traveled US-50 anyone?

[usccharles]

sorry, i know this is off-topic..

i'm doing a 2.5 week travel accross highway US-50, aka 'backbone of america', aka 'the loneliest road in america", with me, my camera, and a rental car from east coast to west coast.

looking forward to all the great landscapes, farmlands, prairies, deserts, mountains, ghost towns, etc etc.

has anyone done this trip before? any recommendations, suggestions, tips? never done such a long solo trip before..

thank you much,

[stunsworth]

From a quick Google that's 3000 miles or so, you're talking about 200 mile a day, every day. That means it's doable in the time you've got, but I'd be concerned that the driving - making sure you get those 200 miles under your belt would begin to dominate the journey.

I've driven long distances in Europe - UK to Croatia for example - and for me the temptation was to continue driving, to make up those miles, rather than to stop and take a look around a town.

Anyhow, have a good trip. I have to confess I've often thought of doing something similar myself. Maybe I've seen Easy Rider one too many times <grin>.

[usccharles]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

From a quick Google that's 3000 miles or so, you're talking about 200 mile a day, every day. That means it's doable in the time you've got, but I'd be concerned that the driving - making sure you get those 200 miles under your belt would begin to dominate the journey.

I've driven long distances in Europe - UK to Croatia for example - and for me the temptation was to continue driving, to make up those miles, rather than to stop and take a look around a town.

Anyhow, have a good trip. I have to confess I've often thought of doing something similar myself. Maybe I've seen Easy Rider one too many times <grin>.

thanks for your comment steve. i'm in NY now and need to be in LA in 2.5 weeks, so i figured, what the heck, either i'm going to have severe back pains from driving so much, or it might just be one of the most memorable photo-journeys i've had. the driving schedule is pretty tight but i think if i keep a good schedule, it should be pretty fun. wish me luck

[tollie]

It sounds like a great trip.

Do you have any photographic inspirations... Franks America or Farbers American Moods?

Do you have a thought for what you will do with the material when you finish the trip?

[usccharles]

Originally Posted by tollie

It sounds like a great trip.

Do you have any photographic inspirations... Franks America or Farbers American Moods?

Do you have a thought for what you will do with the material when you finish the trip?

hi~

no inspirations. photography is my one big hobby

[jimmy pro]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

From a quick Google that's 3000 miles or so, you're talking about 200 mile a day, every day. That means it's doable in the time you've got, but I'd be concerned that the driving - making sure you get those 200 miles under your belt would begin to dominate the journey.

To a European (or an American who doesn't drive much) 200 miles sounds like a long drive, but plenty of salesmen in the US drive 200 miles/day every day and stop to make several sales calls. 200 miles @ 60mph takes 3hrs 20min. So you could stop two hours for every hour you drive and still get there in a nine hour day. If you can't hit 60 while driving it would take longer or maybe you can only stop 1 or 1 1/2 hrs for every hr of driving.

[zeitz]

I think you'ld find much of US 50 obscured by urban growth. It may not be continuously marked anymore either. For instance from Kansas City to Emporia Kansas, it is I-35. At Grand Junction Colorado it merges with I-70, well into Utah. When you see that piece of road, you'll understand why only on right of way is maintained. US 66 is much more popularized ,and there are some interesting sections of it left. There are lots of tour guides for US 66, so it would be easier to do. You could take 50 to St. Louis and then pick up US 66 there.

200 miles a day is nothing in the US. When you get to Kansas, Colorado, Utah, if you don't stop, you can do that in less than 2 hours.

[zeitz]

Typo - 200 out West is 3 hours, not 2 hours

[usccharles]

Originally Posted by zeitz

I think you'ld find much of US 50 obscured by urban growth. It may not be continuously marked anymore either. For instance from Kansas City to Emporia Kansas, it is I-35. At Grand Junction Colorado it merges with I-70, well into Utah. When you see that piece of road, you'll understand why only on right of way is maintained. US 66 is much more popularized ,and there are some interesting sections of it left. There are lots of tour guides for US 66, so it would be easier to do. You could take 50 to St. Louis and then pick up US 66 there.

200 miles a day is nothing in the US. When you get to Kansas, Colorado, Utah, if you don't stop, you can do that in less than 2 hours.

thanks for your comment zeitz. just picked up a US road atlas. will look out for your comments. thanks

charles

[storybrown]

I would echo all of zietz's comments. Incidentally, I once left Midland, Texas at about 8:15am and was in Las Angeles the same evening in time for the end of the X-Files, about 9:45pm. The time zones help east-to-west, as do long stretches of more or less empty road. (I discovered between Tucson & Yuma that the cruise control on my Infinity J-30 wouldn't set or hold over 100mph; you had to set it at 99.5 & just piddle along at that.)

Having travelled a good bit between the coasts, I would go like a bat from NY to St Louis & 66 all the way to, say, the Acoma Indian reservation on the way to Grant & Gallop (not the casino, the Sky City pueblo - no fotos up on the mesa), and start taking my sweet time toward LA from there - Painted Desert, Petrified Forest - half-day for the Grand Canyon (dawn if possible, but maybe now one has to take the train). This passes up many, many, many fine opportunities, any of which might well snare anyone, but you want to catch a big whif of the Southwest if you haven't yet, and its general remoteness & expanse means you've got to sacrifice something for it. You will be well repaid. You might spend a night at the famous hotel in Gallop, wander around the Navajo res - a couple of impossible-to-pass-up side trips & you're a half-day or a day -- two days -- behind your schedule, but you will be happy. Maybe north from I-40 to Las Vegas & into LA from there. The California part of this run is usually a little Jersey turnpikey both ways, but it prolly beats the main alternate routes touristically & fotographically for a first-timer.

This is a pretty good time to go: not too hot yet (although you will be warm enough) & you miss both lots of old snowbirds and the rising summer turistas (few of these off the interstates, anyway). Canyonlands cannot be missed - might as well never have been born, unless traveling through them means missing Grand Canyon, & well, there you are . . . You're going to have to make some choices, but will enjoy this more than you imagine. You're lucky (except for the gas prices - but they prolly mean the tourist spots will all have deals on).

Anyway, remember this valuable advice is all free!

[Leica DeOcean]

Approximately 16 years ago, I drove from a small town in New Jersey to Los Angeles California in 3.5 days and back to NJ in 6.5 days.

I wouldn't recommend doing that since it took an average driving day of about 900 miles. Only had 10 days of vacation yet was moved to do something totally unplanned and wild. Wasn't about picture taking although I managed to take 360 pictures along the round trip.

About 4 years ago, I drove from NJ to Seattle Washington, then down through the Redwood Forest along Route 1 in California and then made a left turn at San Francisco and drove back to NJ, this in a period of Two weeks. Guess I'm slowing down.

Last August I drove from NJ to Jacksonville Florida in 17 hours and similarly back to NJ.

........... and YES ! ! ! !! I did it all SOLO.

Lesson learned? If you are a driving addict, do it. IF NOT ??? Take your time ...... stop to smell the roses. Rest and enjoy the beauty of the USA .... and take home some of what you see through your viewfinder. Most of all ....... take your time and enjoy BEING YOU.

[adan]

US 50 west of Pueblo, Col will be incredibly scenic. Keep in mind:

Royal Gorge, just west of Canon City - privately owned and a bit touristy, but a chance to walk across one of the highest suspension bridges in the world - about 1,000 feet from the deck to the rail line at the bottom of the gorge (and the last time I was there the deck was ONE layer of wooden boards - I could see the railroad tracks below through the cracks between boards!) Also a cable car ride across available.

A side trip to the north about 30 miles from Canon City - the mining ghost towns of Victor and Cripple Creek.

Canon City/Florence is the home of about 5 state and federal prisons - including SuperMax where the Unabomber and Ramzi Yousef (1993 WTC bomber) are held.

Monarch Pass crosses the Continental Divide where the Sawatch range meets the Sangre de Cristos and the NE corner of the San Juans. About 11,400 feet elev. Likely still a lot of snow visible until the end of June, but should be passable unless you happen to run into a storm (also possible until end of June).

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, just east of Montrose, Col. 10 miles of a crevasse 1,500-2,200 feet deep, and only just about that wide at the top (and as narrow as 30 feet at the bottom) Rim drives like the Grand Canyon. Name comes from the very dark rock of the canyon walls. Pretty unique formation, and isolated from everywhere unless you happen to be on US 50.

Moab/Arches Natl Park./Canyonlands about 30 miles south of US 50/I-70 in Utah.

San Rafael Reef, just west of Green River UT, especially the eastern "entrance" through a sheer rock face that makes the semis on the interstate look like ants. Followed by 50 miles of high desert wilderness and panoramas. Be sure to gas up in Green River. Lonely, you bet!

I have not seen the part of US 50 through the Sierras (Carson City - "Sackamenna"), but will bet the 200 miles from Canon City CO to I-15 in Utah is the most impressive long stretch of scenery on the route. Might want to allow yourself 100 miles a day through there to give time for pictures.

[usccharles]

Originally Posted by Leica DeOcean

Approximately 16 years ago, I drove from a small town in New Jersey to Los Angeles California in 3.5 days and back to NJ in 6.5 days.

I wouldn't recommend doing that since it took an average driving day of about 900 miles. Only had 10 days of vacation yet was moved to do something totally unplanned and wild. Wasn't about picture taking although I managed to take 360 pictures along the round trip.

About 4 years ago, I drove from NJ to Seattle Washington, then down through the Redwood Forest along Route 1 in California and then made a left turn at San Francisco and drove back to NJ, this in a period of Two weeks. Guess I'm slowing down.

Last August I drove from NJ to Jacksonville Florida in 17 hours and similarly back to NJ.

........... and YES ! ! ! !! I did it all SOLO.

Lesson learned? If you are a driving addict, do it. IF NOT ??? Take your time ...... stop to smell the roses. Rest and enjoy the beauty of the USA .... and take home some of what you see through your viewfinder. Most of all ....... take your time and enjoy BEING YOU.

HOLY CRAP, there and back in a week? i'm impressed. thanks for the tip. i'm a love-to-drive person too so i have a highway atlas, one USA guide, one roadtrip guide, and two national and state park guides to hopefully keep me busy and not just driving all day, which i wouldn't mind either through all the great scenery

storybrown, adan, thank you for your comments. looking them up in my guidebooks as i write!

[roguewave]

Why bother. Walk around NYC & the outer rim (Brooklyn) for 2 weeks and see the world. Then just get on a plane. The Saul Steinberg New Yorker cover says it all.

[zapp]

There is a book by National Geographic about interstate travel which tells you what to see next to the roads ordered by interstate number. That should give you a good idea what is there. 200 miles a day is easy going. I would reserve time for the Rockies and National Parks. Sunsets along the road with all kinds of neon signs everywhere... In three weeks you could even make a scenic detour.

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by jimmy pro

To a European (or an American who doesn't drive much) 200 miles sounds like a long drive.

As someone who drives 100 miles every day just to get to and from the office (more if I am at a development), 200 miles is not a long drive, unless you are driving a Vauxhall

I do nearly 1,000 miles each and every week of the year, and provided you have a decent seat, and cruise control, it's not difficult. Having a car that does nearly 50 to the gallon helps too.

Crossing the US by car sounds like a great trip - I'm jealous!

[wildlightphoto]

Originally Posted by adan

I have not seen the part of US 50 through the Sierras (Carson City - "Sackamenna")

The road skirts the southern edge of Lake Tahoe, where I could easily spend the entire 2.5 weeks hiking in the surrounding mountains. The urbanized areas can be crowded & have lots of traffic but take a side trip south to Carson Pass for quick traffic relief.

[usccharles]

hello from the american farm belt!

thanks for all your comments. i'm on the end of my 3rd day trip through US-50. spending the night in illinois. tomorrow will be missouri and kansas. trying to buzz through all the farm lands so i can spend more time in the southwest parks.

p.s. for anyboy thinking of doing US-50 like i am. 200 miles a day is not easy! the roads are fantastic, and if you love driving like me, there are some really nice bends on this highway, but this highway is mainly a two lane road and 200 miles takes way longer than 3 hours a day. i've been driving for 8 hours each day and i've only done 1200 miles total in three days..

cheers~

[tollie]

Oh cool...

Keep up the pics.

[kdemas]

US-50 travelling up into the Sierras from Sacramento and going towards Lake Tahoe is a beautiful drive. I love little "towns" like Kyburz that only have 25 people or so. Beautiful mountain drive if you're out this far.

Kent