Do you ever take the "slow" road to get somewhere?

[Gary Allan]

I'd like to hear of your 'road trip' philosophy. I'm heading up to Wellsville, NY tomorrow ..and I'd normally be traveling along the route that I used to take my oldest daughter to college. You go a bit out of your way ..pay a toll ..but, naturally, travel faster. The trip is extremely boring. I-80 is pretty barren between where the NE extension of the PA turnpike meets it and Williamsport. You can safely (as far as speed enforcement) travel @ 70 mph ..but the road almost demands 90 mph to keep you awake. Now if you have a decent amount of traffic

..that may keep you entertained ..but otherwise ..it sucks.

The alternate route isn't 4 lane travel ..goes through the former coal regions ..but is 45 miles shorter and has no tolls ($4.50) ..so the economics works out.

Mapquest puts the difference at (roughly) 5 hours/265 miles vs. 6 hours/220 miles.

Seeing that my bladder isn't what it used to be, these times will be extended

There are rest room facilities on I-80.

So ..do you demand "light speed" just for the sake of light speed? Or if the hour really doesn't seem worth all that effort to save ..do you take the slow road???

In most of my trips ..there's no debate. When I go to New England ..there's not any time/distance to be saved. When I go to western PA ..I tried the slow road (Rt. 30) and really learned that mountains do exist on the eastern side of the nation ..and wonder how anything made it from point A to point B with this road as the original transcontinental thoroughfare. We have obscure, rural ..back in the woods roads that are more "advanced" than Rt. 30 in some places. It would have been interesting if it wasn't so much work.

I'm doing this trip ..as I did the others mentioned ..alone if that alters your perception at all.

 

[TallPaul]

When I have the time, I prefer the slow road. If I go out to North Dakota (and parts farther west) from Detroit I always take the slower trip through Upper Michigan. The scenery is wonderful and I get to avoid Chigago. I'll do almost anything to avoid a major metro area like Chicago. Both routes (Detroit to Fargo) are within about 15 miles of each other in total mileage.

Of course, with a motorhome, my family is well set for bladder relief, but when you travel alone, there are creative ways of handling this contingency. I keep an empty wide mouth juice bottle in my pickup truck for such occassions.

 

[eljefino]

I take my car into consideration on trips like these.

If it's all hills and potholes to avoid the interstate-- forget about it. This time of year add frost heaves and potentially lousy snow removal to the mix.

I'm more likely to take back roads closer to home, particularly to circumvent tolls. Also I get bored more easily the closer to home I am.... and am willing to try something different and check out the traffic patterns.

I fear the cliche of the small town sheriff chasing someone down with out-of-state plates. Reasonable? Maybe, maybe not. If I do a small-town out-of-state tour I always go the speed limit through the towns, usually to the chagrin of the line of cars behind me.

Computerized navigation, particularly GPS, can be a helpful assist if used properly... and of course the road to blandness or disaster if you shut your mind off. As we already have a laptop we got a delorme kit for ~$100 that has proven itself both ways.

 

[moribundman]

When traveling for pleasure, I always take the scenic route, but especially the creepy unmarked road that leads into the woods, weeds, desert or mud. I find those roads irresistable. There be dragons!

 

[Pablo]

I like the slow road in certain regions.

tip: never take the slow road on the east side of DC

I used to have a couple nice slow roads, now I just like to get the he~~ out.

It's all urine p.p.

I like to stop at small old deli's like the one on Hwy 9 south of B-ham near Acme. Da~~ I miss that.

Now it's tear through rich suburbs in Redmond to get my pimply a~~ to and from work.

I have my routes in the future.

 

[CivicFan]

I always prefer interstates as long as there is no faster alternative.

 

[moribundman]

I thought Gary was talking about "road trip philosophy" and not about non-pleasure drives. For me driving isn't about getting from A to B. It's about the journey.

PS: There's no rule that says you have to drive the scenic route slowly.

 

[Sparkman]

It depends on what vehicle I'm driving, if I'm in the Jeep or the Jetta, I'd rather drive slower due to handling and gearing respectively. I generally prefer whatever road has the least drivers on it regardless of speed. For long distances and high speed driving I usually take my wife's Subaru.

Hey if you're headed to Wellsville you must stop and get a Texas cheeseburger, onion rings, and a vanilla milkshake at the Texas Hot. Best heart-stopping fare for miles. They still have the little juke boxes at the tables, I was just there over the holidays. The cheeseburgers and Texas hots are pretty good too.

I grew up just north of Wellsville, met my lovely wife in Wellsville, I was married in Wellsville, you get the idea. Though severely economically depressed, we both hope to move back to that area when we retire, as $150k can buy a decent house on 50-100 acres.

 

[Mike242GT]

It's the "Blue Highway" philosophy, which by the way was the title of a good book by William Least Heat Moon about 20 years ago. Worth reading. Anyway, my son and I took a trip from Florida to western Oklahoma and back last summer (on 10W30 Trop Artic blend if anyone cares). Of that, probably less than 500 miles was interstate driving, and most of it was on the last day just to get home.

 

[rpn453]

As long as it's all decent paved road, I'd take the slower, shorter route in that case. I like to save gas, not pay tolls, avoid traffic, and have some scenery, so it's a no-brainer for me.

 

[moribundman]

Sorry, Texas, save Big Bend, was the one of the places where I stuck to the interstate.

 

[Gary Allan]

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Sorry, Texas, save Big Bend, was the one of the places where I stuck to the interstate.

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Well, there was the implied mandate of "in your natural lifetime" for the event to take place, mori.

 

[Gary Allan]

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I grew up just north of Wellsville, met my lovely wife in Wellsville, I was married in Wellsville, you get the idea. Though severely economically depressed, we both hope to move back to that area when we retire, as $150k can buy a decent house on 50-100 acres.

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My friends moved from here about 20 years ago to central NY. He cashed in his Snap~On tool dealership and was going into the satellite dish business (the 15' kind). He bought a 65 acre farm for about $50k at the time. Found out about sulfur water after he moved. The bottom fell out of the big dish business shortly there after. His wife started as a regular employee at Northerlights, a company that made wax figurines. They were actually candles ..since it didn't make sense to buy wax figurines

..anyway .she was really good at designing them. She now a big gear at the company ..travels to Hong Kong ..India ..lots of domestic stops too. They finally sold the farm (it wasn't in Wellsville ..but nearby). Joe, the husband, worked for Conrail for about 15 years ..then retired. He started a seasonal business selling terra cotta stuff from Mexico (they own a condo somewhere on the Gulf side). He had a stroke on one of his trips back to CNY. He's lost a good bit of function on his left side and other complications.

I've had cause recently to desire to see all the people that I was waiting for the right time to visit them. I finally figured out that I just needed to make the time ..since it's never going to be convenient. If you want to get something done ..do it now.


I'll attempt to check out the wondrous Texas burgers

 

[wavinwayne]

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When traveling for pleasure, I always take the scenic route, but especially the creepy unmarked road that leads into the woods, weeds, desert or mud. I find those roads irresistable. There be dragons!

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Around here, those same unmarked roads (minus the desert road) may be irresistable, but therein are not dragons found, but moonshine stills

& mountain folk...Seriously...Cue Banjo music.

 

[moribundman]

I'm glad I didn't post that.

 

[Benzadmiral]

As rpn453 said, as long as it's decent paved road, take the slower and more scenic route.

Sometimes the old Federal highways (U.S. nn) can be in better shape than the interstates, partly because fewer cars drive on 'em. When I moved back from Denver to NO in 2001, I got off I-25 at Raton, NM, and stayed with state and Federal highways down to Amarillo, TX, and on the second day almost all the way to Dallas. One of the best drives I've ever taken. As I approached Dallas, though, I had to get on the Interstate to circle Big D, and the pavement/concrete was bumpy and unpleasant (and the drivers acted as though they were on crack, too). Plus the back road had diners and other interesting sights.

Life's too short, etc. Enjoy it. You can always stop and restore the natural fluid balances.

 

[Trucku]

I travel on the most convenient road. When its me alone, I would go for speed and straight non stop driving. If with wife and daughter, then its bathroom stops and food. So whichever road provides what they need will be my path. Extra miles doesn't bother me when you get to look at some nice hills, mountains, farms and my favorite old vehicles just sitting in the grass for eons..lol

 

[Aldaris]

I usually take the fastest roads. I did a 2250 mile trip this past Christmas in 36 hours, no sleeping along the way, going as fast as legally allowable (85mph in 75mph zones, 74mph in 65mph zones, 65mph in 55mph zones.)

 

[moribundman]

Driving for 36 hours without sleep, eh? Well, I'm sure those cat naps while speeding were totally safe.

 

[Aldaris]

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Driving for 36 hours without sleep, eh? Well, I'm sure those cat naps while speeding were totally safe.

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Ok, well, somewhere within that 36 hour window, i dozed off at a rest area for about 20 minutes.