Thanks to everyone. We took TX-17 and it was, as stated here, just fine.
RoyB wrote:
...We use GOOGLE MAPS all the the time when traveling in different places we are not familiar with...
...Roy Ken
Roy -- thanks for taking the time to do that. I also use Google maps quite often when traveling and agree it can be very useful. What I haven't had much luck with, though, is using Google maps to assess grades, road conditions, and current conditions (such as road construction). Still, though, it's a great tool.
PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
TX-17 from I-10 to Fort Davis is a fine route for towing/ RVs.
Just some minor grades, though going up to Fort Davis is a change of almost 1,800 foot in elevation (3,196 Balmorhea - 5,000 Ft Davis) so it is almost all uphill.
TX-17 from Pecos to Balmorhea is like a pool table. Flat, flat, flat. Was in very good shape a couple years ago.
US-285 from Carlsbad to Pecos is one of the ten worst roads in the United States at this time in my opinion. Especially the NM section. The road has been beat to death by the overloaded oil-field truck traffic over the past few years.
If there is any oil-field work still ongoing, the truckers have no respect or allowances for RV traffic.
If I had the time, I'd take US-180/ TX-54/ US-90/ TX-17 to get to Fort Davis. Even if it is almost 40 miles longer.
TX-118 from Fort Davis to Kent (I-10) is not an RV friendly road.
Boy are you right about US-285! The section through Texas was a bone-jarring nightmare of broken pavement and potholes, accompanied by a never ending stream of high-speed (probably overweight) oil and gas industry trucks. As it turns out, the section through New Mexico was fine, though. All put a couple miles have been repaved and, at least until the trucks destroy it again, it's fine.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone,
Skip
