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Smitty8934 · 12-06-2015, 02:46 PM

Planning a trip from U.P. Of Michigan to San Bernardino, Ca. Never drove to lower Western states before and plan on doing this in the next week to ten days. Is there a best route to take with very limited mountains passes to go through. This would be driving a V10 Motorhome with no tow car. Weather is great in the U.P. Of Michigan and looks likes its holding out for a while yet. Any advise appreciated.

halfwright · 12-06-2015, 03:03 PM

To avoid mountains and bad weather, I think you would need to get as far south as soon as possible. The would be 35 to Ft. Worth--20 to 10 then 10 the rest of the way. Would I do it that way?? No, because I think Charles Kuralt was correct when he said, "Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to dive from coast to coast and not see a thing." I love the back roads and will go many miles out of my way to stay off interstates.

geraldnew · 12-06-2015, 03:41 PM

I also live in the UP have made the trip west as late as Feb. with out any problems my route was. M35 to Menominee , US 41 to Oshkosh 26 to 151 pick up I39 in Madison till Bloomington Il then I55 to St, Louis pick up I44 then depends on weather I went to New Mexico then south to I10 you might hit to good and take all the way.

Jerry
16 ERA 70C

twogypsies · 12-06-2015, 06:35 PM

This time of year I'd head to I-10 as soon as you can. Don't dawdle on the back roads and definitely don't take I-40 across. It can be treacherous during snow storms.

Parks · 12-07-2015, 07:18 PM

Here's the deal. Yeah, I-40 can be tough IF a winter storm comes through. Check the 7-10 day forecast went you are leaving and see what the wether is going to do. If the weather is at least decent take I-40 as it will probably cut 300+ miles off the trip over I-10. I-10 is way out of the way and will cost a lot more in time and fuel if you really don't need to dodge weather. People get so freaked out on the "potential" for bad weather it is quite amusing.

I-40 dumps onto I-15 in Barstow about an hour north of San Bernardino. I-10 takes you way south and then the not so pretty drive heading NW out of Phoenix and Palm Springs.

vsheetz · 12-07-2015, 07:39 PM

Depends on how fast you want to get there and your cold weather readiness / willingness. (-:

Due south to I10, then turn right.
Or a scenic route.

twogypsies · 12-07-2015, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parks

People get so freaked out on the "potential" for bad weather it is quite amusing.

We watched the forecasts but still got caught in a freak snowstorm the last week of April around Albuquerque. It wasn't amusing to us. The interstate was closed down. We sat there along with the truckers until the next day.

rskeans · 12-07-2015, 08:34 PM

I-10 ASAP is the safe way. You've heard the caution of the I-40. It might be OK, but, then - - - -. If you do take the I-40 use extreme caution when going down the Cajon pass. That is the downhill just south of Victorville beginning at Oak Hill Road. There is construction and the pass is loaded with big rigs. The I-15 splits into the I-15 and I-215. You want the I-215 for San Bernardino.

Why San Bernardino?

MattC · 12-09-2015, 07:38 AM

We used to travel this time of year and now can avoid it. But, I used to always have two (2)(Dos)(a couple) of days of fuel and provisions on board. The great thing to do with a self contained motorhome is wait out the weather. Let all those other people have their own accidents and go home. This may take patience, but it beats everything else.

If you are worried about grades and passes, stay with the truck routes. They may not be as scenic, but you know they can do it so, so can you.

Matt

spritz · 12-09-2015, 09:51 PM

Personally I don't get it either. I can't count how many times I drove my 18 wheeler from the Dakotas out too Seattle. Or came back from San Francisco thru Nevada into Idaho thru Yellowstone to 90 and back to the Dakotas. Never had the mis-fortune to have too put chains on.
I agree with the other poster if you Carrie extra provisions I think it would be a challenge that we would be up for. Heck pop in a few movies while sitting waiting for the plows to do there job.
We are going from Mpls 35 south to 40 to 95 south and cut across that way too Quartzsite or drop down 17@ Flagstaff to Phoenix to 10.
We have 21 days too get there.

If needed we have a 5 gal bucket with a toilet seat. We use it all the time Ice Fishing.

JMO,
Tim

ABrask · 12-10-2015, 09:26 AM

My wife and I will be taking a similar trip to yours, leaving Rockford, IL next Thursday, 12/17, and heading south and then west to Pomona, CA. In our case, we have to return again because of that "work thing."

For what it's worth, here's are major stops...these RV parks are all open year-round and had spaces available at least when we made our reservations.

17-Dec; Hollywood Casino, St. Louis, MO (Overnight in the parking lot.)
18-Dec; Big Red Barn, Carthage, MO
19-Dec; KOA Elk City/Clinton, Foss, OK
20 Dec; American RV Park, Albuquerque, NM
21 & 22-Dec; Mesa Spirit RV Resort, Mesa, AZ
23, 24 & 25-Dec; KOA Pomona Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA
26, 27 & 28-Dec; Off Grid near Onyx, CA
29-Dec; Sky Valley Resort, Dessert Hot Springs, CA
30-Dec; Mesa Spirit RV Resort, Mesa, AZ
31-Dec; American RV Park, Albuquerque, NM
1-Jan; Amarillo Ranch RV Park, Amarillo, TX
2-Jan; Big Red Barn RV Park, Carthage, MO
3-Jan; Double J Campground, Chatham, IL

We plan on heading south on 25 out of Albuquerque to bypass Flagstaff if the weather looks questionable, and while we've successfully taken the northern route through Omaha, Denver, and Las Vegas in an SUV in years past, we wouldn't personally attempt that in our MH this time of year. Sure you can wait out storms, but in our experience that wait can stretch into a week in the worst of conditions.

Good luck with your trip, and if you eventually post your itinerary, we'll watch for you en route.

spritz · 12-10-2015, 11:38 AM

Nice Motor Home Sir/Madam
Boy I wouldn't mind getting stuck with that MH.

Tim

biosensai · 12-20-2015, 06:23 PM

Cajon Pass is to be respected, but there are much more challenging grades in Ca. We came down it again just recently after having gone both ways on 299 between Redding & Eureka a few weeks before. Cajon seemed soooooo easy after that. The construction lane splits & stuff from earlier this year seem largely gone. Be sure to time going into the SB area to avoid commuter times from whichever route you decide to take.