jules2go

People are filling up many gas cans including their cars and this is a big part of the problem. Will be resolved soon hopefully. 

If you're headed towards Asheville, be sure to come with your gas cans full. Pipeline issue has caused major log jams at gas stations and many stations are out. 

8 minutes ago, Lou Schneider said:

If dropoffs scare you, be aware the train has a couple of places where the tracks go along similar terrain with sharp dropoffs next to the track.  Maybe switch to a seat on the uphill side of the car or don't look until you're past them.

I would have a panic attack! I won't be on that train this trip because I'll have my dogs with me. Thanks for the heads up on that, though. I wondered about it. 

9 hours ago, agesilaus said:

Comparing the two is just silly, the Trail Ridge Road:

VS the 'million dollar Hwy' which has a couple of switchbacks.

It's the drop-offs that I worry about and being so close to the edge of the road without guardrails. Anyway, it's all good, I might end up going all the way on the Million, since I'll be going up to Silverton, who knows. Thanks everyone for replies. 

10 hours ago, Blues said:

If Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain NP) was too much for you, Highway 550 will definitely be too much.  However, the Dolores route isn't necessarily inferior when it comes to scenery.  Ralph Lauren's ranch is on Dallas Divide, between Placerville and Ridgway, and it's a spectacularly beautiful location--just what you would expect for a man with good taste and unlimited funds.  Every time I drive through there, I think, "What I wouldn't give..."

So don't "just go" the Dolores route--choose the Dolores route.

Thank you -- I will choose the Dolores route! And I'll be on the lookout for the Dallas Divide

Thank you for the recommendations. I see that RVTW has now merged with a couple of other apps. It looks like a good one and I'll probably sign up. 

On 8/6/2020 at 11:16 AM, Chad Heiser said:

Check this out.

https://www.mountaindirectory.com/

It has excellent descriptions of mountain roads and what to expect when traveling them.

Thank you!

11 hours ago, Bill w/bus said:

I second that, but traffic can back up in heart around Chattanooga.  2 AM got on to I24 from I59 and went three miles and then sat for a!most an hour. Accident someplace. You have three interstates converging in the area.  Obviously avoid rush hours. Mid day isn't bad. 

Good luck,

Bill

Thank you!

I feel ya!!!!!!! There is a medication called propranolol that might help. It's a beta blocker used for hypertension, but it's also used often by people with stage fright or public speaking. It calms the fight or flight awful sensation. I work in psychiatry so am pretty familiar with it. You can talk with your doctor or nurse practitioner about it to see if it's right for you. It won't make you sedated, just calms the jitters. I'm going to be in CO and have fears about driving these roads too, so I might take some along with me. 

12 hours ago, bryansues said:

We travelled North on the I59/I24/I27 through Chattanooga on Wednesday April 21st with no delays.

Great! Thanks. 

After a second report in 6 weeks of the awful traffic due to construction going through Knoxville, I've picked some alternates. Google shows construction around Chattanooga, so just wondering if anyone has any reports from the past 30 days. Thank you in advance. 

Just had another friend return to NC from the NM/CO area on I-40 and said it was a nightmare, in both directions.  

Technomadia recommends this one for certain purposes, and I think it will be a good starter item for me. Does anyone know if there is a newer version of this device? Most of the reviews and such related to it are over a couple of years old. Just want to be sure I'm buying the most recent one. Thanks. 

9 minutes ago, ms60ocb said:

I don't know if you have watched any of the youtude video's? There a number of then in the region. This video will show you desending in to Silvertown  at 11 minutes 30 seconds.

Clay, 

Thanks for the videos. I have watched some actually. I just watched these you posted, and it's that last part of going into Ouray from Silverton that I don't think I can do. I'll just go the Delores route I think. 

2 hours ago, Jim & Alice said:

If you can park for a couple days in Durango, there is a fabulous round trip Steam Locomotive ride from Durango to Silverton... Well worth the time.

https://www.durangotrain.com/

Edit:   Just noticed 2gypsies comment on the Durango & Silverton RR... I agree with them!

 

The train would be a lot of fun. Thanks for the suggestion. 

2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Have a great trip!  By the time you're in that area you'll be a pro!

Thank you for these great ideas. I'd love to do some off-roading with my truck if I can get myself up there, and I'll look up those routes you mentioned. I am planning to be in Durango for awhile, so that's a great suggestion to just drive the truck up to Silverton and explore. I'll see if I can get any nights at Haviland. Thank you also for the encouragement. 

33 minutes ago, ms60ocb said:

Durango - Delores- Ouray is easier in many ways. The worse of road has a little shoulder and a white line marking the edge of the road, Also being north bound, your are next to the cliff not the canyon below.  I think it is a prettier route also. While your in the area Mesa Verde is a great place spend a day and you will find camping in the park, and several near Cortez.

See your from Asheville, My experience the Colorado Roads have better sight lines and wider corners. watch your speed as some times you may think driving the flat land but can be going down hill.

Clay

Thank you for the suggestions about the route and Mesa Verde, and about speeds on the downhill. I very much want to see Mesa Verde, but have my dogs with me. Have a nice day. 

14 minutes ago, Randyretired said:

Telluride is also a nice place to visit.

That whole area gets a lot of visitors, I'm sure. Thanks for your comment about the alternate route. 

21 minutes ago, Randyretired said:

If you are not comfortable with it the alternate route is a much less challenging drive.  

Going to Silverton is not something I feel that I must do, so I'm happy to take the other route to get to Ouray if it's easier. I'd like to see Ouray. Thank you. 

1 minute ago, Kirk W said:

To say that a road is or isn't scary to drive is a very subjective thing. 

 

Yes, I do agree it is subjective, thank you. I have looked at photos of it and I'm not sure it's one I want to try, which is why I was considering that alternate route. 

This summer I'm going to be in the Durango/Telluride/Ouray/Silverton area and am worried about hyped-up scary stretch of 550. I wasn't able to drive on Trail Ridge Road a couple of years ago, was even hard for me to be a passenger. Because of that, I am thinking I just won't be able to do that 550 section from Silverton to Ouray. I'll be towing my 15 ft trailer, too. 

I'm looking at the map and see that I will not be able to get to Silverton, but I can go from Durango to Ouray, via Delores, and avoid the 550 Silverton/Ouray stretch. That would be 145 to 62 and then down to Ouray on 550. How is that route in terms of scary factor? I would then backtrack back up 550 and head north into other areas.

There is a significant road closure that I read about from Montrose to Gunnison so I'll avoid that. Are there any other scary roads to be aware of when plotting my way across that region? Or any other road issues in general? I'm aiming to get back to the Denver area after all that exploring is done. 

This plan is not set in stone by any means. I'm worried about the fires this summer, and might want to hold off and go in the spring another year, before things get too dry. 

Hello,

What are your favorite trip planning apps out there? I have AAA and for now just use their triptiks for route planning. I do realize everyone has different needs and maybe not one thing can cover it all. AllStays? I seem to recall something about that one re: no longer having a phone app or something. Thank you. 

6 hours ago, crstrm said:

Although not exactly your travel route, our travels were in the opposite direction taking us from NM to Springdale/Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Thank you, I'll take a look at this route. 

On 4/6/2021 at 11:29 PM, bigjim said:

What is the "mess"?  construction?  I went  NM to Memphis last March and had the fewest issues in years. I do like going  through OKC  in less busy hours. Granted that was a little over a year ago.

 

Hello -- thank you for these recommendations. I'll definitely look up these routes. My friend said there was a ton of construction with significant delays of up to 2 hours to get through some sections. I don't know what time of day she hit those areas. 

Hello, 

I'm looking for some suggestions for alternate routes that won't be too far off the I-40 beaten trail. A friend just drove from NM to NC on 40 and said OK City and Little Rock were a mess. Does anyone have ideas on an alternate route around those cities? Thank you.