It has been a long time since I drove I-40 WEST. But I still recall
some grades that were a chore to take with my old beetle (crossing the
continental divide in New Mexico, climbing up to Albuquerque And the
gradual unseen grade when climbing out of the Colorado river basin.
I-10 is better (but probably way too south for our friend to go to.)

I-70 may have the most spectacular scenery, but that comes at the
price, as you have noted, of horrible grades and lots of trucks (though
there will be a lot of trucks on any of the major cross country
Interstate routes.) The Eisenhower tunnel is reason enough to avoid
I-70 with a Vanagon (despite the engineering marvel that it is.)

On Thursday, May 15, 2003, at 12:21  PM, Dan Haydon wrote:
>
> If I were taking that drive, I'd take I-40 through New Mexico and
> Arizona if
> going to the southern states.