Preferred route from Birmingham to Phoenix

[mikestock]

We are planning a trip next week from Birmingham to Phoenix and we're trying to decide berween the I-40, northern route and the I-20/I-10, southern route.

Driving a 40' MH with a toad and really don't care to deal with ice potential. The northern I-40 route is about 15 miles shorter and I am familiar with this route only during warm weather. The I-20/I-10 route through Shreveport, Dallas and ElPaso looks OK on paper but just wondering if there are any negatives to chosing this route. Also, would appreciate any recommended, safe, clean camping stops on the lower route.

My wife has physical restrictions and we will probably make only about 350 miles/day. She also thinks stray bullets are constantly flying across the Rio Grande from the Juarez cartels, so I guess we won't be camping near ElPaso.

Thanks, in advance.

[2gypsies1]

Can't miss her...she'll be wearing RED. 🙂

Have yourself a fun time and safe travels!

[mikestock]

I'll be on the lookout for her.

[2gypsies1]

Go BAMA on Jan. 11!!!! Our daughter will be at that game. 🙂

[mikestock]

It's the Div. 1A playoff championship.

[imgoin4it]

So it was a football game, thought maybe you got smarter with the arrival of the new year:-)

[mikestock]

Up until last night the plans were tentative, but after the 38-0 nail-biter with Michigan State the plans are firmed up.

Y'all have me rethinking the whole deal. I may just head south through New Orleans and Houston. Don't want to deal with ice in the motorhome.

[scrubjaysnest]

Dec 8th 2013 took 4 hours to go from Terrell, Tx to Ft Worth because of ice. Usually takes us an hour.
So to avoid all that last year we took US 84 and picked up I-10 west of Austin. Only really bad part was the traffic in Georgetown, Tx. Again around the first week of Dec.

[Snowman9000]

Didn't the bad part of I-40 in Arkansas get resurfaced this year?

[darsben]

Just did I40 from OKC to Flagstaff three days ago.
I had 2 routes picked out The southern and the Northern.
Both were closed.
I10 from about Fort Stockton to Deming NM because of ice
I40 from Clinton, OK to Arizona border because of snow and ice.
Point here is the roads are a tossup this time of year because of weather.
You will not know the best route unless you check weather forecasts thoroughly the night before you leave

[imgoin4it]

There is really no question here. This time of year go the southern route. I-40 from Albuquerque to Alamarillo for a couple of days last week. Not Uncommon for this stretch of highway to be closed somewhere. Flagstaff can be problematic this time of year also. Probably wont have to worry about weather to the south. I cannot believe people worry about El Paso tx. It is one of the safest cities in the US. Not really any RV parks that I want to stay in with the exception of the Fam Camp at Ft Bliss. For folks who are authorized it is one of the nicer RV parks around.

[Grandpere]

Weather is a big consideration on I40, however, my warning is that I40 through Arkansas is horrible. Large pot holes multiple holes in a given area, etc. your rig will need a front end alignment from the beating it will take on this interstate. We drove it west then back east and both directions are the same. Don't know what Arkansas is dong with its highway money, but spending it on fixing I40 is not one of their projects. Therefore I recommend using I20 and I10.

[old_guy]

new mexico is having a lot of snow right now. don't know if they ever got it cleared off the roads yet or not.

[Farmerjon]

Next week we wouldn't even consider it.We wouldn't do it to save a couple hundred miles.
Once we had to get to San Diego in Nov.and we foolishly did I40,wow was that that a mistake and we were in a car.We got thru Flagstaff and part way down 17 before they shut down 17.
We saw several slide offs on both sides of the road and 1 SUV that had passed us earlier lay upside down off the side of the road.
We would have had to hole up for 2 days if we had been an hour later.
We were going to take the camper but changed our plans at the last minute.
Go south and have a good trip.

[2gypsies1]

It's not recommended to take I-40 in the winter. I-20/I-10 is the best way to go...and don't worry about stray bullets! 🙂 As you get closer to ElPaso, plan to stop at VanHorn, TX then you have an easy drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico just beyond ElPaso. If you want to drive a littler further that day, Deming, NM has many RV parks. Your next stop should be Benson, AZ because there's nothing between Deming and Benson.

Go BAMA!! 🙂