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Old 03-04-2012, 05:01 PM
 
1 posts, read 4,423 times
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Hello I will be relocating my family from Detroit to Metro Phoenix the end of this month and was wandering if anyone has taken that 2000 mile drive with a 24ft Truck?!?! How is the commute? Are there alot of moutains and turnpikes? Appoximately how much did you spend on gas?
ANY USEFUL advice is gratiously appreciated! Thanks guys
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Old 03-04-2012, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix, AZ USA
17,914 posts, read 43,225,913 times
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If y9ou have a AAA membership, get one of their "Triptiks" (at least that's what they used to call them) It will give you a lot of info about the best route and issues you may encounter along the way. I've never made that trip, but I'm sure you'll get some good advice from those here that have.
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Old 03-04-2012, 07:05 PM
 
Location: Detroit, MI/St. David, AZ
205 posts, read 569,554 times
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I have done the trip before... made it in my 2009 F350 (diesel) It cost me just about $350 in fuel... (I went to my house south of tucson, so it may actually cost you just a tad more to Phoenix as the drive is actually longer.)

There really isnt much scenery along the way, if you take the 94/80/55/44/40 route you will pass through st louis and get to see the Arch, thats about it.

If you have the time, take the route 66 passage!!! Then you will get to see some stuff....

Fill up for fuel as you pass through Albuquerque as there are limited stations in some areas between there and Phoenix.
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Old 03-04-2012, 09:43 PM
 
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drive carefully.....
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:01 PM
 
Location: Litchfield Park, AZ
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Sorry I can't be of help; just hoping all goes well for you. I'm making the same trip (but from PA by car) in 2 weeks.
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:19 PM
 
2,338 posts, read 4,689,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmurfOnABoat View Post
I have done the trip before... made it in my 2009 F350 (diesel) It cost me just about $350 in fuel... (I went to my house south of tucson, so it may actually cost you just a tad more to Phoenix as the drive is actually longer.)

There really isnt much scenery along the way, if you take the 94/80/55/44/40 route you will pass through st louis and get to see the Arch, thats about it.

If you have the time, take the route 66 passage!!! Then you will get to see some stuff....

Fill up for fuel as you pass through Albuquerque as there are limited stations in some areas between there and Phoenix.
I know opinions on the scenery are subjective. However, The Texas Panhandle until Phoenix is beautiful scenery. You feel like you are close to home in the SW when you get to Amarillo where you begin to see Tumbleweeds and Sagebrush. Eat at The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Home of the 72 ounce steak. You should spend a night there.

Tucumcari to ABQ is a nice drive. However, Santa Rosa to Clines Corners is ALL UPHILL. It will stress your engine, good or bad weather.

Moriarty to ABQ is gorgeous. Tijeras Canyon is awesome.

ABQ to Gallup is kind of oh hum. A lot of mesas and red rocks. You will hit 7200 feet at the Continental Divide between Grants and Gallup.

NE Arizona is pretty flat at 5000 feet and a lot of dust and sagebrush until you approach Flagstaff. South of Flagstaff, mostly downhill driving. Except for south of Camp Verde when you have one steep incline on I 17. Then, all downhill for the remaining 90 miles to PHX.

Best of Luck !
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:27 PM
 
Location: Portlandish, OR
1,082 posts, read 1,903,929 times
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we did that drive with an F150 and a uhaul trailer. make sure you have a good lock for your truck so that nobody can get into the back of it while you're stopped for the night. we also tried to back our uhaul up against something so that it was inaccessible for extra security. i don't remember there being any turnpikes. we stopped to see family along the way so we stayed overnight in Indy, Amarillo, and Flagstaff. it's kinda a long hypnotic drive, bring some good tunes/snacks/caffeine. and ditto about the lack of gas stations along some parts of the interstate.

welcome to az
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Old 03-04-2012, 11:07 PM
 
2,338 posts, read 4,689,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by christiner81 View Post
we did that drive with an F150 and a uhaul trailer. make sure you have a good lock for your truck so that nobody can get into the back of it while you're stopped for the night. we also tried to back our uhaul up against something so that it was inaccessible for extra security. i don't remember there being any turnpikes. we stopped to see family along the way so we stayed overnight in Indy, Amarillo, and Flagstaff. it's kinda a long hypnotic drive, bring some good tunes/snacks/caffeine. and ditto about the lack of gas stations along some parts of the interstate.

welcome to az
Oklahoma is just god awful and was the worst state for me to get through enroute to PHX. I'll explain.

1) I 44 from Joplin,MO to OKC is a Turnpike. Instead of paying a $5 fee in say OKC for the ride from Joplin to OKC, you are stopping every 45 minutes to put $1 into the toll. Tulsa wasn't fun either.

2) When you approach OKC, you get on the Kilpatrick TPK to bypass OKC. HAVE SPARE CHANGE. For those 20 miles on Kilpatrick, you have to pull over every few miles and throw spare change into the toll booths. It's just crappy. You couldn't pay me enough money to live there.

3) I 40 interstate roads are amongst the worst. Pothole galore from OKC to TX Border. It's all prairies with a gradual increase in elevation from OKC to TX border. BORING !
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Old 03-05-2012, 06:31 AM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
213 posts, read 375,622 times
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Drove from Syracuse to Scottsdale with husband and two cats. Boring to the max!! Bring caffeine tabs and good music.

Stopped in Indianapolis, Tulsa and Albuquerque. Brought a cooler with food to save money. Oh, and wine for the evenings!!!

Yes, fill up in Amarillo and again in New Mexico whenever you see a gas station. Don't cut it close. You never know when you'll see another gas station....or a potty!

Glad I did it once but would never do it again...

Safe travels...

Sue
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Old 03-05-2012, 04:27 PM
 
Location: SW OK (AZ Native)
24,185 posts, read 13,046,717 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by magnum0417 View Post
Oklahoma is just god awful and was the worst state for me to get through enroute to PHX. I'll explain.

1) I 44 from Joplin,MO to OKC is a Turnpike. Instead of paying a $5 fee in say OKC for the ride from Joplin to OKC, you are stopping every 45 minutes to put $1 into the toll. Tulsa wasn't fun either.

2) When you approach OKC, you get on the Kilpatrick TPK to bypass OKC. HAVE SPARE CHANGE. For those 20 miles on Kilpatrick, you have to pull over every few miles and throw spare change into the toll booths. It's just crappy. You couldn't pay me enough money to live there.

3) I 40 interstate roads are amongst the worst. Pothole galore from OKC to TX Border. It's all prairies with a gradual increase in elevation from OKC to TX border. BORING !
Pretty rough stuff there...

I-44 IS a turnpike but the plus is a 75 mph speed, if you're so inclined. I personally would not do the Kilpatrick because the new I-40 just opened up on the south side of OKC. To avoid paying a toll, I-44 to US 71 near Joplin to I-540 to Van Buren, AR to I-40 may be an option.

A stop at the Big Texan and Cadillac Ranch at Amarillo is a must-do.

I-40 is under construction west of OKC but from about Hinton to the TX state line it's new. Yes, it's flat, perhaps flatter than anywhere you'll ever see, but not capital letters boring.

Alternative to I-17 is the road from Holbrook, but unless you're an experienced driver, not with a U-Haul.
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