Moab to Indianapolis

[butlerguy03]

We are in Moab for our vacation, and were looking for a southern route back to Indianapolis. Hopefully avoiding the curve-intense interstates like I-70 through the Rockies. We were kind of thinking south to I-40 and across. Anyone have any good ideas?

[Midwest Michael]

Unfortantly, if you think I-70 is bad, I don't know how you would get down to I-40 without going through 2 lane highways that would be significantly more curvy. You need curves to go over the mountains, and since the Interstates are built to limit the degree of the turns and slopes, they are your best best.

You might have more luck going up to I-80, which has a relatively lower elevation, although I suspect even there you'll have to traverse some more mountain roads on your way north.

[Foy]

Butlerguy,

Sorry about the tourney for your guys. It's looking more and more like I'll have to endure ANOTHER UNC national championship. Tough sledding for an old NC State guy like me.

Anyway-yeah, it looks to me like anything you do in terms of getting down to I-40 is going to be a long 2 lane bushwhack, and you should be made aware that I-40 from about Albuquerque on to Tucumcari and Amarillo isn't much, if any, straighter than I-70 from Glenwood Springs to Denver. Immediately east of Albuquerque is a particularly knarly stretch, and for a good 80 or so miles past that, many long grades and some curves. Lengthy road construction stretch eastbound from NM-TX line almost all the way to Amarillo back in early November, and given that it was a concrete paving job they were just starting on long stretches of, I'd check with TX DOT about lane closures at present before assuming clear sailing across the Llano Escandado.

Do post a report on your trip, won't you?

Foy

[butlerguy03]

Thanks for the replies. We ended up deciding to do I-70 through the Rockies again...much warmer and better roads going through this time...

I will post a blog on my trip with some pictures at a later date.

Thanks!