Quote Originally Posted by sd1023x
So, I'm moving to Maryland, I'm taking off this thursday (July 21, 2005) and I'm having trouble planning my route from Los Angeles. and supposedly there are two routes, one kind of northern route that has long drive in mountain roads (no fun) and a middle route that is mostly flat country which sounds better to me.
Actually there are, at least, 100 different routes you could follow, but if you are interested in the fastest route I-70 would be the one. I-70 does have mountains (the Colorado Rockies) and I-15 crosses three passes between Los Angeles and Las Vegas but it is the straight shot. Interstate highways are easy to travel and the mountains shouldn't be thought as that much a challenge to travel.
Is mapquest the fastest route? It seems to have many exits and many many different freeways in which I can possibly make a wrong turn.
There are about six major routing programs, Mapquest is just one of them -- the thing you have to keep in mind is that no matter what Mapquest or MSN, etc suggest as the time of travel -- when one factors in fuel stops, rest stops, construction, urban congestion, and eating, the best average speed you will ever be able to do on a 8-hour basis is 53 mph (to average 65 mph over 8-10 hours you would need to be going close to triple digits when on the road). A reasonable time period for this drive would be five days.

There are hundreds of route suggestions on this forum and elsewhere in the site for such a cross country adventure. Remember to have some fun!