San Fran to New England in April... with cat & trailer

I am moving from San Francisco, CA to Providence, RI in April 2005. To save costs, I'm planning on towing an 8-10' trailer with my few belongings behind my '97 Toyota 4Runner. I'm also taking my two cats with me, so they'll be enjoying the ride from a carrier in the backseat.

I've convinced my Dad to be copilot and disk jockey, and am looking forward to sharing the experience with him. I'm a bit limited in the types of stops I can make (no long tours, etc. given the trailer and cats) but don't necessarily mind driving a bit further for a more scenic route.

Does anyone have any experience with a similar trip? I know I-80 is most direct but not exactly very exciting. Any feedback on taking I-70, I-40, or US-50 (or combinations of them) as an alternative? I'm hoping to take no more than 7-days to drive, but have a lot of flexibility. I'd appreciate your suggestions for routes and stops along the way.

Thanks in advance!
Sarah

It still snow's in the Colorado Rockies in April. I-70 will be much more scenic though Colorado BUT I would check the weeks weather before starting out. Another thing to keep in mind on I-70 are the mountain passes and will you have a hard time towing a trailer with your vehicle. Have you checked out the towing capacity of your vehicle? Do you know how much the trailer will weigh when loaded?

Utahtea

An 8-10' trailer can hold more than "few" belongings. Are you sure you only have "few" belongings? :)

Don't overlook the possibility of boxing up your stuff and having your father ship it all via UPS or FedEx ground after you arrive in Rhode Island. That will lighten your load, which will save on gas, plus you'll have less theft issues to worry about.

Hi!
Take occasional car rides with your cats before you leave so they'll get used to road trips. Not all cats enjoy them like I do, but once they have lots of treats, fresh air and affection along the way they should handle it pretty well. Make sure they have identification on them all the time in case you lose them somewhere.

Don't forget, not all motels accept pets (some chains do like Motel 6 for instance) so make sure they're allowed before booking a room or making any reservations. Usually, I prefer classical music on road trips, it helps when I get nervous. My owner is the official d.j. so I have to listen to a wide variety of stuff which is kind of cool actually, ahem except when I tried to chew on her cd wallet...


Have a safe trip and welcome east!

Victor, the Road Cat ^..^

Ps- If you pick the southern route, don't forget to visit White Sands National Monument (a.k.a. the huge litter pan) in New Mexico, kitties always love that place! http://roadsister.photosite.com