Portland to Ft Myers route recommendations?

[danielabernath]

The pilots don't want to buy all the charts of the USA. WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE.
Cross the Rockies by flying the Columbia River Gorge, then to Boise, Salt Lake City, then Denver, then bee-line to Florida and then south to Ft Myers?
What would you do. The RV 12 flies like a dream! In fact, on some landings, I took a nap and the RV 12 landed herself. Quite a difference from the Flight Design CTSW of which we could write a book of its many failings.

[Norman CYYJ]

Fly Ft. Meyers , follow the gulf coast cut across Texas and New Mexico to Tucson, to Bakersfield north to Redding follow I 5. Nice low attitude route.

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Not the most direct,but if I were looking for a quick crossing of the western mountain ranges I would either cross the Rockies up by I-90 (Coeur d'Alene, Helena, then Great Falls or Billings) or go directly to southern CA then cross south of the Sierra Nevadas per the post above.

[Bill.Peyton]

I have flown this route many times, although not all at once! The highest terrain is 9K feet.

[JoeBlank]

Originally Posted by Bill.Peyton

I have flown this route many times, although not all at once! The highest terrain is 9K feet.

Yep, this is the most expeditious routing, especially for an RV-12. Avoids the Colorado high terrain. Weather may force a more southerly route though. If that's the case, then try going down towards Page AZ (PGA) then east along the southern route.

[WheelsOff]

If you're looking for a more scenic route; I think this one would be pretty fun to fly if you're a fan of desert landscape (I am!).

Make your way down the CA valley hugging the Sierra Nevadas, then cut east to Mojave, on to Phoenix, and then towards El Paso. Fly down through the Big Bend area (Marfa) and along the Rio Grande to Del Rio (great low level route goes through there; VR1108, one of my favorites in UPT--however I'd only do it on the weekend when they aren't flying ). Continue east through San Antonio along to the gulf coast area of Louisiana and continue hugging the coast all the way to Ft Myers.

If I had more time; I'd probably head down the CA coast a little more rather than through the valley to enjoy some better scenery (weather dependent of course; as you well-know the west coast sure gets fogged-in from time to time ).