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Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX - Advice?

Started by salvatore, September 27, 2013, 09:22:03 PM

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salvatore

I know I posted earlier for the whole Riverside, CA to Tampa, FL via Albuquerque and Austin so I'm making this one as a separate and specific routing advices.

I'm trying to decide which routing I should take from Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX (southwestern outside city limits along U.S. 290)

I will be driving a 12 foot Penske truck (Van-like actually with box, LOL). I would be leaving Sunday November 10th. I would like to avoid going thru TOO MUCH towns (few and far between is fine). Which road is good? How's the weather like early November? Any interesting stop(s) I should try? (Both sightseeing and food).

Thanks in advance and I look forward hearing interesting suggestions!  :clap:

Salvatore


usends

Here's what I'd do:
I-40 east to Clines Corners (and if you've never stopped there, it's worth checking out).
US 285 south all the way to Ft. Stockton TX (this is 4-laned almost all the way down to the Texas line, and south of Carlsbad NM traffic is very light anyway).
I-10 east to a little beyond Junction TX.
US 290 east to your destination (this is essentially all 4-laned).
Biggest city you'd go through along this route is Roswell NM.  Weather's usually fine in November.

You could have 4-lanes all the way if you took I-40 to Amarillo; US 287 to Ft. Worth; and I-35 south to Austin.  But traffic in Ft. Worth can be bad, and I-35 is heavily-traveled all the way down to Austin (plus it's under construction in some areas), so my advice would be to avoid that.
usends.com - US highway endpoints, photos, maps, and history

The High Plains Traveler

The previous suggestion is good. You could also take I-40 east to Amarillo, pick up U.S. 287 then turn south on U.S. 83 to Abilene. From there, take U.S. 84 south and finally U.S. 183 southeast directly to Austin. This takes you through the scenic hill country, and quite a bit of the route south of Abilene is divided. Again, early November shouldn't throw any serious winter weather at you unless there is an early storm across the Clines Corners area, the highest part of your journey for either route.
"Tongue-tied and twisted; just an earth-bound misfit, I."

US81

Both routes above are good; you could also pick up US 84 near Clines Corners.

Be aware if you take US 183 all the way into Austin, you'll catch the length of the city on I-35 (or Loop 1) getting down to US 290.  Consider US 281 out of Lampasas down to Johnson City (where 281 and 290 multiplex) and then east on US 290. Scenic hill country while avoiding urban Austin.

I do not recommend TX 71 even though it might look good on the map. It's beautiful but hilly, curvy, windy, lots of traffic, not much lane separation. I wouldn't want to drive it my first time in a truck. Last time I was through, it was under construction.



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