Moving my friend from WA-AZ, need help on routes
I am going to be returning in August to help my friend move down. I think we will have a small to mid sized Uhaul and a car in tow. We need to go from Wenatchee, Washington (the ceter of the state) to Phoenix, Arizona. There are several routes we can take, each with thier own pros/cons. Here is what we are looking for: A ) Fewest number of mountain passes. B) Familiarity- we both are fairly familiar with California, Oregon. B) Services- we really don't want to envoke my AAA card because I took a route with few gas stations. Rest stops would be nice, but aren't neccisary.
Here are the routes I have come up with, in order of our preference.
1) Taking AZ 28 and 281 to I-90 to avoid Blewit Pass, then taking I-82 to US 97, then over the low pass there. Then US 97 south to Weed, CA and I-5. I-5 then south to CA 4 in Stockton, just to jump over to CA 99 (CA 99 is a much nicer drive than I-5 through the Imperial Valley). At Bakersfield, we would then jump on CA 58 to Barstow, then on I -40 E to Topock, AZ, when we would make a detour north on old 66, and follow that into Flagstaff. Then I-17 south to Phoenix.
2) taking the Interstates from I-82 in Ellensburg to Salt Lake City, then south to the Kanab turnoff, then south to Flagstaff via Page.
3) Taking I-90 over to I-5 and taking that all the way down (detour onto CA 99 again), thru LA and onto I 10 (the way I a came down from 'Appletown' last time. (8 Mountain passes on this route, and many of them are hell on Uhauls, and infact, my parents burned the brakes on a fully loaded uhaul going down Siskyous!) We really really want to avoid those, but this is the most familiar route.
I thought of jumping over to US 395 at Kalamath Falls, but I have never been along that part of the state (and Devils Pass south of Reno doesn't look too tempting).
If anyone has any insights as to services or road conditions of US 97 (services, condition of the actual roadway, etc.) or any comments on the routes, please, reply. THANKS!
