Advice for Long Distance Towing

[ChristyFord]

My husband, toddler, 2 dogs, and I will be taking a 2 week road trip cross-country (Augusta, GA to Seattle, WA) with an SUV and TT. I've read mentions of how this kind of trip should be handled differently than a weekend trip to the lake. What kind of things do we need to know and keep in mind in this case?

Note: my husband and I have no experience towing a TT yet, so lay it on me!

[silverfz]

ChristyFord wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.

Yes, we're planning on using our TT as much as possible while we're living in Alaska. Also, our move is for a military PCS, so most transportation costs, including shipping truck & trailer on a cargo ship from Seattle to Anchorage will be covered.

If transportation cost is covered. i will rent a Class C/A and ride in style till seattle. Purchase your travel trailer / truck and ship it.

You can stop anywhere use the fridge - eat lunch,feed the toddler food, change a diaper and bathroom even in a no service rest area. You also will be running A/C and Heat you will avoid opening the slide into a HOT or Cold travel trailer to do the above. the transition from driving to camping is a few minutes. Even on a rainy cold day , you uptime to camping to driving is minutes.

Even on rest areas, when you stop you can unclip your seat belt . With the dogs, put them in a big crate with there bed and even let them a bit of freedom.

good luck have fun.

[Grit_dog]

JBER or Eilson?

[ChristyFord]

Grit dog wrote:
I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.

Yes, we're planning on using our TT as much as possible while we're living in Alaska. Also, our move is for a military PCS, so most transportation costs, including shipping truck & trailer on a cargo ship from Seattle to Anchorage will be covered.

[Grit_dog]

Another guy that’s came up to work for me, from GA, bought a new like 34’ enclosed triple axle cargo/car hauler. Hauled his extra vehicles up with the intention to haul them back in it.
He sold the trailer for so much he claimed it was cheaper to ship the extras back to seattle and then drive them back to Georgia, compared to what he made on the trailer.
If you ship with Tote or another big steam ship carrier, the bill from AK to WA isn’t bad. I recall about $1500 for a full-size hd pickup . I shipped 2 back and believe the bill was just under $3k.
Of course it was convienent for me since I lived within 1/2 hour of both ports.

[Grit_dog]

I’m guessing their whole point is to have a RV to use in AK.
Cost wise, and I just went through this, vehicles are marginally more expensive, but not a lot. Probably a wash between shipping or buying up north. RVs and any kind of trailer are waaay more expensive in AK. Apples to apples, it’s cheaper to ship the RV than buy one up there. Why? Because the cost of shipping every RV and most other trailers is already built into the cost of it. Must be higher margins on top as well.
Like i said above, I sold all my old used towables up there for ridiculous money. Like same price as new down here for say a 10 year old trailer with a pile of miles and plenty of wear n tear on it.
No RV mfgs I’m aware of and precious few trailer mfgs up there and all their raw materials come from here too.
Just how it is.

[silverfz]

Grit dog wrote:
Read the rest of her posts. They’re doing a DD vehicle and a trailer. Not just a recreational vehicle.

again then buy the dd at alaska then shipping that and a travel trailer in a container ship. Just rent a cruise america RV and buy the truck in alaska.

150 days in 2-3 hr of driving every day, setup and take down every day. after a few days its gets old with a kid and dogs.
if both the DD and Trailer are yet to be purchased as she mentions here and other thread. why buy and then ship instead of renting a cruise america. Just an idea. She could save the travel trailer money and shipping cost.

My suggestions will save them quite a bit of money.

[Grit_dog]

ANd it sounds like they’re allowing 2 weeks from TX to WA. What’s that, like 150 Miles a day avg?

[Grit_dog]

Read the rest of her posts. They’re doing a DD vehicle and a trailer. Not just a recreational vehicle.

[silverfz]

That is a long time day after day in a truck . I would not do that. I have done my family with dog after 2-3 days its get real pain . especially a toddler in a car seat daily for hours at a end. The dogs go crazy too.

I see you have a plan to buy a used trailer from another thread and this one on getting a eco diesel. If you absolutely have to do this and not brought anything. Get a Class C or A used . Much better for a trip like this . Also why buy when you can just fly into a airport halfway with dogs and then just rent a RV with cruise america or something to do some 2 week sight seeing in a leisure pace.

I have done such road trips on motorcycles alone and with no kid , no dog and smaller faster motorcycle still it is a rough commitment .

Dog will be 150 or a piece and will fly in the same plane.Plus in 3-4 hrs you will be more than 1/2 in leaving time to enjoy and have down days.

[1stgenfarmboy]

Christy, I tend to plan longer trips because it is quite a distance from home to any mountains " and that is what we like " If I was doing the same trip as you I would knock out a really long day or 2 to get across the great plains, last time we headed west "2016" we went through north TX because we were going to CA, just plan some cool lunch stops at something to see so you can kill 2 birds, If you can drive some that will take some pressure off of Dad, Personally I would beet feet to Amarillo TX then start planing some things to do and see as you wind your way up through CO, UT, WY,ID, one of coolest places we have been in our 32 yrs of travel in Mount Rainier N.P. it is a must to see if you are close.

[gmw_photos]

Most people cannot do multiple 1000 mile days. As a former long distance motorcycle rider ( and IronButt Association member ) I have done 1K days. By the time you get to the third day, fatigue is setting in and it becomes harder, and less safe to do the miles.

And this is doing it solo, where I had more control over the fuel stops, food and bathroom breaks, etc.

It's not uncommon on cross country trips to encounter delays due to construction or accidents that cause road closure. Those can play havoc with your schedule.

[IdaD]

Campinfan wrote:

Passin Thru wrote:
No one can average 50 MPH with dogs and kids. I ran Class 8 trucks and they would run 80 MPH out west and we had to do around 65 from Il east to Baltimore. I could only average 50 MPH, no kids,no pets and running 4 hr stopping sometimes 10 in and fueling every 500 miles. Have fun with that one,. You're going to run 12 hrs a day and push it hard.

Actually, 50 mph is what I used to average until this Christmas time when my wife packed some lunches for the kids to eat while were on the road. We have three kids and 2 dogs and I tow about 62-64 mph and stop about 3 hrs. It takes about 20 minutes to fuel up, take the dogs out for water, food, break or whatever they need and then we are back at it. We do the bathroom breaks in shifts and the whoever is not at the restrooms takes care of the dogs. We still average 50 mph....this year we actually did about 55 mph average....so it can be done and there is no rushing.

We've averaged 60 with three young kids and a dog over days as long as 1000 miles. I really don't understand why some people think their experiences are the only ones anybody would have.

[Campinfan]

Passin Thru wrote:
No one can average 50 MPH with dogs and kids. I ran Class 8 trucks and they would run 80 MPH out west and we had to do around 65 from Il east to Baltimore. I could only average 50 MPH, no kids,no pets and running 4 hr stopping sometimes 10 in and fueling every 500 miles. Have fun with that one,. You're going to run 12 hrs a day and push it hard.

Actually, 50 mph is what I used to average until this Christmas time when my wife packed some lunches for the kids to eat while were on the road. We have three kids and 2 dogs and I tow about 62-64 mph and stop about 3 hrs. It takes about 20 minutes to fuel up, take the dogs out for water, food, break or whatever they need and then we are back at it. We do the bathroom breaks in shifts and the whoever is not at the restrooms takes care of the dogs. We still average 50 mph....this year we actually did about 55 mph average....so it can be done and there is no rushing.

[Grit_dog]

Plus it’s AK. He will look like a local in a real pickemup truck!
Buying the RV down here makes sense. They are more expensive up there.
To the point that I sold the camper, both trailers and sled deck that we brought up there, before we moved back. Made some good money on the deal.
I’m so $;!?!ing jealous right now it’s not even funny. We loved our move to AK!
Good luck and if you have questions, we did the same thing 5 years ago, kids, dogs. But we drove up to Prince George, ferry to Haines, drove to Anchorage.
I drove up solo first of April though, a month before the family trip and the drive was awesome. But I only hit snow for about 6 hours in the Interior.