Driving thru Texas, south via route 10 or north via route 40?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Driving thru Texas, south via route 10 or north via route 40?

Posted: 6/26/2012 5:17:17 AM EDT

My son will be traveling by motorcycle from Florida to Arizona this weekend and a BIG chunk of that drive will be Texas. The choices would seem to be, take the southern route 10 or the northern route 40. Can anyone give an opinion on the pros and cons for either of these?
Is one faster than the other? More scenic? Safer for a motorcycle?
Thanks!

Posted: 6/26/2012 5:28:06 AM EDT

[#1]

Coming from Florida,10 will be the best shot. And well populated ,until he crosses the Pecos River.
It will be better to cross the desert at night on a bike.Went to Big Bend on scooters years back,long ride,for sure.
Tell him to ride safe. Later....

Posted: 6/26/2012 6:37:44 AM EDT

[#2]

ANY route has to be more scenic than I-10 through Texas.

The Houston-to-San Antonio stretch is nothing but flat, mostly bare land, and the San Antonio-to-El Paso stretch is over 500 miles of nothing.

At least I-40 would get you into the mountains around Albuquerque pretty quick.

Posted: 6/26/2012 6:40:36 AM EDT

[#3]

Depending where in FL and AZ.
Like Bigthicket said Hwy 10 is faster. If there isn't a significant different between the two routes, I would take 40, if time is not a factor.
IMO...40 route is more scenic with mountains, trees, higher elevation which mean a little cooler compared to 10 route. Driving a car through AZ during daytime is PITA already, I just couldn't imagine riding a motorcycle.
Good luck.

Posted: 6/26/2012 7:53:04 AM EDT

[#4]

Faster, IH10. IH40 has some terrain. IH10 SUCKS across Texas but it'll get you there. Plus if you take the northern route you hit mountains in NM and AZ, not my idea of fun on a bike.

Posted: 6/26/2012 8:50:27 AM EDT

[#5]

My son will be traveling by motorcycle from Florida to Arizona

Where in Arizona? That could influence the choice of route.

Posted: 6/26/2012 9:03:52 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

My son will be traveling by motorcycle from Florida to Arizona

Where in Arizona? That could influence the choice of route.

Prescott, but either route is about the same in miles by google maps.

Posted: 6/26/2012 9:27:04 AM EDT

[#7]

Prescott, but either route is about the same in miles by google maps.

One way, I'd take I-40. Round trip, I'd take both.

Posted: 6/26/2012 10:01:17 AM EDT

[#8]

I-10 will have less crosswinds and no worry about monsoon storms in the mountains. I-40 will be a little cooler in temperature and a little more varied terrain but not much.

I-10 you also have a border checkpoint at Las Cruces, NM if you are headed west. Sierra Blanca, TX if headed east. Not sure if National Guard are still there or not. K9's, frequent vehicle inspections are the norm. Make sure his insurance, tags and IDs are current because they stop everyone.

Both interstates are really boring. There is a spot near I-10/I-20 split where the distance from there to Dallas and San Antonio is nearly exactly the same.

Posted: 6/26/2012 11:48:45 AM EDT

[#9]

I've taken the 40 for years. The 10 only once, and never again. There's sometimes nothing to see going across on the 40, but on the 10 there's nothing.

Posted: 6/26/2012 4:23:56 PM EDT

[#10]

Yep I-10 is just a looong stretch of nothing

especially past Junction towards Fort Stockton and heading to El Paso.

If you go that, the speed limit is 85 though

Also load up on your MP3, maybe Guntalk radio?

Posted: 6/26/2012 4:40:06 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

My son will be traveling by motorcycle from Florida to Arizona

Where in Arizona? That could influence the choice of route.

Prescott, but either route is about the same in miles by google maps.

I-40 will probably take a little longer, but better scenery and a little cooler. It's going to be hot as hell either way.

If he goes I-40, he can cut off at Winslow and take some backroads to break things up a little bit. Maybe straight across to Cottonwood and over Mingus Mountain on 89A if he wants a fun (but a little slower) ride.

Posted: 6/26/2012 6:58:23 PM EDT

[#12]

There is NO way that I would ride a scooter at night on I-10. Way toooooooooo many deer to jump out in front of you.

Posted: 6/26/2012 7:02:04 PM EDT

[#13]

I'm a Texan, so I'm biased. Driving I-10 from Orange to El Paso, some 830 miles, could be seen as an "achievement." You could tell your grandkids: "I rode a motorcycle ALL THE WAY ACROSS TEXAS." I will not pretend to tell you that it will be pleasant or scenic. I-10 west of San Antonio quickly becomes an endless sea of mesquite trees before it transitions into scrub brush and dirt. If it's in the summer, it will be hot as Hell.

Posted: 6/26/2012 7:30:14 PM EDT

[#14]

Just a heads up, depending on his fuel economy, he needs to fill up at every big town across west Texas on I-10, especially f he does 80-95 mph like most of the traffic. Most bikes don't have 7.5 gal tanks and a 230 mile range like mine. I've had to siphon gas out of my tank to get a big Valkyrie to the next town.

And he will want to stop at every town just to get off the seat.

Night is a bad time for I-10. Dull boring highway during the day turns into twice as dull and boring at night until the deer, coyotes, badgers, skunks and dillos come at you. And it's just as bad through NM and AZ.

Gringop

Posted: 6/26/2012 10:01:14 PM EDT

[#15]

I always thought I-10 west of San Antonio was a greAt drive. But I was also going 90-100mph

Posted: 6/27/2012 3:52:06 PM EDT

[#16]

Thanks to all for your help, my son will be taking the north route this time.

Posted: 6/27/2012 5:19:16 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Thanks to all for your help, my son will be taking the north route this time.

Remind him to slow down going through Amarillo, the motorcycle cops are all over I-40 and will stop for 1 mph over especially if they haven't met their quota for the day

.

Posted: 6/28/2012 12:14:18 AM EDT

[#18]

I have made that trip 7 or 8 times on a bike what I found what works for me is to stop every 100 mi and drink a qt. of water or juice
My last trip was in July and never pissed. 10 or 40 they booth have things to see you just have to look.

R

Posted: 6/28/2012 2:00:45 PM EDT

[#19]

I-40 WILL NOT BE COOLER than I-10 this time of year until he gets up on the caprock and west of it.

Jim

Posted: 6/28/2012 2:45:12 PM EDT

[#20]

While the terrain of I-40 may be a drag on a bike, the lack of gas stations, lack of consideration for motorcyclists, and general "Omega Man" spookiness between San Antonio and El Paso makes I-10 a bad idea on a bike. You definitely don't want to fool yourself and say "ah, I'll just do it at night when it's cooler". It doesn't get much better on the other side of El Paso, either, as once you get through the El Paso-Las Cruces corridor, you're in "The Hills Have Eyes" section of New Mexico and Arizona. It's kind of deceptive because it starts out ok, but once you get to Fort Stockton, you realize "this is a bad idea", but you're already past the point of no return.

It might be worth it to do it for the "Achievement" (though it's not going to pop up on your screen), and you can always take a detour up 70 to see White Sands National Monument, which is kind of a once in a lifetime type of trip, because no one ever really says "I am crazy enough to do this twice in one lifetime".

Posted: 7/2/2012 8:02:19 PM EDT

[#21]

My son left the Tampa FL area Thursday late afternoon and arrived in Prescott AZ Saturday night around 1:00 am ~2300 miles.
He says his ass in numb!

Posted: 7/3/2012 8:47:53 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
My son left the Tampa FL area Thursday late afternoon and arrived in Prescott AZ Saturday night around 1:00 am ~2300 miles.
He says his ass in numb!

Glad he had a safe trip.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Driving thru Texas, south via route 10 or north via route 40?

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