Driving from Salt Lake to KC: take the 80 or the 70?
 

Hey kids.

I'm driving from Northern California to KC next week. I figure going through Northern Nevada to Salt Lake is the only real way to get halfway there, but from Salt lake, the map says it takes about the same time to go via the 80 through southern WY and then Nebraska, or turn south toward Denver and go the 70 through Kansas.

Have any of you done one or both of these routes? Which is better?

thanks :thumb:

TE

All I know is this. The drive from Denver to KC is the most visually boring few hours I ever spent in my life.

If the only choices are driving through Kansas or Nebraska? Antifreeze is the only option.

Omaha to Denver was worse. 80 is in the platte river valley, and I think from Lincoln to a mile from the border you can't even see ANY hills. NE may not be anywhere near as flat as Kansas, but I-80 is boring. I believe both states have speed limits of 75, which is helpful.

LOL No shit!

From Cali, I'd take 40 to OKC, then 35.

1) Drive to Salt Lake City
2) Charter a helicopter flight (one of those big chinook ****ers, I'm sure the military would be happy to oblige for the right price)
3) Avoid driving through brownbackistan or nebraska
4) ?????????????
5) Profit.

The 40 is too far south to go, it adds hours to the trip. If it were winter Id consider it.

Also, based on this recent news

http://www.imfromdenver.com/serial-s...e-in-colorado/
:bang:

I'm thinking avoid Denver and just power through WY to Neb. and tough it out.

both routes suck.

WY, NE, and down from OMA is best of two bad options...except drive all night and miss the terrible scenery.

I was thinking you were in LA.

Herp Derp. Totally missed the part about Northern California. :)

what part of northern cali u live in????????????????

when you get to SLC, take a break and go to the Red Iguana. GREAT mex food.

Of course, you are passing Park City as you climb out of the valley. Always a good place to visit.

I've always taken the 70 going the Northern route but as others have stated, it's visually boring east of Colorado Springs and west of KC.

Make sure to have some sort of stimulant drink, whether it's Red Bull or Monster or whatever for that stretch because it's easy to get tired driving in a straight line.

I would have to say of the 2 fails I would take I-80. Drove those 2 highways so much from Northern Nevada to KC for work. Seemed 80 was faster but 70 had some better scenery but not much.

As long as you don't hit Denver during Rush Hour, it's a breeze

I would check road construction a week or so before you go and make my decisions based on that. Seemed very seldom did we not hit construction on I-70 in Co. Cabelas in Sydney NE. Is always a good spot to stretch your legs. Really there is not much difference between the two.

70 because Colorado is awesome.

IIRC, SLC to Colorado on 80 takes you over Rabbit Ears Pass...beautiful.

80 doesn't go through Colorado at all.

been twenty years, but rode a bike from SLC to Omaha..and now that I think about it..you're correct....I think I took 76 out of Denver up to 80 then to east to the big O.

That's true. At least you can haul ass

70 by eleventy billion times

I just drove both 2 weeks ago. 70 out 80 back. 80s too far out of the way. 70 is very scenic and the mountains are nice. Don't do Denver at rush hour other than that great scenic drive. And faster.

Both routes are equally boring IMO. I'd choose the northern route since it's summer. Or maybe look at the weather on the morning you leave Salt Lake City to see which route looks more favorable in that respect.

Coming through NE you may actually see a tree or an actual town though.

It's weird to hear it called 'THE' 70 OR 'THE' 80. I lived in San Diego for a year and never got used to that.

I would say I-80 just so you can haul ass and get through it faster, but 70 is the more direct route to KC, and I believe Kansas upped the speed limit to 75 like Nebraska anyway.

So I vote charter a lear jet and do tequila shots all the way to KC.

You Californians, calling roads "the". I don't go take "the" 35 to the Oak Park Mall. I don't take "the" 70 to Kaufman or Arrowhead :D

That's because there are so many State freeways mixed with Interstate Freeways.

It would be awkward to say "Take the California 101 to Interstate 110 S to Interstate 105 West to Interstate 405 S to Redondo Boulevard".

It's much easier to say "Take the 101 to the 110 to the 105 to the 405 and get off on Redondo".

Driving across southern wyoming is tremendously worse than Kansas. At least Kansas is green.

Yeah, much of Wyoming is similar to the setting of The Road Warrior.

Yeah, Southern Wyoming is awful.

"the" still seems extraneous

That's because you're not used to saying it your entire life

:D

Best advice in the thread.

Nothing is worse than driving any interstate in the south...

a billion miles of nothing but pine trees lining the interstate...

Dallas to Shreveport is :banghead: or anything I-10 related from TX to FL...

At least in the plains states you can see further than the ditch on the side of the road.

Both have interesting areas, i'd go 80 just because Ive done it on 70 so many times.

Had a co-worker that used to say stuff like, "I went to the Walmart", but if I remember correctly he was raised East Coast, but spent a lot of time in Texas before moving to the KC area. I think adding "the" to things might be the only irrational language pet peeve I have.

I drive Denver to Salt Lake all the time and always go 80. Way more traffic on 70 and just a little longer drive time. Better views on 70 though.

Just be careful coming down I-25 around Ft. Collins/Loveland area as we have a serial shooter looking for a few good victims.

I-10 is rather boring with the exception of Mobile and Escambia Bay.

The 18-mile Achafalaya Basin bridge is interesting.

And, yes, Dallas to Shreveport is terribly boring. Except during the summer when it's hot. Lots of road-side grass fires.

But in regards to the roads out here, no one is going to say their official names because too much verbiage.

"California State Route 60" or "US Highway 101" or "The Pacific Coast Highway", is just too long, especially when there are 50+ such roadways in SoCal.

I've picked up loads at the Anheuser busch several times.

That's even easier. :D

Do you own a bullet proof vest? Of course that may not work since one of the victims was shot in the neck. You may need something more Mad Max style.

Haven't been there in about a year. :)

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I'd take the 75 just to be safe.

I have no problem with just using the number. I just gave a friend directions, 35N to 635N to 71N. No, "the" needed. Don't take it as a personal shot, like I said, it is my irrational pet peeve.

I never said "The" when I lived in the KC area but I began saying it out here because it's the way everyone refers to the roads out here.

"The Californians" skits are pretty dead on accurate, except I don't know any people that talk like Keanu Reeves.

:D

Its a southern california thing, we do NOT do that in the north

in fact thats pretty much a dead giveaway youre not from the north up here (and sounds like nails on a chalk board)

here its take 12 to 101 and get off on 19th street

just an FYI

I'd take 80, but mostly because I've driven 70 so many times I nearly black out during the drive of boredom. Avoiding Denver if you're close to a rush hour might be worth considering.

If you want to get there faster, take 80.

If scenery is what you are after, take the mountain roads.

Rock Springs, WY is the best city in America. Take some time to see the sights there.

It's a device to let you know to pay attention to the next thing spoken. We get distracted easily out here.

Just fly instead.

Tiburon, in Marin county. Well, for another week anyways. It's like living in the town Amity from Jaws. Minus the shark.

I-70 is a far more scenic drive, and you most likely won't encounter snow at this time of year. Once you get east of Breckenridge it's not a relaxing drive due to some steep slopes and weird traffic, but it's gorgeous if you're not from around here.

I-80 is kind of interesting, but it's mostly looking at distant hills. I think there's one stretch where you go almost 100 miles without seeing any human habitat.

And if you make a stop in Denver I'll buy you a root beer or something.