Tripping across the Mojave on I-40

[eskins]

I will be making my first trip to the grand canyon this july, which entails coming across I-40 there and back. Am I being overly cautious about that ride? Looks like about 3 hrs and July avg temps ~102. On the way there, I will lay over in Barstow and head across early in the am. It's the trip back I'm worried about. I'm thinking of leaving Williams AZ around 4am, getting across by 10am. I'd rather leave later, but I think that's too risky.

Anyone who's done this I would appreciate their input.

Apologies if this is answered in one of the forums, I never seem to have much luck searching forums, seems like a simple search feature, not indexed and have to troll through tons of pages to find a key word reference.

[ArchHoagland]

Here is a video of a truck driver climbing the mountain

west of Needles California in July.



Climbing Sacramento Mountain west of Needles CA

[aerbus32]

Mountain Valley is good for a short stay. And it should be much cooler in the summer. We haven't stayed there, but did drive through to check it out. Our coach gets real squirrelly in the wind, and it can get real windy in that area. I'm always looking for those off the road places that are often overlooked. This is one.

[ArchHoagland]

We stayed at Mountain Valley RV park two years ago for a couple days.

Nice park but no sewer hookup, just a dump station.

We went there because I'm a train buff and I wanted to see trains on the Techachapi Loop. Guess what...they were working on the roadbed and no trains were running during the day.

Story of my life.

[eskins]

Thanks RayChez for the suggestion to go through Laughlin vs needles. I presume that would be the better route on the way back as well if even just for the time savings.

I like RE_todd's suggestion about staying in Techachapi, shortens that trip from Williams on the way back. I only found one RV park there Mountain Valley RV park, very few reviews, but the ones there were very positive. Looks like a nice quiet place for us empty nesters.

Really appreciate the feedback for this relative newbie. This will be our first inter-state multi-stop trip. Wifey's freakin' out about the grades, have a mountain west directory I'll take a look at.

[ArchHoagland]

There is a Love's Travel Stop on the east side of Tehachapi so you can fuel up there.

RE Todd brings up a good point about the heat in Bakersfield.

[RE_Todd]

Stop in Tehachapi, it'll be cooler than Bakersfield. Bakersfield can be triple digit in July!! Then you have 4 hours to get to Pismo the next day.

eskins wrote:
Thank you again for all your feedback! I'm learning a lot, please keep the feedback coming. I'm thinking I'm going to leave willaims AZ at 4am and try to get to Bakersfield. Look to be about 10 hrs, I have typically tried to limit to 6 hrs per day, but that would be me at Barstow late morning, and I really don't want to spend the afternoon/eve in Barstow in mid-july. Bakersfield probably not much better, but seems there's some decent rv parks then only about a 3 hr drive to Pismo beach the next day.

[ArchHoagland]

We've camped at a park next to the airport in Tehachapi. Nice enough park but they don't have full hookups. Water and electric with a dump station.

Takes about 10 minutes to get to the park from highway 58. There is a wind farm there too...can get a bit windy at times.

[RayChez]

I live in Barstow and have traveled east many times that time of the year. Out of Barstow to go to the Grand Canyon you take I-40. You can spend the night at the Wal-Mart parking lot if you so desire. It cools right down at night in Barstow to where it is comfortable. I myself would not go through Needles to get to the Grand Canyon. I would get off I-40 at the Goffs turn off into old highway 66 to highway 95, then from their drive to Laughlin and cross over to Bullhead, Arizona where gasoline is very cheap in comparison to Needles. About a dollar a gallon difference. Then from Bullhead or Laughlin go east I believe it is highway 68 to Kingman, Arizona where you will get back on I-40 which you stay on until you get to Williams, Arz.

The cut through Laughlin will save you about twenty miles instead of going through Needles.

If your coach is in good condition you should have no problems over heating. The only climb you will have is when you leave Laughlin or Bullhead for about twelve miles, but you can leave early and you should be alright. Done it many times with no problems.

Do not take I-15 because it would take you to Las Vegas and about 90 miles off.

[BruceMe]

Curious, Why do you suggest to by-pass Needles and drive thru Bullhead City? Is it only because of gas prices or is it an easier drive? It appears to be the same distance but about 30 minutes more thru Bullhead City.

[Kayteg1]

eskins wrote:
Thank you again for all your feedback! I'm learning a lot, please keep the feedback coming. I'm thinking I'm going to leave willaims AZ at 4am and try to get to Bakersfield. Look to be about 10 hrs, I have typically tried to limit to 6 hrs per day, but that would be me at Barstow late morning, and I really don't want to spend the afternoon/eve in Barstow in mid-july. Bakersfield probably not much better, but seems there's some decent rv parks then only about a 3 hr drive to Pismo beach the next day.

Having timeshare in Vegas, we drive there from Bay Area average twice a year for over 20 years. Never had to stop on the route, but frankly I would not stop at any above.
I think stop at Mojave might be much more interesting, but not sure if you will find hookups there. Boron and Tehachapi have signs for RV parks, but no experience.
Than you will find free parking at truck stops at 4-corners or Tehachapi, or very nice Rest Area past Boron.

[ArchHoagland]

Good RV Rark


This is a good RV park right on highway 58 as you come down out of the mountain.

We stay there a lot. Free oranges too!

[eskins]

Thank you again for all your feedback! I'm learning a lot, please keep the feedback coming. I'm thinking I'm going to leave willaims AZ at 4am and try to get to Bakersfield. Look to be about 10 hrs, I have typically tried to limit to 6 hrs per day, but that would be me at Barstow late morning, and I really don't want to spend the afternoon/eve in Barstow in mid-july. Bakersfield probably not much better, but seems there's some decent rv parks then only about a 3 hr drive to Pismo beach the next day.

[dkreuzen]

donkeydew wrote:
with generator/ ac running full bore the most you are going to see is a 20 degree reduction from outside. an early start with rig cool and a/c going is the most comfortable

True that RV A/C's only cool down 20 degrees but that is from the INSIDE temperature not outside. A/C units recirculate the inside air, they do not bring in outside air.

[Passin_Thru]

I've been across hundreds of times in trucks. It can get hot by noon but 120 is only 20 hotter than 100. The real thing to be careful of is getting out of a 80 degree vehicle and stepping on 150 degree pavement. You may pass out. I lived in Yuma and it was 199 every day from June 1 to Sept 15. We worked on the ramp outside on airplanes. It was so hot you had to wear white gloves or tools would burn your hands. didn't seem to bother vehicles.

Definition of Desert: always uphill, upwind and too hot!