Planning my escape route (moving back to MA)(17 to 40 or 60 to 77 to 40)

[Howard Roark]

Yes I moved from Phoenix to New Jersey for a 10 month contract a few years ago.

I took the 17 to 40. It is freeway all the way. The 60 has slower areas and curves, so driving a truck and trailer on the 60 / 77 is not advisable. I drove 14 hours per day and got to NJ in three days.

Umm...I left from old town Scottsdale.

IIRC, 40 takes you through Amarillo TX and then to Oklahoma. I think it becomes 44 and the Will Rogers Turnpike. From there I went through Missouri, then Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania on Route 80. And that was in an early April. It was snowing light as I drove Route 80 through PA.

quote=Bench Warmer;14881169]Hello,

I was just curious... I will be leaving here in 2 weeks.. I'm wondering what the best route to I-40 will be... I thought the maps would take me up 17 to 40.. but it has be going 60 to 77 to 40.. I was wondering if anyone has ever taken that route.. How's the driving for that route?? I will be driving a 16' truck with my car on a dolly behind the truck... I'm hesitant to take this route if I'll be dealing with real narrow mountainous roads.... On paper this route makes sense.. I'm located at power road and rt 60.... but I'd rather take the easier of the 2 routes... If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it..




Thanks,
Bob[/quote]

[PhoenixAirConcerns]

Originally Posted by Howard Roark

Yes I moved from Phoenix to New Jersey for a 10 month contract a few years ago.

I took the 17 to 40. It is freeway all the way. The 60 has slower areas and curves, so driving a truck and trailer on the 60 / 77 is not advisable. I drove 14 hours per day and got to NJ in three days.

Umm...I left from old town Scottsdale.

IIRC, 40 takes you through Amarillo TX and then to Oklahoma. I think it becomes 44 and the Will Rogers Turnpike. From there I went through Missouri, then Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania on Route 80. And that was in an early April. It was snowing light as I drove Route 80 through PA.

quote=Bench Warmer;14881169]Hello,

I was just curious... I will be leaving here in 2 weeks.. I'm wondering what the best route to I-40 will be... I thought the maps would take me up 17 to 40.. but it has be going 60 to 77 to 40.. I was wondering if anyone has ever taken that route.. How's the driving for that route?? I will be driving a 16' truck with my car on a dolly behind the truck... I'm hesitant to take this route if I'll be dealing with real narrow mountainous roads.... On paper this route makes sense.. I'm located at power road and rt 60.... but I'd rather take the easier of the 2 routes... If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it..




Thanks,
Bob

[/quote]

Agreed that going with a dolly on the small, windy roads is not advisable. There are several options once reaching past I-40 for heading back towards MA. Going up to Colorado is one of them.

[1999corvette]

I have taken all 3 routes 17 to Flagstaff to get to I40, the 60 and 77 through the Salt River Canyon (cool views) and going up Beeline highway through Payson , then turning off at Heber (weird name for a town)

I like the last one best, coming from Queen Creek it seems fastest, and when your rolling a 6 speed Corvette, some of those roads are empty of cars after you pass through Heber, let the engine stretch it's legs a little here and there.

17 north to Flagstaff sure seemed to be rough (in a Corvette anyways) like it's time to repave it.

If your starting in the west valley, might as well go 17 to Flagstaff.

[1999corvette]

If you go through Payson, watch out for the photo radar in a town just east called Star Valley, it seems like it is on a right curve going downhill, right after the speed limit slows down!

[lyzzard]

We took a truck (standard sized) with a trailer on the back up to IA. We took the Flagstaff route, but we were already in Phoenix. It was smooth sailing with the 4 lanes now. Not as difficult as it use to be at all. We also got to Albuquerque in one night, without any kids, we got to Amarillo in the morning driving straight through and slept at a stop for a few hours before going on. If it's just you alone, I'd suggest taking it slow. Stop and sleep in the truck if you have to, better to drive fresh then be sleepy and take risks you don't have to.

What others have suggested sounds good to me. 40 to the 44 to the 70 etc... I know when I moved from Boston to IA there were some tolls we had to pay (and some up to IA from here as well), so you might want to keep some cash on you just in case, I don't remember if they take cards or not.

Good luck, and remember to take lots of pictures! The dinosaurs on the way to AlbuQ are fun to take shots of.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by 1999corvette

If you go through Payson, watch out for the photo radar in a town just east called Star Valley, it seems like it is on a right curve going downhill, right after the speed limit slows down!

YES! that's a mean radar....they slow you down to go thru Star Valley (reasonable request in that busy area), but the camera is just a few feet beyond the first slower speed sign and you're going a bit downhill and it all happens fast....I usually don't speed and haven't gotten a ticket there, but have noticed how blatant that trap is......

[Cyborg13]

From Hwy 60 & Power the easiest would be to head up Power (turns into AZ Highway 89), take that past the lake to 87. Take 87 up to Payson and pick up 260 to Heber. In Heber, turn onto 277 and take that for 10 miles to pick up 377, which will take you to 77 just south of Holbrook. Once on 77, it is about 3 miles to I-40.

Hwy 89 is a little small, but it leads to the lake, so a lot of people are pulling trailers through there all the time anyway (boats specifically), so I imagine you won't have any trouble pulling your car.