WA State to Tennessee in April
We are going to the RV-Dreams Spring 2015 educational rally in Tennessee next April and need some pointers regarding the basic route to take to get there so as to avoid snow crossing the continental divide as well as finding RV parks that would be open at that time of year.
We will be returning via the south to take advantage of the springtime while crossing Texas, New Mexico & Arizona so we aren't interested in that route for the trip east.
That pretty much leaves a couple of other basic choices:
1) The northernmost U.S. route starting east on I-90 and then starting southerly well prior to Chicago. This is the route that the Good Sam routing site provides. It is probably the best route for road conditions and finding RV parks open but it would be rather uninteresting to be on the interstates for that long.
2) A more central route would be our preference as long as road conditions were good and RV parks were to be found at decent intervals. This is the basic route my laptop routing software provides. It takes me thru the Columbia Gorge, down into NE Oregon, southern Idaho, northern Utah, northern Colorado, central Kansas and places east. I'm not sure about mountain road conditions and my older software has some fair-sized gaps in RV parks thru the mountain areas, particularly those that would be open in early April. Still lots of interstate driving but at least it would be springtime across the prairie where the more northerly route would probably include more wintery landscapes.
When responding keep the following in mind:
A) I will be towing a small trailer with my small Suzuki SUV. The combo does good but I'm right at the limits. I've got true 4-wheel drive but not chains; besides I won't tow on snowy, icy roads.
B) I expect to take at least 2 weeks for the trip east. My intention is to be physically driving only 4-5 hours a day (leave about 10:00 and check in about 4-5:00). I intend to drive no more than 3 consecutive days in a row with a 2-3 night stop between driving stints. Walmart-type stops would not be done unless absolutely necessary. I'll have 2 6-volt batteries but they won't last long if the furnace has to run all night. I may take my little Honda generator.
C) For camping discounts I have memberships with Good Sam, KOA, & RPI Preferred Gold (Thousand Trails, Encore, Enjoy America, etc). We intend to avoid most KOAs that have extremely exorbitant fees including 'resort' & pet fees. Our last KOA stay had a somewhat reasonable nightly fee but the other 2 fees brought the cost to over $50/night; a very nice place & included a free breakfast but not again!
Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We will be returning via the south to take advantage of the springtime while crossing Texas, New Mexico & Arizona so we aren't interested in that route for the trip east.
That pretty much leaves a couple of other basic choices:
1) The northernmost U.S. route starting east on I-90 and then starting southerly well prior to Chicago. This is the route that the Good Sam routing site provides. It is probably the best route for road conditions and finding RV parks open but it would be rather uninteresting to be on the interstates for that long.
2) A more central route would be our preference as long as road conditions were good and RV parks were to be found at decent intervals. This is the basic route my laptop routing software provides. It takes me thru the Columbia Gorge, down into NE Oregon, southern Idaho, northern Utah, northern Colorado, central Kansas and places east. I'm not sure about mountain road conditions and my older software has some fair-sized gaps in RV parks thru the mountain areas, particularly those that would be open in early April. Still lots of interstate driving but at least it would be springtime across the prairie where the more northerly route would probably include more wintery landscapes.
When responding keep the following in mind:
A) I will be towing a small trailer with my small Suzuki SUV. The combo does good but I'm right at the limits. I've got true 4-wheel drive but not chains; besides I won't tow on snowy, icy roads.
B) I expect to take at least 2 weeks for the trip east. My intention is to be physically driving only 4-5 hours a day (leave about 10:00 and check in about 4-5:00). I intend to drive no more than 3 consecutive days in a row with a 2-3 night stop between driving stints. Walmart-type stops would not be done unless absolutely necessary. I'll have 2 6-volt batteries but they won't last long if the furnace has to run all night. I may take my little Honda generator.
C) For camping discounts I have memberships with Good Sam, KOA, & RPI Preferred Gold (Thousand Trails, Encore, Enjoy America, etc). We intend to avoid most KOAs that have extremely exorbitant fees including 'resort' & pet fees. Our last KOA stay had a somewhat reasonable nightly fee but the other 2 fees brought the cost to over $50/night; a very nice place & included a free breakfast but not again!
Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
