Nova Scotia to Baja California

[Chrisrv]

We are taking four months (Feb -Jun 2017) to travel round trip from our home in Port Medway, Nova Scotia to visit family and friends in Southern California (San Diego, Orange County) and Baja California in Mexico.

Our primary questions are about routes going from Northeast to Southwest in winter (Feb and March). We will take about six weeks to cross. Looking for tips on favourite places and routes this time of year.

This trip we travel in a 2017 Pleasure-way Plateau FL built on a Mercedes 3500 Sprinter.

Thank you!

Chris & Rikki

[jplante4]

DrewE wrote:
The first two miles past the city are still rather bad, but the rest of that stretch is now new pavement (as of the weekend after Thanksgiving). I-88 may not be the best maintained highway in the nation, but right now I see no reason to categorically avoid it.

That's good to know. It's the best route to Watkins Glen, one of our favorite places.

[DrewE]

jplante4 wrote:

Not since May last year. I did say they were working on it, but I'll bet the first 10 miles out of Binghampton are still bone-jarring. But that's east bound and the OP is west bound.

The first two miles past the city are still rather bad, but the rest of that stretch is now new pavement (as of the weekend after Thanksgiving). I-88 may not be the best maintained highway in the nation, but right now I see no reason to categorically avoid it.

(I personally would not have categorized it as bone-jarring previously, but standards and vehicles do differ quite a bit. I suppose my scale is probably rather skewed by living in areas where some local roads have horrendous frost heaves in the spring.)

[jplante4]

DrewE wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
I like Thom's route except the I-88 part. It's being worked on, but it is a miserable road.

Instead, I would pick up I-84 off I-90/Mass Pike in Sturbridge MA to I-81 in Scranton PA, or cut a corner and do I-84 to US209 down the Delaware Water Gap to I-80 to I-81 in Harrisburg PA.

Have you been on I-88 lately (as in the past few months?) They have completed a lot of work on it. There are very few really rough areas left, and a lot of new or pretty new asphalt. On the whole it's not a bad road these days, believe it or not.

Not since May last year. I did say they were working on it, but I'll bet the first 10 miles out of Binghampton are still bone-jarring. But that's east bound and the OP is west bound.

[s1214]

You might want to contact JerBear. They live in NS and head to Mexico frequently.

[Matt_Colie]

Chris & Rikki,

This is not intended to dissuade your plan by any means, but please do this.

Always be ready to hold-up a day or two because of weather.
Depart with full water and propane.
Keep provisions at a three days supply until you are sure of clear weather.
Until you are very familiar with your coach, never run below 1/2 fuel. (Learn to use GasBuddy app.)

We used to have to travel in winter in the northeast a lot. We frequently had to stop for a day. Once two days, so three is just a real good idea. If things go real bad, you may not be able to find anything.

I hope you have many boring hours on the road and all the adventure is when the coach is stopped.

Matt

[DrewE]

jplante4 wrote:
I like Thom's route except the I-88 part. It's being worked on, but it is a miserable road.

Instead, I would pick up I-84 off I-90/Mass Pike in Sturbridge MA to I-81 in Scranton PA, or cut a corner and do I-84 to US209 down the Delaware Water Gap to I-80 to I-81 in Harrisburg PA.

Have you been on I-88 lately (as in the past few months?) They have completed a lot of work on it. There are very few really rough areas left, and a lot of new or pretty new asphalt. On the whole it's not a bad road these days, believe it or not.

[alfredmay]

Thom and jplante have excellent advice. I have used all of those routes in the winter. The best advice is get south as fast as you can and avoid Boston, New York City, Baltimore and Washington DC. The suggested routes by these two people do that. I prefer I-20 over I-10 as it is shorter and has less traffic..... however it is further north than I-10. If the weather is good use I-20 as the two roads become one in West Texas.

[jplante4]

I like Thom's route except the I-88 part. It's being worked on, but it is a miserable road.

Instead, I would pick up I-84 off I-90/Mass Pike in Sturbridge MA to I-81 in Scranton PA, or cut a corner and do I-84 to US209 down the Delaware Water Gap to I-80 to I-81 in Harrisburg PA.

Be aware that I-81 does traverse some mountainous terrain and you should watch the weather and be prepared to go east of the Appalachians. You could take I-81 to US50 and US17 to hook up to I-95 north of Fredricksburg VA and miss all the DC/Baltimore mess. You can grab I-20 through Altlanta or continue south to Jacksonville and pick up I-10 there. It's all about the weather.

Favorite places - if you do I-10 through Louisiana, be sure to stop in Breaux Bridge for crawfish. We stayed here.

[Chrisrv]

NMDriver wrote:
Driving in Baja is interesting in a car. It can be very interesting in an RV. It has been a while but low sulfur diesel was not available when I drove there. Some one on the Mexico forum section should know if fuel is still an issue.

Follow a semi instead of trying to lead the way over the passes is my advice for first time drivers in Baja.

In winter stay near the Atlantic coast until you are below the freeze zone. Then take what ever interstate has the best weather to CA. I have seen snow on 10 while 40 was clear and visa versa. In June you can go back through a northern mountain route for the scenery.

BTW: My dad was project manager building a heavy water plant in Glace Bay in the mid sixties. Not a fun place in winter.

Thanks for your advice. I will check out the prevalence of low sulphur diesel at the Pemex's in Baja. I appreciate your comment to get south asap then head west. We live in a relatively mild microclimate on the southwest shore of Nova Scotia - moderate by the Atlantic currents. We get little snow and freezing temperatures, despite most of our province and neighbours being frozen all winter and sometimes forget how harsh winter can be. I haven't been to Glace Bay yet . . . thinking of seeing Newfoundland and Labrador this summer and would be going through Glace Bay to take the northern ferry line. Perhaps we'll spend more time in New Mexico and Arizona on our way out and less time elsewhere.

Cheers, Chris

[Chrisrv]

Thom02099 wrote:
Wow...that is some ambitious trip! I don't recall many folks posting about going that far on that diagonal for that length of time. Should be an epic journey!

If it were me, it would be, get south as quickly as possible, with minimal sightseeing; that can be done on the way back when the weather is far more cooperative. I would also want to avoid the major population areas, but that's just me. I would not want to go through the Boston to Washington Megalopolis at all in February. So...my route:
I-95 south through New England to I-495 around Boston.
I-90 from the Boston area over to Albany NY and
I-88 through the Catskills to I-81
I-81 south to Knoxville TN, picking up I-75 south to Chattanooga TN.
I-59 down through Alabama to Birmingham then continuing on I-59/20 through Tuscaloosa and Meridian MS. There you can take
I-59 further south to New Orleans and pick up I-10/I-12 or
I-20 west through Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
I-20 or I-10 (depending on choices above) west through Texas and then I-10 to I-8 for the trip to San Diego.

Most of this, I've driven at some point or another, particularly the eastern stuff. I always hated driving through or around the beltways of the major eastern cities, hence the choice of I-81 south. I remember when that was being built, and it was a blessing when it was completed and made it convenient for folks like me who hated the big cities.

For me, getting as far south as possible to avoid weather complications would be paramount. And again, if it were me, I'd plan on mainly hotels/motels on the way south, as you're likely to find minimal places open for staying in your RV. Once you get down to Alabama, then you're likely to find more facilities open and available. Then heading west, particularly on I-10, you're much more likely to find places to stay.

Yes, you can have weather complications on this (or any route), going across the USA. Sometimes a matter of finding a place to stay for a day or so and wait for whatever storm you encounter, passes. Heading south will hopefully minimize the chances of inclement weather.

Now...about that return trip... ! 😉 :W 😉

Thank you, Thom, for your thoughtful reply. Great advice about the I81 South. Your recommendations help as we are new to RV travel on the East Coast and the U.S. South. We have traveled extensively through Canada and the Western U.S.

[Chrisrv]

djgarcia wrote:
What part of Baja do you want to visit?

My folks live in San Felipe, Baja Norte and we want to take them to visit Cabo - so I'll be taking them down that route and back. Got to take lots of time to do it justice. I'm looking for advice on low sulphur diesel (Pemex is supposed to have it, but some say they don't carry it ...) and advice on favourite places to stay/sites to see.
Thanks!

[Chrisrv]

My folks live in San Felipe, Baja Norte and we want to take them to visit Cabo - so I'll be taking them down that route and back. Got to take lots of time to do it justice. I'm looking for advice on low sulphur diesel (Pemex is supposed to have it, but some say they don't carry it ...) and advice on favourite places to stay/sites to see.
Thanks!

[NMDriver]

Driving in Baja is interesting in a car. It can be very interesting in an RV. It has been a while but low sulfur diesel was not available when I drove there. Some one on the Mexico forum section should know if fuel is still an issue.

Follow a semi instead of trying to lead the way over the passes is my advice for first time drivers in Baja.

In winter stay near the Atlantic coast until you are below the freeze zone. Then take what ever interstate has the best weather to CA. I have seen snow on 10 while 40 was clear and visa versa. In June you can go back through a northern mountain route for the scenery.

BTW: My dad was project manager building a heavy water plant in Glace Bay in the mid sixties. Not a fun place in winter.

[Thom02099]

Wow...that is some ambitious trip! I don't recall many folks posting about going that far on that diagonal for that length of time. Should be an epic journey!

If it were me, it would be, get south as quickly as possible, with minimal sightseeing; that can be done on the way back when the weather is far more cooperative. I would also want to avoid the major population areas, but that's just me. I would not want to go through the Boston to Washington Megalopolis at all in February. So...my route:
I-95 south through New England to I-495 around Boston.
I-90 from the Boston area over to Albany NY and
I-88 through the Catskills to I-81
I-81 south to Knoxville TN, picking up I-75 south to Chattanooga TN.
I-59 down through Alabama to Birmingham then continuing on I-59/20 through Tuscaloosa and Meridian MS. There you can take
I-59 further south to New Orleans and pick up I-10/I-12 or
I-20 west through Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
I-20 or I-10 (depending on choices above) west through Texas and then I-10 to I-8 for the trip to San Diego.

Most of this, I've driven at some point or another, particularly the eastern stuff. I always hated driving through or around the beltways of the major eastern cities, hence the choice of I-81 south. I remember when that was being built, and it was a blessing when it was completed and made it convenient for folks like me who hated the big cities.

For me, getting as far south as possible to avoid weather complications would be paramount. And again, if it were me, I'd plan on mainly hotels/motels on the way south, as you're likely to find minimal places open for staying in your RV. Once you get down to Alabama, then you're likely to find more facilities open and available. Then heading west, particularly on I-10, you're much more likely to find places to stay.

Yes, you can have weather complications on this (or any route), going across the USA. Sometimes a matter of finding a place to stay for a day or so and wait for whatever storm you encounter, passes. Heading south will hopefully minimize the chances of inclement weather.

Now...about that return trip... ! 😉 :W 😉