Moving To Anacortes, WA

C

Christopher-Robyn

New member
I've finally fully retired, sold our California home & bought a new home in Anacortes, WA. My plan is to (1) Tow my 16' Angler by myself up to Anacortes & depart sometime between 16-19 March. (2) Leave the suv/boat/trailer at the new home & fly back to California. (3) After the movers are done, make the final drive to Anacortes by car with my wife (Patti) & Maltese pup (Sam) on 31 March.
I'm a novice at towing so I'm really concerned with:
1. Figuring out how to pick the best departure day with regard to best weather (avoiding snow) and best traffic conditions on I-5 thru California, Oregon & Washington.
2. Safe places to stop to rest & stay at night & not worry about the boat & trailer.
I know you guys (& Gals) are real travel veterans so any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Paul K
 
We trailered our 22 many times from So Cal to Washington.

If you want to camp in your rig or boat, KOA or other RV parks work. Better security than highway rest stops and showers are available. Otherwise, there are plenty of motels, with varying levels of vehicle security.

If there is snow on the Siskiyou Summit (at the Cal-Oregon border) on I-5, we take hwy 101 north from the Bay Area and cross back over to I-5 in Oregon.

Avoid Seattle during the rush hours! Seattle traffic reports are available every 10 min on 1000 AM.

Also avoid Sacramento and the Bay Area during rush hour.

Gas in Oregon is cheaper than in Calif, but only fill up at major stations, and be prepared to let them pump the gas. Its a law in Oregon, no self service.

Oh, and welcome to Washington!
 
It nice to hear that your plans are working out. I remember the day we cruised Lake Washington on Lizzie and you visited the C-Dory factory building your 16 angler. I'm not much of a traveller but, if you have a kicker, take it off and either send it with the mover or lock it inside your tow vehicle. You are probably towing with a truck, but, if it is with a SUV or car, consider getting some strap- on mirrors from an RV store. Just check the weather around Mt. Shasta and Weed. Other than that it should be OK.There's a very nice inexpensive Microtel at I-5 Exit 136, near Sutherlin/Roseburg, OR. You can get a room overlooking their spacious well lighted lot. Check a map for an interstate ring road around Portland instead of staying on I-5 through the city. (My gps always sends me through the city). I'm sure others will know more and better details. Congratulations to you and Patti.
 
We've made the trip a couple of times during the summer -- leaving from Ventura. It's a relatively easy trip, but my recommendation would be to take 3 days -- we stop and camp near Redding, then Portland, then Anacortes. Avoiding Seattle traffic is a great hint -- but if you leave Portland in the am you'll glide through Seattle with no problem. There are several spots with long inclines, curves, (especially between Redding and Ashland), so avoiding snow would be an ideal goal. You could always move the family, then fly down for the boat and RV in April if necessary. The 10 day shows snow a likely possibility. Anacortes is a great spot! Congratulations on your retirement, and more to the point congratulations on selling the California house -- we all know how slow the market is.
 
One more thing-take I-405 up the east side of Lake Washington instead of going thru Seattle on I-5. It too is a slog at rush hour, but still a better route, I think.
 
Larry: Thanks for the advice regarding snow at the Calif-Oregon border. That will be the route I'll take if it snows.

Marty: Good to hear from you again. Hope we meet again when I get up there! Maybe we can have a 16' get-together. Thanks for the tips.

Tortuga: I do plan on taking 3 days for the trip. I like the idea of coming back in April for the boat & suv, but I have no safe place to store the suv. The Calif. real estate scene is brutal! It took 2 years to finally get an acceptable offer.
Thanks to all,
Paul K
 
Or time your trip through Seattle in the wee morning hours, like 2:00 AM.
That would usually put us in Anacortes for breakfast, and in plenty of time to catch the ferry when we went to Friday Harbor.

I-5 through Portland late at night, to early AM is a piece of cake. With very little traffic, it's faster than I-205. Less traffic makes it easier to be in the correct lane, as there are lots of bridges and overpasses. Otherwise take 205 if traffic is going to be more of an issue. A lot less confusing as you stay on the main trail all the way through, until you get over the Columbia and north of Vancouver, where it merges back with I-5
 
We always pay attention to the snow possibility on the Siskyous between Shasta and Ashland, Oregon. From the San Francisco area we usually could make it to Ashland and then up to Whidbey Island the second day. We have stayed in Ashland, in Redding, in Shasta and at the Cabelas near Olympia. It is a long slog from Redding to Ashland, be sure to gas up before you start that leg. When you get up here, check in on the site. We live about 25 minutes from Anacortes and would enjoy meeting you.
 
Welcome to the PNW and your next adventure. I ran up I5 with Kerri On from where it joins hwy 40 south of Bakersfield. I found the hwy rough till near Sacramento and then good. I stayed at the rest drops along the way and things were fine. Just watch for snow and ice reports for shasta and the biggie is to not be intimidated by traffic to run at 70 or more with them. I just ran 58 mph in the right lane and kept all lights on and let 'em go by. Towing limits are 55 anyway most of the way. The rig will tow safer and you will be happier not trying to keep up Try to hit big spots like Sacramento after dinner. I ran thru at noon. No worries just pay attention. Seattle give a miss till early am or late. I bopped on thru Olympia at 0400 and piece of cake. I came up this past Devember and stayed aboard at night. The only challenge was 19f nights! With the angler just figure how many days you want to run, I found 300 mile days a piece of cake and 500 too far. 250 a day is a joy. If you have the time pace yourself and pull off into some smaller towns for a motel. Enjoy the run. The boat will tow easy. Just be sure tires etc are all good prior to departure and check enroute. Enjoy the run and the new life. George
 
Guess I should chime in here, In my trucking days I did this route twice a week, now many times a year between our Calif house and Camano Island house. I have 2 more years before we make the move to Camano fulltime. I am still working and my roots to trucking still exist so without the boat in tow I drive straight through 14 hours and with the boat 16 hours and I do the speed limit, just don't stop much, well if the wife is with me that counts for a few extra stops.

This is winter and I plan my trips a bit different, always making sure I have plenty of gas on board, don't try and stretch it to the next stop as you never know what will happen ahead. I do carry water and plenty of munchies just in case. Going over ashland is only 1 pass you must worry about, there are 2 in Oregon and while one might not think it is a big deal in the summer, it is totally different in the winter. These passes are between Roseburg and Cottage Grove and only at about 2,000'. But you can end up in dense fog and heavy snow. Many times I have been stuck close to the summit because of zero visability.

Now for fuel stops the wife and I like to use the Pilots because the stores and restrooms are laid out the same way and usually the cheapest fuel. For me with the boat I top the tank at I 5 and 505 at Dunnigan. You can also wait until Corning where there are 4 truck stops at 1 exit and usually all the same price, That is your last chance for "cheap" fuel until Oregon, your stop will be north of Medford at Central Point exit 33 the Pilor will be on your right. The cheapest fuel enroute will be the Pilot at exit 148.
Next will be the Pilot North of Salem about exit 263. I can make it the rest of the way on that tank pulling my 22, but if need be there is another Pilot just south of Olympia exit 99, but not very cheap, so just look for the cheapest fuel. Watch the traffic in Portland and Seattle, I time my trip so I hit Portland before rush hour and then Seattle after rush hour, or just wait until after 7pm to hit Portland, it starts to quiet down by 6:30pm

I will probably be driving up that weekend also however without the boat, Ranger Tugs is putting on a seminar on trip planning, a 2 days course they do every year so will be attending that in Everett.

Good luck and enjoy the trip, for me it is 830 miles house to house and I am justting my 2nd wind by the time I get there, but don't try that unless you are really used to driving long distances, that's my disclaimer!
Oh the secret for me is Dr. Pepper's
Don
 
Wow, what a great site! You guys & your vast wealth of experience are amazing. I really do appreciate all of your valuable suggestions. I'm going to print them out & have them with me on my trip. My wife & I have made the driving trip 2 times before (by car/no boat), but in the spring & fall. No snow or bad weather. The 1st took 3 days (Camarillo-Sacramento, Sacramento-Medford & Medford-Anacortes). The 2nd took 2 days (Camarillo-Yreka & Yreka-Anacortes). With the boat in tow, I think I'm going to shoot for 4 days! My biggest concern is the chance of snow/ice around Shasta/Ashland. I know I don't want to go thru there at night, but if there is snow, would I-5 be cleared during the day?
I'd like to attend the upcoming Washington C-Brat get-togethers once we get settled in & finally meet you all. Take care!
Paul K
 
Christopher-Robyn":1ak6oaz3 said:
Wow, what a great site! You guys & your vast wealth of experience are amazing. I really do appreciate all of your valuable suggestions. I'm going to print them out & have them with me on my trip. My wife & I have made the driving trip 2 times before (by car/no boat), but in the spring & fall. No snow or bad weather. The 1st took 3 days (Camarillo-Sacramento, Sacramento-Medford & Medford-Anacortes). The 2nd took 2 days (Camarillo-Yreka & Yreka-Anacortes). With the boat in tow, I think I'm going to shoot for 4 days! My biggest concern is the chance of snow/ice around Shasta/Ashland. I know I don't want to go thru there at night, but if there is snow, would I-5 be cleared during the day?
I'd like to attend the upcoming Washington C-Brat get-togethers once we get settled in & finally meet you all. Take care!
Paul K
Click to expand...

Paul-

If it's possible, they clear it day and night. I-5 is THE major artery along the West Coast for commerce.

If it's snowing moderately, they stop vehicles and check to see for chains available in your vehicle at Mountain Gate, 10 miles north of Redding.

They then require them to be used as needed up the road.

If it's really bad, they stop traffic at Mountain Gate, and most folks turn around and go back to Redding and wait it out.

In really bad storms, the trucks back up along side the highway for 10-20 miles down I-5. :shock:

Good Luck!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Welcome to the great PNW. Anacortes is a great spot to start your adventures and you will be surrounded by loads of C-brats some of whom no longer drive C-Dory's but "bratdom" is incurable :-)

Hope to see you out and about and at the CBGT's this year. We live on Whidbey but moor in Anacortes Marina for most of the season.

BTW there is no such thing as "Retired" in the Islands, you are now officially a "Volunteer" and a fair target for every association under the sun after you have completed your "honey-do" list.

Merv & Kathy
 
Paul, Welcome to the C-Brats. Wish you the best in you new adventure. As an alternative to I-5 over the mountains at Shasta to Ashland, you can take 97N at Weed and run up (north) around the east side and then go back to I-5 at Oakridge. I used to do that and it was a good alternate, 2 way but beautiful and less traffic and less steep. As to Portland, take I-205N and skip the I-5 hassle through town. It is easy to follow and the on/off ramps less confusing. Probably the same for Seattle with I-405N. Looking forward to meeting you up here in the PNW. Travel safe.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Hi Harvey:
Thanks for the good tip! I'm really getting worried about the weather. I plan on leaving Camarillo this coming Sunday or Monday. If it snows, your suggested routes may be the way to go. Look forward to meeting you!
Paul K
 
I would seriously consider not using Hwy 97 in the winter. Hwy 97 starts at Weed, CA whose elevation is about 3,000ft. Weed is north of Mt Shasta and past the Shasta City summit.

If there is snow/ice on the Siskiyou Summit at about 4,100ft, there is most likely snow/ice on the summit at Shasta City.

In considering the Hwy 101 alternative to I-5, remember that there is no good connecting hwy from I-5 to Hwy 101 once you are north of Williams, CA. If you arrive in Redding and there is snow on the I-5 summits, you are kinda stuck. The only hwy from Redding to Eureka (where you can join Hwy 101) is hwy 299, which is NOT RECOMMENDED if you are towing. Hwy 299 is a two lane VERY NARROW road which goes over two summits of 3,000 ft. When you are driving that road, you never stop turning the steering wheel.

Google up the CalTrans and Oregon Highway reporting sites and get the latest reports before deciding on a route.

Try this website: http://www.medfordfuel.com/Medford_...htm?http://www.medfordfuel.com/Highway_97.htm

Or this one: http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp?curRegion=2&mainNav=RoadConditions

In the event of snow on the summits, if you proceed north of Redding without tire chains for both your vehicle and your trailer, you can be stopped and sent back down the hill to Redding. Tire chains north of Redding are very $$$$$.

On high mountain highways in Oregon, including Hwy 97, you are required to carry chains in your vehicle even if there is no snow on the roadway.

Take care, and be safe.
 
Larry:
Thanks for the helpful advice! I think I would really get into trouble if I try to make the first trip up to Anacortes next week. I really had no control over timing when the Anacortes home would be ready for move-in & I delayed the close of escrow for the Camarillo home as long as I could. I was hoping to luck-out as far as weather goes, but I guess that's not going to happen. I'm going to look into trying to find a storage place for the SUV/C-Dory & come back for them when the weather gets better.
Paul K
 
I agree completely with Larry. If it is snowing at Shasta check the road conditions very carefully and just stay in Redding. I would not go off the interstate at Weed or anywhere else along that route, especially along the top high plateau near Weed. Just too much chance of sudden bad things happening. Stay safe, just wait it out. I speak from the experience of operating a mountain search and rescue group and going out too many times for people who just had to get there!
 
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