Community Forums

Lez8ma · 01-21-2022, 10:13 AM

In the four years we have had a class C I have found state routes are much more enjoyable and better shape than the interstates. Also the state routes seem safer from a crazy driver point of view. It does take longer to drive them though. On almost every interstate long trip the roads and bridge transitions have shaken something lose that has needed fixed when I go home.

roblaura · 01-21-2022, 10:55 AM

If you want to see the US up close and personal in your RV, are in no hurry, and don't mind getting stuck behind slow moving vehicles, avoid interstates. However, depending on the size of your rig keep in mind that sharp turns at narrow intersections, overhanging tree limbs, bridges, and tunnels can be obstacles. Using the orange highlighted (RV friendly) roads in the Good Sam atlas will avoid most of these potential issues. If you want to cover a lot of distance in a shorter time, take the interstate, park your rig at a campground, and go see the sights in your tow vehicle. All that said, we often get off the interstate and take RV friendly local roads.

Barsuhn · 01-21-2022, 11:34 AM

I would like to know how to practically avoid it. I-80 from Joliet and into Indiana is the worst. Lots of traffic and despite continual construction/reconstruction/destruction, the road is the roughest we encountered from Utah to North Carolina via Michigan. I have been traveling that route for 50 years and dread it all the way from Utah.

HopsBrewster · 01-21-2022, 01:08 PM

IMO, you miss a lot of America by taking the interstates. It sort of depends upon why you're travelling... just to get from point A to point B, or to see and do things. Interstates bypass a lot of the most interesting and fun places, but go right through some of the grungiest, least desirable places at high speed.

F4Gary · 01-21-2022, 05:57 PM

OP, if you need to get there, take the Interstate. You drive a Toyota Highlander, it has a Cadillac ride compared to a motorhome or 1 ton pickup.

TheBears · 01-21-2022, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike8253

I think that if Wyoming (I'm guessing Yellowstone, Grand Teton and possibly others) is your primary destination with no or very few other enroute points of interest, then you're going to wonder why you scheduled so many driving days of your 3-week timeline to get there and back driving off-interstate. I know that when my DW and I were 1st retired, 3-weeks felt like a long trip. We quickly learned that if you only allow a small percentage of that time to really explore the places you've been dreaming about for so long, you're going to feel disappointed that you didn't plan more time to enjoy them. So, if 3-weeks is a hard limit, then minimize your drive time to get there and use the interstates. If you can give yourselves another week or so, you can do both, spend more time and drive the back roads.

Sent from my moto z3 using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

WHAT HE SAID X3

If you're retired don't be silly, stay in WY for a month - or more if you are having a good time. AND if that becomes your mindset then the amount of time to get there doesn't matter at all. We took off last spring and knew we were staying in Myrtle Beach for a month and then we had no plans really... we wound up staying out till end of Sept - 5 Months - 5000 on MH and another 5000 on Toad - we were very comfortable in our MH and having fun everywhere we stayed - and we only stayed if we were having fun.

ENJOY YOURSELVES

Wellibe · 01-22-2022, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roblaura

If you want to see the US up close and personal in your RV, are in no hurry, and don't mind getting stuck behind slow moving vehicles, avoid interstates. However, depending on the size of your rig keep in mind that sharp turns at narrow intersections, overhanging tree limbs, bridges, and tunnels can be obstacles. Using the orange highlighted (RV friendly) roads in the Good Sam atlas will avoid most of these potential issues. If you want to cover a lot of distance in a shorter time, take the interstate, park your rig at a campground, and go see the sights in your tow vehicle. All that said, we often get off the interstate and take RV friendly local roads.

I have a small rig that can get through most secondary roads, so it's mostly an issue of losing time.

Wellibe · 01-22-2022, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F4Gary

OP, if you need to get there, take the Interstate. You drive a Toyota Highlander, it has a Cadillac ride compared to a motorhome or 1 ton pickup.

Yeah, it's pretty smooth compared to our Camry, which we drove on our last cross-country trip. But the trailer definitely adds some bounce.

Wellibe · 01-22-2022, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBears

WHAT HE SAID X3

If you're retired don't be silly, stay in WY for a month - or more if you are having a good time. AND if that becomes your mindset then the amount of time to get there doesn't matter at all. We took off last spring and knew we were staying in Myrtle Beach for a month and then we had no plans really... we wound up staying out till end of Sept - 5 Months - 5000 on MH and another 5000 on Toad - we were very comfortable in our MH and having fun everywhere we stayed - and we only stayed if we were having fun.

ENJOY YOURSELVES

I appreciate the sentiment, and the thought of staying out all summer does have a certain appeal. But not realistic for us due to the need to maintain our household and other commitments. Plus there's a big difference between spending 5 months in a MH and spending 5 months in a 17-foot teardrop.

I have tentatively increased the itinerary to 3 1/2 weeks. Baby steps.

Wrktfsh · 01-22-2022, 06:54 AM

We are state route drivers when it makes sense. Our yearly 2k drive from socal to ñ Minnesota has us on state roads instead of the interstates from Nebraska to n minnesota. We calculate we lose a couple hours over a long three day run. Acceptable to us as we enjoy driving more back roads.

Larry N · 01-22-2022, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby F

Really depends on where you're driving. For me, "seeing the USA" always means starting out by "seeing Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, or Indiana, or some combination thereof."

Interstates were made for such places. You can only stop and look at so many "world's biggest ball of yarn" attractions, and if you spend enough time in small towns already, the charm wears thin.

What an enlightened reply, especially since you have to start out from MN on each trip. Isn't that where the Intergalactic Spoon Museum is located? Since many of the places you enjoy speeding thru are my favorites, I hope your viewpoint takes hold amongst all the newbies out there. I live in the Missouri Ozarks yet very much enjoy the Nebraska Sandhills, nowhere near an Interstate, I might add. Yes, you keep moving on, and take a mint on your way thru, "nothing to see here"......

Sammicic · 01-22-2022, 01:16 PM

My favorite YouTuber, Traveling Robert, prefers secondary roads to get a feel of the culture that he is traveling through. I would also stay off interstates if time wasn’t an issue mostly because I despise the reckless speed freaks on interstates!

glenthompson · 01-22-2022, 01:51 PM

I often get off the interstates, particularly when there's holiday or seasonal traffic - I-95 to Florida when the snowbirds are on the move. My preference when I can find them is 4 lane primary roads. Usually have bypasses around towns and traveling a little slower doesn't affect other traffic. It also allows us to find interesting local attractions.

An example of a route I travel frequently is Va-Ia. I-64 is the only reasonable way across WV but once past Charleston we take US-35 across Ohio. Another route I take is US-301 to parallel I-95. I find it's slower travel but I can travel longer days due to less stress on the road.

Danny Salas · 01-23-2022, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertlipp

We like the byways too. However, in the summer of 2020 we ran into several major roads through Indian reservations closed to outsiders. Very frustrating with some long last minute detours. Don’t know the situation now. Just recommending you check in advance.

Same here, returning from Black Hill SD area, we planed to go south to Badlands, Wounded Knee, Chadron and Alliance. Pine Ridge Reservation was closed to thru traffic, had to go back to I-90, boring route back to Omaha