Some takeaways from 1760 mile drive cross country

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

i hitchhiked from omaha to kansas city one friday night. standing out in the middle of nowhere in kansas in the middle of the night waiting on a ride, totally flat horizon any direction, no houses, no lights except the stars. sometimes waiting an hour or longer for a car to come by. it was surreal, like being on the moon. i took a greyhound back to omaha.

Better to read about you here—than watch you on a an episode of Dateline

 

[NociHTTP]

Went on a cross country road trip in 1986 when I was 8 years old. Loved it as a kid and to this day one of my traveling goals when I retire is to make many more trips out west. I’ve done it four times total and love the experience.

One day I plan to drive as much of the old Route 66 I can (skipping the places where I might get shot. Looking at you East St Louis). Would love to visit all the road road side attractions.

I’ve made several trips to New England but nothing beats the open road heading west.

I love travelling to the New England area. The landscape and houses are so pretty. I've never been out past the midwest. I picture it being nothing, drab colors, dust. But a lot of people live out that way

 

[christophero]

I live in Washington state, was raised in NY. One thing that surprised me is how sparsely populated the west is once you get past Minnesota.

 

[WayneDougan]

Eastern Colorado seemed worse than Kansas. Both flat, but Kansas had some grass. Colorado had dirt.

Indiana was depressing. Like the color had been drained out of everything and civilizations along the way didn't help.

For those going West, Southern Utah is the pinnacle for driving.

Colorado is low key ugly. Including the mountains.

 

[chroix]

Colorado is low key ugly. Including the mountains.

What the hell? Name somewhere you think is scenic? Eastern Colorado is dogshit but the San Juans and Rockies are some of the most scenic places on Earth.

 

[jmalone7us]

Eastern Colorado seemed worse than Kansas. Both flat, but Kansas had some grass. Colorado had dirt.

Indiana was depressing. Like the color had been drained out of everything and civilizations along the way didn't help.

For those going West, Southern Utah is the pinnacle for driving.

Southern Utah had some nice sights (loved Bryce Canyon) but the drive from Red Lodge Montana into Yellowstone on the Beartooth Highway was the highlight of my trip during our two week tour of the west in 2018. My other favorite spots were western South Dakota starting at The Badlands going into the Mount Rushmore area, Devils Tower in eastern Wyoming, Battle of Little Bighorn Battlefield and the Grand Tetons. By the time we hit the Grand Canyon everyone was pissed at each other and ready to go home. Ha ha! Plan on going back out to Montana in the next month or two to see Glacier National Park.

 

[vhcat70]

Southern Utah had some nice sights (loved Bryce Canyon) but the drive from Red Lodge Montana into Yellowstone on the Beartooth Highway was the highlight of my trip during our two week tour of the west in 2018. My other favorite spots were western South Dakota starting at The Badlands going into the Mount Rushmore area, Devils Tower in eastern Wyoming, Battle of Little Bighorn Battlefield and the Grand Tetons. By the time we hit the Grand Canyon everyone was pissed at each other and ready to go home. Ha ha! Plan on going back out to Montana in the next month or two to see Glacier National Park.

Been to every place you listed except the battlefield. Yes, Beartooth Highway is magnificent. Up there (literally too) with the Going to the Sun road in Glacier, Yosemite Valley Road, Zion East Entrance Road. I think the entirety of Utah south of I-70 ought to be a national park. Glacier will be pretty chilly by October. Son's friend has a cabin at Red Lodge & he's gone out there 2-3X it ski/board locally & snow mobile.

 

[vhcat70]

Colorado is low key ugly. Including the mountains.

Well, that tells me a lot about your taste for natural beauty. Glenwood Canyon on I-70 west of Beaver Creek is gorgeous. So is anywhere at the top of a ski lift. Maroon Bells at Aspen come to mind. Back bowls of Vail too. Ever been to Mesa Verde NP? Rocky Mountain NP? On my own, I'd have picked CO or UT to live.

 

[WayneDougan]

Well, that tells me a lot about your taste for natural beauty. Glenwood Canyon on I-70 west of Beaver Creek is gorgeous. So is anywhere at the top of a ski lift. Maroon Bells at Aspen come to mind. Back bowls of Vail too. Ever been to Mesa Verde NP? Rocky Mountain NP? On my own, I'd have picked CO or UT to live.

Hear me out. I'm not saying there aren't extremely beautiful areas of Colorado. Beaver Creek, in September when you see the golden Aspen leaves, is next level beautiful. (Avon, the town, is ugly though). The huge evergreen trees off some of the lifts of A-Basin is magical. The back bowls of Vail are out of this world. The entire area of Snowmass is pretty.

What I meant when I said Colorado is low key ugly is this: a HUGE part of the state - even in the mountains - are a dirty, rocky, brown, weedy, disgusting, ugly mess.

 

[vhcat70]

What I meant when I said Colorado is low key ugly is this: a HUGE part of the state - even in the mountains - are a dirty, rocky, brown, weedy, disgusting, ugly mess.

OK. But the areas you describe aren't where many people live or think about when they hear the word CO.

 

[*CatinIL*]

Colorado is low key ugly. Including the mountains.

I think a lot of Colorado is beautiful. Unfortunately too many Cali's have migrated into the state and ruined it with their Cali thoughts and opinions.