Ft. Jackson/Columbia, SC to Seattle, WA

[Kirah]

Driving the Chinook I (ironically) find it harder to make time. Because it's so tempting to stop! Hey, there is my living room back there. I could make a snack. Read on the couch! So relaxing. It's impossible to make time And if you get sleepy or bored: Again that living room is RIGHT THERE. You could pull over... Good luck making miles

I have the same problem.

Lunch in my car: grab some drive-through and keep on trucking

Lunch in my Chinook: Find a shady spot at a picnic or rest area. Make a grilled cheese sandwich. Go for a walk. Take a quick nap. Notice the time, and reluctantly get back on the road.

Combined with a lower comfortable cruising speed, and the fact that I find the Chinook more tiring to drive, I just don't make the same distance I can manage in my car.

In my car, I can start in Houston and make El Paso by supper time. In the Chinook, I rarely make it past Fort Stockton, even if I don't lollygag.

Oh, which reminds me, my other tip for these trips is to look up a bunch of places you could stay overnight before you head out. I don't make reservations more than a few hours in advance, but I have a list of them, about an hour apart, along my planned route. After lunch, when I have a feel for my pace for the day, I can call ahead and get directions/reservations for the night. Beats having to look them up en route. My mother subscribes to Allstays.com and I have used them for finding safe spots on short notice.

[Blue~Go]

Kirah: So funny you have the same "problem." I could have taken my Chinook on that cross-country "utility" trip and it would have been sooooo comfortable. But it would have taken so much longer (too much relaxing on the couch and making those sandwiches ). In the car: Drive, drive, drive, right at the speed limit (in good conditions). Nothing else to do.

Maybe Astro will be able to make time at least at the beginning due to not being used to the fact of having the comfy palace just behind the seats

[Astrodokk]

Just got home from my part time job. Extra money for the gas!

I'll look into the routes mentioned and try to plan the logistics before I set out. The route through K.C., S. Dakota and Montana sound like a more direct shot, but I think the weather up there will be challenging. I'll see how I feel and what the forecast says when I start out on the 27th.

When I had my other MH, I would just drive and stop when I felt like it.
One late night I pulled into a small town and parked under some street lights. About 15 minutes later, I heard yelling, cars racing, and gunshots. I got up, started the engine, and drove off. I believe they were giving me a message haha.

Most of the time I would stop at rest stops and slide in between the big rigs. I like to stop where there are a lot of people stopped too. Walmarts are an option as well. But if I had to, I would consider planned stops along the way. All I have to do is sit in my barrel chair with some hot coffee, and go online. Then maybe stretch out on the goucho and take a small nap.

I'm not too worried about making time. I will enjoy the drive, and get home when I get home. My son flies into Seattle on the evening of January 4, so I have 7.5 days to do this. I'll make it notwithstanding any mechanical problems.

[chin_k]

If you need mechanical help, it will be better to drive by some larger cities, instead of scenic places with not many people around. It will be bad if you need to spend 4 hours to get a tow truck dispatched if you need road side assistance. Does people think that I am worry too much about this potential issue? I have only broken down once in all these years of driving (knock on wood...), and it was a busted tire on a little passenger car that was taken care of by AAA within minutes.

[Astrodokk]

I highlighted the many possible routes that I can take and the possibilities seem endless. The only limitation would be the weather.

The major interstates coming into Seattle are only I-5, I-90.

If I choose I-90, that would have me using the northerly route that Google maps suggests as the least miles driven, and I don't feel like I want to risk getting stuck somewhere out in the boonies if the weather goes bad on me.

To use I-90: From Columbia, SC, I would have to take 26 up to 40 in Ashville,Tennessee, west to 24 in Nashville, north to 64 in Kentucky, west to 70 in St. Louis, Missouri, 29 north in Kansas City, pass LINCOLN, NEBRASKA north to 90 at Sioux Falls, SD, and then west through SD, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and East WA, all the way to the Eastside of Seattle.

I could branch west on 80 in LINCOLN NEBRASKA to the 5 in Cal or even take little branches north from the 80 if the weather is good.

But my gut tells me to take I-40 west most of the way possibly to Barstow, then north to Bakersfield and up 99 until it merges with I-5 all the way to Seattle.


Another way would be 20 to 10 in TX to 5 in Cali. Too far south for my liking unless weather makes me take it under duress.

I will check the weather website to see which way will be less hazardous when the time comes. So far I'm leaning on going with the I-40 route.

[Blue~Go]

I agree. Barring any major need to "fly," I'd take I-40. Good chances for decent weather (plus you won't be sleeping in a meat locker) and -- if the weather deteriorates -- you can zip down to I-10. I came across from Maryland at the end of December a few years ago (in an RV but not my Chinook) and took I-40. Turned out there was a big storm in Flagstaff (had been watching it, but it might have gotten worse or better), so at Amarillo I popped south to I-10. But if the storm had fizzled a bit I could have stayed on I-40 for a shorter trip.

You'll want to watch Albuquerque and Flagstaff as high points, altitude-wise. IIRC ABQ is at around 5500' and Flag is close to 7,000' The altitude around Flag is only high for a relatively short distance. There is a Walmart right off I-40 in Winslow (less than an hour east of Flag) that is just before you start to climb (so warmer) and then after Flag on the west side it relatively quickly gets down to around 5,000' then stays there for awhile. At around 2.5 hours after Flag there is the Walmart in Kingman (4,000') where you can also stay if desired. I usually git on past Flag in the middle of the day because I don't feel like sleeping over in 20º weather if I don't have to.

At Kingman you have a few choices.

1) 93 north through Vegas and on NNW through Nevada and eastern Oregon (more wintery but more direct).

2) Or stay on I-40 to Barstow and then take 58 west. This will be warm weather through the Mojave Desert.

2a)If you get really lucky on weather windows you could then take 395 north from 58 at Kramer Junction, but that's pretty unlikely this time of year, with parts of it at 8,000' (but lovely!).

2b) Or continue west on 58 over Tehachapi Pass (no weather worries to speak of) toward Bakersfield and then go up I-5 (least wonderful, but warmest). Going up I-5 you basically only need to watch Siskiyou Pass by the CA/OR border. I've gone over just hours after a storm ended and it was already cleared and dry. And if you see anything before you get there you'll be holding up in nice Cali weather most likely. They have a webcam at the pass showing I-5.

Notes on 2a): You'd only be on 395 for 1-2 days so you can easily check the most accurate forecast just at the intersection of 58 and 395 to see if you get lucky.

If 395 is good (late X-mas present from the weather gods) you could also cut over through Death Valley from the Vegas route to the 395 route. Unlikely, but it has happened.

Of course I'd still take a peruse just before you head out to begin with just to re-check things on a national map to look for the general lay of the big weather systems.

Won't be long now: You are in the 10-day forecast window!

[chin_k]

I drove on I-40 a few times, and I usually leave Albuquerque early in the morning, and get to LA in the same day. But since you are not in a hurry, I would find some place after Flagstaff to take a break. If you want some bright lights, you can head toward to Las Vegas via US-93. It is usually pretty warm there (that is, no need to turn on the heat for the tanks), but will add some mileage to your trip.

[Astrodokk]

Yes, I saw that I could go from I-40 at Kingman, north on 93/95 to Vegas then up to Reno and west. I considered that if I have time and feel leisurely.

[Norman&Michele]

I am probably way too late to help out, as I am just reading this. BUT, figured I'd throw in advice that may or may not help. We just drove over 3000 miles, in a round-about route from Vermont to AZ. The past 2 years that we did this, I made reservations, and planned, and only had weather mess with my best laid plans. This year, armed with apps on my phone, and a route that was aimed to try to stay off interstates where possible, we made our way across the country. Was great and far less stressful. We also just logged around 300 miles per day, which was far better than marathoning it. We took 11 days, and boondocked in Walmart parking lots, truck stops, one family member's driveway, and 4 traditional campgrounds. We traveled with the camper winterized, and did not fill our freshwater tank as it was below 20F when we got on the road. We brought water in jugs, but did use the gray water tank for the used water, adding antifreeze to be sure that tank didn't freeze. We outfitted our toilet to be used as a dry toilet. You can shower at truck stops--it costs $14, and my husband and I went in together. They were great--clean, and they even supply towels and soap if you forget yours!

I have several apps on my phone, but the one that I liked the best was "Allstays". I think I had to pay $10 for it, but it was well worth it. It gives you a map and shows you where all the above places are, and the details. It was the BEST tool.

Hope this helps... SAFE travels, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Michele

[Astrodokk]

Hi Michele,
No you are not too late because I won't be starting the drive back until late morning, Thursday Dec. 27th.
I've got NOAA weather apps now and am pretty much ready to decide the best route as I start, most likely will be I-40 but I can change that anytime.
I'll probably buy a lot of stuff at Walmart before starting the trip back. If you have any suggestions that can make the trip more comfortable and fun, I would like to hear them.
I'm have cold weather gear that I'm packing, but that's pretty much it. Everything else will be bought as needed except for the essentials that I'll already have, like food and water, oil and extra gas, and maps.
Thanks.