Athens, GA to Vancouver, BC end of December

[J Gibby]

I am graduating and going to get my Masters at UBC in Vancouver, BC. I am a southern girl and really don't have a clue about winter travel. The problem being that I have from December 26th to January 5th to get here to there.
Due to weather, my lack of winter driving experience and short time frame, what would you suggest as a route, and how long do you think it will take?
There will be two drivers, and I have family in Mississippi, Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska.

Thanks!

&gt; I am graduating and going to get my Masters at <BR>
&gt; UBC in Vancouver, BC. I am a southern girl and <BR>
&gt; really don't have a clue about winter travel. <BR>
&gt; The problem being that I have from December 26th <BR>
&gt; to January 5th to get here to there. Due to <BR>
&gt; weather, my lack of winter driving experience and <BR>
&gt; short time frame, what would you suggest as a <BR>
&gt; route, and how long do you think it will <BR>
&gt; take? There will be two drivers, and I have <BR>
&gt; family in Mississippi, Arizona, Colorado and <BR>
&gt; Nebraska.<BR>
&gt; <BR>
&gt; Thanks! <BR>
<BR>

I always try to choose a route that goes through country I haven't seen before -- if YOU stick to that rule, it sounds like you have LOTS of options. Fact is, you'll not know until time to go what the weather will be like along the way, so plan for several options and pick the best one at the time.

My first choice would be the most direct. In winter, one thing is to avoid high mountain areas on less than primary highways -- they'll often be closed until spring. Other than that, anything could work. Why don't you try the following -- Athens-Atlanta-Nashville-St Louis-KC-Julesburg (NE)-Cheyenne-Billings-Spokane-Seattle-Vancouver?

This takes you through the NE & CO areas where you could visit with family along the way, with short side trips. If you want to visit them all, you'll just have to meander around a bit more.

Rand McNally suggests that a direct route slightly different than what I've suggested (across South Dakota instead) will be about 2900 miles and 46 hours of driving time (I couldn't get the miles all the way into Vancouver with their online software, so this estimate takes you to Blaine, WA, the last US town).

This is plenty of time to make the trip and gives you time to visit; it fits nicely into the time frame you specified. It's a good ballpark figure for the route I've suggested also.

If you want to visit ALL the places you mentioned, that's quite a bit larger trip. Athens-Jackson-Phoenix-Denver-Nebraska-Vancouver, for example, is more like 5,000 miles and 82+ hours of drive time. This equates to 7.5 hours of driving each day -- during winter -- my opinion is it's too much and weather problems COULD destroy your plans and schedule. You could do it if things remain perfect, but it wouldn't be a leisurely trip. I won't push myself that hard unless I have no choice -- and even then I'd probably not. Get-there-itis is a deadly disease.