Four Jeep trucks and a road trip

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
07/08/2019 at 08:30 • Filed to: Road Trip, Jeep

For the 4th of July week, I took a trip to explore the back roads of West Virginia that turned into a trip to the Outer Banks, because why not?

A close facsimile, but not quite the real thing. I’m definitely thinking more about having better technology for trips like this.

Things I learned:

West Virginia is beautiful. Not that I doubted that, but it’s good to see it first-hand. Thanks to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for the suggestion when I asked for ideas, and for the great tips about visiting the Outer Banks. Chuckles was my travel whisperer last week.

Logging trucks are hella scary. Also not a surprise, but this was my first exposure to them.

Inspections work. It was so nice while in North Carolina to not have to spend as much mental energy on people with broken brake lights. By the time I was passing through Kentucky on the way back the difference between inspection states and non- was glaringly obvious.

Inspections don’t work. I have a story that I may or may not tell about a mad genius in flagrant violation of federal and state laws.

North Carolina is long. Like, really long. Crazy really frustratingly long. I thought driving through Georgia from north to south was bad (and, to be clear, it is, especially if you do go through Atlanta and fight traffic, and especially if you don’t go through Atlanta and spend the extra mileage avoiding it). NC is twice as long as Georgia is “tall”.

By virtue of avoiding interstate highways entirely the first 6 days of my trip, I developed what !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of being on them with the top and doors off as I started my return leg to Indiana. I’ve always had an exaggerated fear of something flying out when I’m traveling with lots of gear (it was particularly bad when driving with my dog, even on a secure harness) but I think something broke in me this time.

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Apple restricts iPhones from charging above 80% when they’re too warm (possibly only wirelessly, but I think universally). And trust me, it was hot this week. Driving 2000+ miles topless and doorless in hot, sunny weather is a recipe for sunburn, and I have quite a bit of that, including a Jeeper’s tan where my left knee/leg are browner than my right one.

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The trip by the numbers:

About 9 days in total, Saturday through Sunday.

2150 miles recorded, and my tires are about 5% larger than stock, so around 2250 miles, at least 2000 of which were not on the interstate, so I spent a lot of time driving.

162 gallons of fuel, or just a hair under 14 mpg. (My average since I started tracking is 12.6.) $416 spent on gas.

2 vehicles I hoped to, and failed to, inspect along the way (an XJ in Ohio, and an M715 in Kentucky). The XJ was sold as I was leaving, and the M715’s owner never responded to my proposal for a time to visit. This was quite sad, but also likely led to two fortuitous discoveries on Saturday as I’ll discuss in a moment.

18 Oppo posts about my trip, 19 if you count the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , 20 if you count this one, 21 when I post my favorite photos from the trip as a whole, and 22 if I ever publish the story about the guy who likes to have fun with his cars. Can you tell this is my primary social network? Are you sick of this trip yet?

4 different Jeep trucks spotted, each a different model.

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That last number is the most surprising to me. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , while I’m fairly conversant in the history of Jeep trucks (if not their technical details because I’m not really a Jalop) I never actually see them other than at Jeep gatherings (and even then, only the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ).

This trip, over the span of two days, I saw four. Four!

Friday morning: a Comanche and a new Gladiator. Both were on the road, didn’t have time to get a photo of either.

Saturday: a CJ-10 and, right at sunset in southern Indiana, a J-series truck I haven’t identified. I didn’t feel like trespassing to go ask about it, but I probably should have. It’s only the 2nd I’ve ever seen in the wild (and the CJ-10, well, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ).

Sorry about the crappy image quality. I was shooting into the sunset so I deliberately overexposed, but went too far.

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Thanks to all who’ve followed along. Unfortunately I think that’ll be my only significant trip for the year, so you’ll have to wait until 2020 for another big dump o’ spam from me.

DISCUSSION (6)

Ash78, voting early and often > Just Jeepin'
07/08/2019 at 08:44

Ridiculously so. See also: Tennessee. If you drove from the Outer Banks to Memphis (depending on route) you are between 1/3 and 1/2 way to the West Coast and have seen almost every possible biome and landform in the Eastern US.

Dakotahound > Just Jeepin'
07/08/2019 at 09:00

“... I developed what seemed like a real phobia of being on [interstate highways] with the top and doors off as I started my return leg... ”

I never liked driving on interstates with my TJ when the top was off (or even when the top was on) . It is just too loud, and there is really very little to see. The back roads are best for a Jeep. You feel more connected to the road and the scenery. It takes longer, but it is worth it.

Dakotahound > Dakotahound
07/08/2019 at 09:02

...and, that looks like it was a great trip. I will definitely note your route for future reference.

Just Jeepin' > Dakotahound
07/08/2019 at 09:22

That’s why I spent the first 6 days off the interstate. So tiresome and boring.

Chuckles > Just Jeepin'
07/08/2019 at 09:24

I’m glad everything went well. West Virginia is still my favorite state to drive around, and you didn't even drive through the parts of the state that I've been to. You could probably plan another 9 day trip just exploring more of WV.

Just Jeepin' > Chuckles
07/08/2019 at 09:31

Yeah, it struck me that between the radio and tech museum and your recommended highway and the 5-6 other routes I researched and the New River Gorge Bridge I missed there was no shortage of reasons to go back and try again.