I have a question for you guys. Yall went both way's I've looked at going out there. It looks like the I-40 way appears to be an hour and 67 miles longer but it looks ALOT easier. What was your favorite way and why?
Both. Scenery on I-70 is better, but you've got to go through St Louis, Kansas City, and Denver. There's nothing like the first sight of the mountains from eastern Colorado, though. And yeah, those are some big hills... but it's must-see stuff.
The I-40 way is desolate. I remember one time, we figured we'd get something to eat once we hit the west side of ABQ. Forgot that there's *absolutely nothing* on 550 for about 100 miles. We ended up getting microwave burritos at some little gas station on a reservation. Best burrito I've ever had.
The people that complain about how desolate Kansas is have probably never driven through the TX panhandle or northwestern NM.
But weather plays a big factor, too. We left out of Oklahoma one morning heading west into stiff headwinds. Couldn't manage but about 55mph for half the day. That sucked.
We also swung north and came home I-80 one time through Nebraska. Can't recommend that one. Cattle processing plants for a couple hundred miles. But Iowa was pretty.
I'm sure EJS would be fun... but my recommendation is still to wait until late summer/early fall. Plan on the first of September, give or take a few weeks. The weather in Moab is nice, and the CO mountains should be well-thawed and wheelable, but not for long once you get into late September.