Interstate Road Trip Tournament, Round 1, Heat 6.

[Rain Man]

Just a little offseason exercise. There are 80 different Interstate highways in the USA (including Puerto Rico). Which one would be best for a road trip?

I've set the rules as follows (in spoiler for those of you who've read them already]:

I'm also including highways in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico that are essentially interstate highways, though they're not called that since they don't cross state boundaries.

It'll be a single-elimination tournament, though some will regain new life in wild-card spots to get the tournament bracket correct.

You get a minimum of 7 days on any highway, regardless of length. However, if the length requires more than 150 miles of travel per day, you'll get extra days until your daily mileage drops below 150 miles.

You may travel in either direction.

You may stop at attractions along the way, but at no point can you be more than 10 miles from the interstate.

You have the budget to stay at any hotel or dine at any restaurant within ten miles of the interstate.

You may spend multiple nights in any location but you cannot drive more than 250 miles in a single day. So you have to budget your driving time.

You may use any criteria you wish to make your vote. You can consider the driving lengths and conditions, scenery, attractions along the way, any outstanding warrants you have in that state, the likelihood of a Christie Brinkley clone waving at your from a Ferrari, or anything else you might wish to consider.

You can pick the time of year.

You will not be at risk of coronavirus en route.

You can pick the vehicle that you drive. Assume that you're renting any vehicle that you could purchase for $50,000 or less (new or used). It can be different vehicles on different road trips, so you can customize to fit.

I'll post the basics of each route, but I don't see any specific website that provides a good description of the attractions that one would see along the route. You're on your own for that. Of course, you can do a google map view to see what your scenery is.

Your next two competitors are:

Option 1 - I-69 from Indianapolis, IN, to Port Huron, MI
7 Day Trip
375 Miles, 53 miles per day on average
Passes through Fort Wayne, IN, and Lansing, and Flint, MI

Important note: Wikipedia shows this in its planned final state from Texas to Michigan, but it seems to be being built in pieces, mostly in IN and MI right now, with some big gaps. So we'll go with only the IN and MI segment even though some other parts also exist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_69

Option 2 - I-80 from San Francisco, CA, to Teaneck, NJ
20 Day Trip
2,900 miles, 145 miles per day on average
Passes through Sacramento, Reno, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, Omaha, Des Moines, and Chicago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_80

[Rain Man]

I suspect that I-69 could be pretty in spots. Michigan seems scenic based on my one visit there. But I'm not particularly intrigued by the stops en route.

I-80 is a hella long drive, but it's kind of a quintessential American road trip. Essentially it's San Francisco to New York, driving through the Great American West, the midwest, and the classic industrial heartland. 2,900 miles might get old, but every American should probably do this once. It's what being an American is all about.

I go I-80.

[stumppy]

I've done the IL to NJ several times but never headed west. Might as well see the left side of the country.

[Hydrae]

I would certainly enjoy the I-80 drive. I have done some of the western portions of it but that could be a fun trip.

That said, I have to vote for the shorter trip on I-69 for one simple reason. My dad and I have spent the better part of the last 8 years restoring a 1924 Oakland (automobile). There one that is supposed to be completely original at 95+ years old and I would love to see it. It is in the Oakland County Courthouse I believe and I-69 goes within a couple of miles so I HAVE to take this opportunity while it is available!

[displacedinMN]

I-80. without a doubt

[Rain Man]

I would certainly enjoy the I-80 drive. I have done some of the western portions of it but that could be a fun trip.

That said, I have to vote for the shorter trip on I-69 for one simple reason. My dad and I have spent the better part of the last 8 years restoring a 1924 Oakland (automobile). There one that is supposed to be completely original at 95+ years old and I would love to see it. It is in the Oakland County Courthouse I believe and I-69 goes within a couple of miles so I HAVE to take this opportunity while it is available!

Pics of the Oakland or GTFO.

(I'm just bluffing with the GTFO part. You're welcome to stay regardless.)

[Hydrae]

Pics of the Oakland or GTFO.

(I'm just bluffing with the GTFO part. You're welcome to stay regardless.)

Let's see if this will work (I always struggle trying to post my own pics):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/11609508@N05/14506289443/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/11609508@N05/28267610763/in/dateposted-public/

Back story:
In 1960 my grandfather found this car in a chicken shed outside of Spokane, Washington. It had been there for 20 years since the block cracked during a freeze one winter. Grandpa got it back on the road and actually drove it to work and church daily for a few years. It came to my dad in the 80's. It ran fine until my sister wanted to ride in it to her wedding. My father did so but the car did not make it as he forgot he had drained the oil for storage! At that point he pushed it in the garage in disgust and there is sat until 2012.

lss: My family is second owner of a 95 year old car which is cool as shit!

[Rain Man]

Nice ride! I've never heard of Oakland cars before.

[Hydrae]

Nice ride! I've never heard of Oakland cars before.

Most people have not. It was a major car maker in the 20's and a part of GM. The car lines in GM were price stratified with Chevrolet being the cheapest, then Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick and finally Cadillac. By 1926 the prices had spread enough that they decided to start "little brother" marques. For Cadillac this was the LaSalle, Buick had the Marquette, Oldsmobile had the Viking, and the Oakland had the Pontiac. By 1932 the depression was bad enough that they killed the little brothers, except that the Pontiac was outselling the Oakland so the older brother was the one that was killed off.

Our car history is that it was bought early in the model year in late 1923 by the wife of a doctor in Spokane. As already told, she drove the car until around 1940 when the block froze.

One more item of interest (I love this car in case you can't tell!): our car is painted as close the original Dupont color available today. One of the reasons for so much interest in the car in Oakland, Mi is that it is advertised as being completely original but it is a much lighter shade of blue than ours. The suspicion is that it has to do with when in the 1924 model year it was made. That was the year that they went from hand painting cars to being able to spray paint them. The old way meant that they had to paint them and then park them outside to dry. You may have seen pictures of old car plants with a bunch of cars parked in a line. Those are drying! But it is an interesting mystery about a car make that is little known about now days.

[scho63]

That I-80 shit ain't no road trip, it's a fucking trucker's torture work week.

[Dartgod]

That's pretty fascinating stuff.

Most people have not. It was a major car maker in the 20's and a part of GM. The car lines in GM were price stratified with Chevrolet being the cheapest, then Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick and finally Cadillac. By 1926 the prices had spread enough that they decided to start "little brother" marques. For Cadillac this was the LaSalle, Buick had the Marquette, Oldsmobile had the Viking, and the Oakland had the Pontiac. By 1932 the depression was bad enough that they killed the little brothers, except that the Pontiac was outselling the Oakland so the older brother was the one that was killed off.

Our car history is that it was bought early in the model year in late 1923 by the wife of a doctor in Spokane. As already told, she drove the car until around 1940 when the block froze.

One more item of interest (I love this car in case you can't tell!): our car is painted as close the original Dupont color available today. One of the reasons for so much interest in the car in Oakland, Mi is that it is advertised as being completely original but it is a much lighter shade of blue than ours. The suspicion is that it has to do with when in the 1924 model year it was made. That was the year that they went from hand painting cars to being able to spray paint them. The old way meant that they had to paint them and then park them outside to dry. You may have seen pictures of old car plants with a bunch of cars parked in a line. Those are drying! But it is an interesting mystery about a car make that is little known about now days.

[Rasputin]

69


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[gblowfish]

I live very close to US Highway 24. Kansas City is unique that is has many US Highways that run through it or near it. Actually both Kansas and Missouri have many roads that run a thousand miles or more from one end to the other. The US Highway system was established in 1926 and many of the original roads in that system still exist. Here's a list of US Highway that cross Missouri or Kansas (or both); how long they are and where they begin and end. A couple run from Mexico to Canada!

US 24 Highway: Established 1926, 1,540 miles.
Minturn, CO to Clarkston, MI

US 36 Highway: Established 1926. 1,414 miles.
Rocky Mnt Natl Park, CO to Urichsville, OH

US 40 Highway: Established 1926, 2,286 miles.
Silver Summit, UT to Atlantic City, NJ

US 50 Highway: Established 1926, 3,017 miles.
Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD

US 54 Highway: Established 1926, 1,197 miles. El Paso, TX to Griggsville, IL.

US 56 Highway: Established 1957, 640 miles.
Springer, NM to Kansas City, MO

US 59 Highway: Established 1934, 1,911 miles.
Laredo, TX (US Border) to Lancaster, MN (US Border)

US 60 Highway: Established 1926, 2,655 miles.
Brenda, AZ to Virginia Beach, VA

US 61 Highway: Established 1926, 1,407 miles.
New Orleans, LA to Wyoming, MN

US 62 Highway: Established 1930, 2,248 miles.
El Paso, TX (US Border) to Niagra Falls, NY (US Border)

US 63 Highway: Established 1926, 1,286 miles.
Ruston, LA to Moquah, WI

US 65 Highway: Established 1926, 966 miles.
Clayton, LA to Albert Lea, MN

US 66 Highway: Established 1926, 2,448 miles. Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL.* *Decommissioned 1985.

US 67 Highway: Established 1926, 1,560 miles.
Presidio, TX (US Border) to Sabula, IA

US 69 Highway: Established 1926, 1,136 miles.
Port Arthur, TX to Albert Lea, MN

US 71 Highway: Established 1926, 1,532 miles.
Krotz Springs, LA to Fort Francis, Ontario (US border)

US 73 Highway: Established 1926, 113 miles. Bonner Springs, KS to Dawson, NE.

US 75 Highway: Established 1926, 1,239 miles.
Dallas, TX to Noyes, MN (US Border)

US 77 Highway: Established 1926, 1,305 miles.
Brownsville, TX (US Border) to Sioux City, IA.

US Route 169 Highway: Established 1930, 966 miles. Tulsa, OK to Virginia, MN

[displacedinMN]

GB-also the history of highways is also crazy. Many have been rerouted so many times and replaced by the interstate highway system. I am sure you know that.

I live off 169 in the west metro of MPLS. It was not in the place it is today and used to be known as Highway 18. I believe a state highway.

Route 66 crosses itself many times because of rerouting.

That info is always fascinating.


Also don't you mean 24 highway??? I could never figure that out in Missouri
40 highway not Highway 40. WTF is that.

[gblowfish]

Also don't you mean 24 highway??? I could never figure that out in Missouri
40 highway not Highway 40. WTF is that.

People call the roads differently in different parts of the country. Here in my neck of the woods, we call em by number first ( 24 highway, 40 highway, etc) or just by the number (Come down 40 to where it hooks up with I-70 etc). Other places call them "Route XX" When I was in Maryland they called 40 highway "Route 40." Others say "Highway XX." For example "Highway 56 follows the old Santa Fe Trail." It's regional what these roads are called by locals. I live close to 24, 40, 50, 56, 69, 169 and 71. All within 10 miles or less of my house.