CA to NY and back

I would agree with Bogart that US-50 can be a very interesting route. But, I also like I-80 which I have driven 30-40 times in the last ten years or so.

The I-80 route would provide a faster access to a couple of sidetrips if you can make time. Virginia City has been a favorite place for years and the Black Rock desert and Guru Drive tops the scale for "Out There" Winnemucca is famous for its paved streets and I like the wide open plains of western Wyoming..
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/slides/guru/25where.jpg

Also along I-80, you'll often see pronghorns grazing beside the road in Wyoming -- sometimes right beside cattle. They are not a common sight to most people, so I always consider seeing one a "treat." Since the route follows the Oregon and California Trails, I always imagine what it meant to travel that route in a wagon, each new night spent literally within sight of the last night's campsite. It makes 75 mph seem kind of hurried... Bob

I'm another one that agrees with Bogart. I really like Hwy 50 and you are closer to Virigina City on Hwy 50 than you are on I-80. There's a lot of history and interesting places to see along this route. There are a lot of old Pony Express stations, Sand Mountain and two locations for petroglyphs. You also drive very close to Nevada's only National Park, Great Basin National Park.

Interstate 80 thought Wyoming is pretty boring to me. Yes the hills are beautiful, but that's all you see for miles and miles and miles and miles and...get the drifft. On I-70 you drive right though the San Rafeal Swell. You are close enough to make a detour to Moab, Utah and see the Arches and Canyonlands National Park. Both are a great experience. Take scenic Hwy 128 along the Colorado River back to I-70. Once in Colorado you drive thought the beautiful mountains of Colorado to Denver. This is a really scenic drive!

Utahtea

GusterPhan,

The only experience I can mention that may help your trip is the US-40 through Utah and Colorado (travels east-west, but north of I-70 our of Salt Lake City) is an awesome road! I can't wait to get back there!

By the way, I went to Tufts. Nice to see you representin' Guster :)

wow, thank you everyone for all the advice. SO basically I take it that the general consensus is for us to ditch the us-80 and hit up the 50...right?! If you kids think it's better, than who am I to argue really?! However I must point out that we were primarily taking the 80 due to the fact we wanted to get to Chicago as fast as possible. We really are on this trip to see Chicago, Niagra Falls, Boston, New York and DC....those are the places we want to spend the most time....

If anyone has anymore advice. That would be super!

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Originally Posted by GusterPhan

SO basically I take it that the general consensus is for us to ditch the us-80 and hit up the 50...right?!

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I think you all were talking about I-80 and not US-80.

Not sure where you are starting from, but driving from the San Francisco Bay Area of CA to Chicago it's about 2100 miles taking Interstate 80. It's 85 miles longer taking hwy 50 but it will probably take about 6 more hours to drive because you can't drive as fast on the two lane highways as you can on the open interstates. If you can spare those 6 hours, then I think Hwy 50 and Interstate 70 will be a lot more scenic.

You're looking at between 30 hours (I-80) and 36 hours (Hwy 50 & I-70) of just driving hours. I would give yourself at least 3 days of hard driving to get to Chicago. If you plan on doing night driving...then you might as well take I-80.

Utahtea

Thank you UtahTea! Very informative! And I will talk to my partner-in-crime about taking the 50, from what I have read it sounds like a better idea anyways!

I'm so excited! However, once we hit Chi-town, it's going to get hectic on how to get to Niagra Falls and then so forth....

I've tried, without much success, to talk people out of driving halfway across country (breaking down on Hwy 50 in Nevada isn't fun) just to see the east coast. Considering the cost of gas this summer and the wear and tear on your car (not to mention your friendship) I would consider taking a cheap flight (Southwest from Oakland to Chicago, Midway, for example) and renting a car for a round trip to the places you want to see, then fly home.

However, if you insist on driving I second the vote for Hwy 50 to I-70 to I-80. If you are going to drive straight through you might as well see something worthwhile, even if it means a couple of extra hours per day. While you are crossing Nebraska, with nothing much else to see, stop in at Warp Pioneer Village southwest of Grand Island. You'll never see anything like it. Hundreds of classic automobiles, airplaines, radios, toaster, vacuum cleaners, guns, wagons buggies...thousands of artifacts from American history representing the last 130 years all under 26 roofs! It will cost you a full day.

Of course, you have to drive back so you might want to take I-80 on the return. Quicker, and by then you'll be ready to get home!

Good luck, and don't forget to sleep.

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I've tried, without much success, to talk people out of driving halfway across country

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This is, after all, a "road trip" forum.

Drive!