NE Florida to West Colorado - Route Advice?

[Workman]

New to long haul travel in a motor home and planning a trip next month from Yulee FL (just 30 miles North of Jacksonville) to Olathe CO. I will be driving a Thor Windsport 34P with a Harley motorcycle on a Hydralift and flat towing a Jeep Wrangler Sport. The jeep has a Aux brake system installed.
Looking for some experienced advice on the route.

I plugged the start and end points into the Good Sam Trip Planner which gives me a route thru Atlanta GA (that doesn't thrill me much) and over Monarch Pass on US Hwy 50 in CO.

[KNMIB]

I don't know the route but I always try to avoid Atlanta and when you hit those mountain passes take off cruise and accelerate up in the right lane and act like a semi. If you have a trailer/haul button on your shift lever turn it on and it will glide you right down the other side of the pass. They are not bad just take your time. Have fun and be Safe.

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Workman

New to long haul travel in a motor home and planning a trip next month from Yulee FL (just 30 miles North of Jacksonville) to Olathe CO. I will be driving a Thor Windsport 34P with a Harley motorcycle on a Hydralift and flat towing a Jeep Wrangler Sport. The jeep has a Aux brake system installed.
Looking for some experienced advice on the route.

I plugged the start and end points into the Good Sam Trip Planner which gives me a route thru Atlanta GA (that doesn't thrill me much) and over Monarch Pass on US Hwy 50 in CO.

Here's another suggestion if you want to avoid ALL mountain driving. Just find Interstate 40 through Alburquerque, NM and go west to Gallup and just west of there take Highway 191 up to Moab, UT and back to Grand Junction, CO on i-70. No mountain driving. It's out of your way probably 200 miles but No Mountains. LOL.

[Workman]

Originally Posted by Teeitup26

Here's another suggestion if you want to avoid ALL mountain driving. Just find Interstate 40 through Alburquerque, NM and go west to Gallup and just west of there take Highway 191 up to Moab, UT and back to Grand Junction, CO on i-70. No mountain driving. It's out of your way probably 200 miles but No Mountains. LOL.

I watched a video of a trip over Monarch pass - didn't seem all that bad and looks as if there is as a slow lane on both east and west slopes. I-40 does sound good though - and the time is probable going to equalize itself LOL

[Workman]

Originally Posted by KNMIB

I don't know the route but I always try to avoid Atlanta and when you hit those mountain passes take off cruise and accelerate up in the right lane and act like a semi. If you have a trailer/haul button on your shift lever turn it on and it will glide you right down the other side of the pass. They are not bad just take your time. Have fun and be Safe.

Aggreed - i am thinking about going the southern route, Mobile is not near as bad as atlanta.

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Workman

New to long haul travel in a motor home and planning a trip next month from Yulee FL (just 30 miles North of Jacksonville) to Olathe CO. I will be driving a Thor Windsport 34P with a Harley motorcycle on a Hydralift and flat towing a Jeep Wrangler Sport. The jeep has a Aux brake system installed.
Looking for some experienced advice on the route.

I plugged the start and end points into the Good Sam Trip Planner which gives me a route thru Atlanta GA (that doesn't thrill me much) and over Monarch Pass on US Hwy 50 in CO.

Hi, I wrote a nice long message to you about this route and it didn't make it on here. So here goes again.
I live near Olathe, CO and have driven every road on the western slope of Colorado. Monarch Pass has a 6.4 degree grade which is right in line with most of them in Colorado. Some more and some less. Anyway, a suggestion would be taking Interstate 70 with tons of lanes and a little less grade up and down, except for Vail Pass which is 7 for about 4 miles on the west side going into Vail. But it's multilaned and you can gear down and go slow. Anyway, if you are driving to Colorado by way of 50 through Pueblo, Co and Canon City you can turn north at Salida and get on 24 to Leadville and then down to I-70. That avoids Monarch. Then once on 70 head for Grand Junction, CO and turn south on highway 50 to Olathe. Once you are past Vail, it's flat. Plus you get to see Glenwood Canyon, a modern marvel. $300 million dollars of cantilevered roadway through 13 miles and 2 billion years of Geology right before your eyes. LOL All the interstates have emergency turnouts for over the road heavy trucks in case you get too much speed and burn your brakes up. Scary thought actually. Monarch isn't terrible but it's a little tricky. Hope that helps

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Workman

I watched a video of a trip over Monarch pass - didn't seem all that bad and looks as if there is as a slow lane on both east and west slopes. I-40 does sound good though - and the time is probable going to equalize itself LOL

I've driven up and down 191 a zillion times. If you're going from Colorado to Tucson, you use 191. It's partially through the indian reservation so if you can avoid stopping for gas or anything inside the reservation, it would be nice since the the Indians panhandle the heck out you right at the pumps. And don't leave the RV unattended. Plus in Moab, you'll probably have more RV's per square mile than anywhere in the US in June. It's ground zero for summer campers. Ask someone in Moab how to take the back road out of Moab along the Colorado River coming out on I-70 East at the Cisco Exit. A very beautiful drive and you might find a spot to stop for a couple of months. This is my wheel house you if you have questions i can answer, please do. Dave

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Workman

I watched a video of a trip over Monarch pass - didn't seem all that bad and looks as if there is as a slow lane on both east and west slopes. I-40 does sound good though - and the time is probable going to equalize itself LOL

You are right about Monarch. It's grade is 6.4%. It's not that bad if you can for sure control speed. The I-70 work around would be my second best route since the have big wide shoulders but going clear around to Moab avoids mountain passes.

What ever you do, don't let anyone talk you into going from Durango Colorado up to Olathe over Red Mountain Pass on Highway 550. I don't even like driving that sucker in the summer sober. 550 has claimed more snow plow trucks than any road in the country i believe.

[Workman]

Originally Posted by Teeitup26

You are right about Monarch. It's grade is 6.4%. It's not that bad if you can for sure control speed. The I-70 work around would be my second best route since the have big wide shoulders but going clear around to Moab avoids mountain passes.

What ever you do, don't let anyone talk you into going from Durango Colorado up to Olathe over Red Mountain Pass on Highway 550. I don't even like driving that sucker in the summer sober. 550 has claimed more snow plow trucks than any road in the country i believe.

No danger of me trying to navigate a motor coach on the Million Dollar Hwy. I was born in Ouray - lived at the Idarado Mine till I was 5 yo, then in Ouray till I was 10. Left Colorado in 1957. Been back a couple of times and actually rode my bike over it - beautiful but a bit scary.

[ctpres]

I have found the site - https://www.flattestroute.com/?from=...mentMode=miles
very useful in deciding which way to go thru mountains. Just switch to driving.

[Workman]

Thanks - I'll take a look at it.

[Teeitup26]

Originally Posted by Workman

No danger of me trying to navigate a motor coach on the Million Dollar Hwy. I was born in Ouray - lived at the Idarado Mine till I was 5 yo, then in Ouray till I was 10. Left Colorado in 1957. Been back a couple of times and actually rode my bike over it - beautiful but a bit scary.

It's not called the Million Dollar Hwy for the reason you might think. It's because there is a million dollars worth of cars, trucks and motorcycles in the ditch 1,000 feet to the right of the north bound lanes.

[Workman]

Originally Posted by Teeitup26

It's not called the Million Dollar Hwy for the reason you might think. It's because there is a million dollars worth of cars, trucks and motorcycles in the ditch 1,000 feet to the right of the north bound lanes.

Haha - that's one of the many legends I hadn't heard, but you're right about the "ditch".