Route Plan for 1st time solo female

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windy

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Nov 11, 2016
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I'm looking for advice on routes from The Columbia Gorge to Dallas, TX in mid November. My wife will be doing her first solo trip so it needs to be as easy a trip as possible (don't want to discourage her from "adventure" traveling and she can be easily overwhelmed). She has 6-7 days to make the trip and can go as direct or indirect as weather & time allow. Any suggestions /advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Route suggestions for solo first time timid traveler.
 
Tough call because of how the weather could play into things that time of year. Also, what kind of vehicle and just how much adventure/ what sort of things does she want to do? Where has she been before? Google maps says 28 hours from Biggs Jct (random place I picked in the gorge) to Dallas. How much time does she want to drive each day?
 
Gosh, I hope this isn't a round trip in 6 or 7 days. Even one way it's roughly 285 miles per day on the most direct route. Gonna take some careful planning or the last couple days could be hectic.
Sure could be a fun and picturesque trip though, whatever route she picks.
-Bill-
 
She will be driving a 2013 Tacoma with a camper. One way trip (I'm working then I'll fly into Dallas where she will pick me up then we have 3 weeks for the return trip) and she is giving herself a week to complete it. No real off road driving experience other than dirt roads. She doesn't want to drive any more than 7-8 hours per day.
 
I like the "southern" route myself. Better odds for decent weather. We have made the "direct" route several times and it can be a real pain in the winter. Every time we make the trip we are on a schedule so we usually stick to the interstate (yuck!). This time she has no real set schedule and since she is going solo she figures this might be a good time to push her comfort zone just a little to make the trip a little more rewarding.
 
If I were making that trip the Southern route would be my choice too. But I'm a 'desert rat' anyway.
I have no problem with being on an interstate for a while. But I always see things that I just have to come back to explore better at a later date.
 
Thanks for the additional info.

I'd make a trip down through to Spanish Fork then cut across on 6 and 191 through Utah and northern AZ, pick up Canyon de Chelly, maybe on to Gallup, NM and then drop through and see Carlsbad before heading on to Dallas.

Lots to see on the 191 route, great cafe in Bluff, UT and VotG, Butler Wash or Comb Wash all offer camping options there and none are bad options.
 
Cayuse said:
Thanks for the additional info.

I'd make a trip down through to Spanish Fork then cut across on 6 and 191 through Utah and northern AZ, pick up Canyon de Chelly, maybe on to Gallup, NM and then drop through and see Carlsbad before heading on to Dallas.

Lots to see on the 191 route, great cafe in Bluff, UT and VotG, Butler Wash or Comb Wash all offer camping options there and none are bad options.
Click to expand...
thanks
 
So, after talking to my housemate (female) and a couple of other climbing and wandering friends who are also female they are a bit taken aback by the fact that gender should even be a deciding factor in what sort of route would be recommended.

I will admit that that I didn't really think about gender in my first response as my other questions were far more pertinent regardless of who is making the trip.

Perhaps it is time that we view trips as a timid novice versus a confident traveler and leave any gender based expectations at the exit off the highway so to speak.
 
Cayuse said:
So, after talking to my housemate (female) and a couple of other climbing and wandering friends who are also female they are a bit taken aback by the fact that gender should even be a deciding factor in what sort of route would be recommended.

I will admit that that I didn't really think about gender in my first response as my other questions were far more pertinent regardless of who is making the trip.

Perhaps it is time that we view trips as a timid novice versus a confident traveler and leave any gender based expectations at the exit off the highway so to speak.
Click to expand...
I can agree with that!
 
I just traveled back from Portland to here in Central TX. I traveled the back roads and not the main highways on purpose. No real plan or even had a timeline. I took 8 days. I would check maps and internet, if I had it, the night before. Planned next day on what I thought looked interesting. I traveled a lot of the roads recommended in the CAYUSE post here. I only had one issue that everyone had no matter gender ;) We got about 6 inches of snow in the pass. Nobody was prepared so driving VERY SLOW. I purposely crossed Reservations too. They are nice scenic drives but not many if any facilities in the vast area. Tell her I can't wait to do it again. Oh I was not alone had my 112lb traveling companion Sydney a yellow lab shepard mix :).
 
Wow
I reread OP and saw a post, husband made requesting advice/suggestions for his wife to travel from point A to B. Included specific information to help readers. ( which I often see missing and and request for more info)Seems he cares about his wife and is searching to help create a enjoyable and pleasant trip. Did not see routes that were " women only". What if it was his daughter, or son! If I saw a post this route should be fine for any wife, yes I get it. That however is still not on OP in my opinion. Cayuse help me what am I missing?
How did your female friends miss this, or maybe I'm the one missing something.

Thanks Russ
 
CougarCouple - I also saw the heading and immediately wondered "why for female, specifically? there aren't different "novice female routes" vs "novice male routes"

I have actually had that happen over the years - people giving me advice based on their assumptions of their ideas of "female" (assumed novice, assumed tentative, assumed need 'easier') instead of based on my experience level and personality. I've asked those men, "if you were recommending this to x-male-friend (with similar or less experience) would you have recommended this?" Too often the answer has been a stuttering "uh, well, no...."

As a solo woman motorcyclist and camperer, I appreciated Cayuse saying something - not just from his female friends observations, but also his own.
While I am sure that windy did not intended to be derogatory towards women('s abilities),
I would have changed the header to "Route Plan for 1st time solo traveler" or somesuch.
The description in the OP was fine, but that header did cause me pause.
 
Ok. I get both sides....points taken. At least I didn't mention that she is 65 years old. No telling how many different "old farts" routes I would have gotten. On a serious note...I do agree that timid/novice is a much better description than female. All comments have their points and can agree. Thanks for all the feedback.
 
Ok. I owe all of ya'll a great big thank you! My wife has been on the fence about the trip. She can be a bit of a worrier and tends to think about too many what if's. After reading everyone's comments she now feels obligated to go (in a good way). So everyone that has posted has played a positive role in encouraging her commitment to pushing past her timidness. THANK YOU!
 
XJINTX said:
I just traveled back from Portland to here in Central TX. I traveled the back roads and not the main highways on purpose. No real plan or even had a timeline. I took 8 days. I would check maps and internet, if I had it, the night before. Planned next day on what I thought looked interesting. I traveled a lot of the roads recommended in the CAYUSE post here. I only had one issue that everyone had no matter gender ;) We got about 6 inches of snow in the pass. Nobody was prepared so driving VERY SLOW. I purposely crossed Reservations too. They are nice scenic drives but not many if any facilities in the vast area. Tell her I can't wait to do it again. Oh I was not alone had my 112lb traveling companion Sydney a yellow lab shepard mix :).
Click to expand...
While I wont be along on this first leg, she will at least have studded tires. Haha! We don't have room to carry an xtra set of tires and We plan on spending quite a bit of time in the mountains on our return trip so we will put them on ahead of time.
 
windy - I also over-think and worrying runs in my family (well, it apparently skips a generation, cuz it went from my grandma right to me). The trick is, like with anything, getting over that first step!

For us worriers, sometimes having things mapped out and multiple possible camping locations plotted helps a ton. Before I went on my no-destination trip, I got a SPOT so that I could let my mom and friends know that I was okay, even if I didn't have cell service. It wasn't a two-way (which I think I'll do next time) but it made me feel connected and that was good.

There's a lot of us who travel solo and greatly enjoy it!
As someone told me years ago: as long as you have a credit card and cell phone, you'll be fine :D
 
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