Roadtripamerica.com

There is a guy that goes by 'AZBuck,' and is a moderator on the forums on roadtripamerica.com. This guy is the US roadtrip jeanie. You send him a message and he responds with amazing advice. Advice you know is first-hard and reliable. I am loving AZ Buck. I posted a note to the forum asking the following:

Hi! I am driving Denver to NY in late October. First, I'm trying to figure out a good place to stay in Kansas for my first stop. Somewhere clean and safe. It looks like I'll be able to make it to Topeka. Is this a good place to spend the night?From there I'm trying to figure out the most efficient route to get to NY but to also see the foliage. Suggestions?Thanks!

AZBuck responded with the following:
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!Topeka is probably as good as any. It's a goodly distance from Denver and is the first substantial city you'll come to along I-70. There should be plenty of budget priced motels near the Interstate. Check the web sites of the chains such as Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, Super 8, Comfort Inn, Microtel and the like to see what they're charging and where they are. You could probably also just wing it and watch the billboards as you get close to town.The most efficient way to New York City is to just stay on I-70 all the way to central Pennsylvania and then use I-76, I-81 and I-78 into the city. That should also set you up for some very nice foliage viewing across southern PA. If you're headed for somewhere else in New York State, say Albany, then you should consider leaving I-70 at Columbus, OH and using I-71 up to Cleveland and then I-90. While I-86 across southern NY is a freeway as opposed to I-90 (a toll road), I-86 is getting to be too far north and too high to see great foliage in late October, so you'll want to use I-90 or US-20 which basically follow the old Erie Canal at a lower elevation and are more likely to still have good color that late.

AND then, later, with this:
You say that you will be travelling in 'late October' The exact dates WILL make a difference. For example, if you are leaving Denver on the weekend of the 28th, there will be a small football game in Lawrence, KS (Colorado vs. Kansas) which is only 25 miles down the road from Topeka. Motels might fill up early and/or charge a premium. On such details are great RoadTrips made or destroyed.
AZBuck

I love you, AZBuck!!