driving rt. 10 (Houston, El Paso, Spring: floor, trailer, vehicles)

[Bunketta]

We are planning a trip that will take us on Rt. 10 across the south during a winter month. Can anyone tell me if there are any parts of rt. 10 that will be frightening because of mountainous roadway?

[martinez4]

Originally Posted by Bunketta

We are planning a trip that will take us on Rt. 10 across the south during a winter month. Can anyone tell me if there are any parts of rt. 10 that will be frightening because of mountainous roadway?

No ...it is a very easy drive Having done it a few times myself, you should have no problems with the terrain. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

[rd2007]

the frightening thing would be seeing a mountain on 10

I've driven it coast to coast several times and it was only bad once and that was in a February I believe. I drove Monterey, CA to Orlando, FL and it was ice almost the entire way. That was a really strange ice storm though and probably rarely happens. It should be a really boring drive for the most part. Enjoy all 888 miles of Texas and when the signs warn you about no services for xx miles, they aren't kidding..

[majormadmax]

It is about the only road you won't need a GPS for...

We do the trip to Jacksonville to visit my Mom every year or so, it is nothing but straight-open interstate. About the only concerns are the traffic in Houston (avoid rush-hour if you can) and there is a detour that takes you on IH-12 and continues just east of Baton Rogue and reconnects with IH-10 in Slidell, stay on that and avoid heading south into New Orleans. Do not go through New Orleans! Goggle Maps it and you will see what I am talking about...

As for mountains and such, about all you will hit are the hills of the Redneck Riveria (the Florida Panhandle)...and they are not scary at all!

Cheers! M2

[Blue_Iris_3]

Hey, rd2007, isn't there a mountain in California (well sort of anyway), Mountain Springs we called it. It's the closest point to the Mexican border somewhere around the top. Been there testing vehicles w/trailers, mountain grades in hot weather kind of thing. I'm pretty sure this was I-10, being so close to the border and all.

So, as long as your not pulling a trailer you should be ok, but you should watch your temperatures on warm days even in a car, and do use your transmission for down grades as if you were in the mountains. As I remember the grade was pretty steep around 30% at some points if I remember correctly and with curves , a fun drive, well except for that 8000lb trailer slowing me down .

Anyway, sounds like a fun trip, hope you enjoy it.

[ShaneSA]

I've done the drive from Santa Monica to SA. I remember that there are mountains in west Texas. Not huge mountains, but grades and valleys. It was nothing like being in Colorado, but the Rockies do go all the way into Mexico and become the Sierra Madres.
The Texas portion is much lower but still mountains. If I remember right, going from west to east you go from the desert floor up into mountains, then plains, and then hill country until SA.
It's a beautiful drive and not scary at all.

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by Blue_Iris_3

Hey, rd2007, isn't there a mountain in California (well sort of anyway), Mountain Springs we called it. It's the closest point to the Mexican border somewhere around the top. Been there testing vehicles w/trailers, mountain grades in hot weather kind of thing. I'm pretty sure this was I-10, being so close to the border and all.

So, as long as your not pulling a trailer you should be ok, but you should watch your temperatures on warm days even in a car, and do use your transmission for down grades as if you were in the mountains. As I remember the grade was pretty steep around 30% at some points if I remember correctly and with curves , a fun drive, well except for that 8000lb trailer slowing me down .

Anyway, sounds like a fun trip, hope you enjoy it.

In CA, the mountains are just North of I10. You do go through some mountains between Tuscon, AZ and Lordsville, NM. The next mountain (heading East) is outside El Paso, TX when you climb up through the Van Horn, TX area. Once you leave the Hill Country in Texas, there are no more mountains all the way to Florida. I have run into snow/ice storm in January West of El Paso.

[SnappyBob]

A friend of mine just came back from a trip to somewhere and they came back through El Paso on I-10. They said that the speed limit on I-10 just out of El Paso is now 80 MPH. Has anyone else driven that road recently?

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by Blue_Iris_3

Hey, rd2007, isn't there a mountain in California (well sort of anyway), Mountain Springs we called it. It's the closest point to the Mexican border somewhere around the top. Been there testing vehicles w/trailers, mountain grades in hot weather kind of thing. I'm pretty sure this was I-10, being so close to the border and all.

Blue_Iris_3, you may be thinking of Interstate 8; it runs from San Diego over into Arid-zona and connects with Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. (It's South of I-10) I-8 would be ideal to test RV's as it has a series of l-o-n-g climbs eastbound and some hills after that.

[Crew Chief]

FRIGHTENING??? In California, at Exit 111: Verbinia Street (Just West of Palm Springs) there are DINOSAURS!!! Actually, there are some really neat life-size dinosaur sculptures that were done back in the 1940's (I believe...) When I first saw them, they were standing on a sandy lot and look a lot more realistic than they do now with the Denny's Burger King and Texaco gas station in front... Have a GREAT trip!!!