I10 verses I40

[imported_Rita]

Hi - I drove straight through from SD to Miami on using I10 recently. I am returning home soon, and I thought of taking I40 for variety instead of the same route I took to get here. I'm wondering if anyone knows how much additional time/milage it would add to my trip. I've looked everywhere and can't find that info.

I won't be doing much sight-seeing so that's not too much of a factor. On the trip up, I drove 400 to 500 miles per day for about 6 hours per day. I didn't hit any traffic and maintained an 80 mph speed. I found driving from Az to the first half of Texas to be extremely boring and isolating. Would I find the same thing on the I40?

Here's extra info - Female driving alone - staying at Fairfield Inn-type places. No real rush to get home, but I don't necessarily like doing touristy things alone. I have cell phone/reliable car etc.

Any advice on the 10 verses 40 would be appreciated.

[imported_Angus Bangus]

SD to Miami along I-10 is 2600 miles.

SD to Miami along I-40 is 2850 miles if you go South out of Chattanooga, TN and through Atlanta, GA.

Better cities to stay in along I-40 if you ask me, but I'm sure I'll get some backlash for that statement from others.


Drive safe.


ab

[Mark Sedenquist]

One of the cool things about I-40 thru Arizona and New Mexico is that follows (more or less) the route of the original and historic Route 66.

500 miles in 6 hours? What kind of rocket ship are you driving? Even if you never stop for gas or food that would require a constant speed approaching 90 mph -- if you keep that up you are going to make some state highway trooper's day!

Personally, I like I-10 because is allows a dip into Big Bend National Park and another side trip into Austin for some great BBQ and jazz, but I-40 is pretty cool. Albuquerque is a neat city and the panhandle of Texas is a great place to let the engine "wind-up." It will certainly cost you some time to travel on I-40 with a start in SD and a destination in Miami -- but you will see some very cool cities and sights.

Boring? I have driven 200,000+ miles in recent years and I have never found one of those proverbial boring places. Megan's essay about "The Art of the RoadTrip" sums up our no boring places philosophy: http://www.roadtripamerica.com/mftdb/053198ca.htm

One "tourist" spot I urge you to check out on I-40: Hot Springs National Park in Little Rock, AR. Get the "full treatment" at the bathing house. Professional bathers lend a level to bathing that has to be experienced to be believed.

Have fun.

[Donna]

Just to warn everyone, right now (Dec 4th) is a really bad time to drive the I40. From Tallahasse to Amarillo was the WORST drive ever! The roads were very bumpy (I felt sorry for my tires!) and the road is extremely slippery. I passed 3 huge trucks that turned over due to the bad road conditions. I was driving slow and praying that I made it safe the whole time!

Also, I was going West, but the line of trucks stuck in traffic going East was unbelievable. I swear there must have been at least a hundred trucks stuck in line. I felt bad for them.

Anyway, avoid the 40 right now if you can!!!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Thanks for the current road intelligence! On night in a past December, I was stuck in a line of trucks going westbound on I-40 that stretched 55 miles -- no power in the area -- the only light was the red from the stranded brake lights of the trucks.

[Ginger]

I just went through the I-40 from California (and back using the I-10) all the way to/from Amarillo, TX.

One thing I can say for sure is the I-10 has much more interesting landscape scenery, but the I-40 has a special kind of charm, more quaint and homey. I don't know if this is the way others feel, but that's the way it rubbed off on me.

Just one cautionary note...

Be extra careful using the I-40 while you're going through Texas. I saw a LOT of accidents while I was on this particular trip. Someone with the highway board explained that they don't spend a lot of money on the highways way up north in TX and have to put up with the frequent problems during winter.