I-80 vs. I -70 from Eastern CO to Salt Lake area - RV-Dreams Community Forum

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

I-80 vs. I -70 from Eastern CO to Salt Lake area

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

hopefully Terry or bill joyce will pop in.......thats there neighborhood of travel and they could give you a real good Idea...

Glad to hear the new toys are on the way home and Dale is practicing his foul weather driving skills with a little boondocking thrown in!!!

it will all come together and the sun will shine!!!!!..........your so close to getting out the gate!!!! H a P p Y Dance!!!!!!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, I can't help too much. It has been too long ago (since the '70's) that I was on I-70 and I've only been on I-80 once in my life. With snow, I'd definitely rule out the most Northern route.

Could he work his way up through Southern Colorado, Utah and then up north from that way? He could even take I-40 over into New Mexico and then up through Santa Fe (using the bypass west of Santa Fe) and then on up to Pagosa Springs. from there, he could go west to Utah and then head north from there. I'm thinking that if he went that route and then on up to Idaho and across, he might miss the major passes in Colorado.

Terry

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Terry, he's looking at the options. He was wanting to stay with the Interstates as much as possible to make time, but is looking at options. From the years we lived in Dallas and vacationed in Colorado, I do remember the southern routes across CO are not fast, it always seemed to take longer to get to Mesa Verde National Park than we thought it should.

We'll look at that route, he just didn't want to do the extra distance of going all the out I-40 to CA and then head north. Lots of extra miles and fuel expense.

I just want him home, safe and sound and can't wait to get my hands on the new house on wheels!!

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

Both routes are precarious this time of year. Both are interstates so they will clear rather quickly. In any case I-80 is likely to be clear first. In fact with nothing to stop it from blowing across, it is likely that there will be little snow on I-80 anyway. I-80 is reasonably flat when compared to I-70 west out of Denver. I-70 is a serious climb and decent with Loveland Pass and Vail Pass being the two major elevations. I avoided I-70 because those climbs were hard on my truck. I-80 isn't as scenic but is a good drive as long as the weather holds and fuel is cheaper. Check the weather and make your decision based on the expected weather that day. You only need 10 hours of clear roads to cross Wyoming. There is a significant climb between the Utah border and Salt Lake. Take I-84 to miss this. West bound I-84 is all gently downhill and is only 14 miles longer than I-80. It probably takes less fuel to go the 14 miles than to climb over the mountain going into SLC.

With everything considered, I'd go I-80. Chances of a fluke storm popping up on the lower elevations of I-80 are slim compared to what might happen up near Vail. I-80 is flatter so even if the weather turns on you it is likely to be easier to manage. West bound there is a short but significant descent going into Laramie. Set the Jake and ride it to the bottom. Don't have a Jake? Should've bought a real truck (just kidding). A few hills in Wyoming but no mountains like Colorado. If this was a normal year I would say you have little chance running into snow coming across there but after seeing the snow in my sister's yard at Loveland last week, I would have to say all bets are off.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Mark! Looking at the forecast for the next few days and ongoing chance of snow all the way across WY, we had actually decided he might take I-40 across to western AZ and then connect to I-15 and come up that way. However, yet another delay for us. The 5th wheel landing gear is not staying up once he had the truck all hitched up and ready to go this morning. Slade from Rolling Retreats can fix it for him, but he won't be back until Saturday. Obviously Dale's not driving down the road with the landing gear down so he's once again waiting it out at Rolling Retreats. Maybe we'll get the new rig home sometime next week......

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

MarkS wrote:
I avoided I-70 because those climbs were hard on my truck.

Come on, Mark....hard on a 780? I would think you would be "loafing" over those mole-hills. :)

I agree with you - I'd go I-80.

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Oh my gosh. You two are having a heck of a time getting set up to go! I-40 across N. Arizona has been closed twice this week because of high winds but it does look like its going to clear up. April & May are the windy months here but intermittent.

Tell Dale to go to the Route 66 museum while he's killing time there. It's fun. And the train station restaurant (name ?) just up the road is good and friendly. Is Slades friend, Gary hanging around? He's very friendly and we learned a lot from him about backing a 5er. Take advantage as he loves being helpful.

Sherry

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ruth,

I've been trying to resist in saying this, but will power just isn't cutting it......

.....do you suppose that Alicia and Slade's hospitality is so good that Dale doesn't want to leave yet?????

Seriously, though, I'm confident that Slade will get the hydraulic issue fixed.

Terry

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I Think Dale has caught the Fulltimer bug!!!!!.........or some of that Okie hospitality is making it tough on getting home!!!

Really..... hope all things go well and he has no more hold ups and his trip is safe ,

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I-80 is more boring for scenery, but easier since the passes are much lower than I-70. In other words, I agree with about everyone else.

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jack Mayer wrote:
MarkS wrote:
I avoided I-70 because those climbs were hard on my truck.
Come on, Mark....hard on a 780? I would think you would be "loafing" over those mole-hills. :)

I agree with you - I'd go I-80.

With a piddly little 40 foot rv behind it I would have to set the cruise to keep from speeding. But if I weighed 70 to 80k pounds it is just a long slow pull. Once I'm free to RV I won't hesitate. Motor to the top and set the speed of the truck at about 35, jake on three, 9th or 10th gear sit back and ride her to the bottom. Then arm phasers and fight Denver traffic. I'm so excited!

Missy · RV-Dreams Community Member

Here's a handy phone number for Colorado Roads that we have often used over the years.
303-639-1111 - gives you great reporting on roads open and closed.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks all for giving me a few laughs on a night when we're both feeling a bit discouraged!

Dale definitely wants to come home, especially after hearing about a well intentioned friend who came over to "help" with some of the house prep to get it ready to go on the market falling off a ladder and causing a bunch of primer to "fly" everywhere in our entryway. Oh yeah, that was something he was happy to miss, especially when I realized our friend had an injury (other than pride) when I saw blood on the top of his head. He tried to laugh it off as not having enough hair, but boy did I feel horrible.

I think we're just going to have to be patient, but we're both feeling a bit discouraged with the delays. I know Slade will fix the trailer, Dale will be really happy to get out of the windy area he's in right now and eventually he will get home so we can finalize the things that need to get done to get the house on the market and load the trailer. Okie hospitality is not an issue, nice people there, but it's too far apart for either of us to be happy, especially knowing that what we thought would be a 10-11 day journey for Dale is turning into well more than 2 weeks and causing yet another delay of getting the house on the market.

Tonight, however, was a night for a few tears, at least for me. Originally we thought he'd be arrving here sometime this weekend and right now we're realizing he might not be on the road this weekend. We've officially hit the second longest period of time we've been apart since we were married 22 years ago and might very well surpass the longest time period by the time he gets home.

I expected a few stumbling blocks in this journey to full time but just didn't expect that so many things would happen when we were 1800 miles apart. Oh well, someday we'll look back and laugh about this, right????

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ruth,

Sorry that there are downers in your life right now. Dale is in good hands, although it might be a bit "cool" this morning for him. Not sure if you guys are used to freezing temps or not. I remember years ago that we had relatives come down to Oklahoma from South Dakota. They left their coats behind because, "hey, we're going south; it should be warm." Heh. They didn't account for the cold winds that hit the Oklahoma Panhandle.

Our hopes and prayers are with the two of you right now. Hang in there, young lady.

Terry

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just now read this post...my husband usually takes care of reading the blogs, then if something is really good, I look at it....haha....iI AGREE WITH EVERYONE WHO SAID YOU SHOULD TAKE I-80 WEST to I 84 North and west. I do not know what your final destination is, HOWEVER, if you are going anywhere near Portland,
OR or Seattle WA or ID I would take I-80 West to I-15 North and I-84 North and West through Boise, ID to Portland and from there I 5 to Seattle, WA...If you are going to CA...just stay on I-80 all the way through NV to CA. Have fun my almost full timing friends!

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks all for the encouragement, yes, Dale is headed to the Seattle area, looking forward to getting him back home so we can finish getting the place ready to sell and pack our DRV Mobile Suites with all the essentials. Our plan was to have the house on the market before month's end. With this delay, that's impossible, maybe by mid-May now, hopefully earlier, but I don't have a cystal ball and I've given up planning, just too disappointing when everything falls apart. Between the issues with the truck and trailer, we've had a week of almost no progress on the house.

Hoping the issue with the landing gear is fixed quickly so he can get on the road. After watching a friend fall off a ladder, I'm not wanting any more "help" getting the house ready to go on the market, not sure my nervous system can take that.