New Mexico to Colorado to New York in February

[natepelton]

I'll be picking up the new bus in Albuquerque on Monday 1/30. I plan to travel North to Santa Fe where I have friends and then up into Colorado where I have friends in Canon City and Denver. I figure by the time I make it to Denver I should have enough confidence in the new bus to make the big push across the plains. This will put me on a more Northern route though. Are 40 and 70 a world of difference in February or what?
-Nate

[buswarrior]

Any chain laws along the way?

Pedal on right makes it go...

If the road is open, doesn't matter to me, best ask the next guy.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[robertglines1]

simple answer yes!  In our area they run parallel  200 miles apart. Feb is our worst road month in Indiana North of I-64.Last weekend they had 4 inches of ice/snow there I-70. When we had 60F in Evansville SW corner of Indiana and rain/storms.

[TomC]

Personally-I would forget visiting friends and just go directly east on I-40 to I-81 up to New York-Even then you could run into bad weather.  Just about the worst time of year for cold.  Good Luck, TomC

[Melbo]

You get to go over Raton Pass if you go north. If the roads are clear and no weather moving about you could get lucky.

I am going to Illinois in Feb in a four wheel drive and I would not take the northern route just to be safe.

YMMV

Melbo

[Runcutter]

Even if you come straight across 40, you'd be going through Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.  When we get the rare snow/ice in Dallas, we borrow snowplows from Amarillo and Lubbock.  So, this time of year, you can get hit anywhere.  I'd suggest that the best option is to keep your plans and route flexible, depending on the weather forecast.  Use the 10-day forecast, not the short term; but remember that a lot of us have shoveled 12 inches of "partly cloudy." 

Logic says, stay as far south as you can, as long as you can.  However, remember that the south can get both snow, and ice. 

Allow yourself a lot of extra time, it's the "get there-itis" that causes wrecks.

Just a thought, if a prime motivation of the friend visits is to show them the new bus, taking the southern route and sending them a picture could save a lot of grief. 

Full disclosure, when we bought our 4107, we picked it up in New Hampshire, headed for Massachusetts to pick up my Mother in Law, took her to New Brunswick, Canada, then brought the coach back to Texas -- 3500 miles or so when I hadn't driven a deck and a half in 30 years.  So, I've done what you're suggesting, but that was in the middle of Summer.

Good luck, with whatever decision you make.   

Arthur 

[rv_safetyman]

Nate, as has been said, any route can be challenging this time of year.  Raton pass is not a big pass - especially heading north.  That said, that whole area in southern CO, along with eastern CO can be terrible when the winds (almost always present) combine with snow.

The one strong recommendation is that you NOT travel on I 80 through the Chicago/Indiana area.  Lots of toll booths and terrible traffic.

If it were me, I would travel I 40 and allow a few extra days to wait out a storm.

We just went through the Amarillo area twice this past couple of weeks and the weather was great.  Tomorrow it could be a whole different story.

Please be sure to read my comments on your "picture" thread - I am concerned that you really need to have a knowledgeable bus person inspect the bus with you!!!

Jim

[Runcutter]

And, probably a dumb question -- but have you (will you) take care of registration/license plates (or temporary travel permit), insurance, etc?  Remember, paperwork is key, you want to be legal. 

I coudn't tell from the pictures, but are the tires OK as to age, dry rot, etc?  Will you have a set of tools, manuals, some knowledge?  How about making sure you have roadside assistance before you get on the road.  I have had to use CoachNet a couple of times.  Despite minor difficulty (sending a toy wrecking truck), they've been good.  There are other threads that discuss road service plans, and I'm only familiar with that one, so I won't comment further --- except to say that you might want to give preference to a plan that comes out to help, rather than one that might reimburse you later.   

As Jim said, we've had several folks over the years that had trouble getting their buses home, they'd under-prepared.  However, we've also had a lot who had successful purchase trips, myself included.

Arthur

[Skykingrob]

Nate
As has been said many times to you, be very careful. that is be very careful on the bus and the trip home. I have traveld the route you mention in both summer and winter and there have been times in the summer when the wether was so terrible I vowed never to travel that way again. I have also said the samething about the winter time so, keep the options open based on the weather. I live in Springfield MO so an option could also be to take I-40 east to OKC then I-44 to Saint Louis and then pick up I-70 until closer to the east coast. I-25 to I-70 at Denver may be just great, just be sware of the weather no matter the time of the year and allow plenty of time for weather and an unknown bus. Having said that, you still have to be careful as we get snow and ice in Springfield, just none in the past week but a few weeks ago we have 6", so it can snow. As to the bus, and like many here have already said, we don't ever want to offend fellow busnuts, but there is alot of wisdom on this board. There have been several new busnuts who have bought buses without a through inspection by a respected inspecting individual and then regreted it later. No one is telling you this might not be just the right bus for you or that after the inspection and you find all of the details, you might still want to buy the bus with whatever warts it has, but be careful. These bus can consume dollar bills like the biggest fire you have ever seen. Again, I don't want to offend, but the tone of your posts is one of someone who has already made the decision that this is the bus for you no matter what. That over confidence could be very costly.


Rob

91 prevost XL40
Missouri

[buswarrior]

My fear, the further south I go, as alluded to above, is the lack of sufficient snow clearing and salting equipment.

And the horrible lack of knowledge and skill under low traction conditions of the locals.

If you run where it snows, it is rare to run on a skating rink, as the equipment is out, and the road gets re-salted after a rain, and during freezing rain. Snow is not allowed to accumulate, unless the storm overwhelms the plows, which requires steady white-out conditions over several hours. Anything less, and you run on the little snow that fell since the plow ran by, with a wet salty road surface underneath.

And more of the locals where it snows will set the right pace for the conditions, as they know what is under them.

Not all, but more...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip) And more of the locals where it snows will set the right pace for the conditions, as they know what is under them.   

      And with a well-prepared bus (which we all should have), you always have the option of finding a safe place to park for a while.  Bad road conditions always get better after a while.  "GetThereItis" is a disease that's busted up lots of good equipment - don't catch a case of it.

[eagle19952]

I did Anchorage,Alaska to Reno,NV in november/december no chains no problems.
i think any choice you make is doable.
just bring your Visa card.

[chev49]

the road is better in the winter...

[Melbo]

Nate

You gotta write the last chapter in this book --- which route are you on or finished with (depending on how fast and other factors) --- and how did the bus perform on the drive.

Just gotta know.

Melbo

[Hi yo silver]

Nate,
If you're gonna be driving up I-81 through Roanoke, VA, hollar at me.
Dennis