Driving conditions ...New Orleans to Oregon

[mallen29]

Hello all,
So, we will be leaving New Orleans because of our losses to Hurricane Katrina and flooding to our home. The good news is we have the opportunity to start over in Oregon. Since we have never really experienced driving in snow/icey weather we are a bit concerned about road conditions. We know we will need chains (anyone with more information on these?), and are thinking we will drive straight out on I-10 to I-5 and then North (we will be going just north of Eugene). Any advice or tips will be appreciated. Also, does any one have tips on long travels with dogs?
Thanks.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America forum.

I offer my heartfelt condolences on your losses to Katrina. I have friends in New Orleans, one of whom was 'lost' for several days before he reconnected with the world. It's going to be a long time before your city is completely back on its feet.

Given the time of year that you'll be making your first foray into snow country, I applaud you decision to stay as far south for as long as possible (I-10) before turning north (I-5). It's neither the shortest nor most scenic (but not bad, either) route, but it will be the least nerve wracking and has perhaps the lowest chance of inclement weather.

As to driving in snow, the three most important rules are 1) slow down, 2) slow down, and 3) slow down. Besides that keep a very light foot on both the accelerator and brake (see rules 1 through 3) and turn into any skid***. The last is counter intuitive and will take a bit of practice. I have only one rule for driving on ice - don't. As for chains, try to buy them early on in your trip (although I doubt you can find them in Louisiana) and practice putting them on when it's sunny, warm and dry.

[***Editor's Note: Actually there is a new way of approaching the fine art of recovering from a skid -- years of teaching defensive driving to professional drivers have led instructors to change their teaching techniques -- the old explanation of "turn into a skid" works exactly the same as the current instruction of "Quickly turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the front of the car to go (down the road)" For a more detailed explanation about what causes a skid, and how to recover from one -- please read this article written by Robert Schaller.

Different dogs react differently to riding in cars. Most love it, but a few will develop motion sickness. You probably know which category your own fall into. Just stop often to let them get some exercise. Dog Walks at rest areas really are not sufficient. Try to get them some running time each day. State parks tend to be great for this. My own dog loved having a window rolled down, even in the dead of Maine winters, to feel the wind on his face. He was also good at letting me know when he wanted some time out of the car, so listen to yours as well.

The Eugene area is lovely, and the town itself is one of the most bike/hike friendly towns I've ever had the pleasure to experience. I hope you'll like it and the change of scenery.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

So, we will be leaving New Orleans because of our losses to Hurricane Katrina and flooding to our home. The good news is we have the opportunity to start over in Oregon.

Welcome to the Forum. Sorry to hear about your losses -- A road trip is a great way to begin a new life!

Since we have never really experienced driving in snow/icey weather we are a bit concerned about road conditions. We know we will need chains (anyone with more information on these?), and are thinking we will drive straight out on I-10 to I-5 and then North (we will be going just north of Eugene).

Here are some excellent tips about safe winter roadtripping.

Any advice or tips will be appreciated. Also, does any one have tips on long travels with dogs?

Traveling with pets is a frequent topic around here. Here is one such post and if you do a search for traveling with pets (use the search utility in the green navigation bar on this page) you will find hundreds more ideas.

Mark