After-Thanksgiving Travel

[Just Another Guy]

I have vacation coming during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Pricing and lack of pre-planning pretty much prevents me from doing things I hoped to do.

BUT flying outta Chicago on the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th can be dirt cheap.  I can fly to either Vegas or Reno and rent a car that I could return in Phoenix a week later.  There would be no additional city fees for the car because the rental company wants to move cars to the south for the winter. 
That allows me to visit someplace fun and end up visiting the family members that I cannot meet up with at Thanksgiving.

Vegas is cheapest and I am leaning that way.  But I have a few Reno questions before I rule it out.

If I wanted to travel to California, is I-80 okay this time of year, (late November) or what about US-50 by Tahoe into Sacramento?
Rental car companies are not doing the deal for 4-wheel drive vehicles, but I am used to driving in the snow.  Still, it seems that there may be some chain laws in effect.  I don't mind driving from Reno down to Phoenix, but only want to be in Reno if I can visit people in California.  I also am a fan of ladies near Reno and would love to visit them.   But if the drive is prohibitive, then I would skip Reno and start out at Vegas.

Even if I can't "get over the mountains," some ladies near Reno could possibly still sway me to start out at Reno.  Any thoughts are welcome.

[Elkogfe]

Check out kayak.com

Also the roads are not that bad .  Focus on driving during the day.

Reno to elko is usually fine during that time too!

[ChicagoBob]

There are a few options up north from Reno to Cali.  Usually at least 1 route is open.  80 of course, US 50 is usually open.  I have also ran Feather River Canyon many times (Rt 70).  Cal 88 is also open much of the time.  I doubt you would get trapped completely. 

If you do come from Vegas, take Rt 95 to Reno to stay out of the snow. 

[nopewopbop]

One thing to keep in mind... You can almost always find a route that is open (or no chains), but finding one that will keep you on a tight schedule is another story.  I once spent 10 hrs driving from Reno to Sacramento, and the airlines didn't care about weather events that didn't impact the SAC airport.  If you have days to spare and liked driving there'd be little that could stop you.

[Just Another Guy]

Also the roads are not that bad .  Focus on driving during the day.

Reno to elko is usually fine during that time too!

I will drive during the day as I am the lone driver, lots of classic rock and the window down even in the cool weather.
I have not ruled out driving to Elko, but maybe I will save it for the summer.

Usually at least 1 route is open.  ....

If you do come from Vegas, take Rt 95 to Reno to stay out of the snow. 

Thanks, CB.  I looked at your alternate routes and will remember that there's another way.  I took Rt. 95 in January on a previous low-airfare thing, it was good, but I had to skip going west across I-80 that time, so that's why I ask about late November.  If I got stuck on the west California side, I could drive south in Cali. to go across to Arizona, so I am mainly getting good thoughts on whether it's probably doable to go from Reno to the west.

One thing to keep in mind... You can almost always find a route that is open (or no chains), but finding one that will keep you on a tight schedule is another story.

Great added thought.  I will avoid having a tight schedule.  I will give DAYS to get where I am going from landing, I will probably not schedule any ladies ahead of time in LPIN, and I will be securely in Arizona before my flight home.

[vanityaffair]

To bad I'm going to miss you Just Another Guy. Your such a great conversationalist. Stop in the Desert Club and meet the other ladies on your route.
XO Vanity

[highdrive]

I encourage I-80 over 50, it’s generally a better deal. Driving through Tahoe is nuts and can have bad traffic and such.
HD

[Just Another Guy]

To bad I'm going to miss you Just Another Guy. Your such a great conversationalist. Stop in the Desert Club and meet the other ladies on your route.
XO Vanity

Thanks, but I think I need to go south from Reno in order to make my drive.  Ultimately, I did rule out adding a drive towards Elko because of distance. I will have to meet other ladies elsewhere this time.

I encourage I-80 over 50, it’s generally a better deal. Driving through Tahoe is nuts and can have bad traffic and such.
HD

Okay, my final route has me flying to San Francisco and getting the rental car there on Thanksgiving night.  The deal was too awesome.  I will visit friends an hour west of Reno and plan to drive thru Reno toward Vegas and Phoenix.  (If it snows terribly, I will have to skip Reno and go via southern California)  I will stop for the night somewhere near Vegas. 

Some of the Hof ladies have let me know they will be "in" that Saturday.