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My CO-OH Round Trip Complete

Started by thenetwork, July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM

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thenetwork

Just finished up an over 4000 mile round trip from Western Colorado to Ohio and back again.  Eastbound via I-70/I-71 and Westbound via I-94/I-88/I-80/I-76, roughly.

Some of my final thoughts about the trip in general:

- Those flyover states in America's heartland (KS, IA, NE, CO) are HUGE.  No wonder why I felt like time was flying when driving through IL, IN, MI and OH!!

- For all the driving I did, there really wasn't much major construction.  The only pain-in-the-ass state was Illinois.  I-70 was a bear to drive with constant construction and people seemingly not used to the new 70 MPH zones.  Most idiots drivers would barely make it to 75 in the left lane most of the time, yet in Chicagoland, 75 MPH+ was the norm.

- Saw a couple of Valero/Stuckey marts along I-70 in Missouri.  Not as good as the original Stuckeys, but the tradition continues (and there are still a lot of former Stuckey buildings standing in Kansas and the Midwest.

- I'm still pissed at how much more the Tollways around Chicago charge for non EZ-Pass holders -- TWICE the tolls of transponder-holders.  Unfortunately, I was at that catch 22 where the price of a transponder plus fund-loading = cash tolls.  I went with the latter since I don't know when I'll return to the land of tolls.

-  Nebraska and I-80 was a more scenic drive than I-70 across Kansas.  A little more traffic, but...

- Drivers are much more courteous WEST of the Mississippi River.  The stress level changed as soon as you cross the big river (exception being the St. Louis Area).  Same can be said for driving in general -- roads were a lot smoother and better maintained than in Illinois and points east (exception being I-71 between Columbus and just south of Cleveland).

- Loved the new bridge and Interstate alignments across the river in St. Lou. 

- I didn't get a chance to ride the Elgin/O'Hare one last time as a free road, but I did finally clinch I-88 in Illinois, as well as I-76 in NE and CO.

- The West Shoreway conversion from freeway to boulevard in Cleveland is slowly moving along.  The second bridge over the Cuyahoga River on the Innerbelt probably will not be opened to traffic until at least August.

- I was surprised how good I was going on I-94 thru Michigan.  Not as much traffic or fast drivers, but this was a late morning on a Tuesday that I drove it.

- The I-275/I-96 reconstruction project is nearing completion for the southbound/eastbound lanes between I-696 and M-14.  Haggerty Road and Farmington Road had a noticeable increase in detoured traffic Southbound as well as I-96 westbound traffic.

-  Surprisingly, the highest and most varied gas prices were in Ohio, averaging up to 2.69/gallon in parts of Columbus and down to $2.09 in parts of Cleveland, with gas under $2.00 in parts of Missouri & Nebraska.  Overall the average was in the $2.29-$2.39 range.

Overall, glad to be home and glad not to have a steering wheel in front of me most of the day.




Max Rockatansky

Reading all that one thought came to mind....how long would it take to use nothing but US 24 to reach Detroit? 

thenetwork

I did nothing but US-6 from Gary, IN to Grand Junction, CO 10 years ago, which is a similar cross-country path.  IIRC, it took about 3-4 days to make the trek, with limited stops/sightseeing.  I took a whole mess of photos and put them on discs, and for the last 10 years they have been hiding in a box somewhere in my garage.  Someday, I will find them and post them.



paulthemapguy

An assortment of quick responses...

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
Just finished up an over 4000 mile round trip from Western Colorado to Ohio and back again.  Eastbound via I-70/I-71 and Westbound via I-94/I-88/I-80/I-76, roughly.

So you used I-88 through Illinois instead of I-80, eh?  Any particular reason why?  Jw  :D

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- Those flyover states in America's heartland (KS, IA, NE, CO) are HUGE.  No wonder why I felt like time was flying when driving through IL, IN, MI and OH!!

The Plains states always feel like it takes FOREVER to get across them.  IA and NE are excruciating (haven't done I-70 through KS/CO yet personally)

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- For all the driving I did, there really wasn't much major construction.  The only pain-in-the-ass state was Illinois.  I-70 was a bear to drive with constant construction and people seemingly not used to the new 70 MPH zones.  Most idiots drivers would barely make it to 75 in the left lane most of the time, yet in Chicagoland, 75 MPH+ was the norm.

People in Chicagoland have insanely long commute times as a norm, so people want to waste as little time as possible getting from point A to point B.  People in rural areas tend to take it slower anyways, as you already probably know.

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- I'm still pissed at how much more the Tollways around Chicago charge for non EZ-Pass holders -- TWICE the tolls of transponder-holders.  Unfortunately, I was at that catch 22 where the price of a transponder plus fund-loading = cash tolls.  I went with the latter since I don't know when I'll return to the land of tolls.

Yeah that's a dick move on the part of the Tollway Authority.  I feel bad for out-of-staters.  However, my buddy from toll-free Columbus, OH got an EZ-Pass just for when he visits his family and friends via the tollways.  It might not be a bad idea even if you only use it a couple times a year.  Emphasis on "might not be"...Idk for sure.

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
-  Nebraska and I-80 was a more scenic drive than I-70 across Kansas.  A little more traffic, but...

I'm amazed.  Somehow, a drive that's WORSE than I-80 through Nebraska?  I might have to drive through Kansas now, just to understand the horror...

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- Loved the new bridge and Interstate alignments across the river in St. Lou. 

YES!  Love how that turned out.

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
-  Surprisingly, the highest and most varied gas prices were in Ohio, averaging up to 2.69/gallon in parts of Columbus and down to $2.09 in parts of Cleveland, with gas under $2.00 in parts of Missouri & Nebraska.  Overall the average was in the $2.29-$2.39 range.

Probably an indication you didn't get gas in the Chicago area  :D
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

thenetwork

#4
Quote from: paulthemapguy on July 06, 2016, 09:04:07 PM
An assortment of quick responses...

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
Just finished up an over 4000 mile round trip from Western Colorado to Ohio and back again.  Eastbound via I-70/I-71 and Westbound via I-94/I-88/I-80/I-76, roughly.

So you used I-88 through Illinois instead of I-80, eh?  Any particular reason why?  Jw  :D

Wanted to clinch I-88, plus since we decided not to spend more than an hour driving around Downtown Chicago ($28 just to park at Navy Pier now??) we wanted to start making tracks back home to Colorado and shorten our daily driving times. 

Quote from: paulthemapguy on July 06, 2016, 09:04:07 PM

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- I'm still pissed at how much more the Tollways around Chicago charge for non EZ-Pass holders -- TWICE the tolls of transponder-holders.  Unfortunately, I was at that catch 22 where the price of a transponder plus fund-loading = cash tolls.  I went with the latter since I don't know when I'll return to the land of tolls.

Yeah that's a dick move on the part of the Tollway Authority.  I feel bad for out-of-staters.  However, my buddy from toll-free Columbus, OH got an EZ-Pass just for when he visits his family and friends via the tollways.  It might not be a bad idea even if you only use it a couple times a year.  Emphasis on "might not be"...Idk for sure.

Since it has been 9 years since I've been back to the Midwest, and not sure when the next time I'd be back again, the "spend the $15-20 on a transponder instead of cash and having $8-10 remaining on it when I got home, not knowing when I'd use it again while the remaining cash would whittle away in admin fees anyway" wasn't really worth it.  6 of one or 1/2 dozen of the other.

Quote from: paulthemapguy on July 06, 2016, 09:04:07 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
-  Nebraska and I-80 was a more scenic drive than I-70 across Kansas.  A little more traffic, but...

I'm amazed.  Somehow, a drive that's WORSE than I-80 through Nebraska?  I might have to drive through Kansas now, just to understand the horror...

But at least in Nebraska, you are paralleling the Platte River, so there is a bit more greenery and civilization than along I-70 in Kansas, at least west of Hays.

Quote from: paulthemapguy on July 06, 2016, 09:04:07 PM

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
- Loved the new bridge and Interstate alignments across the river in St. Lou. 

YES!  Love how that turned out.

Quote from: thenetwork on July 04, 2016, 06:27:22 PM
-  Surprisingly, the highest and most varied gas prices were in Ohio, averaging up to 2.69/gallon in parts of Columbus and down to $2.09 in parts of Cleveland, with gas under $2.00 in parts of Missouri & Nebraska.  Overall the average was in the $2.29-$2.39 range.

Probably an indication you didn't get gas in the Chicago area  :D

Darn Skippy!!!  ;-P



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