Road trip recap (long-winded)
05-23-2014, 09:20 PM
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Road trip recap (long-winded)
I recently returned home from a road trip that took my son and me from San Francisco across N. Nevada on I-80, and N thru Jackpot NV to Pocatello, ID. on Day 1. Day 2 from Pocatello thru Lewistown MT and ended in Great Falls MT. My father was born in Lewistown and passed away last year. This trip was a "pilgrimage" to his roots, as neither of us had been there before that day. Day 3 started in Great Falls and ended in Whitefish, MT. The next day I dropped him off in Spokane WA and continued on about another 4 hours to my hometown down the Columbia Gorge in Washington state. I picked my wife up at the Portland OR airport and took off the next day from my hometown. We drove South into the night and stayed at a hot springs lodge outside of Lakeview OR. We left there the following morning headed down S. on 395 until Halleluiah Junction CA, near Reno.There we headed W. down thru the Gold Country on Hwy. 49, hooking up with I-80 at Auburn CA and back home that night. I logged over 3,000 mi. in 6 days on the road (what a great title for a song), and didn't interact with any hiway cops. My son , whom the 63 will own next, and I traded wheel times every day. We covered a lot of ground without getting tired of driving. My wife doesn't drive, but she spent 2 days in the passenger seat. Each day was about 9 hours and she says she still enjoys the ride.[IMG]
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The car had one moment the first night near Pocatello, ID. The clutch pedal was giving off some strange noises and feel. It stopped this behavior the next morning before we got to the MT border near Yellowstone, and hasn't recurred. We came to the conclusion that the car was telling us to "lighten-up" a bit. We had pushed it nearly 800 miles in about 10 hours that first day. The car was treated better the rest of the trip and it responded accordingly. Perhaps, the car knew I didn't carry tools with me?
My speedometer needle fell off in WA and my clock fell out of the dash in OR. The wipers worked as they seen fit, regardless of when you hit the switch.It appears I've run out of reasons to not get the gauges serviced.However, we took on no water in the cockpit whenever it rained, in spite of my worn original weatherstripping.[IMG]
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The car ran strong in all the areas we passed thru. It is tuned for near sea level, but we went over some passes that exceeded 8000 ft. I left the car in 4th gear while up-hill passing an RV near the Continental Divide. It accelerated smoothly, didn't miss or ping, with WOT. It maintained a steady 16-20 MPG checked sporadically at fuel stops. Gas prices dropped about $0.15 PG each state we entered E. of Calif. It was about $4 PG in CA and $3.36 (85 oct)in MT.My son also became accustomed to engaging in at least one conversation regarding the car at each stop. It was OK with me to share that routine, also. Everyone we talked to throughout the entire trip was pleasant and said they enjoyed seeing and "old Vette" out on the road. I traded many
with truckers I passed and people driving older cars, also.I only saw 1 Corvette with bumpers[a C3] and perhaps 6 or 7 newer ones during the entire trip. 2 of them returned my wave. I didn't see any while I was getting fuel. One guy in Idaho at a gas station told me he had a 92 Vette at home. However, he was getting it towed to a dealer 65 miles away next week, because some "module had failed". He looked under my hood and decided "that was what he should have bought so he could work on it himself, dammit!"
Finally, in conclusion, it was a great way to spend time with my son and my wife. I've always felt good out on the road with nobody expecting my arrival or reservations for lodging. Driving on the state highways and avoiding the Interstates, unless necessary, is very relaxing. There was no traffic to speak of outside of the CA borders, and nearly none in Eastern Oregon. The trip was planned to avoid summer traffic and the plan was successful! It was a good slice of my life, and I recommend it to anyone who has the desire to hit the road-lib
PS: I had a "dash cam" on the trip and shot over-the-hood vid's at different places while driving. I am in the process of editing and constructing a video that I will post for online viewing when I get it completed.
[/IMG]The car had one moment the first night near Pocatello, ID. The clutch pedal was giving off some strange noises and feel. It stopped this behavior the next morning before we got to the MT border near Yellowstone, and hasn't recurred. We came to the conclusion that the car was telling us to "lighten-up" a bit. We had pushed it nearly 800 miles in about 10 hours that first day. The car was treated better the rest of the trip and it responded accordingly. Perhaps, the car knew I didn't carry tools with me?
My speedometer needle fell off in WA and my clock fell out of the dash in OR. The wipers worked as they seen fit, regardless of when you hit the switch.It appears I've run out of reasons to not get the gauges serviced.However, we took on no water in the cockpit whenever it rained, in spite of my worn original weatherstripping.[IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG]The car ran strong in all the areas we passed thru. It is tuned for near sea level, but we went over some passes that exceeded 8000 ft. I left the car in 4th gear while up-hill passing an RV near the Continental Divide. It accelerated smoothly, didn't miss or ping, with WOT. It maintained a steady 16-20 MPG checked sporadically at fuel stops. Gas prices dropped about $0.15 PG each state we entered E. of Calif. It was about $4 PG in CA and $3.36 (85 oct)in MT.My son also became accustomed to engaging in at least one conversation regarding the car at each stop. It was OK with me to share that routine, also. Everyone we talked to throughout the entire trip was pleasant and said they enjoyed seeing and "old Vette" out on the road. I traded many
with truckers I passed and people driving older cars, also.I only saw 1 Corvette with bumpers[a C3] and perhaps 6 or 7 newer ones during the entire trip. 2 of them returned my wave. I didn't see any while I was getting fuel. One guy in Idaho at a gas station told me he had a 92 Vette at home. However, he was getting it towed to a dealer 65 miles away next week, because some "module had failed". He looked under my hood and decided "that was what he should have bought so he could work on it himself, dammit!"Finally, in conclusion, it was a great way to spend time with my son and my wife. I've always felt good out on the road with nobody expecting my arrival or reservations for lodging. Driving on the state highways and avoiding the Interstates, unless necessary, is very relaxing. There was no traffic to speak of outside of the CA borders, and nearly none in Eastern Oregon. The trip was planned to avoid summer traffic and the plan was successful! It was a good slice of my life, and I recommend it to anyone who has the desire to hit the road-lib
PS: I had a "dash cam" on the trip and shot over-the-hood vid's at different places while driving. I am in the process of editing and constructing a video that I will post for online viewing when I get it completed.
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Westy R (01-10-2021)
05-23-2014, 11:29 PM
#3
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Outstanding 3,000 mile trip in a real short time to boot! My hat's off to you and your family on doing this! My wife and I did the Route 66 trip last year, covering 5,800 miles in 21 days...lot's of stops throughout each day. Trippin' in an old Vette is icing on the cake of seeing this country of ours by car.
Glad you were able to "go back to your roots" where your Dad was born.
Jim
In God We Trust!
Glad you were able to "go back to your roots" where your Dad was born.
Jim
In God We Trust!
05-24-2014, 02:27 AM
#4
Team Owner
Once you guys got through the Donner Pass!
I figured you would be OK!
PS- Enthusiast, just have extra snacks in the car if that is on the trip route!
Cool Story!
PS- Enthusiast, just have extra snacks in the car if that is on the trip route!
Cool Story!
05-24-2014, 10:09 AM
#6
Instructor
Very nice write up. Glad you had a nice laid back trip with the family. A wise man includes his wife for the last leg of the trip. They both should appreciate you and the 64. One quick question, what type of exhaust system do you have? We have chambered and the wife comments about the roar on the highway. We both like it in town. Ear plugs? Enjoy the memories.
06-01-2014, 12:05 AM
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Magnaflows for me...
Very nice write up. Glad you had a nice laid back trip with the family. A wise man includes his wife for the last leg of the trip. They both should appreciate you and the 64. One quick question, what type of exhaust system do you have? We have chambered and the wife comments about the roar on the highway. We both like it in town. Ear plugs? Enjoy the memories.