Thinking about a trip out west to come back with a car

"MM54" (mm54mk2)
01/16/2018 at 18:21 • Filed to: TENTATIVE PLANS

Some time this spring (likely late May-ish), some friends and I are considering driving across the country (because that sounds like fun), and while on the west coast, me buying a car to bring back. This comes from both the idea of a road trip sounding fun, as well as my intent to buy a car to replace the super-rusty crown vic in the spring anyways.

Depending on the timing and my budget at this time, this trip may be for the replacement daily or it may be something a bit cheaper to bring back and flip (everything rusts here so that shouldn’t be too hard). Time will tell.

I’ll have more details to share as the time gets nearer, but it’s something to look forward to. Naturally, any help from west-coast Oppos (CA is shown as an example but the whole coast is fine by me) will be appreciated come May-ish.

DISCUSSION (17)

Mercedes Streeter > MM54
01/16/2018 at 18:34

If your budget runs too tight and you can’t afford the journey there and back, I volunteer to fly out and deliver the car back to Ohio. :3

HammerheadFistpunch > MM54
01/16/2018 at 18:35

Route 66? I can’t say I disagree but I can’t help say that there are cooler ways to get across the mountain west.

MM54 > HammerheadFistpunch
01/16/2018 at 18:39

This is whatever route google picked for “Ohio to California”

HammerheadFistpunch > MM54
01/16/2018 at 18:40

pffft, what does google know?

MM54 > HammerheadFistpunch
01/16/2018 at 18:48

I would be more keen on a north-er route, to see some colorado and such.

E90M3 > HammerheadFistpunch
01/16/2018 at 18:51

What doesn’t google know?

Shift24 > MM54
01/16/2018 at 19:16

Marion? Also I would take 70 most of the way. You can hit Kansas city, Denver, and Vegas.

MM54 > Shift24
01/16/2018 at 19:22

The route and locations shown are just the google maps for “ohio to ca” not an actual plan. I would like to go through Colorado and so on.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MM54
01/16/2018 at 19:23

The route on that map from Oklahoma onward is roughly where I went through on my cross country journey from NJ to CA. This follows i-40 West, although I spent very little time actually on the freeway. My favorite part was probably the journey through NM and AZ. I just plugged in the “avoid highways” option from the Albequerque area to the Phoenix area, with a necessary detour to Hwy 191 (the devils highway). Just some extreme mountain/desert scenery that was so unique from the rest of the trip. I camped there and wished I had a few more nights to explore. But I was weary from the rest of the trip so it will be saved for another time.

I wanted to take a Northern route across the US but it was mid November and winter was already in full force in some areas. I had snow forecasted when I was going through Texas even so it was a good call to not try going North on summer tires in a Miata.

MM54 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/16/2018 at 19:25

This is just the google maps result for “Ohio to CA” so it’s not much of a planned route, though I would like to go through colorado on the way to (or from).

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MM54
01/16/2018 at 19:42

Ahh makes sense. I really wanted to do a drive up the “Million Dollar Highway” in Colorado and then swing around to the Grand Canyon. I will still do that at some point but it was a bit over ambitious at the time.

I also liked this route that I had in mind for the Northern direction. And ideally a trip finished out by driving the entire Pacific Coast Highway down the western seaboard.

MM54 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/16/2018 at 19:44

That’s a very northern route! Looks pretty cool, though.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MM54
01/16/2018 at 20:05

I dont know how I would have survived that ND/MT portion though. Just driving through Oklahoma for a few hours made me want to give up and just die in Texas lol. It just became very monotonous after 4 hours or so. I couldnt imagine doing that for 12-14 hours hah.

Stephenson Valve Gear > MM54
01/16/2018 at 20:36

Definitely go through Colorado if you never driven through there before. Be aware that California is a big state if you have to drive from north to south or vice-versa, so it is worth your while to take an appropriate highway to whatever part of the state you are visiting. Anyway, I really enjoy taking road trips out west - it is really cool to see the country one mile at a time - and I hope you and your friends enjoy it, too!

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/cannonball-1820136159

MM54 > Stephenson Valve Gear
01/16/2018 at 20:51

I’ve never been there so it’s on the list for sure, whether it be on the way out, back, or both.

Boxer_4 > MM54
01/18/2018 at 23:20

Sounds like a fun time!

MM54 > Boxer_4
01/18/2018 at 23:22

Still scheming, I’m pushing for a fly-out-drive-back setup since it would allow us to enjoy the trip and not be rushing around the whole time. It also would allow a couple days on the west coat to be touristy and buy a car.