Forum Discussion

JohnBorgen's avatar
JohnBorgen
Explorer
Sep 17, 2019

Vancouver, WA to Cape May, NJ (November 1st)

I've got to be in Cape May, NJ for my sons graduation from the Coast Guard boot camp. I'll be traveling with my wife and we'll be taking our brand new 25' Coleman. I've hauled other trailers, but never across the Rockies...and never in November. Historic weather trends look okay this early in November but I'm looking to people that have actually done this before. Right now the plan is to take I-84 to I-80 (through the Salt Lake area) then on through to Chicago and beyond. Is there a better route? I'm planning on allowing a week to get there. So the most direct route is not as important as safety.
Roads and Routes
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Sep 18, 2019
    If you make it through the rockies on I-80, when you get into Illinois drop south onto I-74 toward Indinapolis and get onto I-70. It will get you away from Chicago and save you a good bit in tolls.
  • Roy_Lynne's avatar
    Roy_Lynne
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2019
    We have taken I 90 as last as the first of December without any weather issues but could have just been very lucky. If I were you, I'd plan to leave a few days earlier if possible so you have a buffer zone just in care. The only thing I hate about I90 was Chicago Chicago and Chicago, so we took some secondary roads just south.
  • w4phj's avatar
    w4phj
    Explorer
    Sep 18, 2019
    While staying in Cape May check out Cape May Mobile Estates as a place to stay.

    Long pull thru sites.

    Close to the graduation and the Lobster House Restaurant.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Sep 17, 2019
    “Historic weather trends look okay this early in November but I'm looking to people that have actually done this before.”

    Not having a son or daughter in our Coast Guard, I haven’t “done this before.” Having driven that route in that time of year you might get lucky. Use a southern route.
  • Ed_C's avatar
    Ed_C
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2019
    We have traveled from the Oregon coast to MA the last two weeks of Oct.a few times. We never got caught in weather but we did have to "out-run" it. It's a very ify time along 80.
  • agesilaus's avatar
    agesilaus
    Explorer III
    Sep 17, 2019
    The further south you go, the least likely you are to see delays. I'd think about I-40 in November. You'll have a better idea by what sort of early winter the northern plains will get by late October.
  • romore's avatar
    romore
    Explorer II
    Sep 17, 2019
    A week is pushing it that time of year especially across the plains, you could hit early winter storms. We went from B.C. to Minneapolis in three days and that was hauling butt.

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