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The Interstates are all divided limited access highways. Get through cities like Alberquerque or Oklahoma City before you stop in the evening and then gas up before you check in. It will be rush hour when you hit the road.
Plenty Motels, not all clean. Flagstaff and Amarillo are good stops plenty of motels and resturants. A long empty stretch between OKC and Little Rock. West Memphis is good.
The DC area is a Traffic Disaster, I don't know where in Md you are going but if you can stay on 81 and skirt it do so.
That was very nice of you to give them that good advice about gas and hotels. You must be a nice person.
Sansea, you'll be fine taking the I-40, I-81 route in a U Haul type truck; you won't have anywhere near the weight that would bog an 18-wheeler down! I also concur with the advice to get through the major cities before stopping for the night. And, yes, the traffic in NoVA,D.C. and MD is maddening. A C.B. radio and a good local map might help you with major backups in the D.C. area. (Most rental trucks have the connections for a C.B.) Watch your speed on I-81; Va troopers patrol it heavily!
That was very nice of you to give them that good advice about gas and hotels. You must be a nice person.
Thank You,
Originally I moved from Delaware to San Francisco, two trips in 1992. Then one or two trips to Ohio of Philly a year. I've taken every imaginary route I could find. I you weren't pulling a load I'd be glad to be more creative. I-40 is as good as any, Good Luck
Sansea I came from Oakland to SwVA mostly via I-40 in a 28 ft rented RV with 4 dogs and a cat. The trip was in late January and had no weather problems on that route. Pick up I-81 in Knoxville. I second what Crew Chief said about VA troopers. I know they get a lot of folks coming up I-77 from NC because the speed limit drops from 70 to 65 at the state line but most folks don't slow down. Also VA is shutting down most of its rest stops to save money. Brachs Lemon Drops helped me keep my fluid consumption down while driving and reduced the need for pit stops.
Most likely your rental unit will have a CD player so bring your favorite driving music cause what you'll find on the radio is
I-81 is only 2 lanes in each direction so you will find it frustrating after CA freeways because passing is much more difficult. Now I live in the boonies and half the roads are not even paved and the biggest traffic jam I've encountered here was about a dozen cows who had decided that the grass really was greener on the other side. Everyone (all 5 or 6 of us) got out of our cars to help the farmer and his dog round them up and get them back in his pasture.
Have a safe journey.
Don't forget to write us when you get "home" and let us know how the trip went.
I avoid the freeways in CA, so I'm not much of a "passer" ... but even if I wanted to, I expect I wouldn't even consider it in a 26 ft truck.
Great idea, Sansea! I see way too many "U Haul"-type rental trucks being driven like a NASCAR car. It's always best to leave a little 'reserve" on the peddle for things like a blowout or passing slower vehicle.
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