Crossing Oklahoma avoiding I-40

[Tom and Patty]

Patty and I will be traveling east to St. Louis in May and I would like to avoid another trek on I-40. We will be stopping in Cushing, OK for a layover.

I am looking at exiting I-40 at Tucumcari, NM., and picking up Hyw 54 to Guymon, OK., then 412 east. Another route I've looked at is exiting at Amarillo and taking Hyw 60 to 412.

Any feedback will be appreciated in regard to road conditions and scenery, ect. I'm sure the pace will be slower, but not as anesthetic .

Thank you

[Tom and Patty]

Patty and I will be traveling east to St. Louis in May and I would like to avoid another trek on I-40. We will be stopping in Cushing, OK for a layover.

I am looking at exiting I-40 at Tucumcari, NM., and picking up Hyw 54 to Guymon, OK., then 412 east. Another route I've looked at is exiting at Amarillo and taking Hyw 60 to 412.

Any feedback will be appreciated in regard to road conditions and scenery, ect. I'm sure the pace will be slower, but not as anesthetic .

Thank you

[hrhuggie]

Tom and Patty,
I dont have any suggestions, I usually just go I-40, but then again, I just want to get out of OK .
Hope you guys have a great trip, hope to see ya at Redmond in August!

[Howard Leap]

I do a lot of work in Cushing. I have thought about taking my RV there when I have an extended work schedule. I know I would not use HWY 18 to get to Cushing from I-44. There is a very narrow bridge on 18 south of Cushing that has a 7 ton weight limitation.

[Tom and Patty]

Well, we are alive today to testify that that bridge will hold 31.3K. Seriously, we navigated Hyw 18 from I-44 in the dark at midnight. I confess I never saw the sign. Is the bridge still standing

I thought we would get some feedback on Hyw 412. Some one surely has traversed it. I am wondering how many small towns we will be stopping at red lights in, and how smooth the road is.

Hugh and Cyndi, we will be using all of our vacation for this trip . next getogether will be SoCal at the delta. We are also looking hard at Albuquerque (October), and need to get our money in soon if it is not too late.

[Tom and Patty]

Just an update for those who might want to avoid I-40 in OK.

We left I-40 at Tumcumcari and traveled through Logan NM. and up to Guymon OK. Taking Hwy 412 to Tulsa. 412 is a very rough road in the Ok. Panhandle, with the expansion cracks on the highway rattling our teeth. The scenery and small towns helped make up for the roads.

I don't know if I would take 412 again, maybe we would try another 2 lane road, and still stay off I-40.

[Ray,IN]

We just drove our car to and from Las Vegas back to Indiana via I40, I44 to I70. All these interstates have been repaved and are very smooth. I had not driven I44 for about 6 years because it was so rough then. We were in a hurry so interstates were the only option. Once you enter MO, the state patrol is very heavy. I hesitate to take unknown state 2 lane highways for the roughness(and bridge limits?) you encountered.
Tom, is that glow on the trailer in the far right of your picture from a large campfire or your lights?

[Tom and Patty]

Our neighbor had lights out for the 4th also. He is an Army veteran. He flies a US flag and a POW flag every day. He is a work camper where we stay during the summer weekends.

Thanks to all our service men, women, veterans and those who have died for our freedoms.

God Bless the United States of America.

[TXiceman]

East of Tulsa, 412 has some pretty bad sections, especially the right hand lane. It is bad in the dually without a trailer.

ken