Trek from PA to UT on dreaded I80...help!

[SteelPSUer]

I am driving the whole way for the first time soon. Most likely will do it in 3 days...8-9 hrs driving per day. Anyone out there made a similar drive? I am thinking of stopping in Indiana??? and Nebraska??? Anyone have any good ideas or places to stay away from?

Also, I want to pick up a few cases of Fat Tire before I get to Utah...anyone know of any places off 80 in Wyoming or Nebraska??? WORD....cant wait to hit that pow

[sftc]

I've done Steamboat to Philly (and back) several times by car and my personal land speed record is 33 hours, with two drivers, only stopping for fuel. It's probably more like 35 to 40 hours of driving time to get to Utah, depending on whether you are starting in eastern or western PA. Green River/Rock Springs is the last large town you will hit before Utah on I-80. Staying in that area is expensive though, because there is a housing shortage due to all of the natural gas workers in the area.
Be careful with the beers, if a Utard cop finds them he will dump them out and then systematically tear apart your car looking for other "contraband." It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours on the side of the road.
Also, plan your run across Wyoming carefully. There isn't much out there that's open at night, and they will often close large sections of I-80 due to blowing snow. That can happen pretty much at any time.
As for stopping, I usually drive until I can't see straight and then pull over for a few hours, either at a busy rest stop or a flea bag motel. There ain't much out there that is really worth stopping for otherwise. Good luck and remember, drive fast and take chances.

[funkendrenchman]

I've driven from Philly to Boulder in 24 hours. It shouldn't be much more than 30 hours to Salt Lake City. This is going about 5-10 mph over the whole way.

Watch your speed, especially in Western PA, Ohio, Chicago area, and Wisconsin. Through WY you should be able to do 85 mph if it is good weather. It's boring no matter what!

Spend your first night near Madison, Wisconsin, then a night in Eastern WY, and finish it off that third day.

[13]

Time yourself so that you are hitting major cities before or after rush hours. Sometimes it takes a bit of planning, but it makes the drive more enjoyable.

It came in handy when I made a 34-hour run from L.A. to Daytona in April.

[Squirrel99]

Watch your speed, especially in Western PA, Ohio, Chicago area, and Wisconsin. Through WY you should be able to do 85 mph if it is good weather. It's boring no matter what!

Make special note of North Platte, Nebraska. Those bastards always have the radar detectors out and I've got the speeding tickets to prove it

[INDY GS]

If you cide to stop in Indiana, definately stay in Gary. This is by far the best area for a lone middle class white guy with skis on his roof to stop for the night. You will be greeted by some of the best citizens of our fine state, plus you have Trumps casino to keep you busy at night. oh yeah and can you say crack whores!!!!

Seriously. If you feel you need to stop for the night in Indiana, stay near Michigan city. I think the exit for westville, there is a holiday inn express and several other discount type hotels that you could crash at.

But you should be able to continue thru Indiana w/o stopping on your first night. Make it past Chicago, avoid the traffic and come thru at night preferrably after 7:30. Stay on the far west side of Chicago, then truck it the next day on to Nebraska.

I drive to Colorado at least once a year from indiana and always do it straight. My best time is Lafayette ----> Chicago---->Denver in 15.75 hrs.

You can do it.

INDY

[SteelPSUer]

I've done Steamboat to Philly (and back) several times by car and my personal land speed record is 33 hours, with two drivers, only stopping for fuel. It's probably more like 35 to 40 hours of driving time to get to Utah, depending on whether you are starting in eastern or western PA. Green River/Rock Springs is the last large town you will hit before Utah on I-80. Staying in that area is expensive though, because there is a housing shortage due to all of the natural gas workers in the area.
Be careful with the beers, if a Utard cop finds them he will dump them out and then systematically tear apart your car looking for other "contraband." It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours on the side of the road.
Also, plan your run across Wyoming carefully. There isn't much out there that's open at night, and they will often close large sections of I-80 due to blowing snow. That can happen pretty much at any time.
As for stopping, I usually drive until I can't see straight and then pull over for a few hours, either at a busy rest stop or a flea bag motel. There ain't much out there that is really worth stopping for otherwise. Good luck and remember, drive fast and take chances.

Thanks for the tips!

Are you serious about the cops dumping out the beer? Is there some sort of law about how much real beer you can buy in Utah? or is it about bringing it across state lines or what??? Fucking pigs

[rtp]

Motel 6, its cheap and they'll keep the light on for ya....

[AltaPowderDaze]

interstate commerce regulates bringing alcohol across state lines. you can bring small amounts (under a case) for personal consumption into most states. however, utah is different. they will not allow full strenght beer into the state that hasn't been purchased at their rediculose prices with a joseph smith state sticker on it.

also with regard to wyoming, becareful like sftc said. just off I-80 is like you are in arkansas or kentucky. a lot of stores/gas stations close early. plan the miles carefully. if you hear dualin banjos, get out quick. i think that is tennessee though. now that i've pissed off the rest of the south i'll stop.

[Shake Zula]

Buy your beer in Evanston, WY. There are several stores just off of I-80 that specalize in liquor, fireworks, firearms, prostitutes, etc... They are close to the border for a reason.

[slim]

Spend your first night near Madison, Wisconsin, then a night in Eastern WY, and finish it off that third day.

I-80 doesn't go through Wisconsin... that's I-90 which ends up in Seattle. A better goal would be to make it through Illinois and spend the night in Iowa. I recommend Davenport for the Casino Boats or Iowa City for the Co-eds.

[72Twenty]

Buy your beer in Evanston, WY. There are several stores just off of I-80 that specalize in liquor, fireworks, firearms, prostitutes, etc... They are close to the border for a reason.

I was waiting for you to chime in with a tid bit...

Once I left Laramie in a brutal snowstorm and it took me 11 hours to get to SLC (at night). I could only drive about 30mph the whole way. WHP closed I-80 about 10 minutes after I hit the trail. I was pushing through about 6-8 inches on the ground alternating with zero visability and 50-60mph winds the whole way in a Subaru Impreza. I pulled into SLC at about 7 am, went to Dee's with my sister (she lives there) to have some bacon and eggs, then drove right on up to the Bird. After skiing I think I slept on my sister's couch for about 36 hours.

Good luck!

BTW, watch the wind between Laramie and Rawlins. You should hit it with a full tank of gas, you're gonna need it, and there ain't much between the two... (read: climbing uphill into a 60mph headwind for about 70 miles.)

Shake can vouch for this one...

[skiguide]

Motel 6, its cheap and they'll keep the light on for ya....

yea, they were our (me & rottweiler's) best friend on our recent trip - the whole chain is Pet friendly, and I paid between $31-40 each night, and happened to luck out with fairly new/not so sketchy ones in Akron, Kansas City & Cheyenne.

but no one ever warned me about the Utah cop/beer thing - you all are lucky it made it here then oh that's right, i couldn't exactly speed with that pig of a trailer i was towing.

[SteelPSUer]

"if you hear dualin banjos, get out quick. "


-thats hilarious...

PS. Im jelous im not out in UT now

[Lynx]

ive driven across the country a few times in various directions and differing routes. . . . i did the drive from vt to ut last january....much of my route was dictated by the couches available for me to crash on so i was on I-70. I had a choice in CO though to head north through WY on 80 or stay south on 70. honestly, you might want to consider staying south on I-70 to avoid the brutal winds and possible brutal snow and road closures in WY. and i do mean BRUTAL winds. well over 60, i would put them closer to 70 the time i drove through WY a couple years ago. and dealing with winds like that makes driving really eFFing tiresome...battling with the steering wheel and the gas pedal. my cruise control woudln't even stay on in WY due to my car fighting the winds and the super long uphills. crazyness up there.

and general road trip tips. . . dont plan to stay in any larger cities unless you've got a fat wallet. . . .look for those podunk towns, especially when you can get breakfast in some kind of cafe and not MickyD's....definately keep track of the upcoming cities in Nebraska and WY so you dont run out of gas, starve, or drive yourself off the road looking for a motel cause you just passed the last town with lodging for another hour. and i brought beer, wine, and gin from CO into UT and wasn't stopped or searched. just for the record. knock on wood. . . .

[funkendrenchman]

I-80 doesn't go through Wisconsin... that's I-90 which ends up in Seattle. A better goal would be to make it through Illinois and spend the night in Iowa. I recommend Davenport for the Casino Boats or Iowa City for the Co-eds.

Thanks, Davenport is usually a good stopping ground.

[SteelPSUer]

ive driven across the country a few times in various directions and differing routes. . . . i did the drive from vt to ut last january....much of my route was dictated by the couches available for me to crash on so i was on I-70. I had a choice in CO though to head north through WY on 80 or stay south on 70. honestly, you might want to consider staying south on I-70 to avoid the brutal winds and possible brutal snow and road closures in WY. and i do mean BRUTAL winds. well over 60, i would put them closer to 70 the time i drove through WY a couple years ago. and dealing with winds like that makes driving really eFFing tiresome...battling with the steering wheel and the gas pedal. my cruise control woudln't even stay on in WY due to my car fighting the winds and the super long uphills. crazyness up there.

and general road trip tips. . . dont plan to stay in any larger cities unless you've got a fat wallet. . . .look for those podunk towns, especially when you can get breakfast in some kind of cafe and not MickyD's....definately keep track of the upcoming cities in Nebraska and WY so you dont run out of gas, starve, or drive yourself off the road looking for a motel cause you just passed the last town with lodging for another hour. and i brought beer, wine, and gin from CO into UT and wasn't stopped or searched. just for the record. knock on wood. . . .

hmmm..thanks for the tips...the hairy conditions in WY sound kinda serious...I may have to reconsider that...as for taking 70..i am leaving from Pittsburgh...how much do you think taking 70 the whole way instead will ad on to my drive compared to 80 (mapquest says 27 hrs from pgh to slc)? I almost rather drive through CO anyway for the beauty of it....

[stump832]

oh that's right, i couldn't exactly speed with that pig of a trailer i was towing.

i heard your land rover was misbehavin, too.

as for driving tips: plan on lots of coffee in nebraska and wyoming. that stretch of road nearly put me to sleep.

[Darkside]

If you're going in the next week or so, looks like after this low pressure system moves across the western us that things will be calming down a bit weather-wise. Driving in Wyoming on I-80 can be pretty scary. I did Boston to Tahoe solo (10hr day, 15hr day, then I said fuck it and did 22hr straight) a month or so ago, and I hit a wicked rain/snow/wind storm on my way through Wyoming.
There's really nowhere worth stopping before you get to Denver. I think I stayed in buttfuck Ohio, then shitty Lincoln, Nebraska. Just go for the cheapest motel you can find.
Hope you've got cruise control.

[BobMc]

I've done the Michigan to Utah/Utah to Michigan I-80 drive many times. Taking I-70 through Colorado will tack on at least two hours to the drive. I've driven in some bad conditions in Wyoming, but, I've also driven in some bad conditions on I-70. I'd say definitely stay on 80 and forgo 70.

The gas stations spread about on our national road system seem to be quite well placed. Just when you begin to start fretting about gasoline something will pop up.

Interesting anectdote: Beware the small towns in Nebraska... One year while driving out West with a friend of mine we stopped in a small Nebraska town. We checked into a motel and I hit the hay. He decided to sample some of the local flavor and checked out the nearest walking to establishment. This establishment happened to be a porn theater/peepshow. The next day while he relayed his story to me I wondered if indeed this was the closest establishment or whether he had sought out this den of iniquity. Anyways, my friend wanders into this place and takes a seat at the peepshow. The peepshow was a series of booths with a kinda half wall dividers between them. My friend puts in some money and starts watching the show, looks over to see some guy in the next booth, gives him the "hey, how's it going, porn is good nod." Friend looks back at porn, glances back and notices the hole cut in the half wall which now has a penis sticking through it. Friend quickly leaves the establishment.

Granted this could have been some sex starved wandering trucker, but I'd not take my chances. Stay out of dens of iniquity in Nebraska.

BobMc

PS, Before anyone thinks this "friend" was perhaps myself, it wasn't. My friend Scott will gladly tell you the story himself. (He has no shame.)

[Red Baron]

About the beer thing; simply put, don't worry about it. Think about it, there's absolutely no way a police officer can prove you are not just "driving through" Utah, on the way to another state - especially if you have out of state plates.

The only real way to get busted on a Wyoming liquor run is to head into Evanston, get a keg, and turn around and come back into Utah. On July 4th they usually have a stakeout and watch for that to happen, otherwise I would not even think about it.

But yes, it's true; if you move to Utah from another state, you are supposed to have someone from the liquor commission come over and assess the value of your liquor, and pay for tax stamps to go on it; has it ever happened? I'm not sure???

[Big E]

I can't help once you get past Illinois, but I just did DC - Minneapolis and back two weeks ago. Mapquest's suggestion to take 80 from Pittsburgh is idiotic and will cost you dearly time and sanity-wise. Instead, hop on 79 down to Wheeling, then take 70 all the way to Indianapolis. Then take 74 all the way to Davenport/Moline/Rock Island and hop on 80. (FYI, to get to 74 from 70 in Indianapolis, you either have to take the southern piece of the Indy beltway, or you can drive straight through Indy, catch 65, and then head south on the beltway for like 3-4 miles to catch 74. Except that you can't get off heading south on the beltway if you're going west on 65. So you have to go past the beltway about a mile, get off 65, make a left at the bottom of the exit, and then get right back on going the other way and get on the beltway. Ask me how I know.)

The only major cities you'll hit are Columbus and Indianapolis, and you'll completely avoid the gridlock and construction in Gary and Chicago. On the way out, I made it to Bloomington/Normal,IL on day one, 11 hours travel time including stops and 780 miles. Starting in Pittsburgh, you should be able to make Iowa easy. Columbus traffic seemed decent when I went through at rush hour on the way back, and Indy was no problem at mid-day, when you should be hitting it.

[yetipolice]

Just a tip when staying in motels... just because you're not staying in X hotel, does not mean you cannot enjoy their continental breakfast. Super 8's usually have a great waffle bar.

[13]

Ha, let me tell you, driving from Jackson to Boulder during that Oct. 30/31 storm last year was fuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.

It was puking snow in the Wind Rivers, then came the wind & whiteout all the way to Rock Springs. I-80 was open but the winds were murderous and from the North. But it was go time, we had to get to Boulder to see the Motet & the Boston Horns at the Fox. At least a dozen semis had been run off the road, including one that was jackknifed on its' side with the cab hanging over a guardrail with a decent-sized cliff below. That trucker probably wasn't able to shit for 2 days. There was maybe 2 dozen cars off the road.

Thankfully we stopped in Laramie for the night -- it was getting a little too hairy for us. By the time we reached Cheyenne the next day for our turn-off to Boulder, the freezing rain had coated the roads with a thin sheet of ice. I remember my roomie putting on the brakes outside of Ft. Collins and a Grand Prix flew by us in an uncontrolled spin at about 45 mph. It missed getting t-boned by the car ahead of it by maybe 2 feet, if that.

You've been warned -- check the weather first.

[acostiga]

a few tips:

when you get out west they don't automatically put greasy french fries on salads- you've gotta order a side of fries and dump it on there yerself.

not every appetizer in every restaurant is deep-fried, and they ain't got no eat 'n parks neither. assemble a stash of smiley-face cookies.

they ain't got no ihrn city n'at, aluminum bottle or otherwise. rent a u-haul trailer to carry a sufficient supply that will tide you through the football season. imperial whisky is available though, so you should be able to make boilermakers as necessary.

worst of all, they ain't got no stillers broadcasts but yinz can listen to myron and hillgrove through the magic of 'dve over the internet. i don't wanna be a jagoff about it, but that's why they got that internet thing on computers these days.

be sure to make the according adjustments.

btw, [cbg]BEST AVATAR EVER![/cbg]