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My son, daughter-n-law and new baby are planning to move from Seattle to Mobile, AL the first of December. They will have a U-Haul and 3vehicles. I am a bit concerned about the time of year and going thru some of the passes. Any advise at all would be greatly appreciated, anything from routes that time of year, towing, etc.
Thanks in advance for any advise!!
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!
The key to any long cross-country move, especially in winter, is to have options. Since you can't count on the weather to co-operate and you won't know until you're actually doing it how much traveling in a convoy will slow you down (more gas stops, more rest stops, longer meals, etc.), you have to build flexibility into your plan.
The first bit of flexibility would be to plan out two separate routes and only decide a day or two before departure which one to use. That will let you get a reliable forecast at least for the Cascades and Rocky Mountain crossings. If one route is going to be subjected to inclement weather take the other. You can't count on a 'southern' route being snow free, you'll just have to wait to see what the actual weather is at the time of your departure. Two possible routes would be 1) I-90 to Sioux Falls, I-29 to Kansas City, US-71/MO-7/MO-13 to Springfield MO, US-60/US-63 to Memphis, US-78/US-45 to Mobile; or 2) I-90/I-82 to Hermiston OR, I-84 to Salt Lake City, I-15 to Proveo UT, US-6/US-191 to Monticello UT, US-491/US-160 to Durango CO, US-550 to Bernalillo NM, I-25 to Albuquerque, I-40 to Amarillo, US-287 to Dallas/Fort Worth, I-20 to Jackson MS, and US-49/US-98 to Mobile. Those two routes are only 10 miles different in length.
If your crew would be more comfortable on an all Interstate route, then look at going east from Salt Lake City on I-80 to Lincoln NE, and/or taking I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis and then using I-64/I-57/I-24/I-55 through Nashville and Montgomery to Mobile. Such 'detours' would only add a couple of hundred miles.
The other place where you'll need flexibility is timing. If it were just a single sedan on a carefree RoadTrip, you might expect to make the drive in five days. But you'll need to add a day due to the slower speed you'll be able to maintain pulling a trailer, the additional stops you'll need to make, and the fact that the baby will need to be in bed at a reasonable time. Then add yet another day to be able to handle any weather delays that you might encounter even after the best planning possible, and you see that you need to have seven days in hand for the drive when you leave Seattle.
To make the most of that flexibility, I wouldn't make motel reservations before leaving. December, other than for about a week before and after Christmas, is a very slow travel season and you should have no trouble finding vacancies each evening. There's nothing worse than being an hour from a reserved motel room (with a cancellation fee) while driving into worsening weather with a cranky infant in the back seat and no more coffee in the thermos.
AZBuck
I have driven most of those roads and some during the winter months. Having lived in Kansas City for 22 years, I can't recommend the local routes south from there to Mobile. The best route would be I-70 to Wentzville, MO and the I-64/I-270 bypass to I-55. Take I-55 to Jackson, MS and then US-49/US-98 to Mobile. It will add about 80 miles, but they'll be interstate miles as opposed to two-lane roads with multiple towns to go through.
Thank you for your reply. I'm not worried about the more southern routes.....just the mountains!!
Thank you for your reply. I am the most worried about the mountains and the snow. I'm pretty much home free once we make it through the passes (hopefully) I have never driven thru that area....but the thought of it is pretty scarey. Watching some of these real life semi-truck shows where they drive in areas like that doesn't help! ha. And if his truck is being pulled by the U-Haul...that's pretty scarey as well....going up and down some of those mountains.
I am going to look into having at least 1 vehicle shipped back.....depends on the pricing. I am also thinking that it might be a good idea for my daughter-n-law, the baby and myself to leave ahead of time because we most certainly will be making a lot of stops....with the dog as well (a great dane).
I think you're overly concerned about mountains, and perhaps not concerned enough about the weather on the rest of your trip.
If you're on the interstates, then mountains really aren't that big of a deal. I-90 isn't Ice Road Truckers! Interstates are designed with limited grades, designed for high-speed truck travel all year round, and if there is bad weather, they are cleared of snow and ice as quickly as possible.
But you shouldn't dismiss the challenges of winter driving. Towing while on snow and ice is not fun at all, and it doesn't matter where that bad weather hits. You could see snow and ice on the plains just about as easily as you could see it on mountain passes.
Having said all that, I'm curious what your plan is for this drive. You said you've got 2 adults and you need to move 3 cars and a UHaul? Even with towing, that's more vehicles than drivers! I'll also say, when you're moving, sometimes it's a lot easier and even ends up being cheaper to start selling stuff, and replace it when you get to your new home.
Considering the time of year, and it sounds like you'll be in a convoy situation, with multiple vehicles, I'd really recommend sticking to an all-interstate (or interstate-quality) route.
I'd highly recommend a set of family radios, to keep communications open between two vehicles. They're easier to handle if you are trying to drive, than trying to dial a cell phone when you're driving.
Donna
The route thru Oregon I-84 to SLC has a pretty large number of really long hills thru the Blue Mountains. Then after you descend and climb back out of the hole that SLC lives in you are running on I-80 which, on average is higher in elevation than I-90 across Montana. The Montana route is also more weather protected from wind than Wyoming. Empty semis get blown over by the wind in Wyoming sometimes.
I've made the run from northern Colorado to Seattle for Christmas 4 times in the last 5 years and vastly prefer the I-90 route across Montana. I think the hills are fewer in number and average elevation is lower. I think there is less traffic density on the road too which means less pressure from other drivers but you have to be prepared to take care of yourself for awhile in case of problems. (My personal policy is to not BE the problem!)
Edit- I almost forgot to mention that since you are heading West to East you might be able to choose your travelling weather and surf a bubble of nice weather at least for the mountainous part. Weather travels from NW to SE generally so if you watch the forecasts you might have several days of good weather. If you were going the other way it's almost certain you'd have to punch thru some weather front or several.
Plus it was tough driving those Oregon hills on packed ice after a storm came thru.......
I'd link to my trip reports but they might scare you too much. I've re-read them recently and I've had some weather-related adventures (but no crashes or really close calls even).
Stay on the interstates, have a backup plan, have extra time in the schedule, don't do anything dumb. And as the survivors of the Donner Party said "don't take no shortcuts."
I am brand new to this site....and I'm not sure if I am replying back to just 1 person or to the whole string. I do appreciate all of the insights. There will be a minimum of 4 adults. And the more I think about it the more I think it might be easier to have the vehicles shipped and have mama and baby fly to my house in Birmingham! I do love adventures....but not sure about a moving adventure at the moment. And trust me...I did suggest selling everything and starting over....but you know how that goes....you can only suggest :). The would have to rent a U-Haul at least for my sons tools. He is a welder at one of the ship yards and he has 2 tool boxes that are about the size of a love seat and very heavy.
Interstates would most definitely be the way to go. It is the winter weather that bothers me more than anything! We shut down in Birmingham with the least bit of ice. But on the other hand, I am from Asheville, NC and I know that there can be 2 feet of snow there and they do keep the roads clear for the most part.
No matter what we do....we will allow plenty of time!
My choice would be I-90 to Sioux Falls, I-29 to KC, using I-435 around the NE of the city, I-70 to Wentzville, I-64 through downtown STL to I-57 to I-24 to Nashville, and I-65 to Mobile. This is 100% Interstate.Quote:
If your crew would be more comfortable on an all Interstate route, then look at going east from Salt Lake City on I-80 to Lincoln NE, and/or taking I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis and then using I-64/I-57/I-24/I-65 through Nashville and Montgomery to Mobile. Such 'detours' would only add a couple of hundred miles.
Winter weather can seem insurmountable to Seattle-ites and southerners but millions of people survive winter in the middle of the country every year. And tens of thousands more survive travelling in mid-winter too. (though most of those wear snow boots rather than Tevas and wool socks......)
If you haven't driven on snow that's a skill that needs to be picked up. Taking some time to slide around a snowy parking lot along the way on the trip would be helpful. I'd do that with my UHaul truck if it were me as every vehicle handles differently and you need to know what to expect. (I'd also demand that it have good deep tire tread before accepting it.)
You're a mom - it's your job to worry. But I wouldn't expect to talk a manly shipyard welder out of the manly adventure of moving cross-country in the winter. It's not a suicide mission - it's just a challenge and maybe only an inconvenience.
I done Seattle-Dallas-Seattle-Dallas just last year in December14/Jan15 via WA/OR/CA/NV/AZ/NM/TX, TX/NM/AZ/NV/ID/OR/WA and WA/OR/ID/UT/NM/TX.
Overall:
I found I84 to be little-bit challenging both ways. Snow and Ice near Boise, ID and eastern Oregon part of I84. However it was only for few miles of I84 on each direction. Most of all other part of trip clear roads.
Snow:
Wet snow on I40 near Albuquerque, Part of Utah were snowed out, NM and I84 in Eastern OR/ID. Snow can be anywhere at anytime in winter.
Mountains:
Yes, mountains are all over. I84 eastern Oregon, Near Yakima WA (I82), Snoqualmie Pass, WA, Part, route between Green River UT and Price UT roads are mountainous (may need low gear for some vehicles). When you see snow plows ready waiting on mountain roads, kind of gives you little chill of rough weather ahead.
Rain/Flood in Winter?
Yes, small part of I90 left lanes between North Band, WA and Snoqualmie pass flooded due to continues rain.
I anticipated snow most of trip however great job by DOT keeping roads clear.
I guess I'm still a bit confused about the need to move 3 vehicles for a family of 2 adults. Certainly there are items that you're always going to want to bring with you on a move - and a guys tools would certainly fall into that category - but it seems like at least 1, if not more of the cars could be sold instead of moved or shipped. That would likely be much cheaper than shipping the cars, and quite a bit easier than driving/towing all of those vehicles, especially since driving means most of the drivers will have to be solo for the entire trip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janice Burt
The paragraph you quoted stated 4 adults. So the count has changed or we're confused. But I agree that even with 4 people moving 4 vehicles means a lot of solo time for everyone. 4 people to move 2 vehicles would be much nicer. The trip-long game would be to vote who is "IT" at each stop. And "IT" has to drive the UHaul :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest Michael
The original post said it was the son/daughter and their baby who was moving, with 3 vehicles, so I'm assuming the parents (the poster) are helping with the driving to bring the total of drivers up to 4.
But that's just my best guess....
LOL....true.....he did drive out there in a UHaul...but not in the winter. My mother-n-law used to always tell me 'you never stop worrying'. I thought that couldn't be true, but was she ever right!
I know I can be confusing at times :). ...my son, his wife, me and my husband. Still thinking shipping the vehicles and my husband and son coming back in the UHaul. If it were me....I'd sell the vehicles and everything else, but it isn't me....
This site has been very helpful for me to 'air' my concerns and ask questions. I appreciate all the feed back I have gotten!
I'm getting lost in the logistics of back and forth but ---- father and son team driving, if they get along well, would make for a memorable manly adventure for both. I cherish the memories of trips I've done with my father and the various adventures we've had.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janice Burt
Even though I'm closing in on 60 years of age, my mother still worries. If it were up to mothers, we'd all still be walking because any other form of transportation is just too risky! :-)
I had coworkers shipped a year old vehicles and furniture from Seattle to Texas on company dime. They liked their vehicles so much that they consider keeping it. It all depends on a vehicle age and something special about it.
It's in the nature of mothers. Whereas all my children are grown and have their own families, of course I still worry about them. Even though the only tradedy with my immediate family was not his fault, more than 20 years later he still has the mental scars.Quote:
Originally Posted by noFanofCB
And to whom do these five wonderful children turn when in need?
Lifey