Indian River

4,310 isn’t much at all. The Eisenhower Tunnel on I 70 in Colorado where that cluster of yellow signs are from is 11,158.

 

Your coworker is correct about I 70 west of Denver in the Winter. You will be biting off more than you can chew on that one. I 80 across Wyoming is a better route that parallels I 70 for the most part. It can add some miles, but nothing major. Avoid I 70 west of Denver for the first few years.

I like the West Coast because it’s beautiful scenery. There is never an issue finding a place to park when I run my clock out. The traffic isn’t as congested either. It’s just a personal preference. I also get bored with flat farmland, and the mountains are just more my style.

 

It’s not a commonly required route for food grade tankers anyway that I’m aware of. I’ve only needed to run I 70 west of Denver or eastbound into and through Denver a half dozen or so times over the years at IRT. Most of the cross country loads make more sense (mileage-wise) to run I 10, I 40, I 80 or up top on I 90 / I 94. That section of I 70 just isn’t a needed or common path. Iowa to Southern California is about the only one where it would make sense. Even then, in the Winter you can run I 80 across Wyoming, down to Salt Lake, and pickup I 15 in Spanish Fork to bypass the I 70 gauntlet.

The phone signal isn’t good, the multi-hour high elevation will make you queasy, there aren’t many truck stops, and it can be dangerous in those Rockies when the weather hits hard. Mudslides, whiteouts, and highway lockdowns are common there. It’s not the place to be if you’re not confident yet. The grades are steep, curves are sharp, etc. on top of the other things I mentioned.