Payson Arizona roundtrip to Angel Fire NM

[Desert_Captain]

I just posted the tale of our trip to Angel Fire in General RV Forum under "Calf Canyon /Hermit Peak Fire in northeastern New Mexico". This post will make more sense if you read the other first but here are the details of the actual 1,200 mile run.

I was up at 0400 Thursday and drove my Honda Ridgeline down to our friends hotel near the airport in Phoenix. We got back to our place in Payson {about 100 miles each way} at 8 and by 0830 we were loaded up in our 2012 Nexus 24' Class C bound for Albuquerque and on to Angel Fire. The goal was to get to AF by 1800 and hopefully ahead of the approaching fire.

I-40 is far from my first choice but we were under the gun to get to Angel Fire before dark and it is 500 miles from home with a stop at the Albuquerque airport to retrieve their truck. We picked up I-40 at Holbrook, topped up the 55 gallon tank{$4.34 a gallon} and put the pedal to the metal. I set the cruise control at 72 and often had to run up to 80 +/- to get around slower traffic in the right lane without getting run over by the commercial trucks most of which were doing 80. :S

We got to the long term parking at the airport by 3 and even with a fuel stop in Espanola {$4.09 a gallon} managed to reach AF by 6. I can not say enpiugh good things about our 6.8L V-10. With 72,000+ miles and driving faster than ever before we got a solid 9+ mpg loaded with 4 adults, baggage and 3/4 of tank of water.

Coolant temps stayed within +/- 5 degrees of 200 with the trans fluid coming in 10 degrees below that {thank you Scan Gauge} and yes boys and girls that is using Tow Haul every inch of the way. the ride was smooth and I never lacked for sufficient power even over the 9,000'+ passes.

We avoided mostly on luck, two of the worst traffic jams I have ever witnessed on an interstate. The west bound lanes as we went east were backed up {stop and go} for ten miles as they neared the Continental Divide to due to road construction squeezing I-40 down to one lane. On the return trip west road maintenance had all three lanes of east bound traffic compressed down to one lane and the back up stretched for the last 20+ miles coming into Albuquerque as you approached I-25. Getting caught in either would have spelled disaster given the urgency of our trip. Better lucky than good I guess. :h

Arriving at their as yet undamaged home at 1800 on Thursday evening I had driven 700 miles since 0400. By comparison the 500 miles back home , despite towing 1500# of Rzr and 900# of trailer was a piece of cake. I dropped our speed back to 68 for this leg as anything less than that will not make you any friends on I-40. Once again we got a solid 9 mpg as verified by the Scan Gauge and the calculations at the pump. Fuel prices varied but the credit card took a $600 +/- hit.

The entire trip from 0400 Thursday to 1030 this morning took 76 hours and we stayed at their house from 6 on Thursday to nearly noon on Saturday. as noted... the bottom li ne is "We got er done!

🙂

[Desert_Captain]

Yes the trip was grueling and for the record I am 70. I have put 66,000+ miles on this coach over the last 10 years and know its {and my} limitations. About 99 percent of the trip was at 72 but occasionally traffic conditions dictated putting the pedal down for brief periods. 🙂


A brief visit to 80 when passing to stay clear of the truckers is doable. I think driving 60 on I-40 is a lot scarier, not safer. I knew the coach would be stable as I had briefly run 80 back in March when rushing my profusely bleeding wife to the St George medical Center from Zion NP. That stretch of I-15 has an 80 mph speed limit and I-40 is 75.

I had never run over 75 before and frankly was pleased with the ride and handling. Most of our journey's don't come with the urgency of those two and my typical speed is 62 - 65 on the interstates and 55 - 60 on the two lane highways.

As always... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

[bobndot]

80 mph with passengers in the rv ?
The sign reading Route 80 is to ID the road , it’s not the speed limit ! :B:S

[Lwiddis]

You must be much younger than I. I would say a big “no” to a grueling trip such as you experienced. Regarding I40, I’m not looking for friends but rather a safer 60 mph when towing. My 1500 nips at me when towing and not in T/H.