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Old 06-22-2015, 07:13 PM   #1
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Carolina to Colorado, WHich Route

Hi all, I am new and have a 2006 Winnebago 30ft Gas Class A. I am going from North Carolina (Coast) to Colorado and wanted to know the best and safest route. No towing just the Class A.

I want to go south to avoid the Smokey Mts, but will the heat get me?

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Old 06-22-2015, 08:28 PM   #2
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I make a yearly loop from SC thru Atlanta to Amarillo to Denver. It's not the quickest route but it is fairly level compared to Tennessee. Big Texan Steak House in Amarillo is an important overnite for us.

As far as heat...I drive from 5:30am to noon...maybe a bit more...that's it.

You'll get lotsa suggestions.
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Old 06-23-2015, 03:20 AM   #3
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Old 06-23-2015, 02:27 PM   #4
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I would just take I-40 all the way across to Albuquerque and then I-25 north into Colorado. The Smokies aren't THAT bad, and once you get over them, to Knoxville, it's clear sailing all the way west. Not sure of road conditions per se, but trust me, you won't be the first 2006 30' Winnie over the Smoke's.
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Old 06-23-2015, 02:40 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joby1Kenobi View Post
Hi all, I am new and have a 2006 Winnebago 30ft Gas Class A. I am going from North Carolina (Coast) to Colorado and wanted to know the best and safest route. No towing just the Class A.

I want to go south to avoid the Smokey Mts, but will the heat get me?

Joby1Kenobi

The I40 corridor is not really bad. There are a few short 5-6% climbs and a longer 7% between Black Mtn and Asheville. Past Asheville there are some short climbs but there is nothing on the route to consider a longer southern route to dodge. The Pigeon River gorge between Asheville and the TN line is quite beautiful.


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Old 06-23-2015, 04:11 PM   #6
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If I-40 scares you, then you are not going to have much fun in Colorado.
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Old 06-23-2015, 10:57 PM   #7
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If I-40 scares you, then you are not going to have much fun in Colorado.
Exactly.

Where are you going in Colorado? That might make a difference on the route. Are you planning to visit any special places or is it just to visit family?

If you're planning to do a lot in Colorado I would highly suggest that you purchase online 'The Mountain Directory for Truckers and RVers - Western Edition'. (It comes in Eastern, also) Purchase directly from the publisher - not Amazon which is way more costly, for some odd reason. It will give you a good 'heads up' on what to expect driving in mountains.

How long do you have for this trip?
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Old 06-24-2015, 05:26 AM   #8
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Side note, DWhit have you managed to eat the big steak and get it for free. I did it years ago, never again.
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Old 06-24-2015, 02:13 PM   #9
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With the I-40 route, no part of it is higher than 3000 feet elevation and the maximum grades are less than 6%, It is quite a scenic drive from Asheville to Knoxville, and there is nothing scary about it. Trucks are restricted to right lane on the 20 miles through the Pigeon River Gorge, so just tuck in and follow them.

Compared to driving around Atlanta, the choice is a no-brainer for me.
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Old 06-25-2015, 05:42 AM   #10
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I'm not scared, thank you for your concern. I was asking really about performance. That's why I included that I would not be hauling a car. It is a Ford V10 with 71k miles. I done a lot of maintenance on the Onan Gen, but it is prurring like a kitten. I am from Colorado with a level three snow survival rating. I lived in the mountains. So to assume I am scared is quite offensive. So let's start again.

Does anyone have any experience with a older model RV, Ford V10, with about 70k miles, driving through the Smokey Mountains? Will my RV be able to handle the climb and descent grades? Any performance or control settings that I should consider other than lower gears?
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Old 06-25-2015, 05:44 AM   #11
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Perfect. Thanks.
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Old 06-25-2015, 05:45 AM   #12
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Yes I forgot about Atlanta. Thank you.
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Old 06-25-2015, 08:32 AM   #13
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CATCOACH: Side note, DWhit have you managed to eat the big steak and get it for free. I did it years ago, never again.

No, I'm 65...trying to eat such a monster would have voided life insurance payout for DW. I had a 21oz I think it was...still took me two days. But that place and their RV park is a pleasant stopover for us. Their 4-layer cake & ice cream are monsters too.
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Old 06-25-2015, 03:51 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joby1Kenobi View Post
I am from Colorado with a level three snow survival rating. I lived in the mountains. So to assume I am scared is quite offensive.
The problem is, no one here knew that. I don't think anyone MEANT to be offensive. But with the little amount of info given, the tone of your post made it sound like you were afraid of mountain driving. And you didn't say you were FROM Colorado, only that you were GOING there. So that, paired with the fact that you seemed, well, HESITANT about driving over the Smokies, led some readers to assume you were scared of driving them. A perfectly logical deduction.

We're all happy to answer questions here, but when not enough salient info is given, it's kinda hard to be mind readers. If you had written, "I'm from Colorado, and don't mind mountain driving per se, but is my 2006 Winnie up to the task of going over the Smokies, or should I find flat land" you'd have gotten a whole lot better response(s).

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