL SENSE. But it is more fun, a lot more practical, has a manual, and is more 'me'. In short, the "life is too short to drive boring cars" voice finally won out over the "but it's so sensible" voice. If I later decide I want another sensible newish Japanese car, there are a million of those out there and I can just get something else.

I'll post photos of the car, etc. once I pick it up. I'm asking about routes. I'm flying out to Vancouver to get the car, and then driving down to Portland to visit a good friend. After that...TBD. If time allows, I might take a southern route, driving down through California and then east through NV, UT and CO. From personal experience and looking through some older threads here, I'm all set for nice roads on that route. What I have no idea about is the northern route - east from Portland through Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas. I've been biking and camping in Idaho but that was a long time ago, and I've never been to Montana. I would like to make a detour to Glacier and drive through Bozeman to say hi to a relative. Final destination will probably be the north woods of Wisconsin, unless I use up all my time and go straight home.

So if I go north, how should I go? Some parts I will be happy to stick to interstates, but I'm interested in the good non-highway roads.

Suggestions welcome!

[Scott Douglas]

I went cross country to KC MO last year at this time and was damn glad I had my 'normal' car with A/C. The southern route is HOT.
YMMV.

[Jim Richards]

This time of year, I would recommend the route through ID, MT, and either ND or SD. We did this last summer, but going a different direction. CA to CO for a funeral, then on to IL to look at a sailboat north of Chi., on to WI (Dells, Lambeau Field, sailing on Sturgeon Bay, and exploring Door County), through MN to SD (Badlands), WY (Devils Tower), MT (Glacier NP and the best locally grown cherries I've ever had), ID, WA, OR (Crater Lake), and back to CA.

[Seahawk]

Stay north.

[Otter74]

The last western road trip I took was in the 'normal' Honda, but the AC didn't work. It was 100+ degrees in MO and KS and I was sweating off the pounds. The car I'm buying has working AC, however.

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I went cross country to KC MO last year at this time and was damn glad I had my 'normal' car with A/C. The southern route is HOT.
YMMV.

[LakeCleElum]

Sorry - I recently spent an hour mapping a great route for a Pelican from Victoria BC to S. Calif....He took the freeway and I never got a NOD.....Same with an old time member heading to the Parade in Spokane........I'm done....

[Mad Max]

Good for you.

People should do the things they dream about before it is too late or become impossible.

[Otter74]

No apology needed - I can understand

At the least, if I do take any of the roads I have already read of here that I didn't already know, I will call out the people who mentioned them if I can find the thread!

The one time I drove all the way from SF to LA, I took f***ing I-5. 20 years later, I still wonder why. I have since made up for parts of that, but subsequent trips have been done properly.

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Sorry - I recently spent an hour mapping a great route for a Pelican from Victoria BC to S. Calif....He took the freeway and I never got a NOD.....Same with an old time member heading to the Parade in Spokane........I'm done....

[look 171]

Stay north. If something should happen to your car, there's Spokane, Missoula, (Idaho Falls if you south of there), Bozeman and such city that can help. There's nothing between Reno and Saltlake City on the 80 (assuming you are talking about the 80). Visit Glacier and Yellowstone if possible.

[sammyg2]

I can't think of a quicker way to get sick of a new toy

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Stay north.

Ignore all other advice. And read the "desert heat" thread. It's the middle of June and it's 120 deg. in the Mohave desert, which is basically from 40 miles inland of the coast of CA. to the Rockie Mountains.

The world is getting hotter. Any vehicle that is not new or whose cooling system is working even @ 90% efficiency will melt out in that desert or stuck in freeway traffic anywhere in the USA. BTW, you don't find out about that missing 10% in cooler weather. Could go for years w/o noticing.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Otter74

No apology needed - I can understand

At the least, if I do take any of the roads I have already read of here that I didn't already know, I will call out the people who mentioned them if I can find the thread!

The one time I drove all the way from SF to LA, I took f***ing I-5. 20 years later, I still wonder why. I have since made up for parts of that, but subsequent trips have been done properly.

The I-5 is definitely the way to go if you wanted to get from the Bay Area to L.A. quickly. I've done it in 5.5 hours avoiding rush hour in both places. Any other way is a lot more time. The 101 is several hours more and a little prettier, (but can have suicide inducing traffic through San Jose and Santa Barbara plus northern L.A. County), while scenic Highway 1 isn't even open in Big Sur right now because of a rock slide.

Everyone should drive Highway 1 in CA. at least once, it's one of the most beautiful roads on the planet. But even when it's open, it's a 2-day trip from San Fran to L.A. No biggie if you have the time and understand this.

I frequently see people talking about avoiding the interstates but as someone who road trips a lot, I need to get where I'm going or at least to the pretty part of the drive, if there is one. Driving is slow enough as it is, I'd die going through 100 small towns w 25 mph speed limits on a 2-lane highway. They have their place but no thanks on a long drive.

[rusnak]

ooooh, the Lewis and Clark trail!

[Baz]

I want to know who the 2 pricks were who dissed Bob LakeCleElum!

[ckelly78z]

I have always lived by the mantra "life is too short to drive boring cars" I really like my 2004 GT Mustang convertible. I have always driven cool cars since I graduated from high school 35 years ago. I fully recommend getting a convertible, and running most of the time with the top down on twisty 2 laners.

[pwd72s]

Hmmmm. Did you know that US Highway 20 is the longest highway in the USA? It runs from Newport Oregon to Boston. Much of it 2 lane blacktop running through small towns and small cities. That's enuf for me...get out your atlas.

[MRM]

Now that sounds like the road for me. I've got my old Rand McNally fired up and ready to go. Somehow I'm able to make more sense out of those big folding sheets of paper than my gps that shouts "turn right here" at me without warning.

Anyway, if the OP swings through the Dakotas, he should certainly continue on the Minnesota where I will buy dinner and drinks if he makes it to the Minneapolis metropolitan region. However, most of the Dakotas are pretty boring. Some of the vistas are stunning. Crossing the Missouri is a mood altering experience. To think that's the river Lewis and Clark crossed is mind blowing. The badlands and Black Hills are also exquisite. In between are thousands of miles of flat deserty prairie. But not a lot of law enforcement and a lot of open roads. So you get a little if you give a little.

Seriously, the drive from Minnesota gets interesting, depending on what you're looking for. Wisconsin Dells is a tourist trap, but one you'll be happy to fall into. Same with Lambeau Field. Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago are hidden gems that are perfectly enjoyed in the summer months as you road trip down the coastline of the lakes and canals and eat chips and brats and drink domestic tap beer in the afternoon sunlight.

Driving the shores of any of the Great Lakes, from Duluth/Superior on down to Milwaukee and Chicago and on up to Green Bay, the Madeline Islands or Door County, you'll have a trip worth having and memories worth remembering.

If I recall correctly, Speeder inherited an interest in one of the legendary gathering spots in either Madeline Island or Door County. I'm from southwest Wisconsin where we don't know the difference between the two, but they are quite different and it's an insult to one or the other to confuse it with the other. They're both great destinations. Try to take in a Friday fish fry in both.

[MRM]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

This time of year, I would recommend the route through ID, MT, and either ND or SD. We did this last summer, but going a different direction. CA to CO for a funeral, then on to IL to look at a sailboat north of Chi., on to WI (Dells, Lambeau Field, sailing on Sturgeon Bay, and exploring Door County), through MN to SD (Badlands), WY (Devils Tower), MT (Glacier NP and the best locally grown cherries I've ever had), ID, WA, OR (Crater Lake), and back to CA.

The best cherries you ever had came from Door County Wisconsin. If you haven't had Door County Bing Cherries yet, you haven't had the best cherries you'll ever have. The season is almost here. Try some and you'll understand what I mean. Since you've been to Door County, I understand that's what you meant.

[Jim Richards]

Hahaha! It surprised me that MT had the best cherries. Flathead Lake cherries. Mmmmmm.

[matthewb0051]

The further west you are the better the state highways are, 4 lane, higher speed limits. Nearly like Interstates without the traffic.

Give those a try.