Roundtrip PA to CA in the fall??

I'm not afraid of snow myself Janene, but I would never intentionally drive my motorhome into snowing conditions in the mountains. Even with chains it's just not a safe place for a larger single axle drive axle vehicle. But I have gone into the mountains during the snow season and I just keep an eye on the weather and never had a problem. I've gone over I-80 when the snow was six feet deep on the side of the road, but as long as it isn't currently snowing they get I-80 plowed and cleared in just a couple of hours.

If Colorado weather doesn't cooperate on your way west, one of the "adventures" in using at least part of I-40 instead of I-70 is "Route 66". From about Oklahoma City west to California, I-40 parallels old US 66, if you are interested in that sort of 20th Century history. There are many little towns along the way that have preserved and even restored gas stations, motels, restaurants, neon signs, and other relics of "The Mother Road." These are particularly interesting sites in places like Elk City (OK), Amarillo, Tucumcari, Albuquerque, Holbrook, Winslow, and Flagstaff. In Holbrook, you can even see the "Wigwam Motel" (teepees) pictured in the Disney movie "Cars". For ideas, take a look at: http://www.historic66.com/description/.

I enjoy having a theme and there is evidently SO MUCH written about Route 66, I've ordered a few guides and will definitely try to explore that for at least part of the route. Thanks

No experience in the Rockies or west that time of year, but 30+ years of holiday trips from Oklahoma to Michigan have made me wary about late fall travel on the Great Plains and across the Corn Belt and into the Great Lakes states, it is not unusual for the first big winter storm to fall around Thanksgiving. Anywhere from I-70 north it might be snowing, to the extent of blizzard whiteout conditions, and from I-40 north ice storms can be on the menu that early. South of that, usually just severe thunderstorm systems, Texas to Georgia.

This is from the same set of conditions that make the region "Tornado Alley" in warmer weather, Arctic air masses pushing at warm, wet air from the Gulf of Mexico.

Or it could be clear and dry, or these storms might be thunderstorms with lots of rain, or even late season tornadoes. You need flexibility in your schedule in case you need wait out a storm system or move slowly behind it as it moves west to east across the middle of the country.

What experience I have earlier in the fall, across the Rockies and Colorado Plateau, is that campgrounds and even some commercial RV parks start closing for the season, as snowbird volunteer staffing, and park owners, head south in late September to the end of October. You should still find places open, but choices narrow.

I would call ahead about the dogs before planning a nightly stop. Most if not all limit number and breeds.

I would personally take I-10 to CA and back to avoid chances of snow.

I will tell you the worst trip we ever had was from Gallup to Flagstaff on I-40 around Thanksgiving. That was driving in a whiteout. Go ahead and take it, but be prepared to hold up until storms are over and roads are cleared. My choice would take the southern route.