Driving from Seattle to Austin... tomorrow
December 19, 2014 9:03 PM Subscribe
I've driven cross country many, many times, but never this route and never in winter. We're taking interstates to SLC & Cheyenne, then south on 25 into NM; I've checked weather conditions and everything seems hunky dory. We've chains, new tires, and an Odyssey in good repair; any advice on making this trip would be appreciated: essential apps, websites, etc. (tho we've already been to AAA for my first Triptik in 30 years- yay!) Bonus points for suggestions on saving money at pet-friendly motels... Thanks!
I use Tripadvisor for hotels, checking both the search/reviews and the forums. For road trips where we're traveling, not staying, I usually do a balance between quirky but good mom and pop motels and reliable but inexpensive chains. I no longer use Triptiks, just a combination of Waze, Tripadvisor, and Yelp. (And AskMe, of course.) It's always a good idea to sanity-check Waze, though, and look at its alternate routes.
My advice on the winter thing is to keep in mind how much nicer it is to arrive before sunset. Things that were melted refreeze quickly. (Oddly, we're on a west coast-TX trip ourselves right now.) And speaking of freezing, don't leave liquids in your car overnight.
Have a good trip!
posted by wintersweet at 10:07 PM on December 19, 2014
My advice on the winter thing is to keep in mind how much nicer it is to arrive before sunset. Things that were melted refreeze quickly. (Oddly, we're on a west coast-TX trip ourselves right now.) And speaking of freezing, don't leave liquids in your car overnight.
Have a good trip!
posted by wintersweet at 10:07 PM on December 19, 2014
I tend to rely on Motel 6 for being always pet-friendly and not overly expensive and usually not too icky. It means I don't have to worry about planning so much.
posted by solitary dancer at 10:18 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by solitary dancer at 10:18 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
(Oh, and I tried using Priceline some earlier this year, and they were entirely unreliable with pet fees, that could be almost any amount at check-in.)
posted by solitary dancer at 10:20 PM on December 19, 2014
posted by solitary dancer at 10:20 PM on December 19, 2014
You can avoid driving through Denver by taking E-470 but it is a toll road.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:31 PM on December 19, 2014
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:31 PM on December 19, 2014
Just be prepared for snow - lots of snow and high winds are more than possible the entire trip from Cheyenne through SLC and then, especially, on down through New Mexico. In Utah there are plenty of places to get a room out of the weather if you need it, but after you leave Utah it gets tougher, with some long stretches of open country where blowing snow can disorient you and cause more grief than you can imagine. There's no comparison between summer and winter here.
I've lived in Flagstaff AZ, Alpine AZ and on the Western Slope of Colorado and I've driven through some freaky weather for sure. If you take precautions, have emergency supplies in your in-good-condition vehicle and make sure you know HOW to drive in those conditions, you'll probably be okay, but be aware that I'm not being overly cautious when I tell you to be well prepared. Also take your time - don't plan to make those next 100 miles in a couple of hours - 100 miles make take you four hours if the weather's bad. Easily.
I managed a motel in Alpine at that time and frequently had people stop for the night who were completely freaked out by the road and weather conditions and amazed to be alive when they arrived at the motel. Many of these were folks who were driving between Texas and Las Vegas or SLC and Texas, had been that way several times but never in winter, and had no idea how bad it could get. One elderly couple left their car there and refused to drive further. They stayed for over a week until the roads were okay so I could drive them into Springerville on a day when there were flights out from the little airport there. They flew on to Las Vegas and their son came for their car several months later.
When I lived in Alpine, even though I'd lived in Colorado and Flagstaff for years and was used to evil weather, I still got caught in a bad blizzard coming back from Santa Fe, NM where I'd been Christmas shopping. It was a beautiful, clear day when I left Alpine but on the way home that evening heavy, blowing snow nearly finished me. I had a little Datsun and it was great to drive in snow and on ice, but that particular time I'd have been better with a tank. The night blizzard thing is very frightening and disorienting - you don't know where you are or where the road is. There are long stretches between towns on that highway, so no place to stop for the night, no place to get help. I don't know about cell phone usage in that situation - there were no cell phones then - but don't count on it.
The weather took a line down while I was at the motel one winter night and it took several days to get electricity back up. We had gas wall furnaces but they were useless because they had electric switches that had to work to operate them. I did have a big fireplace though, and a wood stove, and that's what we used; in fact, the night the power went out I had four rooms rented and everyone had to come into my apartment and sleep on mattresses on the floor in my living room where there was heat. It was kind of fun, but only in the way of an adventure, I suppose. The guests were very nice - one of them gave me a very sweet tip and another a lovely letter of thanks - but if would have been very rough if there wasn't enough firewood to keep us warm.
Take precautions, know that the weather's unpredictable and can be dangerous, and you'll probably be just fine - obviously, most of the time things DO go just fine or we'd hear about more accidents and such. Still, it pays to know what you can be looking at before you go.
Have a good trip - it's truly beautiful in the winter.
posted by aryma at 10:57 PM on December 19, 2014 [7 favorites]
I've lived in Flagstaff AZ, Alpine AZ and on the Western Slope of Colorado and I've driven through some freaky weather for sure. If you take precautions, have emergency supplies in your in-good-condition vehicle and make sure you know HOW to drive in those conditions, you'll probably be okay, but be aware that I'm not being overly cautious when I tell you to be well prepared. Also take your time - don't plan to make those next 100 miles in a couple of hours - 100 miles make take you four hours if the weather's bad. Easily.
I managed a motel in Alpine at that time and frequently had people stop for the night who were completely freaked out by the road and weather conditions and amazed to be alive when they arrived at the motel. Many of these were folks who were driving between Texas and Las Vegas or SLC and Texas, had been that way several times but never in winter, and had no idea how bad it could get. One elderly couple left their car there and refused to drive further. They stayed for over a week until the roads were okay so I could drive them into Springerville on a day when there were flights out from the little airport there. They flew on to Las Vegas and their son came for their car several months later.
When I lived in Alpine, even though I'd lived in Colorado and Flagstaff for years and was used to evil weather, I still got caught in a bad blizzard coming back from Santa Fe, NM where I'd been Christmas shopping. It was a beautiful, clear day when I left Alpine but on the way home that evening heavy, blowing snow nearly finished me. I had a little Datsun and it was great to drive in snow and on ice, but that particular time I'd have been better with a tank. The night blizzard thing is very frightening and disorienting - you don't know where you are or where the road is. There are long stretches between towns on that highway, so no place to stop for the night, no place to get help. I don't know about cell phone usage in that situation - there were no cell phones then - but don't count on it.
The weather took a line down while I was at the motel one winter night and it took several days to get electricity back up. We had gas wall furnaces but they were useless because they had electric switches that had to work to operate them. I did have a big fireplace though, and a wood stove, and that's what we used; in fact, the night the power went out I had four rooms rented and everyone had to come into my apartment and sleep on mattresses on the floor in my living room where there was heat. It was kind of fun, but only in the way of an adventure, I suppose. The guests were very nice - one of them gave me a very sweet tip and another a lovely letter of thanks - but if would have been very rough if there wasn't enough firewood to keep us warm.
Take precautions, know that the weather's unpredictable and can be dangerous, and you'll probably be just fine - obviously, most of the time things DO go just fine or we'd hear about more accidents and such. Still, it pays to know what you can be looking at before you go.
Have a good trip - it's truly beautiful in the winter.
posted by aryma at 10:57 PM on December 19, 2014 [7 favorites]
Roadfood.com-- good, mostly unique (or locally exemplary) specimens of roadside food. Good forums, and no Guy Fieri in sight (though I bet his show has some overlap). And, well, Guy Fieri. Youtube is pretty complete for his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives segments; chances are you can check out a place before hand doing that.
Last time I drove across country, 1995, I had a rental carphone and a triptych, and made it on about $300 worth of gas from Norfolk VA to Seattle via Gainsville FL, Nawlins, OKC, and Denver. I think it would be much more fun these days. I liked to pick my stopping place for the day at about 6PM and call ahead (on a payphone! Amazing!) to book a room.
This is probably not something you have to deal with, but check out your cell phone plan. Turn off auto-roaming if its on, unless you aren't likely to have coverage. Don't let its battery run down by making it place music or run Waze with the screen on-- Waze can chatter a good game. Check the connection on your car charger a couple times a day-- those things can vibrate out of the accessory/light socket.
Don't speed in the desert at night. Not only can it kill you, but it's the once place and time where speeding will get you a night in jail.
Bring post-card stamps and your address book. Hotel/motel will drop it in the mail for you.
Drive safe, and have a great trip!
posted by Sunburnt at 11:02 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Last time I drove across country, 1995, I had a rental carphone and a triptych, and made it on about $300 worth of gas from Norfolk VA to Seattle via Gainsville FL, Nawlins, OKC, and Denver. I think it would be much more fun these days. I liked to pick my stopping place for the day at about 6PM and call ahead (on a payphone! Amazing!) to book a room.
This is probably not something you have to deal with, but check out your cell phone plan. Turn off auto-roaming if its on, unless you aren't likely to have coverage. Don't let its battery run down by making it place music or run Waze with the screen on-- Waze can chatter a good game. Check the connection on your car charger a couple times a day-- those things can vibrate out of the accessory/light socket.
Don't speed in the desert at night. Not only can it kill you, but it's the once place and time where speeding will get you a night in jail.
Bring post-card stamps and your address book. Hotel/motel will drop it in the mail for you.
Drive safe, and have a great trip!
posted by Sunburnt at 11:02 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I drive cross country every year with my big dog and we usually stay at La Quinta inns if we can. They are very pet friendly and never charge an extra pet fee. Many Best Westerns welcome large dogs as well with a small fee.
posted by cecic at 11:16 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cecic at 11:16 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Make sure you have extra wiper fluid. It's also a good idea to have water and snacks in the car, just in case.
Regarding saving money, Econolodges take pets for a nominal fee--$10 or $15, in most places. I've stayed at several, and have been relatively impressed with how decent they've been, especially for rooms that are often under fifty bucks (before the pet fee).
posted by MeghanC at 2:20 AM on December 20, 2014
Regarding saving money, Econolodges take pets for a nominal fee--$10 or $15, in most places. I've stayed at several, and have been relatively impressed with how decent they've been, especially for rooms that are often under fifty bucks (before the pet fee).
posted by MeghanC at 2:20 AM on December 20, 2014
I drove about a third of your planned route a few days ago and conditions were great with no ice at all, but things change day by day in the passes, and current conditions are what matter. Every time I drive on the interstate in the winter I pass lots of wrecks -- people drive too fast and take unnecessary risks, but the margin of error is pretty tight. It's better to slow down a bit than to be the person in the ditch.
Each state has a website for highway and pass information (Oregon example); it's good to check each morning for the day's driving and reroute if necessary.
Make sure you have extra wiper fluid.
Most importantly, make sure that the wiper fluid in the car is winter-rated. (Oil change places tend to put in whatever, sometimes even just plain water, and it super sucks to have your wiper fluid freeze when dropping down a pass with trucks kicking up slush.) If you aren't sure just lower the level by running the spray and refill with good stuff, it's cheap. I wouldn't carry extra since you can buy it at any gas station, but some people like to be extra prepared. Do carry an ice scraper, of course. And don't let your gas tank get below 1/4; sometimes a truck wreck will shut down the road for a few hours and you don't want to sit there stressing about running out of gas.
We're taking interstates to SLC & Cheyenne, then south on 25 into NM
Google says it is slightly quicker to go from SLC to Albuquerque and then to Texas, rather than through Cheyenne, but you may have reasons for that route, and Google's time estimates for long trips aren't great. If you don't need to visit family I'd just pick whatever route has better weather when you hit the turnoff for I-84 -- other than potentially hotel reservations there's no need to make that decision ahead of time.
The downside of making hotel reservations is that it can cause you to push on when you are tired or the conditions are bad, which is dangerous. On the other hand, it is really relaxing to know you have a bed lined up for the night -- just don't let that push you into driving longer than is safe.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:58 AM on December 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
Each state has a website for highway and pass information (Oregon example); it's good to check each morning for the day's driving and reroute if necessary.
Make sure you have extra wiper fluid.
Most importantly, make sure that the wiper fluid in the car is winter-rated. (Oil change places tend to put in whatever, sometimes even just plain water, and it super sucks to have your wiper fluid freeze when dropping down a pass with trucks kicking up slush.) If you aren't sure just lower the level by running the spray and refill with good stuff, it's cheap. I wouldn't carry extra since you can buy it at any gas station, but some people like to be extra prepared. Do carry an ice scraper, of course. And don't let your gas tank get below 1/4; sometimes a truck wreck will shut down the road for a few hours and you don't want to sit there stressing about running out of gas.
We're taking interstates to SLC & Cheyenne, then south on 25 into NM
Google says it is slightly quicker to go from SLC to Albuquerque and then to Texas, rather than through Cheyenne, but you may have reasons for that route, and Google's time estimates for long trips aren't great. If you don't need to visit family I'd just pick whatever route has better weather when you hit the turnoff for I-84 -- other than potentially hotel reservations there's no need to make that decision ahead of time.
The downside of making hotel reservations is that it can cause you to push on when you are tired or the conditions are bad, which is dangerous. On the other hand, it is really relaxing to know you have a bed lined up for the night -- just don't let that push you into driving longer than is safe.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:58 AM on December 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
If the road is at all wet or features scattered chunks of snow, don't use cruise control. If you need to de-accelerate (or brake), you want to be able to do so quickly without that extra micro-second of getting your foot to the brake pedal or finding the thumb button. Some say it's also bad to have the cruise on if you start to hydroplane because the mechanism will "think" that you need more speed when your tires leave the pavement. I know that when one tire hitches on a patch of snow, that the moment where it reconnects with the pavement creates a little jolt where you want the road feel and control of being in complete command of the vehicle. Also, take the wind warnings on I-80 seriously, especially if you'll be pulling a trailer or driving a tall vehicle.
Every winter my cat and I travel the SLC-Cheyenne chunk of your route at least twice. The Hampton Inn in Green River is pet friendly, as are numerous hotels in Rawlins and Laramie (try the Altitude Chophouse or the Library BrewPub); it won't be a problem. If you make it all the way to Cheyenne and want a special occasion, the Pioneer Hotel downtown has several pet suites, but you have to call ahead. If you want a really memorable meal in Cheyenne, eat at the Morris House Bistro .
posted by carmicha at 8:39 AM on December 20, 2014
Every winter my cat and I travel the SLC-Cheyenne chunk of your route at least twice. The Hampton Inn in Green River is pet friendly, as are numerous hotels in Rawlins and Laramie (try the Altitude Chophouse or the Library BrewPub); it won't be a problem. If you make it all the way to Cheyenne and want a special occasion, the Pioneer Hotel downtown has several pet suites, but you have to call ahead. If you want a really memorable meal in Cheyenne, eat at the Morris House Bistro .
posted by carmicha at 8:39 AM on December 20, 2014
We drove cross-country with pets and had good experiences with La Quintas. Very affordable - I think like $50/night. The second place the girl at the front desk was nice enough to notice ahead of time that we had marked "pets" on our reservation, and she put us on the first floor by a side entrance which made it easy to get outside for walks.
Also their complimentary breakfast is quite good. Waffle iron in the shape of Texas in San Antonio was a nice touch.
posted by radioamy at 2:10 PM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also their complimentary breakfast is quite good. Waffle iron in the shape of Texas in San Antonio was a nice touch.
posted by radioamy at 2:10 PM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I also highly recommend La Quinta when it comes to pets. They are all pet friendly, on order of the franchise, but some have limits on size or number, not that that has ever stopped me from taking all 3 of my dogs. Or last trip 3 dogs and 3 cats.
Hiltons are also supposed to all be pet friendly (for a fee, but they give you free stuff in exchange, so it's not terrible), but there are some holdouts that refuse to participate. I sneak them in places like that. ;)
And yes, do keep a close eye on the weather in the passes. It will often be completely clear on the approaches and then fogged in with nearly blinding snow as you go over. Forecasts are useful, but much less accurate than they are in the flat lands. Luckily, most states have websites and telephone lines that provide near real time updates on road conditions.
posted by wierdo at 7:25 PM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hiltons are also supposed to all be pet friendly (for a fee, but they give you free stuff in exchange, so it's not terrible), but there are some holdouts that refuse to participate. I sneak them in places like that. ;)
And yes, do keep a close eye on the weather in the passes. It will often be completely clear on the approaches and then fogged in with nearly blinding snow as you go over. Forecasts are useful, but much less accurate than they are in the flat lands. Luckily, most states have websites and telephone lines that provide near real time updates on road conditions.
posted by wierdo at 7:25 PM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
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I'd recommend the following links to start for pet-friendly motels/hotels:
http://www.pet-friendly-hotels.net
http://www.choicehotels.com/en/pet-friendly-hotels
Also, go to hotels.com, put in your destination, dates, etc., then on the results screen, you'll see a few menus. Choose Amenities, then check Pet-Friendly, to show only results for pet-friendly motels/hotels. Call to double-check, though, as hotels.com isn't always 100% guaranteed or reliable (it has been for me, many times, but YMMV).
Hope this helps! Good luck and be safe.
posted by dubious_dude at 10:02 PM on December 19, 2014 [2 favorites]