Cal Club Autocross Forums

For the vets who have made this trip before how long does it normally take? I'm trying to plan everything out ahead of time and don't know if I should do it in one shot or make a stop somewhere in Co.

I've done 1100 mile straight shot before but it was going through Idaho and Nevada which isn't exactly a scenic trip but I don't know if going to Nebraska is any better.

Twenty something hours. Should probably plan on a stop. Grand Junction could be good, that way you're fresh for he trip over the Rockies. That also lines you up to stop in Idaho Springs for lunch at Beau-Jo's!

I'm an enduro driver, once did a straight shot from Houston to here with a 3hr traffic jam in Phonenix with no issue. The I15 to I80 was exceedingly dull even though it was the first time I've done it (I tolerate 'new' drives better), the straight shot back was nearly intolerable. I'd recommend picking a half way house to stop at.

Jay W

I like stopping in Vegas........coming and going.

I only have a 5.7 liter engine in my van, so I tow at about 65-70mph. If I leave Corona del Mar (Newport area) @ 7am, I get to Lincoln by 9pm the next night. I stay in Grand Junction (Motel 6), getting there about 9:30pm the first night - it's almost exactly half way. I have an early lunch at the aforementioned Beau Jo's on the eastern side of the Continental Divide; that includes going over the two big Colo. passes - Vail and Eisenhower Tunnel before Idaho Springs.

The miles don't seem bad at all, but I find the trick is leaving EARLY on that first day, and getting back on the road early the next day.

George Schilling wrote:I like stopping in Vegas........coming and going.

This was my initial plan but i wasn't sure if i could pull Vegas to Lincoln in a day. I'm going to be driving
Egg up there so the mountains are going to be a bit tricky but doable.

Bobby Beyer wrote:

George Schilling wrote:I like stopping in Vegas........coming and going.

This was my initial plan but i wasn't sure if i could pull Vegas to Lincoln in a day. I'm going to be driving
Egg up there so the mountains are going to be a bit tricky but doable.

No trickier than towing through those mountains. I, personally would want to cover more ground than this on the first day. A day in Vegas will make the next long day on the road REALLY long. Glad you're joining the insanity, though!
Mark D.

Bobby Beyer wrote:

George Schilling wrote:I like stopping in Vegas........coming and going.

This was my initial plan but i wasn't sure if i could pull Vegas to Lincoln in a day. I'm going to be driving
Egg up there so the mountains are going to be a bit tricky but doable.

If you're driving the egg and your first stint is a whole day's driving, I'd get as far into Colorado as you can on the first stint.

Bill Schenker wrote:The miles don't seem bad at all, but I find the trick is leaving EARLY on that first day, and getting back on the road early the next day.

We leave about 5ish. We are way out of LA before traffic picks up. Made it to Dillon, CO one day one. Stay in York the second night, then the last 50 miles early the next day.

KJ Christopher wrote:

Bill Schenker wrote:The miles don't seem bad at all, but I find the trick is leaving EARLY on that first day, and getting back on the road early the next day.

We leave about 5ish. We are way out of LA before traffic picks up. Made it to Dillon, CO one day one. Stay in York the second night, then the last 50 miles early the next day.

Dillion - nice! yeah, wish I had the discipline to get up early enough to leave @ 5am! So, What time do you get into York, and why not just push on to Lincoln? I'd imagine you'd get to Lincoln before 9:00pm?

Bill Schenker wrote:

KJ Christopher wrote:

Bill Schenker wrote:The miles don't seem bad at all, but I find the trick is leaving EARLY on that first day, and getting back on the road early the next day.

We leave about 5ish. We are way out of LA before traffic picks up. Made it to Dillon, CO one day one. Stay in York the second night, then the last 50 miles early the next day.

Dillion - nice! yeah, wish I had the discipline to get up early enough to leave @ 5am! So, What time do you get into York, and why not just push on to Lincoln? I'd imagine you'd get to Lincoln before 9:00pm?

We get to York late, I think it was 10ish, maybe later. There is a truck wash there, and we can get up, get the rig washed, then get to Lincoln in time to be in the first ten vehicles in line waiting for the gates to open.

I normally do the York rig wash and hit Lincoln in the early morning. But this year I'll need to pick up Will at the Airport at midnight on Thurs night (Fri am). So.... Where can I overnight park in Lincoln near the site?

I know there is a nice campground nearby, but it really doesn't work for me. One I'm much longer than the typical RVr so getting in and out of those parks can be tough. And most have curfews. I can't guarantee I could arrive early enough and then I'd have to unhook to get Will, then hook it all up and pull out early morning. All a no go at a paid RV resort.

Perfect would be like the lot we overnighted at outside the gates during the SpringNationals last year. Any ideas? I don't remember the truck stops near the road for how much trucker parking they have. Those are less than idea with noise and sometimes territorial truckers, but.... Oh, and I wonder how TSA feels about a 40ft trailer coming through the airport?

I like to stop in denver and then its an easy drive to lincoln from there.

Steve, I think I remember a truck stop at the Cobbler Inn, just south of 80 on 48th and 6 or 0 street...

But I'm too old to remember much of anything..

Don

Mark DeShon wrote:

Bobby Beyer wrote:

George Schilling wrote:I like stopping in Vegas........coming and going.

This was my initial plan but i wasn't sure if i could pull Vegas to Lincoln in a day. I'm going to be driving
Egg up there so the mountains are going to be a bit tricky but doable.

No trickier than towing through those mountains. I, personally would want to cover more ground than this on the first day. A day in Vegas will make the next long day on the road REALLY long. Glad you're joining the insanity, though!
Mark D.

My plan is a bit more relaxed. Hit Vegas, do some gambling, see a show, relax. Wake up, overnight in Denver, then Lincoln. On the way back, Denver, Las Vegas, try and win the money back I lost on the way out, see a show, relax, then home.

Well initial I was planning on heading to Vegas a bit later on Monday around 10-11 and leave the next day from Vegas early like 6am but its looking more and more like that's not a good idea. I've got all the time in the world to get there but am on a much stricter timeline of getting home.

I'm thinking now I might head out to Lincoln on Monday find a truck stop someplace around Denver sleep for a few hours and finish the journey in a sprint and spend Tuesday night and Wednesday recovering from the trip. The drive home is going to be tricky though Friday night stop in Denver and a Saturday marathon to get home with a stop in Vegas to break the monotony of a 16hr drive.

Steve Ekstrand wrote:Oh, and I wonder how TSA feels about a 40ft trailer coming through the airport?

We've been through Lincoln's airport at 6am with the truck and trailer multiple times... Way different experience than trying to get through LAX in a small car.

Christine Grice wrote:

Steve Ekstrand wrote:Oh, and I wonder how TSA feels about a 40ft trailer coming through the airport?

We've been through Lincoln's airport at 6am with the truck and trailer multiple times... Way different experience than trying to get through LAX in a small car.

Thanks Christine!

Last year we took I-80 to avoid some of the major climbing. Met up with Mark D. and Lisa B. at the bottom of Cajon Pass aprox 6:30. We made it to Rock Springs WY at a reasonable hour. We were in Lincoln the next afternoon.
I think we'll take the same route this year, but leave the preceding afternoon and make it a 2 night trip so we can do the Alpine Slide in Park City UT.

Which route is likely to have less highway patrol on it? the I-80 through Wyoming or the I-70 through Colorado? Its a 50 mile difference but if I can average an extra 15 mph it might be worth it.

Bobby Beyer wrote:Which route is likely to have less highway patrol on it? the I-80 through Wyoming or the I-70 through Colorado? Its a 50 mile difference but if I can average an extra 15 mph it might be worth it.

I-80.......flat & boring.

I-70.......some of the nicest scenery in the country.

Seb & Bobby, the climb is worth it. ;)

Bobby Beyer wrote:Which route is likely to have less highway patrol on it? the I-80 through Wyoming or the I-70 through Colorado? Its a 50 mile difference but if I can average an extra 15 mph it might be worth it.

I've haven't towed I-80 in decades so I don't remember much. The I-70 over the Rockies does have some reduced speed limits for sections. I-15 thru Utah is a rocketship ride.
I'm tempted to try 80. The gas station stops for my huge rig on 70 are a little dicey. The roundabouts are crazy in a 3/4 scale semi. But I so love both Eastern Utah and the Rockies. Just amazing. Problem of course is hitting all the good stuff in day light when its the middle of the trip.

Sebastian Rios wrote:Last year we took I-80 to avoid some of the major climbing. Met up with Mark D. and Lisa B. at the bottom of Cajon Pass aprox 6:30. We made it to Rock Springs WY at a reasonable hour. We were in Lincoln the next afternoon.
I think we'll take the same route this year, but leave the preceding afternoon and make it a 2 night trip so we can do the Alpine Slide in Park City UT.

Alpine slide is sooooooo much fun!

Kurt Rahn wrote:

Sebastian Rios wrote:Last year we took I-80 to avoid some of the major climbing. Met up with Mark D. and Lisa B. at the bottom of Cajon Pass aprox 6:30. We made it to Rock Springs WY at a reasonable hour. We were in Lincoln the next afternoon.
I think we'll take the same route this year, but leave the preceding afternoon and make it a 2 night trip so we can do the Alpine Slide in Park City UT.

Alpine slide is sooooooo much fun!

But isn't Park City a bit far to go for that? We have one right here in Big Bear. Seb, take 74 and enjoy the scenery we'll fly to Big Bear for the slides.

I've done I-70 plenty of times, it's nice, but just another drive now.

Last time I flew to Big Bear was with a school friend (third grade?). We hit some bad air and he was so scared he actually ripped the armrest cushion from the seat.
Besides, this one in UT is one of the longest in the world!