Novice road trip

[JKC306]

Hey, wife and I are new to the lifestyle. We have  30 ft. Thor; thinking of driving from Marysville Ca. to Colorado Springs to visit kids over Thanksgiving. Anyone tell me of road conditions and weather to expect?

[TheLongWayHome]

Coloradoan here.

It's always a gamble that time of year, but I-15 to I-70 Eisenhower Tunnel (6% grade, 4 miles and over 11,000ft) and Vail Pass (7%,  4 miles 10,666ft) and a few other "smaller" climbs. Also avoid I-70 on Sundays and Holidays, with the added ski traffic going east - mostly a parking lot. Then on I-25 from Denver to Colorado Springs you have the Palmer Divide, deceptive and shutdown with minimum snow. Then again, being Colorado, it could be sunny all the way!!

I-80 which is closer to you in the northern route and usually adds the fun experience of ice and wind in Wyoming. 

Take the southern route I-40 is possible.

[JCZ]

A quick search for Avreage Monthly weather for Monarch Pass (Salida, Colo.) brought this up.....  http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/salida/colorado/united-states/usco0704

I've been over in Nov. before (in my 4x4 truck, not pulling a trailer) in Nov. and there was a lot of snow but not on the highway.  It gets very cold in the Colorado mountains in late Sept.

[JCZ]

Here is a link to Colorado's live highway web cams.  You can start watching the cams a couple of weeks out but keep in mind it's Colorado......can change dramatically in one day.

 

http://www.cotrip.org/map.htm  

 

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are here to help so visit us often.  

Even though it is a bit farther to travel, at that time of year I would probably stick to the interstate highways route, especially since you are new to driving an RV. When you say you have a "30' Thor" am I correct to think that you mean a motorhome built by Thor? Most highways you might choose are well maintained but travel via I-80 & I-25 will be much less challenging for an inexperienced driver and if you should experience bad weather, those routes are opened very quickly and are heavily traveled. If you have time and if the weather cooperates, there are more scenic routes such as via I-80, US 50, & I-25. That route is also well maintained and if the weather is good is somewhat shorter distance but it also traverses far more mountain roads. If you are in a position to wait out the weather if bad, then it would be my preferred route. Of course, you could also take one route out and return via the other. 

[Al F]

55 minutes ago, JKC306 said:

Hey, wife and I are new to the lifestyle. We have  30 ft. Thor; thinking of driving from Marysville Ca. to Colorado Springs to visit kids over Thanksgiving. Anyone tell me of road conditions and weather to expect?

Are you planning to allow for a 5-8 day drive to Colorado Springs from the Sacramento, CA area then go for it.  If you are thinking of a 3 day drive in an RV, then make your reservations today and fly there for Thanksgiving.  

In case there is bad weather you must allow for time to wait for the roads to clear of snow and ice so you don't take the chance of driving on ice because it is Wednesday morning and you HAVE to drive the last 300 miles to be there by Thanksgiving eve.

Yes, the weather can change dramatically, however it is rare that the 2 day (day after tomorrow) forecast is totally wrong.  The third day is a little more iffy. Additionally it is very rare that tomorrows mid morning forecast is for 25 degrees & sunshine in the highway passes and they get 10 inches of snow that sticks to the highway.  Can it happen, yea.  But you probably in more danger of another vehicle causing an accident with your vehicle than totally unexpected weather.

You must have some way to access the weather forecasts.  A computer and internet access or a smart phone where you have downloaded weather apps, like NOAA, Weather Underground, Weather.com, AccuWeather, etc.  Be sure to have more than one weather app and see if the all agree. 

[Pat & Pete]

No matter the route , that time of year , chains might be required to move . 

I've seen Colorado weather change dramatically in much less than a day , forecast or no .

[Kirk W]

5 minutes ago, Pat & Pete said:

No matter the route , that time of year , chains might be required to move . 

Not for me. I no longer travel in "chains required" road conditions and my advice would be that a novice RV traveler would be wise to wait the conditions out as well. You might have to wait for a day or two, but I have driven enough difficult road conditions in my working years that I don't do that anymore. I have seen situations where even the most skilled/experienced drivers lose control on bad roads. 

[jpcoll01]

Have you thought about the southern route?  It's a few hours longer (4) but the weather will more than likely be good to go.  Go to Albuquerque and head due north.  Honestly, in Nov, I'd likely chance the direct route through Reno, Salt Lake and Cheyenne.  As far as time, someone said 5 days and I would agree if you are looking to "take it all in" if you are heading to a destination no reason you couldn't knock out an 18 hour trip in 2 days with a Walmart stay around the mid-point.

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, jpcoll01 said:

Have you thought about the southern route?  It's a few hours longer (4) but the weather will more than likely be good to go.  Go to Albuquerque and head due north.  Honestly, in Nov, I'd likely chance the direct route through Reno, Salt Lake and Cheyenne.  As far as time, someone said 5 days and I would agree if you are looking to "take it all in" if you are heading to a destination no reason you couldn't knock out an 18 hour trip in 2 days with a Walmart stay around the mid-point.

9 hours a day of power driving an RV ? You must be a young man with a bunch of kids driving you to a point near suicide .

Maybe in a car or van , but even then , only if someone else is driving . LOL

[JKC306]

Wow, thank you for the great advice and information - certainly going to reassess driving versus flying for this particular trip!

[jc2]

4 hours ago, JKC306 said:

Wow, thank you for the great advice and information - certainly going to reassess driving versus flying for this particular trip!

Highly recommended.  :>)

[jpcoll01]

22 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

9 hours a day of power driving an RV ? You must be a young man with a bunch of kids driving you to a point near suicide .

Maybe in a car or van , but even then , only if someone else is driving . LOL

For me it comes down to how many days I have.  If I have 28 days like my summer trip out west, I don't like to waste any more of it than I have to in KY, IN, IL, MO, KS, so I go really hard until I cross into CO then slow down the pace dramatically.  Same for coming home, once I pass the Black Hills I don't slow down until I get back to KY (except for a stop in Chicago for hot dogs :-)  ).  I believe if I had more time I'd still go as fast as I could through the corn fields on my way to the Mountains, it's just how I travel I suppose. 

[Kirk W]

20 minutes ago, jpcoll01 said:

I believe if I had more time I'd still go as fast as I could through the corn fields on my way to the Mountains, it's just how I travel I suppose.

You will never know what you miss as you go past when you believe there is nothing there.  

[Pat & Pete]

27 minutes ago, jpcoll01 said:

For me it comes down to how many days I have.  If I have 28 days like my summer trip out west, I don't like to waste any more of it than I have to in KY, IN, IL, MO, KS, so I go really hard until I cross into CO then slow down the pace dramatically.  Same for coming home, once I pass the Black Hills I don't slow down until I get back to KY (except for a stop in Chicago for hot dogs :-)  ).  I believe if I had more time I'd still go as fast as I could through the corn fields on my way to the Mountains, it's just how I travel I suppose. 

I have to admit that you're not the only one that does that .

We know a couple of guys that do the 'gotta get there' kind of driving . 

[eddie1261]

On 8/30/2017 at 9:24 AM, Pat & Pete said:

No matter the route , that time of year , chains might be required to move . 

That is kind of intimidating, because I am in a state where chains are illegal and I have never seen them in my life. Once I leave Ohio I hope to never see snow again. I won't go anywhere NEAR a snow prone state after like October 15th.....

That is partly due to how well I know me. I'd get out there with the cavalier attitude of "A little snow ain't gonna stop ME!" and after a week or so you'd all be wondering why I don't post anymore. I am the guy who went skiing for the first time and went directly to the black diamond slope. I am the guy who bought new video games and went directly to expert mode. So it will really be best for me to be is hot places in snow months. Like I-40 may be as far north as I get after mid October. I'll go see Mt Rushmore in July!

[Pat & Pete]

6 minutes ago, eddie1261 said:

That is kind of intimidating, because I am in a state where chains are illegal and I have never seen them in my life. Once I leave Ohio I hope to never see snow again. I won't go anywhere NEAR a snow prone state after like October 15th.....

That is partly due to how well I know me. I'd get out there with the cavalier attitude of "A little snow ain't gonna stop ME!" and after a week or so you'd all be wondering why I don't post anymore. I am the guy who went skiing for the first time and went directly to the black diamond slope. I am the guy who bought new video games and went directly to expert mode. So it will really be best for me to be is hot places in snow months. Like I-40 may be as far north as I get after mid October. I'll go see Mt Rushmore in July!

That^ might just be a wise choice .

[Kirk W]

18 minutes ago, eddie1261 said:

So it will really be best for me to be is hot places in snow months. Like I-40 may be as far north as I get after mid October. I'll go see Mt Rushmore in July!

For 18 years I traveled the state of WY and CO in all kinds of weather and we even took our RV to mountain hunting camps in winter snow. But because I have had more than enough travel on bad roads, we have done just that sort of thing in our retired RV years. I have never owned a set of chains since we moved south and then retired and I never will. I don't have any reason to test my luck towing an RV with tire chains on. 

[eddie1261]

22 minutes ago, Pat & Pete said:

That^ might just be a wise choice .

You have perfectly captured my spirit with that emoticon.....

Like if you touch something and you get an electric shock. Most people say "Oh. That gives a shock." I say "Hmmm.... I wonder if it does that every time?"

I was always the kid who said "I know! Maybe we could build a ramp...."

[sandsys]

22 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

I have never owned a set of chains since we moved south and then retired and I never will. I don't have any reason to test my luck towing an RV with tire chains on. 

The year we had solar installed on our Class C in Oregon in December we went to Les Schwab and bought the chains we were required to carry for that trip. But we never actually used them. So we were able to return them to Les Schwab and get a full refund. Now, that's the way to do chains.

Linda Sand