Getting Ready to Go Trans-Continental in My Ute: Route Ideas?

[Lex4TDI4Life]

I will be relocating from CT to San Fran next month and plan on driving my 2001 Golf Ute. Yes, I could get it shipped, but I have an older dog that cannot fly commercial, so this is a good excuse for a road trip. Yes, I have AAA and good insurance. Will also have most of my tools in case a roadside repair is in the cards.

I only want to take 8 days to do it, so sadly I will end up on I-80 most of the way. I have some blanks to fill in, but here is what I am thinking:

Day 1: CT to Cleveland
Day 2: Cleveland to Chicago
Day 3: Chicago to ???
Day 4: ??? to ???
Day 5: ??? to ???
Day 6: ??? to ???
Day 7: ??? to Reno, NV
Day 8: Reno to SF

I am likely to avoid Iowa and Nebraska by going north through WI, MN, SD, and WY before cutting back south to catch I-80 in Utah.

Any thoughts about where I should fill in those blanks?

 

[Mozambiquer]

AAA doesn't do as much good as it used to do...
You could come down through Missouri, but sounds like you're taking the northern route.

 

[Lug_Nut]

I didn't go the full distance you are planning, but the possible intervals on the northern route mentioned are about what I did in the Sonett with pop-up in late July.
1, Worcester MA to just west of Erie PA
2, Erie PA to Rockford, IL
3, Rockford IL to Sioux Falls, SD
4, Sioux Falls SD to Sturgis SD (short drive day)
The problem I see in your desire to NOT traverse I.O.W.A. and No braska is that there isn't a reasonably direct (meaning: interstate) route from Rapid City SD (I-90) that would get you towards Cheyenne in southern Wyoming where you can pick up (I-80).
I don't see a practical choice but to get on I-80 near Chicago, but that's me.
I'd rather cope with I-80 through IA and NB than suffer the boredom of northern Indiana.

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

Sadly, northern Indiana is a necessary evil.

I think I might do Sioux Falls to Devil's Tower on day 4 and then have a leisurely Day 5.

 

[Jr mason]

I agree about being limited on routes through Nebraska that don't include I80. It really depends on how far out of your way you want to travel but personally for me those few states that are flat and wide open I'm just looking to get through as quickly as possible anyhow. Nebraska is almost 500 miles from border to border and makes for a long haul.

I just looked through your pics, You have a really cool rig. Please keep us updated on your trip! I am on the OH-PA border and relatively close to both I80 and I90. If you need help don't hesitate to reach out.

 

[Zak99b5]

You could avoid Indiana.

When we drive to Minnesota to see my wife’s family, we often go through Niagara Falls into Canada and drive through Ontario to Sarnia where we cross the border back into Michigan. Then up the mitten and across the UP to Wisconsin.

One time we planned on driving north of Lake Superior but at sault ste Marie we decided to take the southern route because the kids were getting feisty. Still want to see Thunder Bay though.

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

Northern Indiana is a cake walk compared to Iowa and Nebraska back to back Chicago is a must stop for me, so I have to deal with N. IN anyway.

I will definitely provide updates here. The Ute is not in perfect condition, but at 350k miles, the engine is still spinning like a top (with an occasional limp mode ). I doubt I will get stranded *he says ominously*

 

[ITSPREZ]

Why all the hating on Indiana, could give a Hoosier a complex!

Doesn’t follow your general path but just as information that may be of value to you:

We drove from 47006 to Denver CO (day1) mostly on I70, then I15 (day 2 ) into LA. After a few s days in LA we headed north to SF. My point is 8 days should allow time to take the longer or more scenic route if desired.

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

Haha, I am actually fond of Indiana, but I usually encounter it after driving through Ohio and by then white line fever begins setting in on the plains. I think 8 days will be fine for taking the northern route. Just need to find civilization to rest in along the way.

 

[Zak99b5]

I used to live in Indiana (Muncie). It’s not Indiana we try to avoid, but Chicago. One year we rented an RV for the trip, and hit Chicago at the perfect time—4:15 on the Friday before July 4 weekend. Since we were in the RV, we had to “exit” to pay every toll. Merging in bumper to bumper traffic with a 27’ vehicle repeatedly for 2 hours was all sorts of fun.

 

[ITSPREZ]

I can understand that as I always try to go around Chicago for the same reason (traffic). Actually, I’m impressed you did it in just two hours given the holiday and time of day you went through!

 

[Zak99b5]

it might well have been longer; the trip was in 2016.

All I know is it was long and hellish and I hate driving through Chicago. I get flashbacks lol.

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

So the route has been determined:

Day 1: CT to Cleveland
Day 2: Cleveland to Chicago
Day 3: Chicago to Sioux Falls, SD
Day 4: Sioux Falls, SD to Deadwood, SD
Day 5: Deadwood, SD to Casper, WY
Day 6: Casper, WY to SLC, UT
Day 7: SLC, UT to Elko, NV
Day 8: Elko, NV to Reno, NC
Day 9: Reno, NV to SF

A few shorter drives there will help me keep my brain from melting and also allow me to do some work.

 

[Jr mason]

You'll be rolling right by me when you cross the PA border into Ohio.

Don't know how much sight seeing you plan on doing but it looks like you'll be going past the Flaming Gorge resevoir when you go through Green River. It's beautiful country, well worth the stop.

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

Finally began the journey today. Loaded up the bed of the ute with as much as I could fit:

With ~400lbs in the bed, she sits almost level now!

Had to put as much as I could in the cab as well:

An auspicious beginning to the journey: