Cross country Sacramento CA to Lawrence KS
Jul 6th, 2006, 12:02 AM
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Cross country Sacramento CA to Lawrence KS
Hi Travel Exprets,
Where do I find information about sights, stops and other important info for a cross coutnry trip?
My son and husband are taking a u-haul from Sacramento CA to Lawrence KS. On the way they would like to know what to see, where to stop, any suggestions, ideas, help will be more than welcomed. By the way, I have searched the net but found no help at all.
Mapquest gave me the shortest route (1750 miles) through Nevada and Utah - on the I-80 (Salt Lake City, Cheyenne,then Denver, onto the I-70 towards Limon and through Topeka into East Kansas).
Has anyone done this stretch or part of it? Any help at all would be much appreciated.
Where do I find information about sights, stops and other important info for a cross coutnry trip?
My son and husband are taking a u-haul from Sacramento CA to Lawrence KS. On the way they would like to know what to see, where to stop, any suggestions, ideas, help will be more than welcomed. By the way, I have searched the net but found no help at all.
Mapquest gave me the shortest route (1750 miles) through Nevada and Utah - on the I-80 (Salt Lake City, Cheyenne,then Denver, onto the I-70 towards Limon and through Topeka into East Kansas).
Has anyone done this stretch or part of it? Any help at all would be much appreciated.
Jul 6th, 2006, 04:22 AM
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Is your objective to get there as soon as possible or to take a vacation at the same time?
I did make one cross country journey a few years ago...from connecticut to colorado. We enjoyed most our time in arizona/colorado and new mexico. What about swinging your trip south through southern california into arizona. See the Grand canyon, monument valley. Then go up through Utah, see zion, four corners. Up into Colorado, see Durango, Mesa Verde, maybe some of the San juan skyway, then go down into new mexico.
This would add a lot of time to your trip though.
I did make one cross country journey a few years ago...from connecticut to colorado. We enjoyed most our time in arizona/colorado and new mexico. What about swinging your trip south through southern california into arizona. See the Grand canyon, monument valley. Then go up through Utah, see zion, four corners. Up into Colorado, see Durango, Mesa Verde, maybe some of the San juan skyway, then go down into new mexico.
This would add a lot of time to your trip though.
Jul 6th, 2006, 06:17 AM
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so if you know you are going through salt lake, cheyenne and denver do a search on this site for these cities. You should come up with a lot of information about places to stay, sites and such stuff.
Jul 6th, 2006, 06:27 AM
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hi Nora,
I 80 is your best route.
Sac to Elko is about 450 miles for the first night.
Elko to Rawlins, Wyoming is about 500 miles, and has a great diner and breakfast place.
Rawlins to Grand Island is about 500 miles.
I take US 81 between I 80 and I 70, then head towards Larrytown.
I've driven this dozens of times going back and forth between Southern Oregon and KC.
There are decent motels and eats in each of those places, not always true along this route.
For scenery, we usually cut off on US 40 east of SLC and cruise through the Rockies, but depending on the size of Truck, they may want to stay on the Interstates.
KU is a great Campus and School.
(I'm assuming that's the reason for the trip?)
http://www.ljworld.com
rock chalk!
I 80 is your best route.
Sac to Elko is about 450 miles for the first night.
Elko to Rawlins, Wyoming is about 500 miles, and has a great diner and breakfast place.
Rawlins to Grand Island is about 500 miles.
I take US 81 between I 80 and I 70, then head towards Larrytown.
I've driven this dozens of times going back and forth between Southern Oregon and KC.
There are decent motels and eats in each of those places, not always true along this route.
For scenery, we usually cut off on US 40 east of SLC and cruise through the Rockies, but depending on the size of Truck, they may want to stay on the Interstates.
KU is a great Campus and School.
(I'm assuming that's the reason for the trip?)
http://www.ljworld.com
rock chalk!
Jul 6th, 2006, 06:35 AM
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I'm sorry but IMHO I80 is SO boring and I-70 in Kansas is the same.
For a much more scenic route, I'd go a little south at Salt Lake City on Interstate 15 and then take I-70 across Utah and Colorado. This has to be the most scenic section of interstate that I've ever been on. In Utah you cross the San Rafeal Swell area and in Colorado you go though the mountains.
Draw backs are you will be going though mountain terrain in Colorado and don't know if you are going to have a u-haul truck or trailer.
Utahtea
For a much more scenic route, I'd go a little south at Salt Lake City on Interstate 15 and then take I-70 across Utah and Colorado. This has to be the most scenic section of interstate that I've ever been on. In Utah you cross the San Rafeal Swell area and in Colorado you go though the mountains.
Draw backs are you will be going though mountain terrain in Colorado and don't know if you are going to have a u-haul truck or trailer.
Utahtea
Jul 6th, 2006, 10:49 AM
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Do you have AAA? Their Trip Tiks highlight sites along a certain route, so as you said if you just want to make sure you don't miss anything on a route (rather than detour to make it a scenic route) that might be helpful to you.
Jul 6th, 2006, 12:26 PM
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Greetings from the free wifi at the Saint Louis Bread Company at the Galleria in St. Louis (known elsewhere as Panera).
Driving across Kansas on I-70 earlier this week, I stopped at the Eisenhower Library/Museum/Memorial in Abilene, more out of respect than anything else (after all, he instigated the highway system I've been using).
Right across the street (on the Campbell Street side) is a very unpreposessing little museum combining the Dickinson County Historical Museum, the Museum of Independent Telephony, and a restored vintage carousel. You know a musum is quiet when there's a bird's nest on the front porch. On the outside, it looks like somebody's garage or barn, but the inside is somehow huge and contains thousands of artifacts, including hundreds of vintage telephones and related equipment in a polished display sponsored by Sprint, including hands-on old switchboards, a movie about the history of independent phone companies (which sprang up the minute Bell's patents expired), and other delights. My favorite kind of museum! And their postcards cost a quarter.
Abilene isn't far from Lawrence, but I was glad I stopped, since the Lawrence info center, though beautiful, did not contain useful information.
I traveled west in June via I-80 (e.g., via Nebraska) to Cheyenne, am returning via I-70, and found Kansas much more interesting or at least less boring.
Driving across Kansas on I-70 earlier this week, I stopped at the Eisenhower Library/Museum/Memorial in Abilene, more out of respect than anything else (after all, he instigated the highway system I've been using).
Right across the street (on the Campbell Street side) is a very unpreposessing little museum combining the Dickinson County Historical Museum, the Museum of Independent Telephony, and a restored vintage carousel. You know a musum is quiet when there's a bird's nest on the front porch. On the outside, it looks like somebody's garage or barn, but the inside is somehow huge and contains thousands of artifacts, including hundreds of vintage telephones and related equipment in a polished display sponsored by Sprint, including hands-on old switchboards, a movie about the history of independent phone companies (which sprang up the minute Bell's patents expired), and other delights. My favorite kind of museum! And their postcards cost a quarter.
Abilene isn't far from Lawrence, but I was glad I stopped, since the Lawrence info center, though beautiful, did not contain useful information.
I traveled west in June via I-80 (e.g., via Nebraska) to Cheyenne, am returning via I-70, and found Kansas much more interesting or at least less boring.
Jul 6th, 2006, 03:27 PM
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If you decide to take I-70 across UT and CO, you may want to take US50 across NV. Save you some miles, and potential traffic around SLC. You can jump to US50 after passing Reno, or you can just take US50 all the way from Sacramento via South Lake Tahoe. With 5 days to make this trip, you can afford to get off the interstates.
Jul 6th, 2006, 03:28 PM
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Oh, I just read that you're taking a U-Haul. In this case, definitely take I-80 at least through Reno. And if the truck's going to be heavy, you may want to stick with I-80 the whole way, instead of going through the Rockies on I-70.
Jul 6th, 2006, 03:36 PM
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If you take I-80 past Reno enjoy the wonderful billboard adverstising for Battle Mountain, Nevada. They take great pride in the fact that they were voted "The Armpit of America" by the Washington Post.
Jul 7th, 2006, 05:51 AM
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Thank you all. Yes we are taking a u-haul and it might be quite heavy and top of it we have a health problem with high altitude, so which would be the lowest point to cross?
Thanks for any reply.
Thanks for any reply.
Jul 7th, 2006, 06:38 AM
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Nora, take the I-80 route.
They can take a break here:
http://www.olesbiggame.com/
The Plains States are "Whacky".
Without a bunch of Stunning Scenery, folks are left to their own devices, and come up with
stuff like this:
http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/
They can take a break here:
http://www.olesbiggame.com/
The Plains States are "Whacky".
Without a bunch of Stunning Scenery, folks are left to their own devices, and come up with
stuff like this:
http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/
Jul 7th, 2006, 09:37 AM
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Hi rkkwan
Do you mean we can actually stay on the I-80 without having to go through the I-70??? i.e. we cross and reach Kansas without having to get to these high points? That would be great but somehow I need to cross SLC and Denver both cities are over 11,000 ft. high so I was told. Also once we get of the I-80 how should we proceed?
Thanks.
Do you mean we can actually stay on the I-80 without having to go through the I-70??? i.e. we cross and reach Kansas without having to get to these high points? That would be great but somehow I need to cross SLC and Denver both cities are over 11,000 ft. high so I was told. Also once we get of the I-80 how should we proceed?
Thanks.
Jul 7th, 2006, 09:51 AM
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Nora, From Reno to SLC is basically a tabletop.
At SLC you climb the Wasach Range, then it's a breeze through Wyoming. You don't need to go to Denver. Just keep going East on I-80 and drop down at any of the US higways-83, 183, 283, 81, 75- to I-70.
I like 81 the best. A nice Road. It's used by trucks to get between 80 and 70, and becomes I 135 south of I 70. I've done all the routes described, and I wouldn't fib.
http://www.sitesatlas.com/Maps/Maps/usaks1.gif
If you come down to I 70 By Bunker Hill, there's this esteemed place-
http://www.bunkerhillcafe.com/
and in Salina, a classic Burger Joint-
http://www.cozyburger.com/
At SLC you climb the Wasach Range, then it's a breeze through Wyoming. You don't need to go to Denver. Just keep going East on I-80 and drop down at any of the US higways-83, 183, 283, 81, 75- to I-70.
I like 81 the best. A nice Road. It's used by trucks to get between 80 and 70, and becomes I 135 south of I 70. I've done all the routes described, and I wouldn't fib.
http://www.sitesatlas.com/Maps/Maps/usaks1.gif
If you come down to I 70 By Bunker Hill, there's this esteemed place-
http://www.bunkerhillcafe.com/
and in Salina, a classic Burger Joint-
http://www.cozyburger.com/
Jul 7th, 2006, 09:58 AM
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Nora, the mountains may be 10,000 feet, but SLC is
about 4500 ft. and Denver is the Mile High City.
Your Pass elevations are what matters, and your first climb up the Sierras is pretty big; after that they'll be old pros.
about 4500 ft. and Denver is the Mile High City.
Your Pass elevations are what matters, and your first climb up the Sierras is pretty big; after that they'll be old pros.
Jul 7th, 2006, 10:04 AM
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The hardest climb on I-80, as bbqboy says, is the first 50 miles out of Sacramento. You went from sea level to Donner Pass at over 7,000 ft. The climb out of SLC is more gentle, and is not a problem even for heavy trucks.
