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Your dream road trips

Started by index, September 11, 2018, 01:06:14 AM

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I'd post in the 'road trips' board but I don't know if hypothetical road trips that probably will never come to fruition count, due to the board description. Staff, please move if it is better suited for that board.


Anyway, a friend and I were talking about road trips and a few dream ones we'd like to take. Here's a rough idea of what I came up with, nothing that detailed like specific routes, but generally I'd avoid Interstates and go off the beaten path. Ideally I'd spend a few days in all the major destinations.


Start: Charlotte, NC
Charleston, WV
Wheeling, WV
Put-In-Bay, OH & Kelleys Island, OH
Tour U.P. of Michigan, north coast - places like Marquette and Copper Harbor
Duluth, MN
Follow I-90 to Seattle
Take State Ferry network around the islands of WA
Take I-90 E, down to I-82 then Kennewick
Tour Columbia river to Astoria
Drive down Oregon Coast, visit iconic bridges
Drive down Calif. Coast, stop in San Fran for bridges
Tour the marshy, low-lying area between SF and Sacramento, take ferries and bridges on the rivers
Go back to SF & continue drive down Calif. Coast
When reaching San Diego, go north to Vegas, I-15, tour Hoover Dam
Stop in St. George, UT, take I-70 to Grand Junction then take non-Interstate route through Rocky Mountains
Go south to Albuquerque, El Paso
Cross Texas to Louisiana
Tour the Gulf Coast, staying close as possible to it with local routes
Go down Florida, through places like Tampa, Marco Island, make way to Key West
Go up Florida East Coast
Head to Morehead City, NC, then Cedar Island
Clinch NC 12
Take the long route to New York City, take Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Go up to Maine, stop in Fort Kent
Make way to St John's, NL
Make way to Labrador City, NL
Drive across Canada to Thunder Bay, ON
Drive to Vancouver, BC
Go to Vancouver Island, travel its East Coast up and down
Take mainland route to Prince Rupert, BC
Start Alaska Marine Highway, travel entire length from Prince Rupert onward to Unalaska
Go to Anchorage, Fairbanks, then up to Prudhoe Bay
Make my way home
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled


707

Dream road trips. Thats a toughie. My Dad and I do road trips every year and have knocked out quite a few of my dream ones. As it stands now, the Alaska Highway because I doubt I might ever be able to do it, bit it looks really fun. Also California's Ridge Route which very well may never be fully open to traffic ever again. Especially now that Harrison Scott gave up on fighting to reopen it. Maybe someday by bike? I live not too unreasonably far away in Arizona. The Lincoln Highway was the third on the list, but we will be tackling that next year. US 6 may be another struck off the list given Dad and I might do that one too.

As it stands, we have accomplished modern US 101, the US 1 Overseas Highway, US 66 full way twice, old US 99 border to border and old US 80 coast to coast. All of those were once dream road trips but became reality.

VS988


CNGL-Leudimin

All the way to Beijing and back :sombrero:.

Also, if I make my way to the USA I'd like to explore off the beaten path areas in addition to the well known routes.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

webny99

Once PA's I-95/I-276 interchange is complete, I'd like to drive the entire length of I-95 from Florida to the Canadian border.

Henry

Well, I'd try to go through all 48 states in one shot, with Seattle as my starting point. Keep in mind that some doubling back may be involved, but this would be my route:

I-90 east to I-82 (WA)
I-82 east to I-84 (WA, OR)
I-84 east to I-86 (OR, ID)
I-86 east to I-15 (ID, MT)
I-90 east to I-29 (MT, WY, SD)
I-29 north to I-94 (SD, ND)
I-94 east to I-196 (ND, MN, WI, ID, IN, MI)
I-196 east to I-96 (MI)
I-96 east to I-69 (MI)
I-69 east to I-94 (MI)
I-94 west to I-75 (MI)
I-75 south to I-595 (MI, OH, KY, TN, GA, FL)
I-595 east to I-95 south (FL)
I-95 north to I-26 (FL, GA, SC)
I-26 west to I-77 (SC)
I-77 north to I-90 (SC, NC, VA, WV, OH)
I-90 east to I-91 (OH, PA, NY, MA)
I-91 north to I-89 (MA, VT)
I-89 north to the end (VT)
I-89 south to I-93 (VT, NH)
I-93 south to NH 101 (NH)
NH 101 east to I-95 (NH)
I-95 north to the end (NH, ME)
I-95 south to I-85 (ME, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA)
I-85 south to I-65 (VA, NC, SC, GA, AL)
I-65 south to I-10 (AL)
I-10 west to I-55 (AL, MS, LA)
I-55 north to I-70 (LA, MS, TN, AR, MO)
I-70 west to I-35 (MO)
I-35 north to I-80 (MO, IA)
I-80 west to I-76 (IA, NE)
I-76 west to I-25 (NE, CO)
I-25 south to I-70 (CO)
I-70 east to I-135 (CO, KS)
I-135 south to I-35 (KS)
I-35 south to I-45 (KS, OK, TX)
I-45 south to I-10 (TX)
I-10 west to I-15 (TX, NM, AZ, CA)
I-15 north to I-80 (CA, NV, UT)
I-80 west to I-5 (UT, NV, CA)
I-5 north to I-90 (CA, OR, WA)
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

freebrickproductions

Would be fun to take several weeks off and just be able to drive across the US and railfan at various locations, IMHO.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

nexus73

Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree.  I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.

For a second choice I would consider turning right in Newport OR and taking US 20 to the eastern end. 

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

Max Rockatansky

Anything that hits 8-12 National Parks and traverses less than 300 miles of freeway generally meets the criteria for me regarding a "dream trip."    That said I would like to drive all existing surface segments of US 66 east to Chicago over a solid 10 days. 

vdeane

Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree.  I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
Not including the remainder of US 1 to Fort Kent?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Rothman

A few come immediately to mind:

--Travel the entirety of US 202.
--I've had this idea of doing a "perimeter" drive around the contiguous 48 states -- a route in the counties along the north border, Pacific Coast, down to Texas' RGV, along the Gulf Coast and back.  Pick up a bunch of counties and see a bunch of stuff.
--Doing a drive up to Tuktoyaktuk would be something of a dream trip, although I am a little daunted by the lack of services.
--Drive from Berlin to Trieste and Dubrovnik.
--Want to drive across the Niobrara Valley at some point.

Just in general, I am looking forward to the day where I am able to just live in a trailer and be a nomad.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

CNGL-Leudimin

Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree.  I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.

Rick

Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

TheHighwayMan3561

Hmm. I finished my two "dream" trips in one shot when I clinched both I-35 and US 61 a few days apart a couple years ago, although I plan on returning to 61 and doing that in its entirety again eventually.

The Lake Superior Circle Tour is the one thing I must do still that I haven't. I'd like to do a "coast to coast" trip, but being in the middle of the country makes that perhaps unnecessarily annoying.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

nexus73

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on September 12, 2018, 04:05:49 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree.  I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.

Rick

Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.

Okay, so I don't know where the end of the road is...LOL!  That'll make things more interesting when I drive the damned thing!  Heck, I have never even been on the East Coast before so sue me.

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: nexus73 on September 12, 2018, 09:37:17 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on September 12, 2018, 04:05:49 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree.  I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.

Rick


Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.

Okay, so I don't know where the end of the road is...LOL!  That'll make things more interesting when I drive the damned thing!  Heck, I have never even been on the East Coast before so sue me.

Rick

You ought to be able to completely clinch US 41 if you were inclined to start from US 1 in Miami.  US 41 has some interesting surface segments like; The Tamiami Trail, Kewenhaw Peninsula, and Lake Shore Drive.

SP Cook

My dream trip.  Assuming I will be retired and living in gulf coast Florida by then.

I-75 North to Cincinnati,
I-74 West to Bloomington, IL,
I-39 North to Rockford, IL,
I-90 West to merger with I-94 West,
I-94 West to Fargo,
I-29 North to Pembina, ND,
MB 75 North to Winnipeg,
TCH/MB 1 West to MacDonald, MB.
Yellowhead Route/MB16/SK 16/AB West 16 to Edmonton,
AB 43/BC 2 West to Dawson Creek, BC,
Alaska Highway to Delta Junction, AK,
AK 2 West to Fairbanks,
Haul Road North as far as legally allowed,
Return to Fairbanks,
AK 3 South to Palmer,
AK 1 South to Anchorage.

Sell vehicle, fly home.


corco

I have a few, but I've done a pretty good job crossing stuff off my list at this point - the main ones I have left are trips that will have to wait for retirement because as a working stiff I'm not going to get enough time off

1. Paris to Istanbul over the course of a couple months
2. Cross-Canada, avoiding the TCH as possible
3. Some good old- fashioned 48 state entirely off interstate drive
4. Clinching some of the major US Routes in one swoop
5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless

MantyMadTown

I have a ton of dream road trips because I don't own a car yet and I haven't had a ton of real driving experience (I've never even driven out of state!), but one of my dream road trips would be to do a classic coast-to-coast drive, starting from Wisconsin, driving to one coast and then the other, while generally avoiding interstates, going on all the scenic routes I can, and stopping at all the major tourist attractions and national parks along the way.
Forget the I-41 haters

MantyMadTown

Another dream road trip I have (which is probably unrealistic) is driving on the entire Quebec Route 138 when hopefully the entire route is connected (there is currently a gap from Kegashka to Vieux-Fort), and then driving the bridge/tunnel between Newfoundland and Labrador if it ever gets built. Then I would drive around Newfoundland, take a ferry to Nova Scotia, and drive around the rest of the Maritimes.
Forget the I-41 haters

abefroman329

Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.

jon daly

Road trip? I think a riverboat cruise would be dreamier. My late friend Irish Bill had his wedding reception on a Connecticut River boat, but I'd like to check out the Mississippi. It's more relaxing than driving and more scenic than Amtrak.

hbelkins

The big one I really would like to do is finish off US 60. I need from just west of the MO/OK border to the route's western terminus.

I'd also like to do that "drive the perimeter of Kentucky's state border both within and outside the state" trip that was discussed in another thread.

Outside that, any long road trip that would allow me to clinch routes and visit states and counties would be fine with me.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

corco

Quote from: abefroman329 on September 12, 2018, 07:09:15 PM
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.

They already generally do, and I've found that the state department warnings for the last couple years, particularly in Latin America, have been really paranoid compared to the ones Canada and the UK put out so I rely on those.

Bruce

Drive to every small town in the Northwest and ride the closest thing they have to transit. Would also involve a lot of road clinches, of course.

abefroman329

Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 11:43:47 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on September 12, 2018, 07:09:15 PM
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.

They already generally do, and I've found that the state department warnings for the last couple years, particularly in Latin America, have been really paranoid compared to the ones Canada and the UK put out so I rely on those.
The discrepancies in travel warnings are because criminals in Latin America are far more interested in harming citizens of the USA than Britons or Canadians, not "paranoia."  It's not like Al Qaeda or ISIS, where they hate all Westerners more or less equally.

wphiii

Every winter I spend an unhealthy amount of time putting together an itinerary by car for the following summer that would allow me to see a game at the home park of every full-season Minor League Baseball team, plus whatever short-season clubs I can fit in. If, just once, I ever had the wherewithal to carry it out, I think I could die happy.

Somewhat more feasibly, I'd most like to spend a couple of weeks making a loop around the Great Plains, Mountain West, and Pacific Northwest. ND, SD, NE, ID, MT are the only continental states I haven't been to, and I've only been to IA, KS, WY, NV, AZ, WA once each. So much stuff out there I'd love to see.



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