Doryman's Meanderings

D

Doryman

New member
Pendleon, OR

I hope yesterday and today don't presage other unpleasantness on our big southern journey. It took two days to pack the truck with all the boat gear that didn't make it on the boat in time back in October when we moved it down to Brent & Dixie's place in Richfield, Utah. Add to that Lori's new folding bike (a Christmas present), Christmas presents for the kids in Salt Lake, and all the other necessities for three months on the road, and we ended up with the bed stuffed to the top of the cap, and the back seat likewise filled with gear, leaving only about 18'' for poor Ike.

Feeling much like a Northwest version of the Clampetts enroute to Florida, the I-90 snow reports persuaded us to bypass Snoqualmie pass and detour through Portland to I-84. Not much of an improvement, as ice ruts on the highway kept our speed enough below normal that we only made it as far as Hood River before stopping for the night.

The morning drive looked promising, as the temps rose as high as 46 and the ice gradually disappeared from the road. However, as we approached Pendleton, signs began to appear, warning that I-84 was closed just after the Wildhorse Casino. Dialing 511, we learned that I-84 was also closed near Baker City and LaGrande, After waiting a couple of hours at the truck stop for the highway to open, we decided to get a room at the Red Lion in Pendleton while we still could. We'll try again to make it to Salt Lake in the morning.

Warren
 
Look at it through Ike's eyes, Warren. He's happy with his cozy 18" and even happier to be with you.

Best of luck tomorrow.
 
Warren

Good decision to get a room while available. Looks like nothing much has changed since we were held up there by the Wildhorse Casino a couple weeks ago when out to pick up our camper. When the road did open from Pendleton to LaGrande it was pretty rough going and we're used to poor road conditions. I 84 north of Salt Lake close to the Idaho bordor was also closed for quite awhile a couple days ago with blizzard conditions.

Take Care,

Jay
 
Thats what you get for not stopping in SUNNY Missoula. Think twice about
taking I-80 accross WY this time of year, better to go further south.
Have a good trip. john
 
Hey Warren! Will be tracking your progress....or lack there of at times the way the weather has been. Roger Johnson (SENSIE) and I made the call to run the "northern" route on I-90 about a month ago now when making our crossing from Nashville to Oak Harbor, WA. We got lucky. Our original route was to go west to Denver and see Bill and El (HALCYON) prior to coming up the route you seem to be on....but, got REAL LUCKY early in the trip, cause that morning....they got snowed in.

Rolling the dice this time of year as others have stated....but hey...if it was always easy, anybody could do it. Do take care of your family and toys. Will be watching for updates.

Byrdman
 
Sounds too cold for Granny to ride in the rocking chair on top ! It is supposed to be an unseasonably warm [but nice] 74-79 degrees here in north Florida today. Perhaps we can save some of that for you Warren !
Marc
 
Surprising to us is the area where Jim centered the wundermap. Just abit off the northern edge is where we live in Cokeville, Wy.

Warren if they turn you lose and can't make I84 south to Salt Lake continue on to Pocatello and then take I15 south to the Hy 30 shortcut to I80 and on the way stop by and have a cup of coffee with us. On second thought would love to have you stop by, but think it probably best for you to just head south to warmer weather as soon as convenient then east. Around new-years this whole area is not very boat friendly even on a trailer.

Jay
 
Hi Warren,

For many years, we made winter treks out of the Black Hills, looking for warmer weather. We often went to the southwest, almost always driving through Utah. Since you will be going to Richfield to get your boat, the options really become: I-70 or look for something further south. If it were me (and it's not), I'd look at the I-70 route over the mountains REAL CLOSE. If there's any indication of nasty weather, towing over Vail Pass isn't my idea of fun (been there, done that, and have outgrown the t-shirt). I'd get myself as far south as possible, even running to I-10 if necessary. I've seen snow around Flagstaff on I-40... frequently.

Travel safe and keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Geez, Warren, if it was THIS kind of weather you were looking for, you might as well have stayed home! It is actually a fairly nice looking day out my window at Birch Bay - clear over to Patos, if a bit breezy, and a nice band of blue sky!
 
This time of year we always got to I 10 as soon as possiable. Even avoided Dallas, because of potential snow and ice. Marie tells me that her niece and nephew were swimming in the Gulf yesterday--but it would be too cold for me. Air temp was 75 (it can also get cold in Pensacola at nights--and has been as low as 28 in the last couple of weeks).

S. Calif. even seems cold to me currently (Culver city is about 60 today--the warmest I have seen in the last week).

Good traveling--we will keep the light on!
 
JamesTXSD":3pwatqg6 said:
For many years, we made winter treks out of the Black Hills, looking for warmer weather. We often went to the southwest, almost always driving through Utah. Since you will be going to Richfield to get your boat, the options really become: I-70 or look for something further south. If it were me (and it's not), I'd look at the I-70 route over the mountains REAL CLOSE. If there's any indication of nasty weather, towing over Vail Pass isn't my idea of fun (been there, done that, and have outgrown the t-shirt). I'd get myself as far south as possible, even running to I-10 if necessary. I've seen snow around Flagstaff on I-40... frequently.
Click to expand...

I've actually got a lot of unpleasant first-hand experience with winter travel on I-70 and I-40. We're actually planning to head WEST on I-70 to I-15 and then head south to Las Vegas on I-15 before heading East on the freeway south of the Grand Canyon (I-10?) Thoughts?

Warren
 
Salt Lake City, UT

It was a slushy drive from Pendleton to the Idaho border, but we encountered no further freeway closures. I-84 in Idaho was dry as a bone (I-86 to Pocatello was closed due to drifting snow.), As soon as we turned south, though, Utah welcomed us back (Not!) with temps in the 20s and black ice. Thanks, Utah, we love you too -- need I say Not!?

Ike is spending the night with the kids and we are settled in at the hotel on the university campus. The next few days will be devoted to family activities. Weather permitting, we hope to be on the road again on New Year's Eve day.

Warren
 
Warren-

If you were going to eventually go down to 1-10, why not just go down I-5 to L.A. and 1-10 and stay away from the exrtra cold contnental climate air masses and traffic issues?

But, then again, maybe I'm missing something here... (the Siskiyous can be a bit tough..)

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Unlike last week, clear cold and dry here at the south end of Nevada. I 15 is wide open as are I 40 and I 10. Flagstaff had troubles last week/weekend but clear now.

You do not want to be on I15 between Las Vegas and California on Wednesdays -- blasting day south of the state line so 5 hour road closures are the rule.

Bill Uffelman
Las Vegas NV
 
Sea Wolf":2m8b72mn said:
If you were going to eventually go down to 1-10, why not just go down I-5 to L.A. and 1-10 and stay away from the exrtra cold contnental climate air masses and traffic issues?
Click to expand...

We're delivering presents to and visiting with the kids in Salt Lake, if you are asking why we are here.

Warren
 
Doryman":1q7wfm54 said:
I've actually got a lot of unpleasant first-hand experience with winter travel on I-70 and I-40. We're actually planning to head WEST on I-70 to I-15 and then head south to Las Vegas on I-15 before heading East on the freeway south of the Grand Canyon (I-10?) Thoughts?

Warren
Click to expand...

We've traveled I-40 and frequently run into problems at Flagstaff. If you check weather and see that it looks good, the routing will be a bit more direct to head east on I-40. If it looks bad at Flagstaff, be sure to check a couple days down the road at El Paso if you decide to run south to I-10. You can go from Vegas to Kingman, AZ, and pick up I-40 there (that's good road). If Flagstaff is predicted to be crappy, take the diagonal road out of Kingman (Hwy 60) to Phoenix and pick up I-10 there. If the weather doesn't look good for El Paso, you are going to sit and wait it out; West Texas has some elevation (close to 5,000) on the Interstate there, and they can get winter weather on occasion.

Use that Weather Underground site I posted to see what is predicted along your choice of route.

I-10 has some rough stuff across a portion of Louisiana. Take I-12 instead of I-10 where those routes divide at Baton Rouge; the road is better and you will avoid New Orleans traffic. Keep checking weather for a couple days ahead, 'cause the northern Gulf (east Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Panhandle of Florida) can get pretty darn cold in January. Don't pack away your cold weather clothes

That's going to be a lot of travel days any way you drive it (it's a two day drive across Texas alone when you're towing). Expect heavy traffic through Phoenix, not much to see across west Texas (fill up at the Flying J at Exit 0 in Texas, 'cause the prices will be higher in Fort Stockton), traffic again at San Antonio, and ugly traffic through Houston (we really try to time our driving there to avoid the morning and evening rush hours). Texas seems to think people have bladders of steel and the state rest areas are spaced far apart. There are plenty of things to stop and see along the way, depending on how many miles you want to make each day.

Drive careful, have fun, and keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim said,
"Texas seems to think people have bladders of steel and the state rest areas are spaced far apart."

Jim, I always wondered what they made those Texas Traveler bladders out of. :wink

Many trips down 666 to I-40 and east to Ft Smith, Arkansas. Loved that trip, Price mountains, Moab arches, Four corners, and then "way cross Texas" after toping the hill east of Albequrquie, it was all down hill from there, (at 5000 feet).

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Warren and Lori--hang in there. The bad weather you're putting up with is worth it to get to land of sunshine. Hope all goes well getting the boat out of the garage. Remember the door is a little low for that boat. The boat with radar was 13'4" and the door is only 13". We had to take the radar off and lay it on the cabin roof to get it inside. Now Warren gets to put the scanner back on the radar arch. Lucky it's only 4 bolts. The kids say that there isn't much snow in Richfield. Good luck and let us know how it all goes.

Brent
 
Thanks for the good tips, Jim. We need to take several days anyway because Lori is not up to long days on the road. I suspect it will take us at least a week to get to Florida.

Brent, thanks for the Richfield update. No news is good news when it comes to snow!

Warren
 
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