Help....driving conditions along I-40

[DKanger]

I am leaving Memphis tomorrow morning and heading to Fairfield, CA via I-40. Hope to make it to Brian Marshall's class on Sat. morn.

We've got snow here and freezing rain tonite. Looks like heavy rain in TX and light snow in Amarillo. My concern is what the conditions will be in AZ and NM on Weds and Thurs and heading north out of Bakersfield. I have to make over 800 miles a day to make it in 3 days. Any advice? I am driving a 4wd truck and always pack emergency supplies.

Will have my laptop along for updates as most motels have wifi now.

Thanks,
Dave

[Brian Marshall]

Dave,


My advice would be to do whatever it takes to stay SAFE! Don't do anything risky to get here, it's just not that important!

If you get here late, well then we will deal with it somehow... we always do.

Just get here healthy!




Brian Marshall



I've sent you a PM & Email with other contact info should you need it.

[longranger]

I would most certainly have The Weather channel on the desk top of my laptop as well as having emergency notifications from them as well sent to my cell phone.This will be of more use to you going over the mountains in the west.You will have several hundred miles of driving in the central valley of CA.You will have a choice of I-5 or 99, I would use I-5,70mph vs 65mph on 99.this time of year heavy dense tule fog will be present due to the high amount of rain lately.I-5 has higher elevation than 99 does and tends to be fog clear in most sections but not always.If it is bad on I-5 it's worse on 99.
I would not speed in CA as they are in dire staights and need every souce of revenue they can muster.They will write you a ticket for 5mph over!, out of state plates are the ticket! watch big downhill sections CHP will have 5-8 units with a helicopter to chase down speeders.Stockton CA is not the fairest city on a hill, can be a rough town,stay aware of your enviroment,don't get lost, use your Garmin GPS for navigation. I am tempted to enroll in some these class' in the near future.Good luck, drive safe.
P.S. if you bring handguns into CA they must be in a locked case unloaded, or felony charges will follow if caught.

[KCSteve]

I went to the Weather Channel's page - http://www.weather.com and found their 'Driving' section.

To see their forecast page for I-40 click here

Wednesday looks like light snow around Flagstaff, then rain as you get over by / into California.

Thursday looks even better.

I can tell you for sure it's going to be a really pretty trip (at least once you get far enough West). The ever-indulgent wife drove to Pheonix for the NRA Annual Meeting last Spring and took I-40 as far as Flagstaff. There are pictures here for those interested. Starts in Albequerque so the I-40 stuff's near the top - and the bottom since we took it even further coming home (going out we cut across Kansas. Shorter but 2-lane vs. Interstate).

Drive safe!

I'd tell you to have fun but since you're going to an engraving class that's pretty much a given.

[Roycroftron]

I drove from Buffalo to Emporia for a class Back in August and that was brutal. Can't imagine a trip in this wacky weather the nation is having.

Be safe driving.

[pilkguns]

I was on I-40 this morning only i was heading East then up 81 into VA -WV-PA and now I'm on I-90 in NY heading to Rochester. Worse road conditions were around Pittsburgh. It's dry and very little snow here.

[pilkguns]

PS: Sam I am posting this on my iPhone while Buck is driving. Gotta love it!!

[Roycroftron]

Scott - welcome to my neck of the woods. I am hoping the weather gets better when I travel to a show next week in Asheville NC

[pilkguns]

Roy it would be nice to meet but I am on a real tight schedule tommorow in East Bloomfield and have to be at Camp Perry, OH Thursday morning. We do planto make quick trip to Niagra Falls tomorrow evening.

[Roycroftron]

Well wave when you drive by, and have a good trip.