Anyone familiar with I40 through NM and AZ

Dottie5 wrote:
Thanks Fred! Yes I agree the I70 route is one beautiful drive! But we have driven out that way to California and Las Vegas probably 5 times or more so we've seen it. I wouldn't mind seeing some different scenery but dh is still in that point A to point B mode and 160 mile difference is hard for him to get past. I told him when we bought this TT there would be no more regimented point A to point B travel because this will just take longer - so may as well enjoy some stuff along the way.

Like your attitude about travel taking longer with the trailer and no more point A to point B! That's the spirit! Keep reminding your DH about that, it's all about the journey and enjoying it when you have a trailer.

I-40 from ABQ to Flagstaff is not a bad drive at all. The maps show that you'll cross the Continental Divide in NM between Grants and Gallup. Well that crossing is NOTHING at all like on I-70 at the Continental Divide at the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnels! Instead of being at nearly 11000 feet, you'll maybe be at 7200-7300 feet and you'll barely notice it! When I was last through there, it sneaked up on me! All in all, that drive is fairly flat.

Yup, it's a windy drive; can't get around that on I-40. An alternative route would be to go north from Denver to Fort Collins, take US 287 up to Laramie and grab I-80 all the way across Wyoming to Salt Lake City. You could then take I-15 south into California. BUT there will still be wind issues in Wyoming, probably more so than the southern route. But you also won't have the major elevations like in Colorado, no major passes to go over in Wyoming.

A lot depends on your timetable. There's certainly other routes you could take, through the Colorado mountains down to the 4 Corners area and then on to Cali. But that will mean more ups/down of a variety of passes. Just depends on what you want to see on the trip out to the Land of Disney!