I70/I15 vs I40/I15 to Pomona CA

For three years I was based out of the LA basin, often running loads to or from the upper Midwest or New England, much of that running team. We NEVER opted for the I-70 to I-15 route. Not even in the summer. The ONLY time we ran that route was to or from Denver.

I-40 to I-15 has several advantages. First the highest elevation is much lower. Second, there are far less sustained, steep grades. That all adds up to less time and fuel burned. In winter I-70 can be brutal. I-40 rarely ever gets shut down. The only time it did in my experience was due to high winds between Flagstaff and Winslow.

Sometimes we routed below I-40 if a blizzard was going to cause problems. Even if we were running to Chicago we would take I-10 to I-20 then catch I-44 in Wichita Falls by way of US-277.

Keep an eye on the weather. I use MyRadar. I make some pretty radical changes in my route to avoid the possibility of having to shut down or get into the deep kimchee. I once ran a load over I-80 to I-15 from Nebraska to LA, that was because I-80 was bone dry while I-70 was in a blizzard. I once CHOSE to run I-70 from Denver to Reno, that was when that multi truck pileup west of Laramie shut down I-80.

Always be aware of weather and traffic conditions ahead. Adjust your route to the path of least resistance.

 

As a side note to Lepton's write the mid continent version of winter would be one load I had in Arkansas Tyson NW to Seattle and it was already for two days while loading that there will be a monster storm from a box that includes Odgen, Omaha, Kansas City all the way to Armarillo.

The problem with North texas is if there is a major ice storm or a winter howler you pretty much can bet whatever is nothing of there will be feet and drifts.

My original route was 287 to 25 then 80 on up via Sheridan, the same old route.

So in the light of the storm and 4 days to deliver this thing, I hedged. I fueled in Omaha day one at the TA there, by next day they got hit with 14 inches and piling. By then I was in South Dakota in 6 inches. I actually worked my way to 90 way prior to the powder river to try and stay on the edges of this thing. It was quite the monster. Unfortunately that is where the cold side came from out of Canada that one night feeding this whole thing. Truck said -55 that night while fueling at 1500 RPM idle. 90 near seattle at the pass was a introduction to ice versus slope approaching the snow sheds. I thought I was good on ice. Fortunately I was pretty much alone eastbound that morning. hogged two lanes or so at times.

Winter is really something but it's not going to give you anything. You have to earn it. Or simply not be there when it gets "There" if you havent left yet. Mobility and being able to put away a ton of running in the old paper log book days made the situation bearable. Seattle really needed that chicken. I hope they enjoyed it because if there were more loading in Arkansas behind me they will need more time to get through and will be late. However HOS be ###### in that storm, I was putting away 12 to 1600 per day just to avoid getting trapped in one to three feet then drifts to 5 or more. You can only do so much with a semi and not that well in something like that.

 

Oh come on guys. So it gets kind of hairy up out of Denver over to Glenwood Springs, what's a little white knuckle ride compared to mother nature beauty. I mean throwing chains on the side of the road is everyone's idea of a fun date night isn't it. Then that nice calm stretch of loneliness from Grand Junction over to Salina with that brief stop at civilization in Green River is just awesome. Not to mention once you leave there its 110 miles before you see another store front. The climbs are just as bad the only difference is Utah might think to get around to plowing them tomorrow. And don't let that last 30 miles or so before you find the 15 fool you either, that's just there to remind you in January you never want to come back again. But alas I'm a sucker if I didn't have to use Loveland Pass instead of the tunnels going to Denver it wouldn't bother me to it. Now where are my anti anxiety and anti shaking pills at.

 

True all that. I really do like driving I-70 across the Rockies...

...unless I am paying for the fuel.

 

Or the maintenance

 

A picture speaks a thousand words. Do you enjoy throwing chains?

 

Ah no big deal. Just a little iron. Makes a nice clankity clank sound. So it's a little wet, maybe kind of cold out there. But come we're hearty adventurous men and women and can hand it. No problem. Lol.