Just in the planning stage for an iron Butt and need just a little advice from some Texas riders. I am coming from Jackson MS on I 20 and planning on riding to about Abilene for the turn around. So: 1. What is the Texas speed limit? 2. I know that Dallas is a beast so about how long will it take me to get through Dallas / Ft Worth? 3. how many miles from the normal speed limit then through Dallas/ Fort worth and back to normal speed limit. 4. Best time of day to blow through the big D? Any other Advice? Thinking of the BB 1500 gold. Have done the SS1000 and 1500 and now looking for the gold.
I would rather plan a loop somewhere than out and back. Going to be wearing enough to see the same stuff twice. Jackson - Dallas - Texarkana - Little Rock - Memphis - Jackson is just a touch over a thousand. Thats just quick clicking yahoo. Should be some short routes to avoid the main city areas and still get you a nice loop. Don't forget on an out and back route if you hit construction delays on the way out guess what you are gonna get on the way back. You should be able to check on interstate construction but the city construction will be hard to research. Good luck on your ride. Did you look at the tip list on the Iron Butt website?
I would suggest not riding thru Dallas, the midcities, Ft. Worth. Instead take the south loop around the cities. Your speed should stay up around the limit of 60 most of the day. Speed limits in TX are usually 70, and only higher way west after 10 and 20 join somewhere. It was suggested you do a loop ride, instead of an out and back. Couple of good reasons for a loop. If you have any problems, need, or want to bail, you can short cut back home. If weather, construction, or an accident that closes the highway happens, you are going to be jammed for time. Also consider the sun, riding into the sun all day is not a lot of fun, when you might have just reversed your route. Of course going west till noon and east in the afternoon works. Good luck, and hope we see a ride report.
Sailwing gives good advice... 80mph speed limits start near Monahans, Texas on I-20 and near Mountain Home, Texas on I-10. No real speed bonus for a guy coming out of Jackson. If you decide to go out towards Abilene, and elect to use the southern loop through DFW, please understand that it is possible for I20 to come to a standstill at any time of the day, but it is generally free-flowing outside of rush hour periods; 7-10am and 4:30-7pm. I would definitely consider the Jac-Dal-Texrk-Mem-Jac routing, but there are LOTS of trucks on I40 between Little Rock and Memphis. Other pretty viable loop routes (for the winter); Jackson-Shreveport-Baton Rouge-Mobile-Birmingham-Jackson at 1146 miles. Jackson-Cairo, Illinois-Nashville-Chattanooga-Birmingham-Jackson at 1053 miles. If you need a witness in Dallas, let me know. Cheers!
Regarding the speed limits, as mentioned, outside of uban areas, most interstates and US highways are 70 mph DAY, and 65 night (and the DPS troopers enjoy patrolling and reminding people that the speed limit drops after dark. Once you get west of Fort Worth about 60 mile or so, the speed limit ups to 75. Your best bet is to take I-20 all the way through the Metroplex (D/FW) area and stay off of I-30 or either I-35s (there is one in Dallas (East) and one in Fort Worth (West). Barring an accident or construction, this road is generally clean sailing (although heavily travelled) from 10:30 a.m. until about 3:15 p.m. After 3:30, the evening commute begins and holds steadu until about 7 p.m.
Best time to blow through Big D would have been about 1955. Seriously, DFW stretches from Rockwall to Weatherford, then opens up. Good luck.
1) Generally, the speed limit from your direction is 70 during the day, 65 at night. Because of air quality issues this speed limit will change to 65 day/night starting in counties adjacent to Dallas and Tarrant counties. Just before you hit Abilene it'll crank up to 75. 2, 3, 4) Depends on time of day. If you're smart and come through at 2AM, count on a solid 75 minutes or so to get through D/FW proper on I-30. If you come through at any time other than the middle of the night avoid I-30 through the middle and go for I-20 parallel across the south side of the Metroplex. You're talking about 80 miles or so from one side to the other. Speed limits through the Metroplex will generally be 60 or 65 all the way through.
The gold is going to put your turn around somewhere out in Odessa. Dallas isn't to bad if you hit it during a weekend or make your transit sometime between 8pm and 6am. I-20 runs south of Dallas proper and you can usually breeze thru unless theres a wreck (very possible). Just keep in mind that in the mornings all the traffic is heading in to Dallas, in the evening, it's all heading out. If you are going againt the flow it wont be very bad. Most of the time you can run 10 over the limit and never get a second look, but that can change in some locals so take it for what it's worth. If the traffic is running 70 run 71, if the traffic is running 60, run 61. As you know from your other runs, speed is less important than consistency. Loops are probably a lot more fun but the route you chose barring an unforseen event should allow you good time. If some fool has a bad wreck in Dallas all bets are off. There are ways around Dallas but they clog quickly once a wreck happens. I used to office on the west side of downtown and my 31 mile commute from the south has taken me an hour and a half many times.
