CyMoN

Ok heres the deal I have a buddy that is going to go visit his brother in San francisco for Christmas and he wants to drive there from central Indiana I don't know what route he is planning on going. but on his way back he is thinking of going to Colorado to visit a friend I have never driven across the states nor has he. The truck he will be driving is a 1997 ford f350 turbo diesel with a topper he plans to sleep in the truck as he travels. now the reason I post this is his G/F and 2 brothers all think it will take too long for him and none of us know first hand how bad the weather can get in some of the states he will go through. We have bad winters but we have no mountains here that is my concern about this trip he wants to take. also the tires on his truck are not that great this is his first big truck and he dose not know how they handle in the winter,I drove a ford 4x4 for many years in the winter and know I sure as hell would not drive across the country with the tires he has. If any one has travels across the US to calif in the winter months can give me some input on if this is a good idea or if he should just fly like his younger brother and girlfriend are. Also how many days should he plan this trip to take, give or take on average how long do they shut down a mountain pass if the weather is really bad ECT. thanks in advance

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turboale

I did it this summer so I can't really comment on the winter thing but I did it in an Excursion so basically the same setup. Something that I didn't think about until I posted on Expedition Portal is to have some sort of curtain setup. When sleeping at rest areas having a little privacy goes a long way. I made it from Aspen to Savannah in 4 days all by myself and I stopped in Asheville, NC for 8hrs or so to get all my stuff for school. I highly recommend it and it was an experience of a lifetime. If you have any more questions drop me a PM!

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RHaus NYC
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Patsawasy

i drove from CA to NY last january. went to salt lake to visit a friend, then i took the 87(i beleive. i cant remember what the highway was. im 99% sure i was the 87. any country map will have it listed. its a major east west highway goin through whyoming, nebraska, utah etc) the majority of the way and had only one encounter with snow and it was minor anyways. you should be just fine. a little cold in the back of his camper shell, but otherwise ok. i had road tires on as well. i brought chains but never even considered using them. i made it to NY in 6 days, and i even stopped in nashville for one day to rest. i love road trips though so i was a driving machine.

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nick-m

I guess it would be fun if he's the road-going type. Is he the type of person that doesn't mind sleeping on an uncomfortable surface? Does he enjoy driving long distances non-stop? Do you want to scope empty motel lots and be woken up at 4 in the morning by the motel manager and asked to leave the property? Do you mind brushing your teeth in a bathroom of a Texaco? Parking on creepy deserted roads?

I love road trips...better with a friend, but alone feels good too, as long as I'm going somewhere. I can drive for hours and get by with just about anything; I have/had no problem sleeping on the back seat of an old Crown Vic for a couple of days.

slosurfer

I would suggest that he gets a good atlas that shows rest stop locations. It is very helpful to know how much farther you can go before pulling over for a rest. It sucks to be tired and pass the rest stop thinking there will be one soon, only to find out that the next one is 200 miles away. Also get AAA books for camping and hotels for all the states he will be traveling through. That way you can call while you are on the road and getting near to the place where you decide to stay the night. Makes it easier to just wing it, rather than spending hours driving around trying to find a place.

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Paul H.

He would need to pay close attention to the weather. if no major storm systems in his path then go for it. if a major storm is predicted then postpone it. With good weather, he should be able to make it in 3 days. tell him to make sure he has winter gear, shovel, warm clothes, extra food, water, and a fully charged cell phone with him when he goes.

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2002 Tacoma Prerunner V6 Xtracab. Lund Intercepter bug guard, rear glass sunshield, Bilstein shocks on rear.

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gapguy

I'm making a very similar drive this weekend (MI to CA).

Last Xmas I drove from WY to CA and fought snow almost the entire way. The worst was in WY and NV. It really wasn't a fun or enjoyable experience. After a while, it really begins to tear on your nerves.

I assume he'll go down I-80 through reno/tahoe, then down 101, and the pass there can be difficult at times. I HIGHLY suggest good tires, carry chains, and all of the other winter emergency stuff everybody else has mentioned.

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