Connect from TransAm to Southern Tier

[John Nettles]

I am in the early stages of planning a connector route that will connect the TransAm & So. Tier in the center of the country, i.e. Kansas to Texas.  I see this route as a solution to those starting the trip a little late/early and need the southern route to complete a cross-country trip or another north/south cross country route (assuming you connect with other routes).

I hope to complete this by 2008 Spring.  I am trying to work with the involved States so this route can be made an "official" route (at least get free map, signs, etc.).

My question is which do you prefer as the starting & ending points?  If you pick "Other" please give the route start/end points.

Now is your chance to help develop a route!!  The top spot in both directions will be strongly considered.

Please feel free to give your comments, thoughts on what the ideal route would include (other than downhill, free campgrounds, etc. ), suggestions, etc.!!

[litespeed]

In Kansas and Nebraska in the summer you can have strong S and SE winds for days on end. You might factor this into your plans.

[roadrunner]

I did a tour in the spring of 2005 generally following the Chisholm Trail route from near Austin, TX to Abilene, KS, with a westerly detour to take in the Texas Hill Country. The route was virtually all on low-traffic state and U.S. highways; avoided cities, except Wichita, KS; passed through interesting small towns; and included several historic sites and points of interest (LBJ Historic Park and ranch, Luckenbach, TX, several Chisholm Trail museums and Indian Wars forts).  US-81 through Oklahoma is designated the Chisholm Trail Route.  Towns the route passed included, in Texas: Johnson City, Fredericksburg, Llano, Stevenville, Mineral Wells, Jacksoro, Bowie; Oklahoma: Duncan, Chickasha, Enid; Kansas: Wichita, Newton, Abilene.  A start from Larned could easily tie into US-81 in Oklahoma.  The Hill Country is scenic and interesting, and does indeed contain significant hills. A look at windroses in Kansas and Oklahoma locations will show litespeed is very right about summer winds being predominately from the south.

[John Nettles]

Living in Oklahoma, I am familiar with the south wind, especially in the spring.  However in the fall (October & November here), the wind can come from the north or northwester direction sometimes and the temps are still quite nice.  In the middle of the summer, the winds die down (but not dead by any means) but then you get the heat.  Out weather here is fairly similar to Kansas, just generally a tad warmer.

Another route we are considering is from Brownsville, TX  (via Hill country in TX and eastern OK) to the connecting points of the Katy Trail in Clinton, MO and the Lewis & Clark connecting point in Council Bluffs, IA just so the tailwinds could be utilzed.

Thanks for the input and be sure to vote!!


Happy trails and may the wind be at your back!

TulsaJohn