Like the other responders, I find Gatorskins to be a good compromise between puncture resistance, tread wear, and (lack of) stiffness for better road shock absorption.
Originally Posted by
jkrm
I ride almost exclusively on roads. In fact there is only one stretch on one of my routes, about mile long, that consists of packed dirt or stone dust, maybe some small stones.
You can find Gatorskins in 35 width, though maybe not at REI. There's not a huge size difference, but wider tires may help when you get to that "packed dirt or stone dust" stretch. It really depends on the path; some surfaces with that description are practically paved roads, and some are mush pits waiting to trap the unwary cyclist.