http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_40

directly from wikpedia

I-40 seems to end at I-15 at Barstow in California.

If you use google maps and break the trip up into smaller pieces, say the amount that you would want to drive in a day and then look on the various routes to places of interest, you might find planning a bit easier. And I 40 does indeed end at Barstow and connects with I 15 which goes down to San Diego.

I meant hwy 40 or route 40 which is the road I am familiar with. I didn't realize there was a separate I-40 as well. I was responding to the OP's interest in possibly fitting in a ski experience on the way which can be accommodated with route 40 which is also a major east-west route.

http://www.route40.net/page.asp?n=1

I-40 is the most used east-west road in the US used according to several websites. I if I mention hwy 40, interstate 40, or route 40 in Utah- I think 90% of the people would think the I-40 that I was referring to. Ask any over the road trucker and they would tell you the road I was in reference to. It is a major major road to the entire country. Hwy 40 that ends in Utah is a major road for the region it travels through, but not the entire county.

As for the skiing, if you go I-40, you should consider a side trip in New Mexico. Perhaps Taos. There is a ski place not far from Carlsbad Cavern as well, but i can't remember the name at the moment.

Taos would be more "on the way" than taking a long detour to Utah.

Or, you could wait until you get to California and go to Big Bear. Or drive north on the 395 and go to Mammoth Mountain, but that's not really "on the way" either, although closer than Utah. San Diego skiers go to both ski areas

spirodog has given you some excellent tips for your trip.

I believe that ncounty was just trying to be helpful with skiing and it's easy to mix up the highway system which sometimes has the same numbers.

The Interstate system is usually marked with a red, white, and blue shield and is usually a multilane (at least 4-lane) highway and are federally funded. They cross the US mostly in a east-west and north-south direction. In the north-south direction, they run from I-5 on the West Coast to I-95 on the East Coast and in the east-west direction, they run from I-10 which is the southernmost to I-90 which is the northernmost. They're easy to remember because the ones that end in -5 are north-south, and the ones that run east-west end in -0.

Because they are multi-lane highways, you can usually travel faster on them than on any of the other highways, unless the weather interferes. so, when doing your travel planning, you can expect to cover greater distances on the interstate highways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System

Hope this helps a bit with your planning, because you really don't have that much time to go cross-country and stop at every worthwhile site along the way.

<<<They're easy to remember because the ones that end in -5 are north-south, and the ones that run east-west end in -0.
>>>
And the ones that have 3 digits are "beltways" (i.e. they go around a city, like I-495 in Washington/Baltimore).

And in the east at least the odd numbers, like 87 and 93, run NS also and evens like 84 go EW but in New England no road goes directly NS or EW only, witness I-95 through Connecticut.

There are some Interstate anomalies on the East Coast, but we're talking about CROSS COUNTRY trip planning and not about driving around and around the East Coast.

Besides which, a part of the confusion was over I=40 versus US40, which has nothing to do with the anomalies on the East Coast.

<<<Besides which, a part of the confusion was over I=40 versus US40, which has nothing to do with the anomalies on the East Coast.>>>

It's interesting information. And actually, the OP is leaving from Boston, so we are talking about the interstates in New England.

I'm perfectly well aware that the OP is starting out from Boston. One would assume that the OP knows more about the Interstate system on the East Coast, prticularly those in New England, than most of the rest of us and will find their way around the East Coast interstate system without any help from us.

Besides which the OP was advised to go "south" as quickly as possible.

It's the portion after they get south and start going west that my post was directed at.

The majority of the discussion was on a choice between I-10 or I-40. If ncounty wants to advise going to Park City, then a more northernly east-west route, such as I-80, has to be considered.

et, I wasn't directing my comment at your original post, which was very useful. I was directing it at your second post wherein you chided emalloy for mentioning the interstate system in New England. I didn't, and still don't, see the point of your second post which I for one found contained useful information.

If you decide to take I-40, Santa Fe ski area may be open. Sandia Peak, in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque, probably will not have enough snow yet to open for the season.

On the southern route, Ski Apache is near Ruidoso.

I'll second or third you stopping at Carlsbad Caverns if you go through southern New Mexico.

Lee Ann

Twahs7: It might be helpful if you could come back and clarify on exactly how important skiing is for you.

skiing means directing you to places where there's snow (surprise! surprise!) and, therefore, brings up the possibility of delays for your trip.

Barbara has a good suggestion of leaving the skiing part to the end when you arrive in California. Bear Mountain is a very popular ski destination for Southern California.

BTW, congratulations on your new job in San Diego!

Twalsh,
Sorry about ruining this post. At least it started out well. I should have just left the mistake on I-40 alone. Anyway, have a great trip however and whatever you come up with.

<<<And the ones that have 3 digits are "beltways" (i.e. they go around a city, like I-495 in Washington/Baltimore).>>>

sf7307--

They are beltways that go around cities only if the first digit is even (like I-495 around Washington and I-695 around Baltimore).

If the first digit is ODD, they are spurs that (usually) go INTO cities (like I-395 in DC) - although sometimes they just seem to connect highways without actually being loops (like I-395 in CT).

I too apologize for taking this off on a tangent. My post on the interstate system was an attempt to help the OP plan a cross country trip, not to get lost in the anomalies of the interstate system.

There are plenty of "spurs" or shorter interstate highways that don't go cross country. Los Angeles is full of them: 405, 105, 605, 110, 710 - but we're trying to help the OP plan a cross country trip.

Please, let's get back to that!

BTW, I wasn't "chiding" emalloy. Why always such a negative slant on my posts, sf7307?

whew! Thanks guys. I appreciate your help & feedback.

I think we are likely to hold off on the skiing until we get to CA or choose one of the places
less off course. As we dont have a ton of time to make the trip, we can't really afford to drive too far off the beaten track to SD!

Really appreciate your feedback!