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I'm travelling for the first time from Kitchener Ontario to Casa Grande Arizona for the winter and need help with my route. Mapquest suggest the fastest route is crossing the border at Sarnia to Indianapolis, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Phoenix and on to Casa Grande.
I'm thinking of going thru Nashville, Dallas, El Paso to Casa Grande which is a couple hours longer according to Mapquest but I think it is the safest route to avoid winter weather.
I've done your route twice, once on a motorcycle, but starting closer to Quebec than New York. Both times in late summer.
I'd stick with the Mapquest route... either way you're gonna have to come through the upper midwest lake area, where winter weather is the biggest factor. The routes are the same all the way down until you hit Oklahoma from Missouri. Much easier to take the straight west shot out on the 40 through NM and into AZ, than it is to head down through TX, then almost hug the MX border back through Tucson then up to Casa Grande.
Either way, it's all major highway, no worries with the winter weather once you get out of IL and OH anyhow...
Either way, it's all major highway, no worries with the winter weather once you get out of IL and OH anyhow...
While I would agree with sticking with Mapquest routing, I would disagree with you about the winter weather. Between Indianapolis and St. Louis can be a very rough drive in the snow as you are driving over the prairie and you are getting the blowing snow off the fields. And you can also have a rough drive between St. Louis and Tulsa.
Also, while the probability of snow decreases along the route as you head south, the ability to properly clean off the roads if there is a snow also diminishes.
And of course, there is always a possibility of an ice storm.
This is not to discourage the OP but to remind him that to safely travel on a road trip in the winter months requires proper preparation and the usual safety supplies (food, warm clothes, etc.). I had a friend who spent two days in his car near London, KY stranded along I-75.
I'm travelling for the first time from Kitchener Ontario to Casa Grande Arizona for the winter and need help with my route. Mapquest suggest the fastest route is crossing the border at Sarnia to Indianapolis, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Phoenix and on to Casa Grande.
I'm thinking of going thru Nashville, Dallas, El Paso to Casa Grande which is a couple hours longer according to Mapquest but I think it is the safest route to avoid winter weather.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I can't imagine why Mapquest would think it's shorter or better to cross the border at Sarnia. That's out of the way. Just stay on 401 and cross the Ambassador Bridge into Detroit. It's a much larger custom's shed anyhow, which means more people to serve you. But, don't forget to stop at the last service plaza and pick up some Tim Horton's before you leave!
Exiting the custom's shed, you can get right on I-75 south and run that all the way down to Cincinnati. Go right on through the middle (forget the loop...it's too far) and take I-71 south toward Louisville, KY. I-265 south (or 264, it doesn't matter) to I-65 south to Nashville. Take the Briley Parkway (TN-155) west to I-40 and avoid downtown, unless you just want to go sightseeing. I-40 west to Little Rock, I-30 west to I-635 south to I-20 west (goes around Dallas and Ft. Worth, but you can go right through both downtowns if you'd like). I-20 to I-10 and there you are in Casa Grande!
You're subject to hit winter weather anywhere along that route and aren't really out of danger until you reach Tucson, AZ. Ohio is really good about plowing and salting the roads, Kentucky less so and Tennessee is fair. But, from there on, don't expect to see anything more than maybe some sand on the bridges and overpasses...IF you even see that. Ice is your greatest threat until you climb up Ranger Hill west of Ft. Worth, then snow is more common. But, since they won't remove the snow, it can and often does get packed down into greasy, yellow, rutted, pitted and potholed ice which will shake your car to pieces IF you can stay on the road.
However, it usually doesn't last long. When the sun comes out, it'll melt. However, since they won't salt it, it can re-freeze after dark and create patches of really slick black ice that you won't see until you're on it.
Thanks for the detailed route. I'm thinking
Day 1 Nashville
Day 2 Arlington ( I want to visit Cowboy Stadium)
Day 3 Las Cruces
Day 4 Casa Grande
Does this seem reasonable?
It does to me, but then again, I'm one of those 1000 mile a day guys.
If the weather is good, yes that should work fine. I'd have to figure out the distance from Kitchener to Nashville because I don't have it right off the top of my head, but Nashville to Arlington is roughly 700 miles. So is Arlington to Las Cruces. The final leg is about half that.
If you'll be staying in Casa Grande into the spring, do you know if the World Series Champion San Fransico Giants still do their spring training there? If so, that would be a fun day, wouldn't it?
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