Central Texas to Western Michigan in July
Need advice/suggestions: Towing bass boat from Texas to Western Michigan for class and family reunion in July. Leaving on the 4th of July. Route: North to Oklahoma on Highway 69 then across Miss...
Forum Discussion
From NE Oklahoma to western Michigan, trip I make several times a year, I usually route through Hannibal (to avoid St Louis), then Springfield (Illinois), to US-24.
From 24 I'll usually go north in western Indiana, US-421 from Reynolds to Michigan City, though it really just depends on where you are going in Michigan or northern Indiana, as US-31 and I-69 are good if your destination is further east.
How I get to Hannibal varies a lot, depending on whether I feel like dealing with Kansas City, which in turn depends on time of day reaching Kansas City.
Sometimes I'll go up to US-54 (on US-75 or US-169, as US-69 is slow) and follow 54 through Missouri, taking a late cutoff (MO-19) into Hannibal, or if not stopping in Hannibal will take 54 all the way to I-72. On that last one, beware that the bridge at Louisiana is narrow. Wide enough for regular use by full-size trucks, but too narrow for oversize traffic and intimidating for a lot of RVers who just aren't that sure about being so close to the edge of the road.
If I feel like going through KC, I'll go up US-75 or US-169/US-59 to I-35, go through the middle or around 435 to the east, then follow I-35 to US-36, which takes me to the north side of Hannibal.
I've taken US-24 from Paris, Missouri to connect with US-36 into Hannibal, and I've taken US-24 all the way from the east side of Kansas City to Fort Wayne.
Both are interesting trips, going through some neat little towns (and no big cities unless you want to include Quincy and Peoria as big cities) but 24 is a lot slower than the combination of US-36 and the rural Interstates in Illinois. Peoria and Quincy will both slow you down, you have to go through part of the developed area.
US-36 through Missouri might as well be an Interstate. There are no signals between Cameron and Hannibal, and while not fully limited access, all the major highway intersections, and small cities, have interchanges.
Speed limits on non-Interstate highways in Illinois are low, much lower than on US and state highways in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Indiana is a little more reasonable, but you will still not see limits higher than 65 where it is divided highway, or 55 on the two lanes.
From 24 I'll usually go north in western Indiana, US-421 from Reynolds to Michigan City, though it really just depends on where you are going in Michigan or northern Indiana, as US-31 and I-69 are good if your destination is further east.
How I get to Hannibal varies a lot, depending on whether I feel like dealing with Kansas City, which in turn depends on time of day reaching Kansas City.
Sometimes I'll go up to US-54 (on US-75 or US-169, as US-69 is slow) and follow 54 through Missouri, taking a late cutoff (MO-19) into Hannibal, or if not stopping in Hannibal will take 54 all the way to I-72. On that last one, beware that the bridge at Louisiana is narrow. Wide enough for regular use by full-size trucks, but too narrow for oversize traffic and intimidating for a lot of RVers who just aren't that sure about being so close to the edge of the road.
If I feel like going through KC, I'll go up US-75 or US-169/US-59 to I-35, go through the middle or around 435 to the east, then follow I-35 to US-36, which takes me to the north side of Hannibal.
I've taken US-24 from Paris, Missouri to connect with US-36 into Hannibal, and I've taken US-24 all the way from the east side of Kansas City to Fort Wayne.
Both are interesting trips, going through some neat little towns (and no big cities unless you want to include Quincy and Peoria as big cities) but 24 is a lot slower than the combination of US-36 and the rural Interstates in Illinois. Peoria and Quincy will both slow you down, you have to go through part of the developed area.
US-36 through Missouri might as well be an Interstate. There are no signals between Cameron and Hannibal, and while not fully limited access, all the major highway intersections, and small cities, have interchanges.
Speed limits on non-Interstate highways in Illinois are low, much lower than on US and state highways in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Indiana is a little more reasonable, but you will still not see limits higher than 65 where it is divided highway, or 55 on the two lanes.
