I drove freight cross country for four years. If you want to do Vegas and avoid the Rockies then go I80 to Salt Lake City and take I15 down to Vegas. You will get mountains in WY and UT but generally these routes are less delayed than I70 over Eisenhower Pass. They add miles but it isn't too bad. One of the companies I hauled for forbade their company trucks from taking I70 west of Denver so the extra mileage/fuel costs etc. obviously didn't outweigh the benefits of avoiding that route year round. This was a Fortune 500 company. From Vegas 15 will bring you down to Fontana where you can get the 2 or I215 into Pasadena. Otherwise take I81 south to I40. I40 ends in Barstow at I15 which you will take South to I10 or I215. WalMart parking lots are good, usually safe places to park and sleep.

If you have a CDL you can buy showers at most truck stops and sleep in their parking lots as well. Most of the larger truck stop chains all have fast food and cater to the non commercial motorist as well. If they give you problems about a shower talk with the manager...it should cost you 5-8 dollars but if you fuel up they may give you a discount.

If you go the I80 route expect to pay tolls through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. They will add a fair amount to the cost of your trip. You will pay NY tolls on I90 which becomes I80 in Ohio unless you want to add miles by taking 81 south to I80 in PA.

Don't try to drive >10hrs/day, stop every 3hrs or so for a break...take lots of drinks and a cooler in your car.

I drove across Canada, the first 2/3 of which were through the states (coast to coast) and I found that the best way for me to function was to get a fairly EARLY start (like 7am) and by the time I'd have fully 'woken up' I'd already been driving almost 3hrs and the day's driving was 1/3 done...that was GREAT.

I took a laptop and an FM transmitter to play music (I wasn't alone, but I was the only one driving)...listened to movies...

The big one is having the cooler though and not pushing yourself too much. Don't get burnt out.

I almost forgot to ask... among the stuff I'm packing will be my computer and monitor. I've never left them in a car for many days. Should I just keep them home and ship them instead? Right now I'm thinking during one of my motel stops, I'll bring it inside my room to warm it up again. I don't want the components going bad due to massive exposure to poor weather conditions and whatnot. I'm very paranoid about bad stuff like that happening to my computer when it's with me in the car.

Good luck with your trip EP9! I've done Austin to Portland a few times when I was in college. I've gone I-10 to Cali and then North on I-5 up to Portland. I've also cut north in Arizona through Utah and up that direction. Since you are heading to Pasadena (I think that's what I read) if it were me I'd head way south and then come across that way. There is snow all over the rockies as well as northern New Mexico and Arizona. My wife's mom is in Albuquerque and they have a ton of snow there right now. It may be more actual road miles to swing your trip further south but you'll make it up in time on clear roads and all that. If you work your way down the US as you head west and make your way to I-20 through Dallas it's a straight shot across Texas. That'll eventually link you into I-10 in west Texas and then you'll just stay on I-10 through New Mexico and Arizona. Speed limits in Texas are only 70 but when you get past Dallas there's nothing really out there. New Mexcio and Arizona are 75 I believe and with clear roads you'll be able to roll pretty fast.