West Texas I-10

[imported_Debbie]

I'll be travelling from Tucson to Austin between April 20-April 22. That's the idea anyway. I've planned my first stop in El Paso, but I'm concerned about the drive from El Paso to Austin. I just learned from RandMcNally.com that what I hoped was a one day journey is 11 hours! That means I should stop in the middle there somewhere.

Where?

And does anyone have any comments or tips about this drive from El Paso to Austin? (Or want to join in?? Extra drivers welcome-- dates tentative.)

Debbie, I'd drive farther the first day. Tucson to El Paso is a short trip. Stretch it out a bit the first day to make the second day shorter. I suppose you could drag it out over three days,if you would rather do that, but it wouldn't be my choice unless there's things you want to do along the way. Bob

[imported_Kevin]

Is probably the most boring, desolate stretch of road I've ever been on.

Bring lots of audio entertainment--CDs, audio books, whatever. You'll need it.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I have always enjoyed that stretch of road. I have probably driven it 10-15 times in recent years. There is a lot to discover along that route and to hear it called desolate makes me laugh.

What part, in particular, did you find boring? I love a good road challenge. I bet you never ventured more than 100 feet away from the interstate?

[imported_Kevin]

What, you take it personally when someone says something unflattering about I-10 through West Texas?

No, I didn't venture from the interstate, because it wasn't that kind of road trip--I was transporting my car cross-country, I had only a few days to do it, and I didn't have any time to explore. So I stuck to the interstate, and most of the 500 miles or so between San Antonio and El Paso struck me as drab and desolate. I'm sure there are interesting things to do if you leave that road, but the road itself seemed quite dull. I was certainly never tempted to stop and take pictures or anything.

It didn't help that there was more than one stretch, each being maybe 20 miles or so, where the asphalt had been removed from the road and I was forced to drive on the corduroy, causing the whole car to shake, along with an accompanying loud thrumming sound.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I have driven a few hundred thousand miles in the last decade and I have never found ANY stretch of road to be dull or boring. <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/mftdb/053198ca.htm">There are no boring roads</a> is one of the principles we live by here at RTA.

Driving from Tucson To Van Horn would be the way I'd go. Van Horn is not a bad town and is about halfway between. There's about half a dezen places to stay there too. Make sure you time it right and get through El Paso before the traffic. I was there 2 months ago and I-10 had heavy construction and traffic was a nightmare.