Boise to Spanaway, WA (by Seattle)

[Rockin]

Guess I'll jump on the bandwagon and ask about directions. In a couple weeks we're headed to spanaway which is a few miles south of Tacoma, WA. Pulling 13000# of gooseneck trailer, I don't really want to go through the middle of Seattle on I-5 as is recommended on mapquest etc. Going South through Portland has about the same issue, driving through Portland.

Can anyone recommend a better route or tell me if this is a reasonable drive? (I-90, I-5 then smaller roads into spanaway)

[MartyB]

Just east of North Bend on I90 is HWY 18, go south/west on their to hwy 167, then south, and you will go right thru Spanaway, and miss all the traffic. If you get to I5 on this route, you went too far :rolleyes:

If you go the Portland route, I 80 to I 405 North to I5, You will have abit of Protland traffic, but 405 is a breeze compared to I5 in Portland.

Marty

[ropinfool]

Where are you coming from? Idaho? I-90 to the 18S to the 167S to the 512W to 7S (Pacific Highway). This is not really a highway 4 lanes of traffic with lots of lights. Where in Spanaway are you going? I'm real familiar with some of it. John You can email me if you like, robertsonthego at msn dot com

[ropinfool]

Hey Rockin, Did you get your trip figured out? John

[Rockin]

It is Monday and we got back at 5:00am today. We went I84W-I82N-I90W-I405S-167S-512W. It was a good route. On our next trip there in May, we will take 410 out of Yakima and bypass the big pulls right out of Yakima.

I weighed the rig on our way there. GCVW was 20200# on cat scales. I need to look at the rear of the truck but I think that put me right at the limit for the rear axle.

Everything was good on the road. We had to take the 5-6% grades at about 50 going up. The total trip was 10MPG (per DIC) I wrote out the #s and will have to calculate.

I notice the rear stock steeltex tires were warm on the edges and cool in the middle. I will post this as an idividual question so more people read and reply.

[ropinfool]

Where in Spanaway did you go? You can go over White Pass also. It's a beautiful drive and you'll miss that killer hill on 82N. For some reason I was thinking you were in Northern Idaho. John

[Rockin]

We went to Tacoma Unit No. 1. It is a horse arena on 176th street.

Where is white pass?

[ropinfool]

I used to belong to the Pierce County Sheriffs' Posse, which at one time was a member organization of the Tacoma Unit (Don't know if they still are). I lived about 15 minutes from there in the Roy area. White Pass is Hwy 12 to Yakima. You don't want to go 410 over Chinook. If you had turned left on Pacific Hwy (7) when you left the Unit and followed it to Morton, turn left on 12 and it takes you into Yakima. The east side is long fairly gradual climbs, nothing serious. Passing lanes on the bigger hills. The west side is short and steep. I had a 1 ton dually w/454, 12' camper, 2 horse bp with 2 horses and could pull 45 up the short side. What event was going on this past weekend? John

[Rockin]

I'll have to look at the map to understand what you're saying. Sounds like 410 is not a good way to bypass Yakima. I had heard there was a good way. Is this Hwy 12 you mention?

We were at a Pinto show.

[ropinfool]

The 410 and 12 run together out of Yakima to just past Natches, then they split and run up and over their respective passes. Both are beautiful drives but the 410 is not year round. I can give you better directions when you get ready to go if you want. Pinto show eh, do you know Crystal Hornbuckle-Baker and her husband Mike, or Bob and Norma Moriarity? How about Christy Wellman? How did you do? Talk to you soon. John

[MartyB]

410 east to west would not be too bad, but the other way pulling, going from Cayuse pass to CHinook would be slow, but then, it's slow with out pulling a trailer, about 35 max with the switchbacks etc. But worth the view of MT Rainer on a nice day, good place for lunch at the lake just before the chinook pass summit. Otherwise, hwy 12 is the easier to drive pass.
Personally, I am not sure how much quicker than I90, hwy 18 etc, as you are going on many more 2 lane hwys over white pass - hwy 12 to tacoma.
If you make the trip a lot, do them all, then decide later on time, vs scenery wants and needs per trip you make, heck, even a trip south thru the Columbia river gorge might be an added bonus here and their for spice.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Holy cow! You guys are bringin' back some memories for me. I spent 4 years there in Ft. Lewis WA. While in the Army Rangers I trained in Yakima. I always thought it was wild how on the west side of the mountains it was almost tropical, then go to the east side and it's desert. Then on the weekends my wife and I would race our sportsman camaro stock car at the track there in Spanaway. Lots of fun and met some really great folks. Now here in the mid-west these past 15 years Spanaway seems like a whole life time ago. Thanks for the memories. :D
Later,
JP

[ropinfool]

I'll agree with MartyB, Chinook Pass is beautiful, but I was always in too much of a rush to get to where I was going to take the slow route. It also comes out too far north for me. I could make it to Yakima in about 2.5 hours from my home (Close to the Tacoma Unit) with out a trailer and 3.5 with camper and trailer. I did follow the crowd one day and go to Ellensburg and over the 90 to the 18 and home, was almost 5 hours. Much better road, but too much time for me. White Pass is 2 lane with passing lanes in most of the right places. Not too many sharp corners, east to west is gradual climb, west to east is steep, short climb. Let me know before you go next time and I'll tell you the roads to take after you get to Morton to get to Spanaway. John

[Rockin]

Originally posted by ropinfool:
Let me know before you go next time and I'll tell you the roads to take after you get to Morton to get to Spanaway. John I am headed there in mid-May. I am starting to plan for that trip. Again, I am going from Boise to Spanaway and then back. The return trip, we'll probably leave Spanaway 5pm Sunday.

[tswartos]

i took the same route on the way back from seattle last summer pulling a hitch camper with my 6.5, i went thru portland on the way out then said screw it and cut thru apple country on the way back to Boise. Frankly, it was a toss up going either way, more a personal preference as to what to look at on the drive.

[ropinfool]

Sorry for taking so long to post Rockin, have you made your trip yet? I will be glad to email you directions if you wish. I have driven the gorge several times, lots of wind and it seems longer and out of the way. I still recommend White Pass. John

[Rockin]

It is 5/20 when I go again. I would love for you to send directions.

andrew@motoup.com

[tswartos]

How'd the trip go?

[Rockin]

Guess I should put a note on this.

Ropinfool, thanks for the directions. We never quite figured out if there was a GOOD alternative to I84-I82-I90-I405... so we just went the obvious route.

Yet again, the truck pulled great. We went more in the 70-75 mph range and the mileage for the trip was 9 mpg (per DIC) The instant mileages seemed higher so it was a little odd the overall was down but we were moving faster. I changed the fuel filter (with 10K miles on it) and can feel more SOP life from it. That may help too.

The girls did excellent at the show. Ashlie took first or second under all judges in almost every class except when she forgot part of her pattern. Excellent job Ash! Stacie did close to as well. Both won their all around by a good margin. They should both be ready for the World Championships in Tulsa in June.

Saturday morning, we head out for Tulsa. Things should be in good shape to go. I'm draining the pumpkin tonight for some fresh AMSOil and that is my last work before we're ready to roll.