US Highway 71

Ok -change of plans for this summer. The Intrepid Road Trip Partner and I were to go to Big Bend and the Grand Canyon and all points in between. Lots of hiking. I've been getting into shape since January in preparation for this. Then my companion goes and breaks her foot. So, our original plan is out and I'm working on something that would take approximately 10 days and involve lots of driving and minimal walking.

First thought = Drive to Minnesota and take a left. I need to work on what comes after than Left turn still. Any suggestions would be welcome.

However, I am noting a problem. The only direct north/south route appears to be Highway 71. I've traveled it rather extinsively in North Louisiana and Arkansas, but have not experienced it past that. Any thoughts?

I have to say that it's kind of cool to think about taking a two lane highway all the way to Minnesota from here. But with only ten days I also don't want to spend all of my time driving to Minnesota, I would also like to see a bit of North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming if possible before heading home.

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Originally Posted by lhuff

...Then my companion goes and breaks her foot.

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Laura, that is a bummer. Imagine, all of that exercise for naught!

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The only direct north/south route appears to be Highway 71. I've traveled it rather extinsively in North Louisiana and Arkansas, but have not experienced it past that. Any thoughts?

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I don't think I have traveled along US-71 before (and that is an usual statement for me and any US-highway).

I think you should consider speed running on I-49 to I-20 to I-35 and go explore the region described in Arizona Bob's post about western Nebraska and then go explore the badlands area of South Dakota and then see how much time you have left and then mosey on back to Louisiana.

Mark

I make it roughly 1000 miles from Shreveport to Sanborn, MN (where US-71 meets US-14) the perfect place to 'turn left'. You could make that in two days if you stuck to the Interstates for the most part. But it you took US-71 I strongly doubt that it would take you more than three. Note that US-71 is duplexed with I-540 through Ft. Smith and the small cities of northwestern Arkansas, and with I-29 north of Kansas City (and you can always use I-435 around KC) up to St.Joseph. So you'll have some relief in your two most congested areas. Other than that, US-71 looks to be mostly a two-lane highway through the forests of the Ozarks and the farms of the central plains, avoiding most urban areas almost pathologically. That would leave you 4 days for your exploration of the Badlands and to start to work your way south along the front ranges of the Rockies in Wyoming and Colorado, and 3 days for the return home. So, in short, I like the idea of "US-71 north to Minnesota and turn left".

AZBuck

I've done a little more exploration. It looks like I'll be passing near several Laura Ingall Wilder sites on my way into Minnesota. I'll definitely have to check those out since my mother randomly becamed enthralled with the TV show and named me after her.

Laura

I'm off to Wikipedia to find out who Laura is named after... *confused*

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Originally Posted by Craig Antill

I'm off to Wikipedia to find out who Laura is named after... *confused*

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Laura Ingall Wilder is the author that "our" Laura is named after.

Mark

Apparently, my Mom watched way too much of that show when she was pregnant with me. The show was based on the series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder about growing up in the US in the 1800s and travelling by covered wagon to various parts of the country.

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Originally Posted by Editor

Laura Ingall Wilder is the author that "our" Laura is named after.

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Indeed. I just had no idea who Laura Ingalls Wilder actually was :) I'm glad to say I now do, RTA really is very informative!

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Originally Posted by lhuff

However, I am noting a problem. The only direct north/south route appears to be Highway 71. I've traveled it rather extinsively in North Louisiana and Arkansas, but have not experienced it past that. Any thoughts?

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If you want to take a day, you can explore US 71's original alignment around Noel, MO (now MO 59). There are some nice views as you travel near the Elk River and drive under some of the overhanging bluffs. :)

I'm starting to find out that 71 is going to pass through a lot of neat places.

Also - it turns out that Highway 14 will take me through De Smet, ND, another Laura Ingalls Wilder site. I think I know what the theme for this trip is going to be. I've got to re-read those books before I head out.

Laura

I travel US-71 about every six weeks from Kansas City down to my favorite fishing spot of Roaring River State Park outside of Cassville, MO. That stretch is a well-maintained route and is a quick, straight, shot. From the highway you'll see lovely farmland, run through a couple of pig farms (prepare your nose), but otherwise it can be pretty uneventful if you don't leave the highway.

If you're able you'll be near some neat places like Eureka Springs, AR, the Mark Twain National Forest will only be a couple of hours east of Joplin, MO, which has a nationally recognized scenic drive.

You'll run through Lamar, MO which was a stop-over for Wyatt Earp when he was a US Marshal before he headed to Dodge City and points further west in Arizona. Also along the route up you'll find historical marker signs along the highway for places like Harry S. Truman's birthplace, some civil war historical sites, and a few others. Watch the signs for cool stuff.

As you approach Kansas City you'll have some pretty unique picture opportunities in Peculiar, MO (which is the town I actually went to high school in), and while that town used to have a great historic mid-20th century feel, it's become subject to the "strip mall America" that seems to be cropping up all over. There are still some great antique stores there.

Heading up 71 highway into Kansas City can be a confusing trip. The highway turns into the Bruce Watkins Parkway after you pass through a confusing patch of interchanges called the Grandview Triangle in Grandview, MO, a town completely surrounded by Kansas City, MO. There is actually a point on 71 highway where, due to construction, you will exit the highway into one of the more dangerous areas of downtown Kansas City, drive about four blocks, and then get back on the highway (at least this was the case as of about six months ago). But this will take you through the heart of my hometown.

Kansas City is considered the mecca for all things barbeque. FoodTV will suggest places like Arthur Bryant's BBQ, Gates & Sons, or KC Masterpiece. KC locals usually know the best BBQ is found in the suburbs at Jack Stack BBQ with branches in Martin City, MO and Overland Park, KS, Holy Smoke BBQ in Lee's Summit, MO, and Smokehouse BBQ in Gladstone, MO.

If you've got a chance to stop in KC, there are a ton of things to do, almost too many to list here. I suggest the River Market area where just feet from the Missouri River you can often find live music, a great French bistro, and one of the region's most robust farmer's markets on weekends. If you drive by a Hy-Vee grocery store stop in just to try the Shatto milk which is produced at a local dairy farm. It will knock your socks off.

If you have specific questions about Kansas City I'd love to answer them. I've lived here all my life and know a lot of local spots, places to see, things to avoid, and hidden gems.

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Originally Posted by Hadvin

... I've lived here all my life and know a lot of local spots, places to see, things to avoid, and hidden gems.

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It is great to have you join us as a resource here. I am sure more questions will arise.

[On the other post, I don't think Del has stopped by yet -- but he has been bugged about it three times thus far...]

Mark

Thanks for all of the tips. It'll take me awhile to process all the information and work on my travel plans, but I will definitely be bugging you some more.

You know - Kansas City is one of those places that holds odd memories for me. I was somehow granted admission into the National Honor Orchestra even though I purposefully turned in the most God-awful audition tape my teacher would let me get by with. I just really didn't want to go for some dumb reason or other that I've now forgotten. It was held in KC. They wound up putting all of us orchestra geeks in a hotel with a bunch of railroad workers that looked like they wished they possessed guns or tasers to get rid of us with.

It was a fun experience, but I spent 8 plus hours a day in rehearsal and saw none of the city. I think I'll definitely have to rectify that situation.

Laura

Here's a rough estimate of the trip so far. I'm leaving on Wednesday July 4th.

Days 1-3 - drive Highway 71 to Minnesota. I may not need all three days, but I'd rather have an extra day in there than not. There will be stops at two Laura Ingalls Wilder sights in Missourri and Minnesota. I'll probably poke around Kansas City and just kind of amble along the highway and see what interests me.

Days 4-7 - South Dakota - take Highway 14 - see yet another LIW sight in DeSmet, SD. Visit Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Bad Lands National Park, the Wind Cave and the Jewel Cave.

Days 8-10 - make my way back to Louisiana and work on that Saturday night. I'm still trying to decide On how to return home. Do I head down through Nebraska and Kansas and Oklahoma or cut back over to Iowa or Missouri and come down. I'm thinking the Nebraska route just so that I can see some new states. I'm completely open to suggestions here, although I'd like to explore some of West Nebraska after reading Arizona Bobs description of the area.

Hadvin - if you can think of any cool museums or historical sights in Kansas City that you think are worth exploring please let me know. Or any knitting shops - I always have to return home with yarn.

Laura

Off the top of my head the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is the big draw in Kansas City and is free. It's a beautiful, big, museum with a wide variety of paintings, sculpture, and more. It's truly a world-class museum with paintings by Monet, Japanese collections, and tons more.

The Nelson-Atkins is located about a half a block from one of KC's cultural hubs, the Country Club Plaza where there's fancy restaurants, shopping, and good people-watching. It's the only place I've ever seen a tricked out chrome-clad $100,000 Mercedez Benz parked next to a muddied Dodge pick-up truck straight from the farm. Only in KC.

If you're into contemporary art, check out the galleries at Grand Arts in downtown KC. I've not been there yet, but the exhibition currently there looks pretty interesting.

One of my favorite things growing up was Missouri Town 1855. This "living" historical museum is definitely worth a day trip if you're at all into 19th century history. The staff, in period attire no less, is a wealth of information about Kansas City, the plains, the Midwest, and more.

And while you're in Lee's Summit, MO stop by Holy Smoke BBQ. They're just off highway 50 and have some of the best brisket, sausage, and ribs in Kansas City, which is saying a lot. You can learn the most about a place by experiencing their cuisine!

I'll see what else I can think of in the weeks before your trip.

In keeping with your LIW theme (pioneers and all that), you might want to consider a drive along the Platte River in western Nebraska. This is the route of the old Oregon Trail, and it's easy to imagine the pioneers trekking westward as they pass the various landmarks such as Chimney Rock, Courthouse & Jail Rock, and Scotts Bluff. And then there's Fort Kearny of cavalry fame and the pony express station at Rock Creek Station.

AZBuck

How could I forget that for many of those heading onto the Oregon Trail started not in St. Louis, MO but in Independence, MO. In Independence you can visit the Frontier Trails Museum, one of those places KC area students all go in elementary school as a kid and forget all about when we grow up.

Thanks for all the info AZ and Hadvin. I'll keep looking around and try to narrow down my visit a little more. I think I've now got more stops than I've got days. Whoops!

Laura

Look who just got wireless internet on her old computer. Now I can connect wirelessly and my ancient computer also has an old dial up aol account. I feel connected to the world. HeeHee

Now I can bore you all to tears with my ramblings while travelling this summer.

Laura

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Originally Posted by lhuff

Now I can bore you all to tears with my ramblings while travelling this summer.

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Laura, that is a good thing right?

Mark

Y'all might have a different view sometime in the middle of South Dakota, though. :)

Laura

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Originally Posted by lhuff

Y'all might have a different view sometime in the middle of South Dakota, though. :)

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No worries, you won't have much wireless internet access in the middle of South Dakota...

Mark

Ok - I now have wifi and dial up. So I'm set there. Still looking for a good 12-volt cooler. I've only found one here in town and they wanted $70 for that. I'm rather cheap, so that's kind of freaking me out. I'm still on the lookout for an electric tea pot type thing that I can heat up soups, macaroni and cheese, etc in. I had one in college but finally killed it.

BTW - it will just be me on this trip. Intrepid Travel Partner is staying home to get ready for grad school and let her foot heal.

Now for my latest itenerary.

Day 1 Leave Keithville, hit Highway 71 north of Shreveport and go to Fort Smith, AR - Must explore Miss Laura's Visitor Center. Apparently it's the only former brothel on the National Register of Historical Places.

From Fort Smith - head further North to Joplin, MO - maybe check out Grand Falls and George Washington Carver's boyhood home.

Travel from Joplin to Springfield. Do theBattle of Springfield driving tour.

Day 2
Onwards to Mansfield, MO and the Laura Ingalls Wilder site there.

Leave Mansfield and head towards Kansas City with a stop in Lee's Summit for some Barbecue like Hadvin suggested. Maybe stop at Missouri Town 1855.

Keep trucking towards Iowa and a place to sleep. The meeting of Highway 71 and I-80 looks like a likely spot, but may be too much driving. I'll have to just see how I'm feeling.

Day 3
Continue treck up Highway 71 towards Minnesota. Go to the Walnut Grove site for LIW. Take Highway 14 into South Dakota and stop in De Smet, SD for my final LIW stop.

Will probably stop somewhere between De Smet and Pierre for the night.

Days 4-6
Explore the following places in South Dakota.
Badlands National Park
Mount Rushmore
Wind Cave
Jewel Cave
Crazy Horse Memorial

I need to find a place that I can use for home base during these days. Any tips? Would Rapid City be too much of a hastle?

Day 7-10
Still working on the logistics of the following. Brand new thought for tonight, so this may all change after I get some sleep.

Take I-25. Stop at Fort Laramie (way too many times of playing Oregan Trail as a kid). Continue into Colorado and New Mexico. Stop and explore Denver and Santa Fe along the way. (Tips greatly appreciated). Continue South towards Truth or Consequences and Las Cruces. Maybe wander over towards White Sands. Keep on I-25 until it hits I-10. Take 10 to 20 and home.

Do days 7-10 look feasible? Any quarky things along 1-25?

Laura

I think that Custer would make a better base of operations for you than Rapid City for Days 4-6. It is more centrally located, is a smaller city, but yet has half a dozen or so low-cost to medium-cost motels including several national chains, so good competition.

Days 7-10 include just over 1900 miles of driving as you currently have them scheduled. Doable, but you'll have to pick and choose your stops with care. You won't have time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, for example, but you probably could take an hour or two and drive to the top of Pike's Peak, and to the top of a smaller (non-active) volcanic cone and hike around the caldera. The one other place I meant to stop on my trip a couple of years ago, but ran out of time, is Monahans Sandhills State Park off I-20 east of Pecos, TX.

AZBuck

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Originally Posted by lhuff

FYI: Ok - I now have wifi and dial up. So I'm set there.

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A Wi-Fi enabled laptop only works if there is a Wi-Fi transmitter within 750 feet of your location -- so, you will probably be able to find some local access in the towns -- but none out in the hinterlands....

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Still looking for a good 12-volt cooler.

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I was doing some research for an upcoming article and found a truly impressive collection of such devices at the local T/A Truck Plaza -- if you have a truck stop in your area --- go check out the travel store -- best selection I have ever seen!

Mark

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A Wi-Fi enabled laptop only works if there is a Wi-Fi transmitter within 750 feet of your location -- so, you will probably be able to find some local access in the towns -- but none out in the hinterlands....

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Yeah - I live in the boonies and can't get wifi at my house. It's only been in the last year that we've been able to get access to broadband. Keithville is not exactly a metropolis (we don't even have a mayor or city council).

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I was doing some research for an upcoming article and found a truly impressive collection of such devices at the local T/A Truck Plaza -- if you have a truck stop in your area --- go check out the travel store -- best selection I have ever seen!

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There are quite a few truck stops off of I-20 near Greenwood. I may have to take a trip soon and check that out.

AZBuck - thank's for the Hotel and Days 7-10 tips. The whole I-25 thing was literally born in the last two hours, so I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.

I'm starting to get really excited. I'll be adding 5 states to my "been there" list, although Colorado should really be #6 since I've only made it as far as Mesa Verde before.

Laura

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Originally Posted by lhuff

Days 4-7 - South Dakota - take Highway 14 - see yet another LIW sight in DeSmet, SD.

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You know you liked the look of the play equipment that I install in the UK? Well it comes out of 2 massive factories just along the road from De Smet. Be sure to pop by and play on the swings. Just don't tell em I sent ya! ;)

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Visit Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Bad Lands National Park, the Wind Cave and the Jewel Cave.

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This all sounds cool. We are supposed to be going to Vegas this fall for some sort of company bash. It is possible (probable) that it won't be in Vegas and at the factory in Brookings SD instead. I'm kinda hoping that it is so I get a free trip to see those exact places you mention. Be sure to look out for other interesting side trips in the area in case it works out that way for me!

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I'm thinking the Nebraska route just so that I can see some new states.

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Glad I'm not the only one who takes diversions just to say 'I've been there'!

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Pikes Peak

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OMG, that is so cool! Second only to Bonneville!! Just look what's on there on July 21st - you have GOT to find a way to do that. I'm sure you've heard of it but, if not, check this out!! Fantastic!

Loved the video link to the Pikes Peak run. I'm so bummed that I can't go. I'll just have to see if Speed or OLN (or whatever it's called this week) will be airing any of it.

However, I don't think I could be as nuts as those guys standing right by the track taking pictures. I mean can you say deathwish or what?

Laura

I usually hate booking hotels ahead of time since it puts real time constraints on the trip. But I decided that since I'm going to be in South Dakota during the peak season that I'd better do it. So I'm booked into a Days Inn in Custer, SD. Not a great price ($83 a night) but not horrific either. Makes me scared as to what I'd have paid if I just showed up there. Other than that, I don't think I'm going to be booking anymore rooms.

I'm definitely feeling more confident about this adventure after having survived my crash course in solo roadtripping over the weekend.

Since I managed to perform this feat of grace and cleverness on my last roadtrip my car's compass no longer works. It always says that I'm headed north. So not a good thing for someone who forgets to use her map and tends to just try to head in the right general direction when lost. Does anyone know of a good and hopefully cheap compass that I could somehow mount in my car before I head out?

Well - I head out on my adventure on Wednesday. No real revisions to my plans. I've started off this past week well - torn up a tire on my car (ran over a 7 inch bolt in the road kicked up by another car) and come down with a 100 degree fever. The tire thing seems to happen before every major trip I've undertaken and I've been sick in the week leading up to every trip this year. I may have to burn some sweet gum leaves to the great Goddess of Roadtrips just as a precaution.

Laura

hwy 71 through arkansas is pretty slow and windy but picturesque. You can avoid part of it by going on the 540 which runs parallel to 71.

You may also think about going on the 540 to I40- then go SE on I40 to Little Rock and then back SW on I30 which are big roads compared to 71- depends if you want speed or view. Then at Hope you can take Hwy 29 which changes to Hwy 3 when you hit the Louisiana border. Hwy 3 will take you south to Bossier City which is the city on the other side of the river from Shreveport. Look at the map and see what you think.

Higwhay 3 is a good way to get back and forth from Arkansas. I used to take it all the time when 71 was under construction. 71 is faster, but 3 is a good alternative. I opted this time to take 71 for its beauty and am now of day 8 of my trip. Check out the RoadTrip Field report section for my daily updates. I'm on an old computer on a dial up connection, so I'm having issues trying to add links.

Laura