Most miserable road you drive

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

This is the road you hate to drive on but seem to use it anyway and why.

I despise interstate 5 in Ca. where it goes through the San Jaquin valley. No offense to anyone who lives there but it's ugly,dreary and stinks. Especially near that cattle yard. Yet I take it several times a year on my way to Oregon. How about you?

Well, for over 20 years we lived 12 miles from I-5 (where it really stinks) at the Harris Feedlot and the oil fields. Terrible. Anyway, I agree, it is one of the worst roads. The actual road is getting bumpy because it was built in 1965 and I doubt if they have done much to it since then.... but the total lack of scenery is dreadful, although with many illegal and unlicensed drivers on the road down there one doesn't have time to watch the scenery anyway. Some of the semi truck drivers are very scary no concept of speed limits. I drove from there to the Oregon border every weekend for a year. Once I got north of Sacramento everything seemed to calm down. Maybe I was just getting tired and didn't notice...

There are alternate routes you can take along most of I-t throughout California... look for Historic Hwy 99 and much of it is still there. Much quieter, but does take longer ~ you'd be driving 55. A really nice part of it goes through interesting farm land from just north of Sacramento to Red Bluff. Miss all the I-5 traffic, but you drive fairly parallel and can see everyone racing by... it is great in spring and fall. I wouldn't drive it in the winter when it was foggy.

I vote I-5 in California as terrible # 1.

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[farmboydkb]

Originally Posted by audiobox

I-80 in western Iowa and again in several spots crossing Wyoming. Nasty washboard. Drive slower and it's Mike Tyson pounding on your lower back, drive faster and you suffer high-speed three stooges slaps. An absolute treat everytime I drive between Oregon and Indiana.

We just returned to central Illinois from Seattle. We made the same trip last year. We've done I-90 (twice), I-94, and I-80. Here are some reactions:

--Overall, I-94 has the least traffic but the stretch across Minnesota -- from Fargo through Minneapolis is a traffic nightmare (esp. on the weekend) and the road isn't that good.

-- I had dreaded the thought of crossing Nebraska on I-80 (given pre-Airstream experiences of past years), but actually the road surface wasn't that bad -- except as noted -- in W. Iowa. The main problem with I-80 is the number of trucks -- across NE and Iowa. Across Wyoming there are terrible stretches of washboard (eastbound) in the vicinity of mile-marker 260 and again for about 10 miles east of Cheyenne. Otherwise it's good road -- not much traffic and magnificent views . . .

-- That leaves I-90 which I strongly prefer. The traffic isn't bad. Around Missoula, MT -- they've repaved what was (last year) absolutely the second-worst stretch of washboard on the planet-- and now the road surface for 2400 miles is the best I think anyone could hope for. The drive through Montana is delightful. Sadly, Eastern Washington is just Eastern Washington. We've taken four different routes across E. Washington and there is no good solution -- just focus your eyes on the road ahead and get it behind you as fast as you can.

Now . . . I referred to the SECOND worst washboard to be found. The absolute worst is I-5 through Seattle!! Don't give it a moment's consideration -- take I-405 instead.

[Zeppelinium]

From Redding to Arcata on the coast. This sign says it all--very slow, very narrow, and in some places very steep. Every one of the 140 miles. Plus fog if you try it at night or early morning. Count on the drive taking 5-6 hours.



But beautiful, hidden, and interesting.



California 140 from Yosemite to Mariposa is just as bad, but it's only 42 miles long. It was laid out by a drunken Cat driver who liked to do tight turns for no discernable reason.

[Pahaska]

My trailer is stored only 9 miles away, but the direct access has been closed and under construction for 6 months and will not be finished until about next February. It isn't impassable, but every time I sneak through, there is a new set of ditches.

In the meantime, the next most reasonable route is 4 miles longer and also has a stretch that is under construction, although not closed. There is a 5-mile collection of patches, heaves, one-lane stretches. If I bring the trailer home, everything inside has been rearranged. The mattress is halfway off the bed and anything moveable has shifted.

Both are county roads and, to cut costs, the contracts allow a full year to completion. In the meantime, we usually start trips from the storage yard rather than load at home.

[redeagle313]

The worst road(s), well for the past 6 month, thanks to the total lack of forward planning, is the stretch of I-80 just south of Chicago. Eastbound coming in to the junction with 294, the genius traffic planners take 4 lanes of traffic down to one for the merge to eastbound I 80-94. This road is tore up and is down to two lanes per direction all the way into Indiana. Then in another fantastic lack of planning they have chosen to tear up I-94 going north into the city and they have also torn up the Skyway. Congratulations Chicago highway planners, you have created complete gridlock. There is no way to get to/from an area east of Chicago to/from an area west of Chicago without wasting hours in traffic.

[pienjim]

I dare say our worst road is the half mile of gravel from our front gate to the state highway we must access before we can go anywhere. The road is either dusty in dry weather or muddy in wet weather (should we be so lucky!) and washboard all the time. Usually the doors jump out of their tracks in the Airstream and anything loose gets rearranged. Our first stop is about a mile down the blacktop to where we can put things back together.

With that as our starting point, any other road is heavenly.

Paula

[Uberlanders]

Originally Posted by farmboydkb

Sadly, Eastern Washington is just Eastern Washington. We've taken four different routes across E. Washington and there is no good solution -- just focus your eyes on the road ahead and get it behind you as fast as you can.

Watch it...there are Eastern Washington people on this forum who find our dry upland vast views of nothingness quite beautiful.

I will agree with Mel and others that the stretch of I-5 north of Seattle about dislodged our trailer from its frame. Last spring on the way to the tulip festival the washboard was so bad we almost had to pull over to compose ourselves.

[moosetags]

I-95 Southbound at I-10 in Downtown Jacksonville. This is the only place in the entire Interstate Highway System where there is perminent single lane travel. I don't think that it is intended to be that way. This major junction has been under construction continuously for the past twenty-eight years that I am aware of. It was like that when I moved to Jacksonville in 1978.

[rseagle]

I-95 between Fredericksburg (Rt. 3) and north to and including the Springfield "Mixing Bowl" (I-495 and I-395). Take Rt. 301 in MD instead.

[AirstreamGypsy]

Originally Posted by uwe

Sections of Wolf Creek pass in Colorado gooing East were pretty torn up, turning to gravel road in places - love/hate. Love the scenery, hate the road conditions

All fixed now!!!

I agree about the porposing. Especially with a short trailer. In my area it's HWY 160 between 4 corners and the junction of 491(666) and 160. Traveling at a normal speed I am always afraid my refrigerator which is in the back of my trailer, is going to end up in the back of my TRUCK!

[codybear]

I remember I-90 we were on going across from South Dakota towards Minnesota..the winds must have blowin' 35 m.p.h. that afternoon!..I think we got about 4 miles to the gallon w/our Safari in tow!!!..talk about our Safari fishtailing!..

Oh and yes we've been down 1-5 here in the Golden State of California, struggling to hold our noses closed as we go through the cattle yards, Harris Ranch..we've stopped for dinner at the huge restaurant there..now I know why they use heavy double-doors at the entrance..it does stink awfully!!!

[herrgirdner]

gets my vote. It is one of the main North-South truckways through Virginia, and is usually full of 65 footers. It looks like a tire graveyard, littered from end to end with "alligators".

[Tarheel]

We just got home from Salem, Oregon via the east coast and west through Canada 8600 miles. I-88 from I-81 to I-87 was the worst, but I-64 toll road through West Virginia wasn't far behind, had to slow down to 40 mph just to keep the trailer on the road in WVA.

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

This is the road you hate to drive on but seem to use it anyway and why.

I despise interstate 5 in Ca. where it goes through the San Jaquin valley. No offense to anyone who lives there but it's ugly,dreary and stinks. Especially near that cattle yard. Yet I take it several times a year on my way to Oregon. How about you?

We lived near that stinky cattle yard (Harris Feed Lot) for over 20 years....(I know, what were we thinking???) couldn't wait to leave... hot, dusty, and on a good day the oil fields smell... we sometimes find we need to travel Interstate 5 .... we don't like any of it south of Redding! We often opt for old 99 or other routes just to avoid the crazies on I-5!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[Goin camping]

You're right. The 5 goes from grim to pleasant in Redding.

[C Johnson]

Hi all, There are some really terrible roads out there. I agree with most all that are mentioned. I am Surprised no one has mentioned I-43 in Milwaukee WI. or I-90 going west from Milwaukee, WI. I-5 in L.A., CA. is bad too. Oh yea I-5 North of Olympia, Wa. is also pretty bad. I bet I could think of a bunch more if I sat here long enough.

The most boring was N. Dakota, I-94 hands down with I-5 in So. Cal. a close second