If I were in your shoes...I think I would run 11, 129, 78 over to Thomson, then 278 to wherever I wanted to get to. You will run into PSC/DOT somewhere. No matter what you do, there are some things you can't avoid, such as rolling scales (portables). Do yourself a favor and carry a log book, just in case, make sure if stopped that you are hauling it for personal use, that you aren't trying to avoid any scales (there is a big fine for that) and that the reason your on the back roads is something as simple as... you hate running fast (won't work if you get pulled over for speeding), or you have a relative that lives on your current route (better have one in case they check), or going by a machinery buddy's house to show your latest purchase (easy for you since you know where all of us are at, lol). ! At each leg of your journey, consider having a destination in mind somewhere up the road (the road you are actually on) that gives you a GOOD reason for being on the back road, as opposed to taking the Interstates with the scale house. (world renowned resturaunt, or any tourist trap will work. Most of the PSC/DOT Officers have heard any "story" you can imagine, so don't over-do it, they can figure out a B...S..... story a long way off!
I guess you know if you get stopped, have your drivers license, vehicle registration and insurance card out when he reaches the door, but don't be fumbling for it while he is walking up to the vehicle. (I keep my wallet on the dash in easy reach). I guess what I am saying is... before you make the trip, get all the documents together that are typically asked for during a roadside stop, and have them within easy reach of the driver. Worse thing is to have to hunt or search for anything while they are standing at your window. Plus it makes it appear that you are on top of your game. COURTEOUS and no BS answers go further than you can ever imagine. If he is looking to fill his quota, your in trouble anyway, but if he just stopped you to ask about why your on that road, or what your hauling (their job is boring, they do this!) Last time I was stopped in my F350 I was hauling 4 Allis Chalmers tractors, and all the Officer wanted to know, was if I restored them as a living (could have gotten me into trouble, since that would be hauling commercially). I told him I didn't, just collected them. Turned out, he had a Farmall Cub that belonged to his Dad and he was considering having it restored. He was looking for contacts to check with for pricing. Have you ever considered hauling a piece of farm equipment on trips that you have space available? Yesterdaystractors dot com has a "hauling" tab that is a good resource for hauls, but make sure your not doing it for $ as far as the DOT is concerned, not even fuel money. Farm equipment seems to get you a free pass on a lot of things, because there are too many loopholes for needing transport of them, and most Officers tend to shy away because it is just too much work to do the research to make sure your not legally hauling it. Just a thought....
Another rule, harped on us by our employers, NEVER argue with an officer on the side of the road..You can't win, and putting him on the defensive tends to never end up good for you. I have been stopped, been given "bad tickets" and now realize that if I argued, it would have been that much worse.
Good luck on your trip, and Merry Christmas!
David from jax