Driving thru Oklahoma-- tips?

[LoriKTM]

All right you Oklahoma natives-- help some Yankees out.  We'll be coming from the east, through Missouri on I-44.  (As long as we make it past E. St. Louis alive, that is.  ;)  )

Now, looks like once we hit OK, I-44 turns into a tollway.  Then into Tulsa, and either 412 West to Stillwater, or Rt. 51?

I don't mind taking the toll road if it will speed things up, but we'll be driving a pickup truck towing a single-axle trailer, and those tolls can add up quickly.

Is 412 or 51 the best route west to Stillwater? 

Any ongoing construction projects we should avoid? 

What are the toll rates in OK?

Other roads/options that would be better or should be avoided?

We'll be coming in Sunday 9/28 afternoon time, so hopefully rush hour won't be an issue.

Thanks for the help!

 

 

[gospeedracer]

My advice. Whatever you do, do not, I repeat DO NOT stop at the "World's Largest McDonald's" on the overpass! :scream:

And if you do. Say hi to "Toad" for us. :confused:

 

[dead]

Yea, that place is NASTY! When I lived down there I pitted there on the way back from a road trip. MISTAKE! That place is dirtier than my roommates room! But on the other hand you can get the McDonald character's on tshirts. My Hamburgler tshirt always gets alot of attention up here.

Oh, and they have the plexi tiles on the floor so you can see the highway. It's so dirty and covered with french fries you can't see anything. Yuck!

 

[Patman]

The tollway is FAST! Worth every penny to me. If I recall I did I44 and 412 when I came back from DW'00. Then again I'm sure GSR will pipe up about how she's amazed I even made it home by myself :laugh:

 

[nikki]

Yeah we'll be cruising through St. Louie too... anyone wanna post the directions from there. I can't remember I think I was sleep driving from St. Louis to Tulsa. (Note to self... do not make the drive from 9 pm to 9 am again this year).

 

[Farmer John]

Originally posted by gospeedracer
My advice. Whatever you do, do not, I repeat DO NOT stop at the "World's Largest McDonald's" on the overpass! :scream:

And if you do. Say hi to "Toad" for us. :confused:

Your the one that HAD to stop there.... :moon:

Has Toad ever returned your calls?? :laugh:

 

[Treejumper]

The toll road wasnt very much and worth the trip (straight and smooth). Use restrooms before getting on the toll road as OK has these oversized looking outhouses for restrooms. :laugh: The part from St. Louis that sucked was I-44. I thought Pennsylvania had the crappiest Interstate in the US, wrong. We hit pot holes that were like craters.

 

[dead]

Yea, I-44 is terrible. It feels like you're on the ocean with all the humps in the road.

Best part of OK is the speed limit(75, which translates to 85)

 

[Danman]

Best part of OK is the speed limit(75, which translates to 85)

I have hauled some serious arse on that road, but I did not see any troopers either. The speed limit in Texas is 70 on most highways. You can get buy with 74 or 75, but if you get clocked at 76 your getting pulled over. You may not always get a ticket, but more than likely you will. It realy depends on the cop, but most in Texas will pull you over if you doing over 75.

Of course if you have a Texas plate in New Mexico or O.K. your getting a ticket if your stopped. Its been my experience that they don't much like us Texans much for some reason.

The moral of this. You can speed at the size of you wallet. With the new revenue collecting system....ur...points system in Texas I don't want any tickets. They put points on your record in Texas for tickets in other states :whiner:

 

[mx547]

yeah, use the toll roads. if you have to use the bathroom, stop at the mcdonald's or phillips stores, don't use the roadside outhouses. i don't recommend going more than 5 mph above the speed limit. with an out of state tag, you will get a ticket.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Gonna be tough, hell down-right dangerous, traveling much above the speed limit with a 31' RV pulling a 16' trailer loaded with 2,500 pounds of bikes and gear. Do yourself a favor, stay away from me.

 

[LoriKTM]

Originally posted by gospeedracer
My advice. Whatever you do, do not, I repeat DO NOT stop at the "World's Largest McDonald's" on the overpass! :scream: 

No worries there.  I don't mind the food, but Dave refuses to stop at any place with the golden arches.  He HATES the food there!! 

Speed limit's only 65 on the Thruway NY, so we should be safe in OK.  :confused:

 

[BSWIFT]

Not sure but if you check my old posts, I have directions for every possiblity except the one the Billywho and Elk took (forgot about that one).  I'll do a search and see if it still exists and link it.

 

[BSWIFT]

Here's the link: http://dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?threadid=62138

 

[Sawblade]

LoriKTM,
I think the toll in OK for the 412 stretch with a single axel trailer is $3.25, but It's been a few months since I've traveled that way. Well worth it. The other toll East of Tulsa on 44 will be about the same.

 

[BSWIFT]

Originally posted by Sawblade
LoriKTM,
I think the toll in OK for the 412 stretch with a single axel trailer is $3.25, but It's been a few months since I've traveled that way. Well worth it. The other toll East of Tulsa on 44 will be about the same.

I suggest you have many, many quarters.  I would also use the alternate route from Tulsa to Stillwater in the other thread

 

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Thanx for the advice Brian :thumb:

 

[dead]

Originally posted by RV6junkie
Gonna be tough, hell down-right dangerous, traveling much above the speed limit with a 31' RV pulling a 16' trailer loaded with 2,500 pounds of bikes and gear. Do yourself a favor, stay away from me.

85 is car speed. I don't know about the new RV's but the one my grandparents had would barely hit 70, down a hill!

 

[Treejumper]

Guess you guys havent seen Steve drive his RV! :laugh: Of course i think it has a V10 in it but it sure did book down the interstate with a trailer of bikes behind it.

 

[LoriKTM]

Originally posted by BSWIFT


I suggest you have many, many quarters.  
 

All the toll booths in OK are exact change only?  No overpaid toll workers to give you change for a fiver? 

Thanks for the alert.  I'll try to remember to buy a roll of quarters before we leave!

 

[MrMXer327]

Yea TJ, The RV will haul thanks to a few modification to the Triton courtesy of the Banks Power Package.... However.... Turns out the tires can't take those kinds of speeds without the tread seperating... we'll take it easy this year.