Posted 2013-08-27 5:34 PM (#154346) Subject: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Lewiston, MN
Hello everyone! I just joined the group, and am posting today to ask if anyone might be able/willing to help me in planning a trip from MN to Scottsdale, AZ next Feb. My wife and I just bought a LQ horse trailer off of this site a few months ago and since we are just about fully retired, we made a reservation for Feb. and March at a horse campground near Scottsdale, AZ. This will be a first for us to "snowbird" it with our horse in AZ, and we are really looking forward to spending those two months out of the cold and snow, but a little apprehensive about the trip down. We are wondering if there are any MN or IA folks on this forum who travel to AZ for the winter and would be willing to help us plan our trip down. Any help to us will be much appreciated. Thank You!
Posted 2013-11-23 11:44 AM (#155935 - in reply to #154346) Subject: RE: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
Regular
Posts: 67 Location: BRONSON ,IA.
Just saw your post online. It looks as thou you haven't gotten much for replies. My wife and I retired several years ago and have been hauling our horses to the Phoenix area the last few yrs. We leave around Jan 7 from Sioux City IA . and spend 3 ,8-10 hr days on the road, stopping 2 nights at Hostels along the way and try to find a local dining experience. This really makes for an enjoyable and low stress trip. We usually try to get south to OK the first day and take I-40 all the way across to Flagstaff because we travel to NW phoenix area. Since you are going to Scottsdale,you more than likely want to cut SW at Holbrook. I'm sure you may have alot more questions. If you want to, you can send a PM and we can exchange Phone info. I would be glad to help anyway I can.
Posted 2013-12-15 5:36 PM (#156247 - in reply to #154500) Subject: RE: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
Veteran
Posts: 186
Hi, I am jealous. Are you apprehensive about the trip down because you haven't hauled long distances? I have traveled allot, I use the online horse hotels usually, I have stopped at fair grounds and side of dirt road fields / gravel pits when necessary set up high line and electric one string fence. I made a reservation at a place this past fall and it was so BAD, I wouldn't stay there. I don't even have a really big rig and there wasn't any extra feet to get turned around and leave the place, I had asked about turn around because I am not the best at it and was assured it was a drive through = NOT...anyway ended up leaving the horses in all night and they did just fine. I have actually had to do that a couple of times and they were just fine. I use a gallon ice cream bucket with a lid on it, and try and make the horses drink every time I stop for gas. If at the end of 8 hours they haven't drank I do not give them any more hay until they do drink. Start out with 6 to 8" of bedding, so you don't have to monkey with adding, just clean it out each morning.
Posted 2013-12-19 6:16 PM (#156293 - in reply to #154346) Subject: RE: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522 Location: Tucumcari NM
You will be better off going to flagstaff and heading for phoenix. If you turn south at albuquerque you will have to negotiate the salt river canyon. Very long, very steep. Not for the faint of heart if you are pulling a trailer. The road south from holbrook also has some very rough terrain, and is only 27 miles shorter than going through flagstaff.
Posted 2013-12-20 9:06 AM (#156301 - in reply to #154346) Subject: RE: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Lewiston, MN
Hi! Thank You to TLR, gliderider, and Marla for taking the time to post to me and giving me your help and advice regarding our trip down to AZ. I've been working out our route here and think I may have it planned out. - I'd like your input yet if you have time to reply. -
1st day - Leave from MN and drive to Emporia, KS. Stay the night at Fairgrounds at Emporia.
2nd day - Drive to Amarrillo, TX. Stay the night at Happy Tracks Horse Motel.
3rd day - Drive to Las Cruces, NM. Stay the night at Las Cruces Horse Motel.
4th day - Drive to Eloy, AZ. Stay the night at Tomata Ranch.
5th day - Drive up to Scottsdale.
The reason that we need to come up to Scottsdale from the south is because I have a work related meeting in Casa Grande before we settle in at our site at Scottsdale. I was pretty confident that this route was pretty doable and comfortable for us firsttime "snowbirds", but now after reading your note, Marla, I'm wondering about coming south from Albuquerque driving through the canyon. Would there be a better route from Amarillo to Las Cruces to avoid the canyon?
Posted 2013-12-25 7:48 PM (#156398 - in reply to #154346) Subject: RE: Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522 Location: Tucumcari NM
You will also want to avoid highway 54 in New Mexico. Lots of construction with rough, rocky, narrow sections where the construction sites are. Also, lots of snow down there right now. Your best bet across NM would be to turn south on Interstate 40 at Albuquerque. Just keep your eyes open when negotiating the Big I interchange from I 40 to I 25. It is a little weird with sharp curves in the cloverleaf. Happy Tracks is just west of amarillo and right on the interstate. Easy access and decent quarters.
Help needed to plan trip from MN to AZ
