Diversions on I-80

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:18 am

I'm making a list of useful and interesting stops along I-80.....Got anything to add? So far:

(I'm in West Michigan, so everything's between there and BRC)

"World's Biggest Truck Stop"- Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa
Cabela's- Kearney AND Sidney, Nebraska
Buffalo Bill's House- Cheyenne, Wyoming
Saltair- outside of Salt Lake City, Utah
Bonneville Salt Flats rest stop- Approaching Wendover, Utah (Nevada border)
Thunder Mountain State Park- Imlay, Nevada

There are great scenic opportunities all along the road, notably the red rocks around SLC and the wind farms in Wyoming....But my list is weak in those long stretches along Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa....workin' on it.

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:08 am

Keep 'em coming Robo!
I might have to caravan with you if you don't mind?
These places sound great! I wish the Devil's Tower in WY was along the way. Ever since I saw Close Encounters when I was younger I've wanted to see it!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:56 am

I went there as a kid, shortly after the movie came out.....(coincidence) There's a vast prarie dog village around the tower, or at least there was, and I spent quite a while watching them pop up like a whack-a-mole game.
My Plan A for last year included a jog north to 1-90, to take me past The Forevertron in Baraboo, Wall Drug, Crazy Horse and Carhenge....That route takes you to Devil's Tower if you don't jog down. If I had another two days or so, I'd take that way!

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:05 am

Robo: don't miss "Metaphor: the Tree of Utah,' a sculpture by Karl Momen in the saltflats before you get to Wendover. It's clear out in the middle of nowhere, alongside the freeway. The signs say "Emergency Stopping Only," but usually it's enough to slow down unless you want to take photos. An awful lot of people have emergencies right there, and there are almost never highway patrolment along the route. Here:

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:19 am

That thing must be HUGE! Those people must've had an Emergency! They look tiny compared to it.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:06 am

Might want to add things to see along I-40 too ... the southern route across. That route is a little easier if you have a heavy load. Nashville, Memphis, Will Rogers Museum in Oklahoma, the place that advertizes the huge steaks in Amarillo, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Grand Canyon then up to Vegas to see Hoover Dam, then US 95 across Nevada to Sparks. Or you can take US 93 up to NV 375 and head through Rachel for the stop at Area 51. Take US 6 west and catch US 95 at Tonopah. If you have the time, you can stay on 6 west and check out Mono Lake and the Devil's Postpile. near Lee Vining and head North on US 395 along the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. Lee Vining is on the "back side" of Yosemite. If you have even more time ... go up to Tuolumne Medows via Tioga Pass road and see some of the spectacular Yosemite landscape. I wouldnt suggest that route with a heavy load. US 95 is good, 395 can be a bit turny ... Tioga Pass Road is just so absolutely wonderful it is a shame to have to pay attention to your driving but it is narrow, windy, and has steep grades in places. Stop and fish along side the road if you have a license.

As you can tell, when I travelled from the East Coast to California, I always took the Southern route.

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:12 am

Martiansky wrote:That thing must be HUGE! Those people must've had an Emergency! They look tiny compared to it.

Yes, it is huge. 87 feet tall, to be precise. If you drive the stretch between SLC and Wendover in the daylight, you certainly can't miss it.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:28 am

Not exactly a diversion in the usual sence
But does anyone know what's up with that noise in that streach of 80 between Sparks and Wadsworth? It's like the whistel you get when you have your window just open a crack. I figure that it's something to do with the construction and wind moving through the pass.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:06 am

Oh, and at Battle Mountain there is a nice park just off the freeway that also has a public swimming pool. We have stopped there and let the kids play to "shake their wiggles out".

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:26 pm

DOTH:

i don't think we ever got *around* salt lake city from the highway several years in a row. crap road signage or dead-end detours that would drop you off in the middle of town at the end of a couldlickmysack.

enjoy the salt, and keep on driving.
-b

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 7:44 pm

Hey robotland!!

We went out and picked up 80 enroute to the playa, but one the way back went into California, then Oregon, and back all along I-90. Saw “The Worlds Biggest Prairie Dog” as we came out of the Badlands. The Badlands... definitely worth a stop/walk-around/play-the-drums-in-the-desert-wind, even without the titanic fiberglass prairie dog. And then we were beat to death by the “Wal-Drug only 110,764 miles” signs. When we finally got there, I was so freakin’ tired of Wal-drug that I’d be damned if I was gonna stop and even give ‘em my Whizz, much less any $$$.

There’s talk of taking the Southern route out this year (I-40) and then the Northern route back. My goodness... that Northern route was just wonderful, 2 extra days, but well worth it. A diversion to Wounded Knee to pay my respects this time.

On a side note:

When driving through the Badlands, upon entering from the west, there is a pull-off with a map, listing items of interest along the route, and it makes note of the place where many gathered and left out for Wounded Knee. I was making a point to stop there, but the signs actually denoting it along the road had been removed... Hmmm... funny that. This year, if we don't get a chance to go to the massacre site, then I’m going to stop and seek it out, I do believe.

And it seems as if either Cryptofishist or AntiM warned me last year that Salt Lake City was strange and easy to get turned around in. Even with that knowledge we almost got lost.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:03 pm

Take I-40 and stay a night in Flagstaff. AWESOME little college kinda town. Great bars. but if you have altitude problems, keep driving. It is over 7000 feet there. The lava fields at the New Mexico / Arizona border are awesome too. And the Red Cliff area is just magnificent at sunrise/sunset. I have driven both routes. Rather than I-90 sometime you might consider US-2. Also you might consider US-6 rather than I-80.

http://www.route6tour.com/

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:29 pm

Ah Flagstaff...

Yeah, we took 64 from Louisville and stayed the first night in Lawrence, Kansas... also a college town. That one went onto my “I could live here” list. My bestest amigo was discovered by his djembe in Lawrence, so Flagstaff is definitely noted. And in regards to scenic routes, we came out of Sandpoint, Idaho on 200 to Missoula... oh, man... just great. Happened upon another blacksmith/metal-worker along the way and spent some time just chewing the fat with him. Burning man was really great, but the journey there and back again was something so very special in itself.

Going out, we’re in a “get there” Mode, so senic routes are not much of an option, it would seem. Coming back, though, it’s just get back when we get back, albeit it reluctantly. I swear, the place I often feel most at home is with my hand on the wheel and my eyes on the horizon.

God, I love it... good music and wheels rollin' under me.

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:33 am

Wendover itself has an old airfield with a museum. WWII era, that's where they loaded up the Enola Gay. Interesting, with scale models, oohooh, but weird.

Salt Lake is much improved since they finished the I-15 construction.

There's a Fire Museum over between Tooele and Grantsville, never been there but I want to steal the signs. That's south of I-80, you'd never notice it or either town if headed straight west.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:10 am

AntiM wrote:There's a Fire Museum over between Tooele and Grantsville, never been there but I want to steal the signs. That's south of I-80, you'd never notice it or either town if headed straight west.

...Seems like there was a fire SCHOOL out there, too. Now THAT peaked my interest!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:15 am

Ranger Genius wrote:

Mormons! Your tennis balls are ripe! Come pick 'em, already!!!

DANG that thing's buttugly...."The Tree of Life...As Envisioned by Bobby Riggs".....Nowhere NEAR as pretty as the shady parking structure overlooking Bonneville Flats. And I found a headless Spiderman there, too. Yeah!

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:23 am

geekster wrote:Might want to add things to see along I-40 too ... the southern route across. ......

Don't forget Giggsville! Just a hop off I-40 (take 630 through downtown Little Rock). I've got my own personal three-ring circus. All the chaos you can stand under one humble roof.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:07 am

I drove truck over U.S.HWY 80 a life time ago. Then retraced it a few years back. I'm still at awe of the great count we live in.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:25 am

Yeah, it sure is amazing.....Some stretches of Nebraska and Iowa are wider than COUNTRIES. Wow. The trip was, in its way, as cool as the destination.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:44 am

Dig it.

http://www.iowa80truckstop.com/

Their trucker store is 12-volt heaven. Three sizes of chrome mudflap girlies. More air fresheners than you can shake a sti(n)ck at......