Advice about driving thru the New Mexico/Arizona desert

I made an overnight run from Texas to California back in the 1990s.

Early in the morning, in AZ, there was a huge single cloud in the sky. It was multi-colored and seemed to have a tail.

Odd looking to me and was having difficulty processing what I was seeing.

At the next gas station, I hear the locals talking, "Didja see that missile test this morning?"

Aahhh, now I get it. The after effects of a missile test.

The northern route is preferable during the summer because if you break down, you just might succumb to the heat.

These responses are silly. Your trip will be scenic but uneventful. Like I said go through Colorado and see some beautiful mountains. The desert is cool but gets old.

Yeah, she really wants an internet psychopath driving with her across a desolate terrain.

I'd say there's a 99% chance that this is exactly correct.

You can almost avoid major interstates for part of that drive depending on where in Iowa you are. You can zig zag down to I 40 via 54 to Tucumcari, then stay over night in Santa Rosa and eat at the Blue Moon Cafe (call ahead and make a reservation, it's very popular and an hour wait is not unusual. Next day do I-40 to I-17.

I do not recommend anyone, male or female, drive in the desert or any remote area after dark anymore. It is just not worth the risk. Map out your route first so you know what stops you'll have to option of. I would only drive at night locally. In summer you can take a dinner break and drive three more hours, but make a reservation for a motel, because everything fills up by 6 pm.

1400 plus miles, for me that's three days driving. Sure you don't want to fly? I'm about to fly again after 20 plus years. Gota get it done.

I'm heading out Aug. 15th.

Wow

Get AAA

ABQ is great. Do a day of Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul tourism. Get a car wash at Octopus Car Wash, stop at Satellite Coffee. Have breakfast at Loyola's, lunch at Twisters (Pollos Hermaos) and grab some Cinnabons at the store in Cottonwood Mall for the morning drive.

Good town. On the other hand, only stop in Tucumcari for gas.

There's long roads out there. Starty looking for fuel at a 1/2 tank.

seriously this ^^^^

i did the same thing.

i was sweating the last 15 miles waiting for my car to die.

.

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Try to not stay anywhere near downtown Albuquerque. We stayed there one night on the way to Kentucky. The city core is filled with homeless and drug addicts. Needles on the ground and side walks etc. Hotels have been turned into gated communities. Stay somewhere 30-40 miles or so from the city.

Go south and connect to I40 West.

Stay overnight in Albuquerque off the highway.

Then drive straight to Flagstaff. You can fill up at Gallup or Winslow.

From Flagstaff go south on I17 down to Mesa.

Easy.

I did it in 2019 coming from NY when i stopped in Morgantown, Nashville (where I connected to I40) and then just east of OKC in some small town and then Albuquerque and then reached my destination in Phoenix. Mesa is just south of it.

Only issue was in Arkansas - boring, decrepit and filled with a million slow trucks and road work. Little Rock was a horror.

The rest was gorgeous and a breeze.

Last Edited by Secretizer on 07/24/2022 06:21 PM

We drove thru Little Rock on our way to New Orleans in '04. It was awful. Texarkana wasn't so bad.

New Orleans was the worst. On the day we left, we drove 4 hours before stopping for breakfast.

Unfortunately, I'm alone now. My husband passed in April after a 80 day battle with cancer. It was very advanced when they found it. This is my first road trip without him as a safety net if I have car problems or just to talk to.

I have lived in both states and travelled through them extensively.

Be careful in Albuquerque, it can be rough. If you stay there, stay well north of I40 and west of I25. Casino hotels are all pretty safe.

Carry at least 5 gallons of water with you and consider a cel phone range extender. There are lots of dead spots.

Lastly consider driving at night and sleeping during the day. Much easier on your car too.

We stayed in a nice hotel right off the I40 and near the end of the city. It seemed nice to me and had good restaurants and seemed like a business area.

The problem was the highway was very noisy so they actually give you earplugs if you are facing the highway.

I don’t recommend driving at night unless you are very used to it.

I would never drive long distances at night.

You can fall asleep too easily.

You'll be fine, I've lived in Albuquerque 60 years now traveled all over New Mexico & Arizona, carry drinking water & snacks, don't listen to some of these idiots on here...

Fill up at half a tank left. Lots of ghost towns and derelict gas stations.

this your first time driving or something? wtf

It goes without saying really, but keep your head on swivel at those gas stations.

Out west.....yes.

Without the safety net of my husband....yes.

I'm excited & scared at the same time.

Gallup nm has spots were they create vehicle traps to get your car stuck in mud, what happens next no one knows, I had 4x4 , low drive, and all terrain tires, if I didn’t I would have definitely been stuck looks like a overgrown parking lot but is in fact mud, mostly Navajos in Gallup and sky high crime rates, probably get shook down the very least….

seriously Karen/Chad ... thousands (perhaps 100 thousands) of people do it EVERY FUCKING DAY - with no issues

how did americans get to be such wimps

first time I made that treck was in 1968 in a black'48 caddi with NO AIRCONDITIONING ...in mid August in the daytime ...

no cell phones back then ... I didn't anticipate any problems (give the devil idea) and I didn't encounter any ... on my way from Cali to VA ... not one problem

Last Edited by Shadow Dance on 07/24/2022 07:17 PM

Ok, I explained above why I had questions & some hesitation.

1968-----that was before I was born.

I'm asking for people who have made the trek in last 1-3 years.

I’m very sorry to hear that

The Lord remains at your side

He will get you through it