1. Check the cost of having someone experienced pick up the coach and drive it home. Someone not used to a large vehicle may have some issues you don't want to deal with. I went from a 30' gasser to a 40' diesel and used 4 hours of seat time around the Houston area at 2am just to get a "feel" of the rig before driving it back to California. Towing will make it just that much more difficult.
2. If hubby and/or friend are familiar with large vehicles, and/or are determined they can make this journey SAFELY, for them and others on the road, then I'd use Google maps and enter destination and starting point. They will provide several different routes to get you back to Illinois. The southern route will be the simplest with no snow to be worried about. Northern routes in April can be iffy. We are headed east in April ourselves and I have mapped out the northern and southern routes depending on weather conditions. How long will they drive in a day? Figure 45-55 miles per hour average. The tires, even if new, probably aren't rated for higher speeds. Towing, I wouldn't think of over 60mph at any time.
3. I'd take I-8 East from Yuma to I-10 East towards Tucson. Stay on I-10 to Las Cruces, NM then take US 70 north past White Sands Missle range, (4 mile climb) to Clovis,NM. Take US 60 north from Clovis to Amarillo, Texas. From there it's all interstates depending on where you want to go in Illinois.
4. Another option, which might be the safest/easiest, is for one to drive the coach and the other drive the jeep. Stop at truck stops, sleep in the coach and continue on. The savings on hotel rooms will pay for the cost of driving the jeep.
If you tell us where in Illinois you're headed we can provide further info...Dennis
