ok then, best route for driving from texas?

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:52 pm

central texas, f350 and 22ft travel trailer. (very old f350, so as little mountain climbing as possible). I've mapped a couple ways, but such at topography map reading. My dad, who taught map reading in the army, is very disappointed in me

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:27 pm

Check the online mapping services listed here and see if any fit your needs for avoiding mountains:

http://www.cieux.com/maps.html

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:17 pm

in my first post such = sucks

thank you phil. i don't know why i don't just go look around your site before asking questions. i find most of what i need to know there.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:45 pm

Its not unreasonable to ask here. Mapquest, Google maps, etc.. dont always give the best routes. Having driven about 750,000 miles in 48 states, I learned that the hard way, on occasion. Pulling a trailer with an old pickup, you'll want to avoid mountains. Id take 10 to 95 in Blythe, Ca and on up to Reno...zigg zagging in Tonopah.

But then, what do us truck drivers know?

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:42 pm

You may get better answers here if someone who's driven it happens by. It may be that none of the sites I list has a way to avoid mountains. Thanks for the kind words, but I may not have helped.

Just_Joe · Post by **Just_Joe** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:02 pm

TomServo wrote: Pulling a trailer with an old pickup, you'll want to avoid mountains. Id take 10 to 95 in Blythe, Ca and on up to Reno...zigg zagging in Tonopah.

That's how I've done it (from Austin). Take 290 to I-10 and then you can sleep/drive the next 1200 or so miles on I-10. If you don't *have* to go to Reno, stay on Hwy 95 all the way to Fernley @ I-80, where you can stock up on food, water, etc.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:39 pm

Tamara, have you and Ken thought about asking Texas Joe how he does it? Membership has its privileges.

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:16 am

hey doc! yes, we are going to ask Texas Joe. Just one of those things, i was at various map sites mapping out different routes, popped on here and saw the two posts about directions from south and north so thought ok then ...

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:44 am

Central Texas?

Abilene? Lubbock?

We come out of the Dallas area in a Blue Bird school bus.

I-40 west. You'll hit some grades outside of Flagstaff, but nothing too bad.

The Hoover Dam bypass (93) coming out of Kingman is finally opened and I drove it back in January. It is a very nice route, 2 lane divided all the way into Boulder City. There is a long low grade climb into Boulder City from the dam, so be ready for some right hand lane time.

From there, catch 95 north out of Vegas and take it into Fernley.

The 95 north route is loooooooooooong and boring. Watch your speed limits as you come into towns. There are a few grades along the 95 route, but again, nothing too terribly bad.

DO NOT detour down into Bullhead/Laughlin. 6%, curvy grades into and out of the valley they are in. Sucks big time in a large vehicle.

We will normally overnight for a few hours at a truck stop along the way and make a full stop at either the Desert Rose RV park in Fernley (Burner friendly) or if we have them available, grab a free room in Reno.

Fernley has everything you need for grabbing your supplies and such before trekking up 447 to Black Rock. Top of your fuel tanks in Fernley.

Be very mindful of your speed on 447, 5 mph under is better than going the speed limit. 447 is essentially a two lane road with very soft shoulders and ditches. Make sure your driver is decently rested for the last leg. If a rabbit runs out, nail it. There is no place to go off the pavement and you will roll your rig if you go off the pavement.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:56 am

I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:10 am

TomServo wrote:I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.

That southern route is pretty brutal. It is nice and flat though, but very boring. For that route, I'd take 10 across and catch 93 north out of Phoenix to come up to Kingman.

40 is not as bad since there are some scenery changes in the higher elevations.

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:56 pm

Thank you!

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:39 pm

CapSmashy wrote:If a rabbit runs out, nail it.

Yeah, just don't panic for a kamakzy rabbit or coyote. But 447 is open range and the southern 25% or so is on the reservation so watch out for cows. Be best to drive that during daylight hours.
Is the Ford a diesel?

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:41 pm

yes, its a diesel. old style diesel, not the cleaned up version.

we are rural people, lot of open range around here so we already know about watching for livestock. we teach the kids to not swerve for animals (even deer), you definately are more likely to get injured avoiding. Katelyn has hit two deer so far, and she's the softy in the group. we use wildlife management for our agriculture exemption, but we are working on the fences and some cattle guards so we can get a few cows ourselves. our land joins a major highway so we can't have open range ourselves.

so far the plan is to try and hit the playa mid day saturday. if the early entry passes work out that is. so looks like overnight in fernley friday!

tattoomeg · Post by **tattoomeg** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:18 pm

i drove from tx to brc a few times...from the houston area. in a '99 xterra that was way overloaded, and a stick... we dipped into the austin/SA area and got on I-10, took it all the way to San Diego (I was planning to move so I liked the slight detour). Then took the 395 up through central CA. I-10 is flat and soo so awfully boring, but then again so is most of TX imo. That's why I moved to CA ;)

came back down through vegas area and down to flagstaff, then cut east through albuquerque/lubbock (had a place to stay). driving through northern AZ was much more fulfilling than the southern part of the drive.

had trouble with the overloaded vehicle in mountains outside SD (east of SD) but we made it happen slowly but surely... same with up in the Tahoe area, but not bad.

good luck! :)

tattoomeg · Post by **tattoomeg** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:19 pm

i drove from tx to brc a few times...from the houston area. in a '99 xterra that was way overloaded, and a stick... we dipped into the austin/SA area and got on I-10, took it all the way to San Diego (I was planning to move so I liked the slight detour). Then took the 395 up through central CA. I-10 is flat and soo so awfully boring, but then again so is most of TX imo. That's why I moved to CA ;)

came back down through vegas area and down to flagstaff, then cut east through albuquerque/lubbock (had a place to stay). driving through northern AZ was much more fulfilling than the southern part of the drive.

had trouble with the overloaded vehicle in mountains outside SD (east of SD) but we made it happen slowly but surely... same with up in the Tahoe area, but not bad.

good luck! :)

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:40 pm

TomServo wrote:I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.

That should read: Damn Fuckin' Texans!

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:38 pm

dragonpilot wrote:
TomServo wrote:I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.
That should read: Damn Fuckin' Texans!

well you ALMOST had it: Damn Fuckin AWESOME Texans!

TattooMeg, thank you for your route. Kenman wants to go as flat as possible on the way there, since we really want to make it there. We might take the more scenic route home cause if we break down ... well ... we really didn't want to come back to work anyway.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:07 pm

Take the I-10 to my house then follow me!

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:34 am

I used Google Maps and came up with what seemed sorta "direct" going from San Antonio through Albequerque and Las Vegas where I can stop at Air Force bases for the night.

One Google route about 100 miles shorter goes along the Mexico border. I don't want to deal with that.

Is it better to go through Reno, which seems out of the way?

It's just me in a Ford Focus, so I don't have to worry about hauling anything. Dr. Pyro posted a deal for a place in Reno for $25 a night, which may be a reason to go through there, especially if a bunch of burners are heading to BRC at the same time.

I don't mind sharing a ride if I can find a ride with people I know and trust, which isn't likely. I don't know if I want to sit in a car or truck or whatever for 1800 miles and then have to depend on them not leaving me stranded. (I'm a bit stubborn and independent, to a fault sometimes).

My concern is finding cheap places to stay after brutal drives where my car won't be broken into and I can make the most of the 4 or 5 hours of sleep my travel "plans" affoard.

Maybe we can have a Texas convoy

[edited for clarity]

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:35 am

dragonpilot wrote:
TomServo wrote:I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.
That should read: Damn Fuckin' Texans!

I don't like Texans either, I'm stuck here. Maybe I'll go to Seattle

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:38 am

CapSmashy wrote:
TomServo wrote:I believe tamarakay is from around San Antonio..or Austin...lots of damned Texans in here. Both 40 and 10 are unbelievably boring..at least on 95 you know your in the right state.
That southern route is pretty brutal. It is nice and flat though, but very boring. For that route, I'd take 10 across and catch 93 north out of Phoenix to come up to Kingman.

40 is not as bad since there are some scenery changes in the higher elevations.

I'm a fan of big, paper maps. I need to get some of my route so I can plan this war room style. Google Maps is OK, but I'd rather the bigger image a huge map shows.

Mojojita · Post by **Mojojita** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:12 pm

Drive in the other direction from the smell......(Oklahoma)

(Sorry, I'm a reformed Texan)

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:20 pm

<sigh> everytime i sorta start to like SEB ... geepers, i'm a texan and you really would like me. right up till i kicked your ass for being a wise guy

fig - that sounds lovely!

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:00 pm

If you have early arrival, we are rolling out of Ft Worth on the Sunday before the Sunday that gate opens.

We plan on being dust side on Wed. this year.

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:19 pm

What is early arrival? I mean it sounds sort of obvious, but how can one arrive early?

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:00 am

tamarakay wrote:<sigh> everytime i sorta start to like SEB ... geepers, i'm a texan and you really would like me. right up till i kicked your ass for being a wise guy

fig - that sounds lovely!

You'll get over it.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:21 am

Super Evil Brian wrote:What is early arrival? I mean it sounds sort of obvious, but how can one arrive early?

Early arrival is coming in before the gates open Monday morning, or if they do it like last year because of the massive congestion on 447, 6pm on Sunday evening.

You have to be with a theme camp or art installation that gets approved for early arrival passes. It is technically possible to get one through a volunteer position, but those are going to be locked up by returning volunteers for the most part.

If you are camping with a theme camp, the selection process for who gets one is usually handled by your mayor. They do try to limit the number they give out and they are specifically for building the sights and sounds of the city so everything is ready for the masses when the gates open.

So if you do manage to get granted one, be prepared to work your ass off.

The Hustler · Post by **The Hustler** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:40 am

CapSmashy wrote:
Super Evil Brian wrote:What is early arrival? I mean it sounds sort of obvious, but how can one arrive early?
Early arrival is coming in before the gates open Monday morning, or if they do it like last year because of the massive congestion on 447, 6pm on Sunday evening.

You have to be with a theme camp or art installation that gets approved for early arrival passes. It is technically possible to get one through a volunteer position, but those are going to be locked up by returning volunteers for the most part.

If you are camping with a theme camp, the selection process for who gets one is usually handled by your mayor. They do try to limit the number they give out and they are specifically for building the sights and sounds of the city so everything is ready for the masses when the gates open.

So if you do manage to get granted one, be prepared to work your ass off.

Ah, thanks.

I plan to volunteer for media mecca, but I'm not a returner burner. I guess I have to wait on line like everyone else.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:26 pm

[quote="Super Evil Brian"Ah, thanks.

I plan to volunteer for media mecca, but I'm not a returner burner. I guess I have to wait on line like everyone else.[/quote]

Never hurts to ask your volunteer coordinator.