Las Vegas to Florida by RV in December

[Kfoo]

Hi All,
I am contemplating a drive from Las Vegas to Florida in Mid-late December.
We will be driving a small rented RV and my concern is driving conditions/ice, mountains etc... So I was figuring we would go the southern route.. head down to 10 and go straight across on that.

Is the drive pretty tame or are there mountainy, sketchy sections that I should be concerned about driving a rented RV through in the winter?

We are not caring about site seeing so much as just getting home (husband having a surgery on his leg in Vegas and instead of waiting around in a hotel there, or dealing with folding his leg up into an airplane seat... we figured we would drive and he can lounge in the back of an RV)

thanks!
K

[Lifemagician]

Hi, and Welcome to the great American RoadTrip Forum.

Two things which I think you have not counted on. Even I-10 does see snow and ice at times. You won't be guaranteed that you will not see any winter weather.

The other is, at anytime that the vehicle is in motion, all occupants must be restrained in a seat belt. This is the law in every State. It is illegal to lounge on a bed while the vehicle is moving, and very very dangerous.

How long were you allowing for this trip.

Lifey

[Kfoo]

mmm, excellent points... thanks

[Kfoo]

we were going to allow as much time as we needed... no deadline, just to keep moving comfortably but not rushing or pushing

[Lifemagician]

With the assistance all airlines give to passengers with disabilities, of which your husband would be one, and the ability to get a seat by the bulkhead, with more leg room, a few hours on a plane might be preferable to several days in a motor vehicle.

When I had a fracture the check-in staff rearranged several folk to make a comfortable seat available for me. Even though this was in Europe, I am sure you will find the same service from airlines worldwide..

Lifey

[travelingman]

I have driven thousands of miles in rental RVs. One thing to realize is that these are trucks and you will feel every bump in the road. Even if it were legal to lounge out, it would not be comfortable. The bed is a wooden frame with a slippery mattress on it. You would likely slide off at the first sudden stop.

I would suggest booking first class seats for the leg room and get home in several hours.

If you are set on driving, then make a visit to the rv rental agency NOW and check out a similar rv ahead of time. Know what you're getting into and try to imagine exactly where and how he would sit for the many hours of the trip. Also check out that bed. It will be higher off the ground than you expect and might be uncomfortable getting in and out of with that leg.

[DonnaR57]

Chiming in here: About 19 years ago, my husband broke his leg while we were traveling and had to have surgery before we arrived back home. Fortunately we were at a place with a good military hospital, the surgery was very successful and he has no issues with arthritis in that leg.

That said ... somebody had to drive the vehicle, towing the tent trailer, home. That person was me. We were 500 miles from home and decided to just do it in one day. Before we left, however, hubby had a great deal of difficulty getting up into the trailer. Managing those steps was not easy! We were used to the bed, and he slept okay that night. On the drive back, he was sitting up in the front passenger seat (not his usual seat) fretting about me driving back. He had been towing the trailer around, and I was usually the passenger, though I had practiced it. He didn't "rest" much.

So, that story told, I'm going to agree with everyone above: FLY. He will be much more comfortable for a far shorter period. We would have flown if the circumstances had been different.


Donna