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I originally asked this question here, and received fabulous advice from jaijia, but it was suggested I start a new thread too, so here it goes…
As a single female with 2 Chihuahuas (so you can imagine the countless safe areas needed for potty breaks lol), I will be driving alone cross country from Baltimore to Silicon Valley / Orange County (still deciding, although SV is in the lead) around Aug./Sept.
I'm petrified of going through mountainous terrain or long stretches of desolate road alone, and other things I don't yet know enough about to even know to avoid (like a Death Valley or something like that – or even mountains that are so high that they have snow even in August), so I'm turning to those who have already done it for some advice...
What is the safest route from Baltimore to Silicon Valley for a single female during Aug/Sept.?
I drove from Brooklyn, NY to San Francisco, CA with my girlfriend and 3 cats in a small Penske moving truck August last year. We more or less took interstate 80 ALL the way. The route itself is perfectly safe, really more then I expected. The terrain was fine, gets high in Wyoming and Utah, then again as your pulling into California but if your in a car or suv its nothing to worry about.
A quick check on google maps shows you could also take 695 to 68 to 70 to 44 to 40 to 5. I havent ventured on most of those so I dont know how safe or remote that route is. I would think Arizona and New Mexico might be fairly remote but I though the same of Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada and they weren't THAT bad. The interstate is the interstate and there aren't really too many sections that have nothing for more then 40-50 miles anywhere.
The main concern for you would be where you stop for the night. With having pets you have to limit yourself to hotels that will allow pets. Motel 6, Red Roof Inn and I believe La Quinta are free. I would guess most Red Roofs might be a little nicer then Motel 6. The way it worked out for us we stayed at 3 Motel 6's during our trip. One in Joliet IL, Sidney NE, and Wendover, UT on the Nevada border. The hotel in Joliet and Wendover were pretty crappy. Joliet had alot of people living in the hotel and living in nearby hotels. My girlfriend is a DNA analyst and was convince someone was shot or stabbed in our room lol. Wendover was pretty crummy as well and had some interesting charecters there. The Nevada line is just a few feet away so theres a few casinos and stuff. The hotel in Sidney was pretty new and very clean for a Motel 6 and had a Super Walmart right behind it so that was a little convienent. That said we encountered no problems at any hotel. Obviously the big thing would be to take all cell phones, gps, icrap, in the room with you and dont leave it in the car and dont leave anything else in view that is worth much money.
I think all those hotel websites will let you punch in a origin and destination and they will show you all the hotels along the way. Id suggest figuring out which way you want to go then setting a modest goal of how many hours you want to do in a clip before stopping. No matter what you do your not gonna be able to make it in a day, or two days, or three days if your by yourself. So just pace yourself. We left on a Friday night at 9PM, I drove through the night, my girlfriend drove from like 8-9am til about 1pm then I drove the last little clip til we stopped at the hotel in IL at like 3pm. We settled in to the hotel room, ordered some deep dish, walked over to 7-11 and got a bottle of wine, ate, then left the next morning at 5am. We stopped at the next hotels at about 5 or 6pm the next two nights as well and we were at our apartment on the SF peninsula at 9pm the fourth night. Like I said just a reasonable amount of time you want to be on the road and plan your hotel stops in that range. I've done plenty of non-stop runs between Tampa and NYC/Catskills and while sometimes its worth it, you just can't do that across country. Every night I felt like we were stopping early but it was great cause you can stop, relax, take a shower, get a bite to eat, watch a movie/tv then just fall asleep and get an early start. Much better then driving til midnight, making yourself fall asleep, then trying to roll out of bed at 5 am to get on the road to try and tackle another 16 hours.
[quote=dclamb3;22087551]I originally asked this question here, and received fabulous advice from jaijia, but it was suggested I start a new thread too, so here it goes…
As a single female with 2 Chihuahuas (so you can imagine the countless safe areas needed for potty breaks lol), I will be driving alone cross country from Baltimore to Silicon Valley / Orange County (still deciding, although SV is in the lead) around Aug./Sept.
I'm petrified of going through mountainous terrain or long stretches of desolate road alone, and other things I don't yet know enough about to even know to avoid (like a Death Valley or something like that – or even mountains that are so high that they have snow even in August), so I'm turning to those who have already done it for some advice...
What is the safest route from Baltimore to Silicon Valley for a single female during Aug/Sept.?
I would consider having your car shipped and just fly out. Granted you must consider the pets, so that's a tough one. To ship the car would be less than you may expect, and it would give all peace of mind. You may also get someone else to come with you and pay for their air fare back.
There are alternatives. I'd follow your gut instinct as for driving all that way alone.
Whether to drive or not largely depends on how reliable your car is. If it's not, then ship it and fly, but if it is, then definitely drive it! You will see so much along your way! You will also understand how vast the west is, compared to the crowded east, and that helps to understand the differences in the people. I know - I'm a transplanted northeaster who's lived in CA now for 25+ years.
Don't rely on cell signals always, as some spots in the expansive west are far from cell towers (althouth I-80, I-40 and I-10 will generally have decent cell coverage). I grew up in the northeast/New England states and now live in Sunnyvale, CA. I'm a software engineer, and have road-tripped those routes over the years on vacations and business trips.
Check the weather before you leave and pick your route, and, be flexible. If an early winter storm sets in, then stay south. I-10 (I-81 to I-40 to I-30 to I-20) stays at the lowest altitudes, which generally translates to warmer temps.
Whichever route you take, your drive will take you over two large mountain ranges, the Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas in CA. The mountains are beautiful, but be sure to monitor the weather, which can change quickly (even in the spring and fall). Of the main interstate routes, I-10 avoids most of both ranges, I-70 hits the highest point crossing the Rockies, and I-80 hits the highest point crossing the Sierras. The interstates are good roads and (generally) well-maintained. The mountains are rugged and beautiful. Don't avoid them, if weather allows. Don't be intimidated by the mountains. The interstates are good roads and you'll be safe.
If the weather is good, I strongly recommend I-70 to its end in UT, then pick up US Hwy 50 and take that across. Of the major routes across, it offers great sights along the way and avoids the long, barren stretches of highway (much of them, anyway).*It's a beautiful drive through some gorgeous country. I-70 west of Denver is absolutely stunning through Glenwood Canyon, especially in the fall colors. Also, do see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and go up inside it! If you're a history buff, there's a great WWI museum in Kansas City, and Harry Truman's Presidential Library and Museum is nearby, too. Eisenhowers' is in Abilene KS, also on I-70. And, don't miss the BBQ in KC and STL!
Then, US Hwy 50 across Nevada is nicknamed "The Loneliest Road in America", but I've driven this several times in recent years, both by car and on motorcycle, and there is plenty of traffic. Pick it up in the town of Delta, UT. It's a pretty drive, and it doesn't slow you down much more than taking the interstate. The road's quality is excellent, very smooth and safe, and puts the road quality of many interstates to shame. Especially here in CA!
(If you drive I-10 or I-40, you'll know when you leave AZ and enter CA by the loud sound from your tires on the road joints:
ka-THUNK! ka-THUNK! ka-THUNK! ka-THUNK!)
Welcome to CA. ;-)
The interesting nickname for Hwy 50 was true in 1986, when it was first assigned, but now there's plenty of other cars - not heavy traffic, mind you, but enough regular traffic and Sheriffs, and very few big trucks (a plus!). If you happened to need help during the day, you won't wait more than 5 mins before someone comes along, and people are more friendly and willing to help than on the interstate. It's scenic, you go through small towns (historic and pretty), and it is much better than I-80 through NV, or I-10 through TX NM & AZ, which are very barren and desolate. I-10 across TX makes for a Long and Boring day, trust me.
Hwy 50 will also give you the most safe places to stop for your dogs. I-70 is good for that too. I-80 and I-10 have many stretches where it's miles and miles to the next exit, and that exit might be just an overpass with not even a gas station. I-40 is not quite as "bad" (in that regard) as either 80 or 10.
At the west end of NV you can leave 50 for I-80 near Fallon NV, or stay on 50 to Sacramento for a more scenic route through the Sierras. By that time you'll have your "sea legs" (or, "road legs") underneath you, and you'll feel comfortable with the decision by that point.
If you do I-40 then be sure to stop at the Grand Canyon if you haven't seen it yet. It really is a Must See. It'd be a very short detour (to the South Rim), but well worth it.
Either route you take, find a few major scenic places along your way and be sure to visit them!*Limit your night driving. Watch for deer and other critters.
As with many trips, it's not just the destination that's key, but also the journey along the way. That's why I recommend these routes. A cross-country drive covers a lot of miles. Don't dread it, but relish in it. Allow plenty of time. Stop to smell the roses along the way. 7 days would be great, 10, ideal. Once, I did it in 2!
Don't apologize. Thank you SO much for such informative tips! You've given me a lot to consider.
I'm glad you mentioned trip duration. I have a natural tendency to be all work, and no play (which I'm trying to break), so a reminder to slow down and enjoy the trip was a great tip! Once I arrive in CA I'll be busy looking for a place to live, a job, new doctors, meeting new friends, hopefully going on some dates, etc. so I should probably enjoy the "vacation" while I have it. Thanks for the reminder I feel like I owe so many people on this board lunch once I get to South Bay for all the wonderful help. You guys are amazing.
To anyone who cares to respond...
As I was plotting my potential route and breaking up the drive into realistic 7-hour legs, sometimes I had to get a hotel in a tiny town that often doesn't even have a dot on Google maps. As a single woman with a car full of belongings, is it recommended to stay the night in a tiny town or should I try to shoot for getting a hotel in a larger city (wasn't sure if there was a pro / con to either that I hadn't thought of yet)?
Don't apologize. Thank you SO much for such informative tips! You've given me a lot to consider.
I'm glad you mentioned trip duration. I have a natural tendency to be all work, and no play (which I'm trying to break), so a reminder to slow down and enjoy the trip was a great tip! Once I arrive in CA I'll be busy looking for a place to live, a job, new doctors, meeting new friends, hopefully going on some dates, etc. so I should probably enjoy the "vacation" while I have it. Thanks for the reminder I feel like I owe so many people on this board lunch once I get to South Bay for all the wonderful help. You guys are amazing.
To anyone who cares to respond...
As I was plotting my potential route and breaking up the drive into realistic 7-hour legs, sometimes I had to get a hotel in a tiny town that often doesn't even have a dot on Google maps. As a single woman with a car full of belongings, is it recommended to stay the night in a tiny town or should I try to shoot for getting a hotel in a larger city (wasn't sure if there was a pro / con to either that I hadn't thought of yet)?
Don't worry at all about "tiny towns".
As long as the hotel / motel you're staying in feels right to you, have no fear.
I'm neurotic when i travel alone with lots of belongings in my car so just for peace of mind i always get a room where i can see my car.
But that's just me being silly.
Don't worry at all about "tiny towns".
As long as the hotel / motel you're staying in feels right to you, have no fear.
I'm neurotic when i travel alone with lots of belongings in my car so just for peace of mind i always get a room where i can see my car.
But that's just me being silly.
Good idea. I've already sold anything worth value before the move (just two more handbags to go), but it would be more of a hassle and expense than anything to repair the car if someone broke in for my box of sandals thinking it had a Chanel in it. lol
I was thinking those little towns would have nothing to eat if I got there after 5pm, the hotel check-in might close at 5pm, etc. I went to college in a very tiny town and I had to go, not one, but two towns over to get dinner. It was charming, though.
When traveling, for your security, a little awareness is a good thing! Maybe it's my USMC training and being aware of "perimeter security"...
Regarding hotels, a large city or small town isn't as important as a hotel parking lot that has regular traffic and is kinda "busy-ish" - these are good - versus a quiet, remote, empty parking lot which aren't so good. Quiet, empty parking lots make thieves feel safer - they can work in "peace", under cover of night, without being interrupted.
Small things in the front seats (charging devices, etc) can be quickly covered with a towel.
I also suggest getting a ground floor room with a window facing your car in the parking lot. Park close to your room's window. From your room you'll be close to your car and belongings, and before going to bed you can periodically look outside to check on things (ideally it's parked in a lighted spot). Also, keep a bright flashlight with you in your room. If you hear any strange noises from the lot at night you can shine your bright light out there without leaving the security of your room.
Do you have a friend that may want to join you for the drive? Pay expenses and his/her plane fare back. It will make the drive so much easier/enjoyable and less fearful.
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I feel like I owe so many people on this board lunch once I get to South Bay for all the wonderful help. You guys are amazing. 
