Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > CAMPING, TRAVEL and TRIP PLANNING > Navigation, Routes & Roads
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-09-2011, 05:18 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Pensacola Beach, Florida
Posts: 248
Pensacola to Badlands - avoiding I-29

We leave August 25th and had received good advice about the best route that suited our wants/needs- pushing hard to get there, then slowing down to enjoy the sites. But that was prior to the flooding throughout much of that area. Our planned route had been:

Pensacola, FL to Interior, SD via Jackson, MS; Little Rock, AR; picking up US 71 at Joplin, MO joining I-29 at Kansas City. Stay on I-29 to I-90, then I-90 to the exit for the Badlands.

Latest DOT reports and info on safetravelusa.com, show parts of I-29 still closed due to flooding. Since this is our first trip up that way, we aren't familiar with alternative routes. Have no desire to get into detours and single lanes (for bridge repairs) if we can avoid it.

Now we're thinking about keeping the route as it was, to 43 miles north of Kansas City on I-29. That would put us in St. Joseph, MO where we'd exit onto US 36 heading west. Right now they aren't showing any problems along that stretch of I-29.

We'd stay on US 36 until we reached US 81 in Belleville, KS and turn north. It's about 75 miles north of that turn, that Tom and I are divided on what to do.

Option 1 - Stay on US 81 all the way to I-90, then west on I-90 to the Badlands.

Option 2 - Stay on US 81 until we reach I-80. Hop on I-80 for about 40 miles until we reach the Grand Island, NE/US 281 exit, then get on Route 2 (Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway) until it intersects with US 83. Get on US 83 to I-90 to Badlands.

Option 3 - Follow Option 2 as far as Grand Island but take Routes 11 and 91 (the Loups River Scenic Byway) to Dunning where we'd pick up Route 2 and then US 83.

Any advice on any part of this plan is welcome. Also, if you know a better way to get from point A (Pensacola) to point B (The Badlands), that advice is welcome too. As I said, we've never driven any of this past Jackson. And while getting there as quickly as possible is important, we'd also like to enjoy the ride and have something interesting, or scenic, to see along the way. On our vacations we're always scouting for places to return to for a real "visit."

Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to be as clear as possible.

Thanks again for helping 2 newbies get off to a good start on their first long trip.
__________________
Fran & Tom/ 2 rescue cats - BP (2015), Peaches (2003) & in spirit - Aja (1996-2014), Tipper (2002-2017), and Snippet (2002-2020). 2011 Winnebago Vista 30W/2008, 4 door Wrangler 4X4
Floridafran is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-09-2011, 10:03 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
skigramp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HOME: Oshkosh, WI
Posts: 2,102
I live in Wisconsin now ... but lived the first 25 years of my life in Nebraska ... and began my teaching career in the sandhills of Nebraska (Burwell) ... I have travelled most of the roads that you mention.

My choise would be your Option 3. There is an article in the most recent Motorhome magazine about the Loup River Scenic route ...

There is a very nice overnight spot at the intersection of I-80 and US-281 (just south of Grand Island) ... it is a State Recreation area ... nice sites (some pull throughs) with 30 and 50 amps ... water and a dump station ... the name of the place is Mormon Island ...

There is also a nice little campground just east (about 2 miles) from Burwell ... very low key ... and gigantic sites ... Willow Springs (308-728-5337

At Dunning you will come to Nebraska National forest ... this was started by one man years ago ... and Valentine is a very interesting and amazingly beautiful place ... there is a bison and elk herd south of town ...
__________________
2012 Buick Enclave
Present At home Home: Oshkosh, WI

former owner 2004 Winnebago Journey 39W
skigramp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 01:33 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Pensacola Beach, Florida
Posts: 248
skigramp,

Thank you for your detailed reply. It was the Motorhome magazine article that started me thinking about which route to take when avoiding I-29.

I keep discovering more and more interesting things to see and do in Nebraska. I have to confess, I've never been there and that my perception of the state was wrong. We won't have time to do much more than enjoy the changing scenery on this trip as we drive though, but I've found plenty of reasons to return and spend some time there.
__________________
Fran & Tom/ 2 rescue cats - BP (2015), Peaches (2003) & in spirit - Aja (1996-2014), Tipper (2002-2017), and Snippet (2002-2020). 2011 Winnebago Vista 30W/2008, 4 door Wrangler 4X4
Floridafran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 06:24 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
skigramp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HOME: Oshkosh, WI
Posts: 2,102
I assume that at some time while you are in the Badlands that you will go to Wall Drug ... if you do the best thing there is the gallery of "the way that it used to be" photos that are way in the back ... way back by the dinosaur ... I spent an hour looking at them ... I would have spent longer but my copilot was getting ansy to move on ... sooo we moved on ...
__________________
2012 Buick Enclave
Present At home Home: Oshkosh, WI

former owner 2004 Winnebago Journey 39W
skigramp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 04:46 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Pensacola Beach, Florida
Posts: 248
skigramp,

Don't know if we'll hit Wall Drug or not, but thanks for the info on the old photos. That's more along the line of what we'd be interested in.
__________________
Fran & Tom/ 2 rescue cats - BP (2015), Peaches (2003) & in spirit - Aja (1996-2014), Tipper (2002-2017), and Snippet (2002-2020). 2011 Winnebago Vista 30W/2008, 4 door Wrangler 4X4
Floridafran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2011, 02:07 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
DAN L's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,976
Quote:
Originally Posted by Floridafran View Post
skigramp,

Don't know if we'll hit Wall Drug or not, but thanks for the info on the old photos. That's more along the line of what we'd be interested in.
does wall drug still have free ice water?
__________________
01 WINNEBAGO 35U W20.8.1L 5sp allison SW Wa,. Good Sam, SKP. RVM 198 AMSOIL fluids. BANKS ecm program. SCAN GAUGE II w/ Ally temp. 2 LIFELINE GPL-6CT AGM Batts on their sides. Michelins, TST tptts. K&N panel air filter. AERO mufflers. TAYLOR plug wires. ULTRA POWER track bar. KONI fsd shocks, toad '21MB GLA FWD on dolly
DAN L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2011, 09:20 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
skigramp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HOME: Oshkosh, WI
Posts: 2,102
Website for Wall Drug

==> walldrug.com
__________________
2012 Buick Enclave
Present At home Home: Oshkosh, WI

former owner 2004 Winnebago Journey 39W
skigramp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2011, 09:38 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Our Time's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ft Myers Fl / Omaha Ne
Posts: 617
Option 3 is your best bet. Don't plan on I 29 this year. Flooding continues and this mornings report reveals extensive damage to I 29 at the Missouri/Iowa border to Sioux City, Iowa.
A trip to the Badlands has to include a stop in the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore.
__________________
Chuck & Mary
2008 Monaco Diplomat 40 SKQ
2008 Enclave Toad
Our Time is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2011, 07:10 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Pensacola Beach, Florida
Posts: 248
Never fear, Our Time. The Badlands are just the first stop on our adventure. After that we'll spend a few days in the Blackhills area to see Rushmore, Devils Tower, and other things I've found to see/do. Then we're off to Glacier, Yellowstone, etc. We'll end our wanderings in the SW part of Colorado in the Ouray/Silverton/Telluride/Durango areas to get in some back-road time in the Jeep before heading back home to Florida.

And thanks for your suggestion as to which route we should take. Looks like I-29 is going to be a problem for awhile.
__________________
Fran & Tom/ 2 rescue cats - BP (2015), Peaches (2003) & in spirit - Aja (1996-2014), Tipper (2002-2017), and Snippet (2002-2020). 2011 Winnebago Vista 30W/2008, 4 door Wrangler 4X4
Floridafran is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pensacola questions smlranger Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 5 07-30-2011 01:12 PM
Pensacola to Glacier & beyond Floridafran Navigation, Routes & Roads 14 04-06-2011 02:19 PM
Gulf Coast RV Parks(Gulf Shores AL -Pensacola Fl) Texun1 Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 10 01-02-2011 09:26 PM
Fort Pickens and NAS, Pensacola, Fl. expo Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 10 12-07-2010 02:17 PM
Fort Pickens in Pensacola FL Don (W5IT) Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 1 06-29-2010 06:47 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:48 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.