Community Forums

LPVagabonds · 03-09-2019, 10:22 PM

Hello all,

in a couple of months my wife, cat and I will fly down to Florida and take possession of a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L 2wd Quadcab and a 33' 2014 Coachman Freedom Express TT. We've never owned an RV, nor towed one, so this should be...fun? We'll be leaving the Orlando Area in Mid May, and have 12 days to get back to NW Montana. The route we're looking at is I75 north thru Atlanta to Chattanooga, then I24 Nashville, up thru St Louis, west on I70 thru Kansas City to Denver (stopping in Fort Collins to see family), then I80 across lower Wyoming to Ogden UT, then North on I15 thru Idaho into Montana. Being a first timer, I know it's gonna be a long, slow trip, but due to work I can't be pokey. I need to push at least 300 miles a day, but 400 is probably my limit. I'm also looking for the flattest, straightest route due to inexperience on steep hills and also a possibly under powered truck pulling a trailer uphills. We're coming up thru Idaho to hit Monida Pass in Montana. Not a stranger to passes, but never gone over one with a trailer. Luckily, we'll be pulling empty, save for what we fly down with, plus cat food and paper plates and food for the trip home. Not sure if Interstate is the best route, or if there are some good highways that would be better. I've read that it's best to go straight thru Atlanta and Kansas City during non rush hour (we'll try to time our driving to hit major cities in late morning to early afternoon). The only large hills/passes I'm aware of is one just outside of Chattanooga, TN, then just outside of Laramie, WY, coming down into Ogden, UT, then Monida Pass at MT/ID border. Any tips or suggestions on the route would be greatly appreciated! Sadly, there won't be any time for side trips, exploring, etc other than where we camp at night.

followingsea · 03-09-2019, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPVagabonds

Hello all,

I'm also looking for the flattest, straightest route due to inexperience on steep hills and also a possibly under powered truck pulling a trailer uphills.

Now that is funny! Who writes your material?

On your route you will have more mountain driving experience by the time you get to St Louis than you will ever get in Idaho and Montana.

Your route is a beautiful drive but the mountains in the east are a tough drive compounded be a lot more traffic than west of the Mississippi.

Consider I-10 to I-49 to Texarkana. A steep grade is an overpass. Once you are in the Great Plains you do not need the interstate unless you like being passed by trucks. You will want to keep the speed down when towing.

LPVagabonds · 03-10-2019, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by followingsea

On your route you will have more mountain driving experience by the time you get to St Louis than you will ever get in Idaho and Montana.

Heh. I guess I'm a little naive on East Coast Mountains. I know I'll have some hills in Tennessee and Kentucky, but wasn't expecting it to be worse than Western Montana.

I do like the suggestion on Texarkana though! That route only adds 100 miles, but then I avoid 5 major metropolitan areas plus the Appalachians. I'll look at this route a little closer.

GaryKD · 03-10-2019, 07:12 AM

Hi LPVagabonds,
I've done this to get to Glacier NP from WPB, FL. Consider:
I 75 to I 10
I 10 to I 55
I 55 to I 70
I 70 to I 29
I 29 to I 90

igave · 03-10-2019, 04:01 PM

We’re leaving Orlando mid-April headed back to North Central Montana. We want to avoid metropolitan traffic slowdowns also. I think we’ll do I 10 to somewhere far enough West in Texas then on up into Wyoming and thru Billings. We won’t go thru Denver but cut off some miles using secondary highways (probably) to hit the interstate near Cheyenne, Wyoming. We’ll decide how far West to go based on the weather as April can see bad weather of one kind or another along that whole route.

twogypsies · 03-10-2019, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by followingsea

Consider I-10 to I-49 to Texarkana. A steep grade is an overpass. Once you are in the Great Plains you do not need the interstate unless you like being passed by trucks. You will want to keep the speed down when towing.

I'd recommend this route, also. What's another 100 or so miles?

Your original route will have a LOT of traffic.

RVPioneer · 03-10-2019, 05:10 PM

Equally important as the route, is the truck set up to tow the trailer? Are both the truck and trailer in suitable condition for the trip? Tires, brakes, fluids, etc.

Are you familiar with hitching up and unhitching the trailer? Leveling, chocking wheels, connecting to water and electricity at campgrounds, filling and dumping tanks?

Driving may be the least of your concerns.

Busskipper · 03-10-2019, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPVagabonds

Hello all,

in a couple of months my wife, cat and I will fly down to Florida and take possession of a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L 2wd Quadcab and a 33' 2014 Coachman Freedom Express TT. We've never owned an RV, nor towed one, so this should be...fun? We'll be leaving the Orlando Area in Mid May, and have 12 days to get back to NW Montana. The route we're looking at is I75 north thru Atlanta to Chattanooga, then I24 Nashville, up thru St Louis, west on I70 thru Kansas City to Denver (stopping in Fort Collins to see family), then I80 across lower Wyoming to Ogden UT, then North on I15 thru Idaho into Montana. Being a first timer, I know it's gonna be a long, slow trip, but due to work I can't be pokey. I need to push at least 300 miles a day, but 400 is probably my limit. I'm also looking for the flattest, straightest route due to inexperience on steep hills and also a possibly under powered truck pulling a trailer uphills. We're coming up thru Idaho to hit Monida Pass in Montana. Not a stranger to passes, but never gone over one with a trailer. Luckily, we'll be pulling empty, save for what we fly down with, plus cat food and paper plates and food for the trip home. Not sure if Interstate is the best route, or if there are some good highways that would be better. I've read that it's best to go straight thru Atlanta and Kansas City during non rush hour (we'll try to time our driving to hit major cities in late morning to early afternoon). The only large hills/passes I'm aware of is one just outside of Chattanooga, TN, then just outside of Laramie, WY, coming down into Ogden, UT, then Monida Pass at MT/ID border. Any tips or suggestions on the route would be greatly appreciated! Sadly, there won't be any time for side trips, exploring, etc other than where we camp at night.

Would this work - https://binged.it/2JdRAEW

I'd bring a few tools that you are comfortable with, just in case.

Your Pillow.

Phone and Credit card.

Best of Luck,

LPVagabonds · 03-10-2019, 06:12 PM

Busskipper, that's pretty much the original route Google suggested and we looked at. I think going over to the Texas border and going North from there may be less stressful for us with (hopefully) less traffic to deal with and fewer mountain roads.

LPVagabonds · 03-10-2019, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVPioneer

Equally important as the route, is the truck set up to tow the trailer? Are both the truck and trailer in suitable condition for the trip? Tires, brakes, fluids, etc.

Are you familiar with hitching up and unhitching the trailer? Leveling, chocking wheels, connecting to water and electricity at campgrounds, filling and dumping tanks?

Driving may be the least of your concerns.

RVPioneer,

Right now, I have zero experience with most of that. The truck was purchased and setup to tow that trailer, and has pulled it back and forth from Florida to Oklahoma many times. Both are set to go thru the shop in the next month and fix anything that needs it, new tires, batteries, etc. I've downloaded the manual for the trailer, but most of that won't make sense until I actually see the trailer. I have a lot of questions about leveling, towing, setting up/tearing down, but I'll ask those in the travel trailer/towing forums.

lass · 03-10-2019, 06:37 PM

I’m doing this same trip in June and like GaryKD’s suggestion except that I keep reading that I10 is under construction and sections are a mess.

Anyone have updates on I10?

Busskipper · 03-10-2019, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPVagabonds

Busskipper, that's pretty much the original route Google suggested and we looked at. I think going over to the Texas border and going North from there may be less stressful for us with (hopefully) less traffic to deal with and fewer mountain roads.

"Any tips or suggestions on the route would be greatly appreciated! Sadly, there won't be any time for side trips, exploring, etc other than where we camp at night."

You asked - I replied - Few hills but no real MOUNTAINS.

Best of Luck,

F4Gary · 03-10-2019, 10:18 PM

If you think you can handle Raton pass on I-25 then you could take I-20 to just before DFW, cut up to Greenville Tx and take 380 across to Decatur and then 287 to Amarillo. Then take 87 north out of AMA to Raton and pick up I-25 north.

followingsea · 03-11-2019, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPVagabonds

I think going over to the Texas border and going North from there may be less stressful for us with (hopefully) less traffic to deal with and fewer mountain roads.

Avoid east Texas, it is a nightmare! The Texas economy is booming and there is road construction everywhere.

Got family in Las Vegas, Dallas/Ft Worth area, and Shreveport. Make that trip at least twice a year.

I am in Shreveport now. I-49 north of Shreveport is new. Bypass the downtown area traffic by taking LA 3132 which becomes I-220 north of I-20. I-220 takes you to I-49. Took that route just last week so it is open even if your GPS has not been updated.

Came through Houston a few weeks ago between 10 & 11 am. It was not too bad.

I normally avoid that areas by driving a long the GOM through Galveston and camping at Crystal Beach. After a couple of beautiful days at Magnolia Beach, there was terrible two days of terrible weather with more to come. I took advatage of the break between storms but avoiding Houston on two lane roads was not an option than made sense.