Houston to Sacramento

I'd go I-45 north to Corsicana area and pick up US-287 to Amarillo to I-40 west to I-15 south a few miles to CA -58 west to CA-99 north or over to I-5 north to Sacramento. This route is 1961 miles, 32 miles more than the I-10 route. Its much less mind numbing boring and it bypasses the kidney punch horrible road in SoCal.

If you're taking a 53' van the rear tandem hub needs to be 10 feet or more from the back edge of the trailer to get the legal king pin length. The speed limit is 55 mph for trucks throughout CA but 58 to 60 seems to be ignored. Stay with the flow of other truck traffic around you and minimize passing time in the left lane; the CHP knows trucks passing are probably speeding.

It is a nice ride but not on I-10 in my opinion.

 

Thats the route I'd take but I'd stay off of 99. It's a ###### highway. I'd cut over to I-5 and take it in to Sacramento.

 

If you have Pre-Pass, AZ requires you to pull in if you are placarded even if you get a green light (last time I checked anyway).

Edit: just checked, and you have to pull in.

 

Don't worry about idling. If you're heating the product via the truck (even when it's 100 degrees outside?) they will not hassle you about idling. If so, get their badge number so you'll know who to have the big shots contact in the event of a rejected $200,000 load of chemical ... he'll then let you go on about your idling

 

Going through Albuquerque

 

Least grades, not shorter. Just go 15 to70 and enjoy the scenery.

Or 15 to 40 to 89 to 160 to 25