Snowbirds

[nmcmilla]

Originally Posted by 99dart

You shouldn't have any sticking snow issues on Snoqualmie Pass that first week of November. We live in Wenatchee (Central WA), so travel that pass all the time. The mountain pass will eat more fuel & slow you some also. 84 from Portland heading east is flat and you should have a tail wind to help fuel economy also.

Getting close to my departure now using the links you provided (thanks) my plan is to take I-90 and overnight near Ellensburg, then to head south on I-82 to US-97 (taking Mountainsam's advice) eventually hitting US-395 at Susanville.
Temperatures are looking pretty good in the Palm Springs area --so "far enough south" for me! Nancy

[99dart]

Originally Posted by nmcmilla

Getting close to my departure now using the links you provided (thanks) my plan is to take I-90 and overnight near Ellensburg, then to head south on I-82 to US-97 (taking Mountainsam's advice) eventually hitting US-395 at Susanville.
Temperatures are looking pretty good in the Palm Springs area --so "far enough south" for me! Nancy

Safe travels! We won't be leaving until the 3rd week of January. So, will go south from Wenatchee to I-84, then west to Portland. On down I-5 into California, ending up near Palm Springs for a few days.

[MoreKoko]

Originally Posted by Bucket List Inn

LOL That’s a good question Bob! A few years back we were camped at Pine Island near Ft. Myers FL and the weather guy said there were frost warnings as far south as Charlotte County. I grabbed a map to find out wher Charlotte County was. Well it was about 20 miles north of me and I thought to myself “far enough”. Last year we stayed primarily around Orlando and had beautiful weather all winter except one morning I did see frost on some roofs so I thought we needed to go farther south! Ya just never know! But then again we enjoy the beaches and pools.

FYI - Charlotte County/Punta Gorda can run 10 degrees or so "colder" in the winter than here in Cape Coral/Ft Myers. We have been here year around for 5 years and never had frost. It can get down to the lower 50s/upper 40s at night but usually warms up during the day. (Those 40s and 50s are as cold as I can tolerate!)

[Cason61]

Originally Posted by mountainsam

Nancy,

If you are coming from north of Seattle 395 is way out of your way.I personally would take I-5 to I-90, east to I-82, south east to 97 and south through Washington and Oregon. 97 joins I-5 again around Mt. Shasta. You will miss Portland all together and have a nice road on the east side of the mountain range. We took 395 south of Spokane this year and brought 97 into California. It was a nice trip. Stayed at a Camp Ground north of Klamath Falls. You may also want to check on I-5 south of Sacramento. 99 may be a better rt. I'll try to keep an eye on the conditions of i-5 south of Sac. We live just 30 miles north of there.

Memories. Long time ago I was familiar with what your route is ... but times change.

[Bucket List Inn]

I just heard today that southbound I-75 going thru Detroit MI should be opening soon. In fact one lane might open yet this week!


Does anyone know if they have made any repairs to 75 down near the Michigan Ohio border? Last year hauling the fifth wheel thru there I lost a couple of fillings!

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Bucket List Inn

I just heard today that southbound I-75 going thru Detroit MI should be opening soon. In fact one lane might open yet this week!


Does anyone know if they have made any repairs to 75 down near the Michigan Ohio border? Last year hauling the fifth wheel thru there I lost a couple of fillings!

Well MDOT does publish all their major road projects here:
https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616...008---,00.html

Looks like they did some work that way last year.

We've found that taking US-23 (if you're on the West side of the Detroit area) is a little bit better than taking I-75 (a little bit less traffic, and fewer trucks).

[petefoss]

Or 696 west to 275. Or I69 south, all depends on where to and from. I don't think I will ever take 75 thru Detroit with our MH.

[Bucket List Inn]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Well MDOT does publish all their major road projects here:
https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616...008---,00.html

Looks like they did some work that way last year.

We've found that taking US-23 (if you're on the West side of the Detroit area) is a little bit better than taking I-75 (a little bit less traffic, and fewer trucks).

Thanks JamieGeek. We live up Port Huron way and if there is no slow downs going thru Detroit it about 35 minutes longer for us to go over to Flint and go down 23 ending up on 75 just south of Perrysburg. It doesn’t take much of a slow down to lose 25 minutes in Detroit! LOL!

[Bucket List Inn]

Originally Posted by petefoss

Or 696 west to 275. Or I69 south, all depends on where to and from. I don't think I will ever take 75 thru Detroit with our MH.

Hi petefoss, 696 over to 275 will be a good option if the ever get the west 696 construction finished up.

We had to go out to Wixom today to pick up our camper after getting some warranty work done. We got ready to leave there about 4 and decided to go west on 96 north on 23 up to Flint and east on 69 home. It took about 15 minutes longer but I could set the cruise on 60 and only took it off to make turns.

[The Gritz Carlton]

"I don't think I will ever take 75 thru Detroit with our MH."

I wouldn't go through there with a Panzer Tank!! Three weeks ago I drove to Lapeer to pick up the barn-find Jeep. My friends said Detroit was the quickest route. Wish I had gone to North Dakota, then across from there. Detroit was the roughest roads I've driven on in many years. When I finally got through there, I felt like I has loose teeth and was 3 inches shorter. There were times I felt my truck literally bounce off the ground and jump over a foot!! Horrible...Horrible!! And...the entire stretch for miles and miles is under massive construction...they will never finish this job!! I thought about all the people, unknowingly passing through Detroit in their motorhomes. Horrible!!! Michigan in general has the worst highways in the country...qualified statement...just got back fro there and drove many different routes.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Ditto on the 23 route...the only/best way to go round Detroit.

[Peterrrr]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

"I don't think I will ever take 75 thru Detroit with our MH."

. Horrible!!! Michigan in general has the worst highways in the country...qualified statement...just got back fro there and drove many different routes.

And the close second would be the I81 through Pennsylvania. After the terrible highway north of Harrisburg, you get to flow with bumper to bumper trucks for the southern part of the state.

[The Gritz Carlton]

You know how we make notes about the great places people post about in case we ever head that way? I've started making the same notes about what people say about road conditions. We will set out on our major adventure next year. I bought a huge U.S. map, placed it in the home office and pin little notes with reference numbers on the things we don't want to miss. I also mark the routes with a RED Sharpie of the highways to stay off of. It will probably save me thousands in coach damage. I think I'll take my exacto and just cut the City of Detroit out of the map. Horrible!!

[Bucket List Inn]

Originally Posted by nmcmilla

Getting close to my departure now using the links you provided (thanks) my plan is to take I-90 and overnight near Ellensburg, then to head south on I-82 to US-97 (taking Mountainsam's advice) eventually hitting US-395 at Susanville.
Temperatures are looking pretty good in the Palm Springs area --so "far enough south" for me! Nancy

Safe travels Nancy. My wife gets mad at me when I start looking at the 90 day forecast for a specific window that we want to leave. The forecast changes every few days but it makes me happy 😃.
Have a great winter!

[Bucket List Inn]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

"I don't think I will ever take 75 thru Detroit with our MH."

I wouldn't go through there with a Panzer Tank!! Three weeks ago I drove to Lapeer to pick up the barn-find Jeep. My friends said Detroit was the quickest route. Wish I had gone to North Dakota, then across from there. Detroit was the roughest roads I've driven on in many years. When I finally got through there, I felt like I has loose teeth and was 3 inches shorter. There were times I felt my truck literally bounce off the ground and jump over a foot!! Horrible...Horrible!! And...the entire stretch for miles and miles is under massive construction...they will never finish this job!! I thought about all the people, unknowingly passing through Detroit in their motorhomes. Horrible!!! Michigan in general has the worst highways in the country...qualified statement...just got back fro there and drove many different routes.

Gritz Carlton, Sorry you had to experience a couple of the worst roads in the nation. If you traveled this route I75 both north and southbound I94 around Detroit and I69 between Port Huron and Lapeer would all be smoother if they were gravel. From what I understand Michigan allows some of the heaviest weights per axle on trucks in the nation. That along with the ridiculous amount of garbage trucks coming from Canada beat the crap out our roads year around.