The Lonliest Road?!

Araya Sunshine · #1 11-01-2009, 08:00 PM

Hello!
This is my first post (I was inspired by all the wonderfully logical help you all gave the 4 teenagers with $4000 post, so here I am)

My trip details are:

Vail, Colorado to Northern California/Oregon border.

Time is not really an issue, can take up to a whole week.

Very limited budget, would like to spend no more than $800 total (food, gas, sleeping)

Car gets 20 mpg

Number one question:

When highway 70 ends and turns into the 50 across Nevada it is called "The Loneliest Road". This sounds very intimidating, but looks like the shortest route and seems like it could save some gas money. Does anyone know how lonely or terrible this road is?

Help?

glc · #2 11-01-2009, 08:19 PM

Here is an article on this site about it.

I'd take advantage of gas when you see it - fill up in Delta, Ely, and Austin. It is absolutely NOT a terrible road, it's a very well maintained 2 lane highway. It's just desolate!

Araya Sunshine · #3 11-01-2009, 10:12 PM

Ahhh but what about car trouble? It seems so intimidating, yet I still want to try it. What about snow in November???

UKCraig · #4 11-02-2009, 01:17 AM

I can't advise on snow as I drove it in June but, whilst it can be a reasonble distance between services, the road itself was anything but lonely. I think the longest I would have gone between seeing another car would have been a minute or two. I don't think you'll have any trouble if you should break down or anything like that.

Southwest Dave · #5 11-02-2009, 02:08 AM

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Is it a solo trip ?

A budget of $115 a day seems healthy enough to me, that's if you want to take 7 days and do a little exploring but the trip itself could be done in 3 reasonably comfortable day's and a lot cheaper. I doubt you would use more gas going via I 80 which is the quickest route but as already said, the Loneliest Rd is not that lonely and help would never be far away if the need arises.
I guess it comes down to your own personal goal, do you want to get from A to B as quickly and cheaply as possible or take your time and explore on the way.

Araya Sunshine · #6 11-02-2009, 11:22 AM

All right, I'm convinced. I think I'm going to go for the Loneliest Road...just seems too intertesting to pass up. Thanks for all the replies, you guys made it sound less and less intimidating.

I just broke down today and need a new radiator, so I guess I won't have to worry about overheating all the way out there. We'll see how it goes!