Route and driving conditions to Feb Boondocking rally
bjoyce said
04:40 PM Oct 5, 2012
I guess I better recommend routes. Quartzsite is at the intersection of AZ-95 and I-10, about twenty miles east of the California border and US-95. It is about an hour and a half north of Yuma, AZ, two hours east of the Palm Springs, CA area and about two hours west of Phoenix metro.
A friend who ran a shop in Quartzsite every winter tried about every route from Washington State, which is north of Oregon for the geographically challenged. He settled on taking I-84 to Twin Falls, Idaho and then taking US93 to the Las Vegas area where he switched to US95 south to CA-62 east, then AZ-95 into Quartzsite. He normally took the trip in December and came back in April. Nevada can get cold at night in winter, but it is normally dry.
In February in Oregon I personally would watch the weather and when it was good take US97 south to I-5 from eastern Oregon, I-5 south from the Willamette Valley or US101 down the coast to CA-20 east over to I-5 (CA-20 is much better than CA-299 and don't think about taking CA-36 from US101 to I-5). At Stockton I would cut over to CA-99, then CA-58 east at Bakersfield, US395 south to Victorville, CA-18 to Lucerne Valley, then CA-247 to CA-62 in Yucca Valley. At that point you could go east to AZ-95 and then the 30 miles south to Q, or drop down to I-10 to resupply in the Palm Springs area, then I-10 east to Q. This route will mostly avoid city driving and once to Redding, California you should be out of snow danger on the inland routes and US101 is normally safe from snow all year.
I know these sound like a lot of road changes, but if you get out a map it won't seem that strange. There are no major cities close to Q, so try to come with reasonable supplies.
We have family in the Victorville area so the US93 route is one we have not taken.
BTW: We will be in Mesa, Arizona during the rally.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Friday 5th of October 2012 04:41:48 PM
plhaw said
09:51 PM Oct 5, 2012
I learned so much at the fall rally that I am starting to make plans to attend the February boondocking rally in Quartzsite. I'll be traveling from Oregon to Quartzsite.
In the winter, I normally stay in Oregon to xcountry ski and have the fifth wheel in storage. In other words, I'm not usually RVing in the winter. What kind of conditions can I expect traveling from Oregon to Arizona in late January? and what is the best route to take?
thanks in advance,
Phil Lee
Bill and Linda said
10:39 PM Oct 5, 2012
Phil:
Funny you should mention that.Linda and I are sitting here working on our route from the east coast to Quartzite now.Funny as well, we’re now in Buckeye Arizona, only 100 miles east of Quartzite.Don’t see any problems making it the last 100 miles today – in February, from the east coast – could be more interesting.
Have no idea how you get there from Oregon in February but I’ll bet Bill Joyce does. He was at your rally. From where we are coming from on the east coast we’re thinking a more southerly route than we usually take. JLike I-20 and I-10.That’s about as warm as you can get in February route wise me thinks and not need a passport.
This will be interesting for a number of people.But that’s why they call it “an adventure.”
Look forward to meeting you.
Bill
Hdrider said
04:04 AM Oct 8, 2012
We will be headed down from Oregon also. We will be leaving mid Nov. so we will have a good amount of time to get to Quartzite by the time the RV show starts. Then we will wander around a bit until the Rv-Dreams boondocking rally starts.
thebearII said
08:58 PM Oct 10, 2012
Bill has the right routes. I can remember travelling with my dad in the 60's and using those routes in reverse to get to Idaho from Southrn California depending on weather.
Trix said
03:09 AM Nov 18, 2012
Thanks for all the road info, I will be using it too! I hope to head south Dec-Jan timeframe. House is scheduled to close on Dec 7, keeping my fingers crossed!
:)
Raytronx said
05:41 PM Nov 18, 2012
Been travelling the last 2 weeks or so down from Vancouver Island and have basically followed the route that Bill showed down the 101 then across on CA20. Easy route and avoids the big cities. You get a lot of rain and fog along the coast but at least it doesn't freeze. When the sun is out though its a gorgeous drive.
Just a heads up on the 99 just before you get into Bakersfield they are doing construction on the shoulder and have cement barricades up on the right lane for a number of miles. So basically on your right is no shoulder just cement wall about 2 feet high. Keep her straight!
I guess I better recommend routes. Quartzsite is at the intersection of AZ-95 and I-10, about twenty miles east of the California border and US-95. It is about an hour and a half north of Yuma, AZ, two hours east of the Palm Springs, CA area and about two hours west of Phoenix metro.
A friend who ran a shop in Quartzsite every winter tried about every route from Washington State, which is north of Oregon for the geographically challenged. He settled on taking I-84 to Twin Falls, Idaho and then taking US93 to the Las Vegas area where he switched to US95 south to CA-62 east, then AZ-95 into Quartzsite. He normally took the trip in December and came back in April. Nevada can get cold at night in winter, but it is normally dry.
In February in Oregon I personally would watch the weather and when it was good take US97 south to I-5 from eastern Oregon, I-5 south from the Willamette Valley or US101 down the coast to CA-20 east over to I-5 (CA-20 is much better than CA-299 and don't think about taking CA-36 from US101 to I-5). At Stockton I would cut over to CA-99, then CA-58 east at Bakersfield, US395 south to Victorville, CA-18 to Lucerne Valley, then CA-247 to CA-62 in Yucca Valley. At that point you could go east to AZ-95 and then the 30 miles south to Q, or drop down to I-10 to resupply in the Palm Springs area, then I-10 east to Q. This route will mostly avoid city driving and once to Redding, California you should be out of snow danger on the inland routes and US101 is normally safe from snow all year.
I know these sound like a lot of road changes, but if you get out a map it won't seem that strange. There are no major cities close to Q, so try to come with reasonable supplies.
We have family in the Victorville area so the US93 route is one we have not taken.
BTW: We will be in Mesa, Arizona during the rally.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Friday 5th of October 2012 04:41:48 PM
I learned so much at the fall rally that I am starting to make plans to attend the February boondocking rally in Quartzsite. I'll be traveling from Oregon to Quartzsite.
In the winter, I normally stay in Oregon to xcountry ski and have the fifth wheel in storage. In other words, I'm not usually RVing in the winter. What kind of conditions can I expect traveling from Oregon to Arizona in late January? and what is the best route to take?
thanks in advance,
Phil Lee
Phil:
Funny you should mention that. Linda and I are sitting here working on our route from the east coast to Quartzite now. Funny as well, we’re now in Buckeye Arizona, only 100 miles east of Quartzite. Don’t see any problems making it the last 100 miles today – in February, from the east coast – could be more interesting.
Have no idea how you get there from Oregon in February but I’ll bet Bill Joyce does. He was at your rally. From where we are coming from on the east coast we’re thinking a more southerly route than we usually take. J Like I-20 and I-10. That’s about as warm as you can get in February route wise me thinks and not need a passport.
This will be interesting for a number of people. But that’s why they call it “an adventure.”
Look forward to meeting you.
Bill
We will be headed down from Oregon also. We will be leaving mid Nov. so we will have a good amount of time to get to Quartzite by the time the RV show starts. Then we will wander around a bit until the Rv-Dreams boondocking rally starts.
:)