Seattle to Raleigh - PLEASE HELP

Old Apr 19th, 2020, 12:41 PM
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Seattle to Raleigh - PLEASE HELP

Travel nurses going from Seattle to Raleigh leaving next week.

What is the best route for ease and weather. Will be traveling with a dog.

Would like to do the trip in 5 days if possible.

Please help. We do not have much time to plan.

Last edited by Annadeg; Apr 19th, 2020 at 12:55 PM.
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 12:48 PM
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I'd google it and take a look. Watch the weather channel for possible storms that might make you go further south.

Make reservations for the night as you go--look on booking.com for motels.
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 01:03 PM
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I'd plan to stay in places where there is a La Quinta cause they are dog friendly.
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 01:06 PM
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I just looked at the I-90 corridor on RoadNow - https://roadnow.com/i90/weather-conditions - and things look fairly decent for the next week or more. So I'd just head east on I-90 then adjust southbound after South Dakota, something like this - https://goo.gl/maps/GG5TU2Ff1kzZiHkH8 .

I would definitely settle on a route and pre-book hotel space using something like Pets Welcome - https://www.petswelcome.com/ - as there will undoubtedly be some closures.
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 01:11 PM
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Thanks, everyone!

I have looked at the routes, but they are all so unfamiliar to me. I think it might be best to go l-90 to l-64 But I do not know.

I could drive 550 miles per day. If someone familiar with these routes could help me break it down, then I could look into hotels.

Please help. I am young and inexperienced on road trips, so I want to be safe.

(Have family in Asheville, NC - Maybe I could do the route to there, first)

How do you guys feel about this route?

Continue on I-90 E. Take I-29 S, I-70 E, I-64 E, I-24 E and I-40 E to Asheville.


Where should I try to break up stays? Which cities?

Last edited by Annadeg; Apr 19th, 2020 at 01:23 PM. Reason: additional information
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 02:16 PM
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Seattle to Butte, MT (592 miles) via I -90E

Butte to Rapid CIty, IA (542 miles) via I -90E

Rapid City, IA to Omaha, NE (523 miles) via I- 90E I- 29S

Omaha, NE to Mt Vernon, IL (509 miles) vis I-29S I-70E I-64

Mt Vernon, IL to Asheville, NC (525 miles) I-64E I-75S I 640E I 40E (Lexington) OR I-24 to I-40 (Nashville) which one???




What do you guys think of this route?

I can check pet friendly hotels around these areas if they are safe areas

Last edited by Annadeg; Apr 19th, 2020 at 02:33 PM. Reason: add info
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 03:27 PM
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If there are 2 drivers (I hope) each driving at least 260 miles each day, your plan will work. Rapid City is in western South Dakota. You should try for Des Moines Iowa)(625 miles) on the third day which will make the other 2 days easier.
End of 4th day near Cincinnati or at least as far as Indianapolis. Don't go through the Smokies!

Last edited by tomfuller; Apr 19th, 2020 at 03:36 PM.
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Old Apr 19th, 2020, 04:48 PM
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Rapid City, Iowa?

I think you mean Rapid City, South Dakota... I'm pretty sure there's no Rapid City in Iowa.

Those are really long days, one after another. If you're working from Google Maps drive times, you need to add at least 10% to every estimate.

I would definitely be watching the weather.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 02:03 AM
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I think you will find you can drive further than 500 miles per day (if you want to) in the west. And these days the traffic will be MUCH lighter in any large city you pass through. As an older adult driving by myself I drive to Denver from Charlotte in 2 days (1600 miles).. I am not saying you should do that but the roads and speed limits are liberal.
I would try to drop further south to I70 sooner unless you are sure there is not bad weather predicted. And stay tuned to weather as you go. As you get further east fronts can come up from Texas that heavily affect Tennessee and the Carolinas.
It is easy to search for pet friendly, and I have found along the I70 corridor there are cheap motels that allow dogs. Think truck drivers. I'd be pretty sure that is true on I90 and (80.
I would also not agree with google maps not being accurate in drive time. I have found them to be amazingly accurate and again in this time of restricted travel, traffic will be less.

YOu will want to get your playlists, podcasts, books on tape organized!! It is just drive drive drive.

You ask -- Mt Vernon, IL to Asheville, NC (525 miles) I-64E I-75S I 640E I 40E (Lexington) OR I-24 to I-40 (Nashville) which one???
I have driven the I24 to I40 many times on the Denver trips and this is a good route.


From one point of view, I would actually try to make this in the least number of stops that is possible (= drive more each day). BECAUSE you will stay in fewer motel rooms, stop in fewer restaurants (although these will be drive thrus) and have less exposure to possible virus contamination.

Last edited by Gretchen; Apr 20th, 2020 at 02:07 AM.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 02:46 AM
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Good advice so far. You will be stopping more often than others to give the dog a break, so not doing extra long drives makes sense. I am a morning person, so usually get up pretty early, grab some breakfast and then head out. We also try to limit driving to daylight hours to avoid driving in unfamiliar areas after dark.

do keep an eye on the weather, there have been some fearsome tornado outbreaks already this year.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 04:36 AM
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Yes, Rapid City, SD. Sorry.

How do I avoid the smokies?

Can someone help me plan the best route?

Should I drive through West Virginia then come down I-64/I77?

I am open.

I am open to a route to Raleigh too. I probably should just do that and skip Asheville.

Please help. I feel even more confused now.

Last edited by Annadeg; Apr 20th, 2020 at 05:23 AM.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 05:48 AM
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There is NO reason to avoid the Smokies.or more specifically I40 to Asheville. You go through the Pigeon River Gorge on I40 which is a beautiful road that is curvy for about 50 miles but is still an interstate--it isn't "through" the Smokies. I have no idea what that admonition is about.
If you don't need/want to go to Asheville you can continue on I70 to Dayton Ohio. From Dayton take Route 35 diagonally across southern Ohio to I77. This is not an interstate but is a beautiful 4 lane state highway across a very sparsely populated part of Ohio. Take I77 south to I40 and on to Raleigh. I have driven this route and it is very easy and straightforward.

I will also add that I have travelled that route to Denver I described above WITH a dog and the dog will not slow you down any more than your need to stop for your own benefit.

I can understand your anxiety of a cross country trip but I would say to relax a bit. It is late April--you should not have snow and ice anywhere which is the major problem of travelling on I80 and 90 in winter. You have plenty of time--actually more than you need. Lodging on interstates is quite easy to find and particularly now with the internet and sites like booking.com. And you are not alone which is also good.

Last edited by Gretchen; Apr 20th, 2020 at 05:53 AM.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 07:06 AM
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If there are 2 drivers (I hope) each driving at least 260 miles each day, your plan will work. Rapid City is in western South Dakota. You should try for Des Moines Iowa)(625 miles) on the third day which will make the other 2 days easier.
Butte is good. Rapid City or Wall SD (see Wall Drug), Des Moines IA (avoid Omaha), Indianapolis IN end of 4th day. From Indianapolis you go through West Virginia to get to Raleigh which is hilly enough.
I understand taking a route that avoids Chicagoland.
As much as I like Memphis and Nashville it is too far out of your way on the way from Seattle to Raleigh.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 07:53 AM
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Thanks, everyone.

What is wrong with Omaha? Is it unsafe?
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Annadeg
Thanks, everyone.

What is wrong with Omaha? Is it unsafe?
Coming south from Sioux Falls SD the interstate comes down on the east side of the river to Council Bluffs IA to join I-70. Des Moines IA is a good goal from Wall or Rapid City SD.
Only the pharmacy part of Wall Drug is open now but you can see several interesting things on the outside including a jackalope.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by tomfuller
Coming south from Sioux Falls SD the interstate comes down on the east side of the river to Council Bluffs IA to join I-70. Des Moines IA is a good goal from Wall or Rapid City SD.
Only the pharmacy part of Wall Drug is open now but you can see several interesting things on the outside including a jackalope.
How specifically would you break out the days?

From where to where each day?
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 10:44 AM
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You could just use whatever route you ended up using to drive from Raleigh to Seattle in mid-January in reverse.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 11:04 AM
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Take a look at this route
Seattle-Twin Falls Idaho-Salt Lake City-Denver kansas City-St. Louis-Nashville Knoxville Asheville Raleigh. The towns you go through are not difficult. In St Louis just go straight through on i70--not the beltways.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Seat...35.7795897!3e0
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Barbara
You could just use whatever route you ended up using to drive from Raleigh to Seattle in mid-January in reverse.
We ended up flying. We shipped the car.
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Old Apr 20th, 2020, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Gretchen
Take a look at this route
Seattle-Twin Falls Idaho-Salt Lake City-Denver kansas City-St. Louis-Nashville Knoxville Asheville Raleigh. The towns you go through are not difficult. In St Louis just go straight through on i70--not the beltways.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Seat...35.7795897!3e0
Thanks
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