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We are considering a cross-country trip to pick up our daughter and her service dog in San Diego in order to bring her back to our area (near Philadelphia) to live. While we would like to make the trip as soon as we can, we are likely to have to travel at the end of October. and we would like advice on the best (and quickest) route to avoid bad weather at that time of year. Thank you.
Google Maps has 3 different routes with time & distance. Day before leaving, check the weather forecast to see where any storms might hit in the following 4-5 days. Late Oct is usually a good time to travel across the middle of the US, so the shortest route shown on Google Maps should be OK. If the forecast says (rare) snowstorm in northern New Mexico, take the southern route through TX.
Thank you, befriend, the options look like just what we need. Please tell me how you queried Google Maps in order to get the results you got with all three options.
Since the trip we are planning would be by mid-size RV, we also have to consider conditions and temperatures going in both directions and whether it would be possible to make the trip that late in the fall in an RV without closing down and winterizing the the water systems. While we have experience driving RV's in summer, we have never taken a trip this close to winter.
Thank you, befriend, the options look like just what we need. Please tell me how you queried Google Maps in order to get the results you got with all three options.
In Google maps box on left type in address where your daughter lives and hit the search icon (the magnifying glass). In the following menu box below click on "directions". It will give you route options with mileage and estimated time for travel.
You should not need to winterize until you are ready to head back into Penn. Could winterize on your last morning on the road most likely.
Looking at map I think go get on I81to Knoxville, Tn. Then decide I40, or I20.
Or take I40 to Little Rock and then I30 down to I20. I20 will take you to I10 for your final leg
Either route you will be fine in the RV. West Texas is WIDE OPEN spaces. Western Oklahoma is too, though.
So is the whole desert Southwest for that matter.
Might want to familiarize yourself with RV trip planning software.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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If you truly want to avoid weather (which I would not do during the scenic fall season)...
Just stay south, (I-40) with ability to flee further south (I-10) if weather deteriorates.
Weather predictions are extremely accurate these days, so you should have plenty of notice if you must deviate from plan.
Keep posted on 511 road reports.
Weather is likely NOT a risk in Oct. (many yrs as Commercial driver for me, often NYC to SFO via I-80 (lots of bad weather / months of ice and blizzards every year)
Several great viewing areas along your way for fall colors. (Ohio, Ozarks, NM, AZ)
Kudos for you fetching DD and dog. I am so tired of flying with fake ESA travelers. REAL Service animals have ability to obey, if their handler is alert and responsible, this can be tolerable and relatively safe for the other 200 passengers + crew. ESA no rules, no training, no safety.
We are considering a cross-country trip to pick up our daughter and ...
It becomes all about the weather at that time of year...
but the surest route is south to Atlanta (I-95/85 or I-81/77 or I75) and the I-20 ramp.
Then west on I-20 through Texas to I-10 ner ElPaso and then I-10 west.
Take that almost to the beach at Santa Monica then south on PCH to San Diego.
Going back... you can cut the corner through the desert to I-10
Thank you all. You've been very helpful. I am hoping we can leave earlier in October to give us a better chance of not hitting significantly cold weather. We have time to plan carefully, and that's our intention.
There are three primary routes. North, Middle and south. North and middle take you through snowy mountains. South avoids most of that. As you head toward Texas, you can go through Kentucky (Mammoth Caves) or Missouri (Meremec Caverns) either is will worth a stop.
Going through Kentucky takes you to Nashville which is cool. The other route goes through mountains in Missouri and Oklahoma. Oklahoma is pretty mertiless, drive through at night and you will not miss a lot. There is some OK stuff in OK, but it takes time to find it.
You will dip into Northern Texas then pass through New Mexico. Then Aridzona/Nevada where there are so many things to do and see you could spend a lifetime there. (Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Anasazi ruins, Grand Canyon, Hover dam, Zion and Bryce Canyons, Las Vegas, Flagstaff,KAibab Ntl Forest, the remains of Route 66, Lake Haveseau (London bridge - not much to see really). As you cross into California, you could take a side trip to Joshua tree- Parts of it are really amazing, you will think you are on mars.
You could also drop down south through Texas,(El Paso) then go through NE Mexico and into Aridzona and cross through at Yuma. On that route, you can visit Tombstone and Bisbee. You could also visit Austin while in Texas.
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no rules, no training, no safety.
