Calling every member from every state for help on World Record route planning

[WriConsult]

Cabbage Hill/Deadman Pass/Emigrant Pass, just east of Pendleton, is the only thing nearby that would make sense for a higher-elevation launch point. However, I don't think there are any gas stations in the Blue Mountains along I-84, so you'll need to figure out how to top off at the top of the hill. It's possible there could be a gas station at Meacham, but I don't remember there being one and I can't find a listing for one.

Click here for the current forecast for this hill. Last daylight images of Cabbage/Deadman and Meacham travel travel cams:


Caveats:
1. This pass can get really nasty weather in the winter as Pacific storms slam up against the Blue Mountains. Not unusual for an icy truck crash to shut the pass down for half the day. If ice or snow is likely (see link above) or already on the ground, it won't be worth the extra drive at all.
2. This is a very long and steep grade by interstate highway standards: 6% sustained for 6 miles. Trucks often end up doing 15mph up it, and truck traffic is heavy. 20% of all truck related fatalities in the state of Oregon happen right here. Not a nice place to be in a snowstorm.
3. The steepness of the grade means you won't get that many free miles out of the descent, especially if snow forces you to keep the speed way down and prevents you from coasting out onto the flats.
4. As fuzzy mentioned, you'll have to climb about 500 feet out of Pendleton to the west. You will make it up on the other side coming into Hermiston, however.
5. Biggest caveat: the Columbia Basin between Arlington and Pendleton (including the stretch of I-84 you'd be on if you choose this launch) is a notoriously windy area, to the point that warning signs for blowing dust are permanently posted at both ends. Not unusual for the wind to be blowing out of the east in the winter, in which case a Blue Mountains launch would be very advantageous, pushing you all the way into Hermiston. If it's out of the west, forget about it. You'll lose all you gained by the descent, and more.

By the way, http://tripcheck.com/ is your guide for weather conditions as you travel across Oregon (the site easily links to neighboring states' traffic sites as well). Assuming you're coming up I-5, right now that looks like clear sailing tomorrow, and you should slide in under the snow level as you come into the state over Siskiyou Summit.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Also, are you planning on taking I-82 from Hermiston to Kennewick, or US-730/US-12 to Pasco? Fuzzy (or Billy) can you confirm this: wouldn't 730/12 along the Columbia be a lot flatter and avoid the big climb and descent over the Rattlesnake Hills?

[billy]

Hi Wri: You are right, hwy 730 is flat, follows the Columbia River, and avoids the I-82 climb over the Horse Heaven Hills (not rattlesnake hills). However, I would still use I-82 because of the more direct route and direct funneling into hwy 395 north toward Spokane, and especially because the downhill side is awesome. In my Insight and Ford Ranger, I shut the engine off for a good 8 miles!

Regarding a launch point at altitude: I'm going to advise Wayne it's not practical in this scenario. The ONLY feasable point would be I-84 westbound, on top of Cabbage Hill at the truck brake test area. But the ensuing 3 miles is just too steep; brakes must be used, and as was smartly pointed out earlier, there's not enough miles of coasting to make it worthwhile. And besides, it's really too far to the east and would set back the time schedule significantly.......

[fuzzy]

Originally Posted by xcel

... to make up for the 6,000 + foot climb from Kennewick, WA to Big Timber, MT...

If you absolutely must have a flatter route that avoids the high passes on I-90 in the ID-MT border area, there is a nearly all-river route from Spokane to Missoula. But it will add 90 - 100 miles to the route and kill your schedule. I've driven the whole thing only once, and seem to remember it as being reasonable but very unpopulated.

* From I-90 after Spokane, go north on US-95 to Sandpoint, on Lake Pend Oreille. (Some shortcuts exist between the WA line and US-95.) Toporoute.com shows a gentle 300 foot drop entering Sandpoint, the most downhill of this whole alternative path.

* Head east in Hiway 200, following the Clark Fork River (path of the great Ice Age floods) into MT past Noxon, Thompson Falls, Plains.

* Just before Knowles, turn onto Hiway 135, going to St. Regis on I-90. This is backtracking, but stays at river level and avoids a 4000 foot ASL hill.

* Take I-90 (still following the Clark Fork) into Missoula, 3400 ASL.

By skipping St. Regis and taking the 4000 foot hill instead, going to Hiway 93 then south to I-90, you would save about 30 miles.

Apologies for not even thinking of this flattest-possible route until well after you set your schedule.

--Dean

[PookieSoup]

hi Everyone, we're just leaving Remond, OR. I've been behind the wheel for about 6 hours, and have a fast crash course in HM a hybrid. Fasing was totally new to me, but I got the hang of it as well as watching all the other read outs I didnt have to before. I also glided, sahm, and dwl. We're getting about 51mpg with some major climbs 3000ft. We've gone over 1000 miles in 19 hours at about 52mph which is about 10 over what we expect to be doing over the challenge.

[jstol3]

It was probably put up on this site and I missed it. What was the Australian couple's average on their journey?

[Aether glider]

Originally Posted by jstol3

It was probably put up on this site and I missed it. What was the Australian couple's average on their journey?

SOON TO BE BROKEN
US 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES LOWEST FUEL CONSUMPTION GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
Driving a total of 9,419 miles
Achieving 58.82 US MPG 70.64 Imperial MPG 3.99 L/100 KM
On 11.04 Tanks of Shell Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel at a cost of US$ 653.06
Official scrutinizer points twelve allocated Shell stations where fuel tanks were sealed and GWR paperwork completed
Drivers: Helen Taylor, John Taylor

[PaleMelanesian]

How's the Guinness paperwork on this one? I'd hate for it to miss just because of the paperwork.

[PookieSoup]

Wayne has to call his son to see if the paperwork is here. But eitherway, we know what need to do and we'll have documentation.

Afterwe got out of mcdonald's in Biggs, OR, I was charging my phone battery pack and it started cooking. Justin said nonchalantly, "hey, your charger is smoking....". And turn he went back to hypermiling.

Considering he was run over by a truck in the middle of the night, small fires in cars do not seem to bother him.

[drimportracing]

You could all add the HCHII to your "garage" and keep individual mileage logs.
It would always be under your post for us to see.- Dale