Hi All

The wife, Gidget our Westie and I are planning a trip in the Mini from Orlando Florida to Durango Colorado in Sept.

Yahoo Maps wants me to run 287 out of Dallas all the way to Amarillo Tx. While this is a 4 lane road, it's not an interstate and I'm sure will be going through little towns with lots of city cops.

My question is, wouldn't it be quicker to take 35 north out of Dallas to Oklahoma City to catch I-40 west? It may be a hundred miles further, but won't I be able to run 70 -80 mph? I'll probably be doing good to average 40mph on 287.

Or is it better to just take I-10 all the way to El Paso and then I-25 north to I-40?

 

287 is not slow and there aren't that many small towns. I use a more scenic route that's shorter distance wise if you're coming in on I10 east of Houston but it involves a lot of road numbers and takes your through Lubbock, Clovis and Santa Rosa before joining I40 in NM.

 

If you take 287, take a bottle of glass cleaner and paper towels - the bugs can be pretty bad - especially around dusk!

 

Thank you for the reply.

5,000 miles in 17 days. it ought to be a blast.

At least for me!

 

287 is boring and you're going out of your way to get to I40. I went that way when I moved out to NM fm SE Texas 9 yrs ago. About 1100 miles fm Beaumont to Albuquerque that way. The route I use now is 950 miles, more scenic, most roads are 70mph. Quick route assuming you're heading west on I10 into Tex from Florida:
Loop 610 around Houston, exit on 290 heading toward Austin. Take 183 to Lampasas. 183/84 to Brownwood, Abilene. I20 at Abilene to Sweetwater, then back on 84 to Lubbock and on to New Mexico. 84 to Clovis then Fort Sumner and on to Santa Rosa. Pick up I40 west at Santa Rosa to Albquerque. I25 North at Alb on to Colorado.

Going to Oklahoma to get to I40 is way out of the way.

I10 to I25 is soooo boring....

Hope this helps. See the country in that Mini besides, Texas hill country is beautiful. Happy motoring...

 

Houston through Lubbock is a more direct line and it get away from going through Dallas but there seems like a lot of two lane road.


I'll have to ponder this idea. Might be the best yet

Thanks

 

There is a lot of two lane but its good road and most have wide shoulders or passing lanes. Most of the road is 70mph posted. Also most of that route isn't heavily traveled or has a lot of truck traffic. Radar detector helps you fly low.....Be careful when you get to New Mexico because between Fort Sumner and Santa Rosa the speed limit is posted at 65 and sometimes the NM state troopers prowl. Doing 70 is safe but not 80....I got a warning there once. I've driven this route 4 times going home and will do so again this summer. Takes about 14-16 hrs depending on how many times you have to stop for gas/food. Try to avoid hitting Austin or Houston at peak hours (morning/afternoon work rush or lunch time) traffic will be slower.
Have a safe trip.

 

That's 14-16 hours from where to where?