Road trip plans continuing to progress

"IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK" (idroveapickuptruck) 10/05/2014 at 04:19 • Filed to: None

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So as many of you know I am planning an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I'm starting to plan the route and I found a great resource: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I want to hit up a bunch of great driving/scenic roads and this website already has a bunch of them mapped and will build them into a overall trip for you.

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This is the route I've laid out tonight. Austin->Phoenix->Grand Canyon->LA->Pacific Coast Highway->San Francisco->Portland->Seattle->Glacier National Park->Yellowstone National Park->Mount Rushmore->Rochester MN->Chicago IL->Kalamazoo MI->Detroit MI->Williamstown MA->New York City->Philadelphia PA->Blue Ridge Parkway->Atlanta, GA-> New Orleans->Austin.

Currently the trip is pegged at around 10,000 miles and I'm planning on spending 1.5-2 months on this. I'm getting increasingly nervous about my choice of vehicle though, especially with the time of year I'm doing it in. I gave my two weeks notice at my job yesterday so once I quit I'll have about a month to get the truck ready. If towards the end of that I still feel nervous about it then I'll just do the trip in the FoST, but I'm looking for a little more of that Roadkill feel. Also I will hopefully be bringing a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! along for the ride.

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I'd love to meet up with some fellow Opponauts along the way (and maybe crash on some couches?) In some cities I'll be busy with friends/family but especially between Seattle to Minnesota and NYC to Austin I don't really know anyone, so if you live close to the planned route I can make detours.

But either way, I'm getting really really excited, I've never done anything like this before and I expect it will be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

Current preliminary route: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

M54B30 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 06:21

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I'm about 20 minutes from Mt. Rushmore (just outside Rapid City, the closest to Mt a Rushmore). Lots of other scenic stuff in the area - Custer wildlife loop, Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road especially. Check out Sturgis when it's not crawling with 60 year old biker tits, gamble in Deadwood, and I can (maybe) get you a tour inside of a B-1. Plus, Wall Drug. When you tell people you came to South Dakota, they tend to ask how Wall Drug was.

You can crash on my couch and eat my food if you let me take your Focus for a quick spin to convince my wife it's what we need in our life.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 06:24

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I might be taking you up on that. Hopefully I'll be in the Muscle Truck and not the Focus though. You'd be the person to ask though. What is my likelihood of death trying to drive through Montana/Wyoming/South Dakota in December in an old ass 2WD pickup truck? I'll be on winter tires and I can get chains...

M54B30 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 06:34

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this was last October (10/3-10-8). It barely got better. Parts of my yard had snow continuously from October to late May. And I live in the area where truly bad weather goes above or below us. It gets extremely cold - we go -20 with -65 wind chills. Frequently. That truck better have damn good insulation, a kickass heater, and be 100% reliable - theres 350 empty miles between here and Sioux Falls, there's no knowing when somebody will come upon your truck if it's broken down, and they'll shut down the highway for days at a time when bad weather hits.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 06:35

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Yeah, I'm gonna die.

M54B30 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 06:39

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this was our first winter here, but nobody we talked to made it seem out of the ordinary. Our bmw is parked all winter long - RWD and broken stability/traction control and ABS make for a wild ride. This is not RWD country.

If you take your truck, we get another Winter Storm Atlas. If you bring your focus, it'll be sunny and 75 every day. But the roads to/from Mt Rushmore and the surrounding areas are very narrow and winding. One false move and its a long tumble down.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 06:39

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In all seriousness though I guess what I'll do is pay close attention to the weather once I'm in Oregon/Washington. If it looks bad I'll take a safer route. How predictable are the snowstorms? Are the weather reports generally pretty reliable a few days in advance?

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 06:42

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Yeah I got through Michigan/Penn. winters with a BMW and winter tires before but I think this will be a whole different animal, it's the part of the trip that is worrying me the most.

M54B30 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 06:53

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the only thing to worry about is fresh snowfall or snow storm. Once the roads are cleared, our DOT does a good job of plowing and keeping them clear. If it isn't actively snowing, it's not a big deal - just huge drifts throughout from plows. Through many years of experience they have a good combination of rock/gravel/salt/sand they lay down, these people out here are experts at it. And they are very proactive about getting plows out early, but some storms overwhelm everyone. Weather predictions for snow is good out here, they usually know the date and time it'll start but they haven't narrowed down how to estimate the amounts well.

Our storms don't last long either. Worst case scenario, you crash in Rapid City an extra day or two for the storm to pass and I-90 to get squared away. Better than missing Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, etc.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 07:04

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You're giving me hope again. I like it.

deekster_caddy > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 07:58

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There are some great scenic/mountain roads in New England. I know you mentioned a cold season trip, that's a long northern line you have there... When are you planning that? Winter weather may end up being a big factor. I can help you install snow tires when you get to MA!!

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > deekster_caddy 10/05/2014 at 08:05

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I'm gonna need the snow tires long before MA, I'm much more worried about Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Trip will be taking place starting just before thanksgiving and going until mid January or so. Winter weather will be a big factor for sure, it isn't the ideal timing for a road trip, but it's the time off I have between jobs.

deekster_caddy > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 08:18

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Ok wasn't sure which way round you were going. I can help you take them back off!

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 09:02

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If you're stopping through Toronto, I'd be happy to loan out a couch and my garage. Let me know if you're stopping by.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 09:19

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I'm in Milwaukee...a great road and Madison wisconsin to drive though is hwy 60 along the wisconsin river. A great route would be to drive down along the Mississippi the take hwy 60 across wisconsin to i94/i39

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 09:22

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biggest issue would probably be if you have an open diff...one wheel drive doesn't help in the snow

DrScientist > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 09:42

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ive been on more than a few long road trips. most recently drove a somewhat reliable 91 jaguar v12 xjs from nyc to LA to seattle back to NYC.

looking at your myscenic drives page, i think you have too many 400+ mile days stacked. in an older car doing this for more than 5 days will be taxing. hopefully you'll get some days to stop and look around.

also, there's so much to actually see while driving, even a 400 mile day makes you miss a bunch of stuff. on scenic trips i tend to aim for 300 miles or so.

just some words of advice.

best of luck and keep us up to date.

also, no devil's tower?

Spaceball-Two > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 09:59

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Let me know when you get to Seattle and beers are on me

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 10:06

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This fuel estimate seems low for a carbureted truck...

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > DrScientist 10/05/2014 at 10:47

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Thats just a preliminary route I threw together. Also don't go by the miles/days in the myscenic, it does that automatically. I'll be doing this over 40 or 50 days probably. Thanks for the advice, I'll absolutely be keeping Oppo in the loop.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 10/05/2014 at 10:48

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Very low. I don't know what MPG that assumes but I'm guessing I'll spend at least $4k on fuel.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 10:51

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I think I spent about $1700 when I drove cross country.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 10/05/2014 at 10:52

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I'm assuming 10MPG, $4/gallon and 10,000 miles.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 10:53

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She takes premium?

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 10/05/2014 at 10:54

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No, but I'm just assuming gas is more expensive elsewhere than it is here in Texas. And I'm trying to be conservative in my estimates, if it's cheaper than that then it's just a bonus.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 10:55

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gotcha, you are driving through CA afterall...

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 10:57

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We took a 21' truck through US 16a I think it is, last year. Such a beautiful area. Also was there in August.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 11:00

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It appears when you come through NY you're gonna go right through my town. Hopefully I'll see that truck in January ish.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 11:44

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Oh BTW, you're not gonna be able to hit the Going to the Sun road at the time you're going. It's usually only open from June to September. Glacier should be nice in the winter though. I went in August of last year and it was just beautiful. So it the Going to the Sun.

Milky > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 11:54

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First off you really want to put that name to good use. Second I'd more than happy to show you some curvy roads around Ann Arbor Mi, or some sweet ghetto stuff in Detroit.

Ohh and few drinks never hurt anybody. Well actually they have, but you know what I mean.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Milky 10/05/2014 at 11:56

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Thanks for the offer but I grew up in Detroit and my parents still live there, won't need accommodations there.

shop-teacher > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 12:05

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Taking a slow scenic lap around the country is something I've always wanted to do. If you're going through the mountains in the winter, get the chains ahead of time, and practice putting them on. They're kind of a bitch, you don't want your first shot putting them on to be when you're freezing your ass off in a snow storm.

Milky > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 12:06

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Whaaat, I had no idea. Well have fun with the folks then.

M54B30 > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 10/05/2014 at 13:25

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we were bummed when we found out we were getting sent here but have since learned to really love the area. It's actually a really nice place to live. And everyone but my wife gets used to the cold.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/05/2014 at 13:34

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It you were coming through in summer, I would say you should swing up and hit Road America. But there isn't much to see there from the road if it's closed... They do have a winter autocross series, but dates for this season haven't been announced yet.

I have two cats who aren't Doge friendly, but if you end up coming though Milwaukee, let me know. We have some great driving roads.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > M54B30 10/05/2014 at 17:24

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I live in Upstate NY on Lake Ontario, cold is NOTHING to me.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 10/07/2014 at 06:09

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I will let you know if I end up in Milwaukee, if I'm in the truck autocross probably won't be the best idea, but it would probably be hilarious. If I'm in the Focus driving roads and autocross makes more sense.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 10/07/2014 at 06:12

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I will do that. I figure once I'm actually on the road I'll do regular updates on Oppo which should be helpful for couchsurfing.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Spaceball-Two 10/07/2014 at 06:12

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Free beer? You do know how to temp me.

elightbo > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 03/19/2015 at 22:53

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Just so happen to be planning a road trip to NC with the family. Live in Milwaukee, and saw your comment. Would LOVE to know of some great driving roads here!