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Sun 27 Nov, 2005 01:47 pm
I am planning to drive from Los Angeles to Chicago over Christmas. I will follow roughly the old Route 66 but will stay on the interstates, except maybe to do the loop that takes in the corner of Kansas. I plan to do it in 5 days, ie set off after work on 12/22 and arrive in Chicago late 2/27.
The problem is this; I am meeting my daughter at O'Hare on 12/28 and it is imperative that I am there. Is it too big a risk? I am confident about the driving, but might I get stranded because of the weather? For instance, do interstates get blocked by snow between St. Louis and Chicago?
I shall drive a one-way rental car, an ordinary sedan (an SUV more than doubles the cost).
All advice, warnings, etc, gratefully received.
the leg around Flagstaff arizona can get rather nasty in the winter with blowing snow high winds.
Listening....
I'm driving from LA to Albuquerque somewhere around the same time and I'm taking I-10. Am quite curious about my chances of morning/early afternoon snow - I will have to learn to drive in snow when I move there, but haven't driven in snow before this.
I think I-10 misses most of the high plateau driving in the southwest. I-40 covers some high elevations long before you have to contend with he will have to contend with the St. Louis/Chicago segment.
If a storm has preceded you, it can be very treacherous through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois. Watch the weather forecast and judge your departure date accordingly if you have to be in Chicago by a certain date.
We live in Winnipeg, 800+ miles straight north of Kansas City, and we drive to Florida every winter, sometimes in December, sometimes in January. We always have to meet our son and daughter who fly into Miami on a specific date, so we have that same pressure, that we have to be there by a certain date.
I was almost stranded in eastern AZ-western NM in a blizzard. I grew up here in the NE and I have never seen a snow storm like the one I saw that day. Then again, it any snow in the 4 corners seems to clear up rather quickly.
But those kinds of snow storms are rare. Why not give yourself a little more time?
Last year, we had clear sailing, but the year before, we travelled through the day after after a storm. The interstate had been cleared of snow because the inerstates are cleared really quickly, but black ice was a real problem, semi-trailers ditched everywhere. It was slow travelling.
If the weather's good, five days is the right timing, but I wouldn't count on it that time of year. We're allowing ourselves seven days from the time we leave home 'til we pick up our kids in Miami.
Many thanks for all the comments so far. From what you say, I need either to allow a couple more days or fly to Chicago and leave Route 66 for another year, a summer.
Thanks again.
Highlyoriginal--
Summer makes sense to me--particularly since we've had nearly eleven months of unusual weather this year and I see no reason that December would change then trend and be a meek, mild and convenient month.
Not to say that an airport can't be weathered in, in the midwest. What a mess, during the Christmas rush.
Good points, Noddy and Roger. Route 66 should be a summer adventure.
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