America's Quietest Routes

[sunnydog]

https://www.geotab.com/americas-quietest-routes/

Sure I use the Samba as an amazing reference for repair and restoration, but I REALLY like seeing people take their buses down backroads and post up pictures and stories of adventures. I stumbled across the link above that lists the quietest route in each state and thought I could share it as inspiration. I've you've driven one of these routes, or decide to plan for one, or just want to dream about it... Post it up here!
sunnydog
_________________
'71 Westy w/ a 1776 singleport, 34P3 & 205Q. Points.

[samwise]

Just looked at Utah, and I don't know that I'd call the first 180 miles heading west from the CO state line on I-70 to be 'quiet'

32 miles on US-50, 10 miles on I-15, and then 120 miles on US-50 through the west desert - the true US-50 bits that haven't been buried under the interstates could be good though
_________________
Ben
1979 7-passenger bus
Harvee the Wonder Bus' pics

[richparker]

^Im with you samwise. RT50 is far from the “loneliness road in America.” I even blogged about how damn busy it was on my Cali road trip. As a matter a fact it was to only road that we were “rolled coal” on the whole trip.
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[camit34]

The part I know of the 50 is 180 miles from Holden UT to Ely NV and then the 6 into Cali.

There was nowhere along the entire stretch I drove that was "lonely"...but it was a cool 2 line, wide open road that I think I topped out at about 62 MPH in my Bus.
_________________
In search of a Vanagon
1971 Westy (SOLD)
1971 Deluxe (SOLD)
1967 Freedom Camper (SOLD)

[Wildthings]

To pick out short little disconnected segments the way they did is pointless, IMO. I really don't think they tried very hard either. There is also the thing of a road being just lonely enough. Like taking Virginia Rt-42 or West Virginia Rt-16 end to end through the state to the extent that one can. Just making a loop in one's home area using lesser traveled roads can be a great experience.

I have made around a dozen coast to coast round trips at this point in time. I mostly have chosen old US highways or state highways verses running the Interstates. All have been good.

One of the things I have done is take breaks in towns with the word "Falls" in their name and try to locate the falls. Twin Falls, ID, Oriskany Falls, NY, Great Falls, MT etc. A lot of times the falls ends up being behind a dam, but the experience is still good. In Mexico when traveling through an area, I will circle all the "ojo's", "nacimientos", "agua's" I find along my intended route and try to pick a few up as I pass by. Finding Agua Negra was a very challenging and rewarding experience, once found it proved to be the proverbial "one horse" town.

[Lil Lulu]

For Wa. residents such as yourself, 20 east from Burlington is nothing short of spectacular and 97 south to Ca. Many views. Also 26 or 20 east from Bend.
_________________
'65 Beetle "Lil' Lulu"- Ruby Red
1600 stock from '71 bus

'72 Deluxe - Niagara Blue w/pastelwiess Camper Special 2L dual 40 Webers 002

'74 Hightop Weekender "Dixie" 1800 34 Del singles

[LeeE]

I've driven the entire length of FL29 and shorter parts of it various times. Nice drive through the 'Glades. Never yet seen panthers. One of the only parts of Florida where you can see the Milky Way, not so much light pollution.
Always stop in Felda for Everglades Seasoning.
Camp at Fisheating Creek in Palmdale, nice campground, or Okaloacoochee Slough/Devil's Garden, absolutely beautiful wilderness area. Fakahatchee Strand is nice.
_________________
1978 Westfalia stock 2.0 FI
Welcome to the Okeedokee Swamp

[sunnydog]

Well, I didn't say it was perfect.
I once drove Cambridge ID to Joseph OR by way of Brownlee Dam through Hell's Canyon. That was pretty quiet. I don't think this website includes National Forest roads. Still a pretty good list of Blue Highways...
_________________
'71 Westy w/ a 1776 singleport, 34P3 & 205Q. Points.

[camit34]

[Poptopcamper]

I've been riding The Beartooth Hwy from my home in Sheridan, WY, to Cody, WY, to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, which connects to the Beathtooth, for about 30 years. I go in the fall, which starts in September here and ride my Harley, or Camaro, or if they predict snow I take my 4x4 truck. I haven't taken the bus yet because I don't have it sorted out enough to feel comfortable going up 10,000 feet over the pass and coming down into Red Lodge, MT. It's a beautiful ride and quiet in the fall, once all of the tourists have gone home. But don't spread the word because then it won't be quiet any more. Watch for moose, elk bugling, and bears, both black and Grizzlies. There are some Natl Forest campgrounds on the route which are empty in September before the hunters arrive in October. Keep a clean camp so you don't become a midnight snack for a bear. They can rip the rear hatch open on your bus to get at food they smell. Shhh. If anyone asks, Beartooth Hwy is a waste of time.😎
_________________
If you only have one tool in your tool box, and it's a hammer, pretty soon, everything looks like it needs to be whacked!
1978 VW Riviera
2021 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton
2020 VW Tiguan
2001 Harley Electraglide Classic
1986 BMW R 800cc motorcycle
2002 Chevy Camaro Z28
1999 Harley Sportster 1200 Custom

[static]

Thanks for taking the time to share this!

It was a refreshing change from all the endless, tiresome, tech-weenie posts.

(You wouldn't ever know it by reading the Baywindow forum, but some of us actually go places and see things with our buses.)

[Hikelite]

[SGKent]

nice idea and thanks for sharing. Doubt if I will drive 1000 miles round trip to get to the nearest one. Don't break down if you take one. Some are pretty remote and this is not 1980 as to finding local parts and VW services.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Manfred58sc]

Don Henley must die or he'll make another record with Glenn Fry, great Mojo Nixon song to listen to while on Colorado 17. Long,lonely,straight,windy,awesome
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[vwwestyman]

[babysnakes]

[LeeE]

Yes! Fisheating Creek primitive site was great. Right on the water in beautiful downtown East Palmdale.
That place was infested with alligators. Fun canoeing.
_________________
1978 Westfalia stock 2.0 FI
Welcome to the Okeedokee Swamp

[Wasted youth]

Then... there are times when some relatively quiet roads get especially quiet and perfect. Try Route 58 out of Bakersfield, Calif to Buttonwillow and Mckittrick, then on to where it joins into 101 near Santa Margarita. Plan on leaving Bakersfield around 10:00 PM after pie and coffee at Zingo's.

Do that slow and purposefully in a Type 1 at night with the AM radio on. Over the fuzz of that, join your mind with the warm howl of that gearbox.

Choose to head to Morro Bay to see the soft sunrise after drifting down Cuesta grade through San Luis Obispo.

An option to the Saphire static is an MP3 player and earbuds with the entire Cigarettes After Sex album... over and over again.

[Spike0180]

If anyone comes to Michigan, anywhere in the UP is beautiful and full of dirt roads to explore and 2 lane "highways" (just country roads) that are simply beautiful all year round. There is plenty of camping to do and lakes are never further than an hour away. I camp around Tehquamenan falls almost every year for 3-4 years now. It's simply great. Here's a list of falls, getting to any of them would be a very nice drive in a bus.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g5414977-Activities-c57-t95-Upper_Peninsula_Michigan.html

The northern part of Michigan is beautiful as well, I suggest empire and sleeping bear dunes. You could jog over to Traverse City for some good food and beer/wine. Stay off 75 south of the bridge (mackinaw bridge), and you'll be pretty happy with the drive.
_________________
Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[Globespotter]

The issue I see with this list is that it appears to literally be the road in each state with the least traffic.

What we need is a list of the best roads for VW Bus driving - those Blue Highways.

To me, that would mean not busy (but not you are the only person on the road), and scenic, with some fun or interesting places to see.

I often pop off the highways and travel the back roads, and some of them are pretty cool.
_________________
1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
Road Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511800&highlight=
My 77 Westy Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647114&highlight=

http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN&id=30990
https://vw-type2-id.xyz/mplate/72067382