Google ethanol free gas stations and you'll for better mpg, I think it's pure gas. You can check each state and city along your route. Last week I left Atlanta for NC with a 1/2 tank and was getting 25.3mpg till I got to Franklin,NC. After filling up with 93 pure gas I was getting 29.8mpg. I paid $4.26gallon.

 

Which pretty much guarantees that, if you need a tire repaired, you won't be able to find the key.

 

Combine that with the I40 route and it works out to a night in Needles...not my idea of a good time.

 

I know it's a drag considering the "lost" extra mileage you'll give up, but try and fill up at the 1/4 tank mark. In all weather conditions it's a better practice (to keep the pump immersed in gasoline) to keep it running cooler, and at a 1/4 tank, you can afford to pick and choose gasoline brands. I'd recommend staying with Chevron. The stations seem to dot the country at regular enough intervals that a stop 'every 300 miles' will plant you at a Chevron station.

If you're using pure synthetic oil (like Mobil 1) you really don't need a change until about the 10,000-mile mark (they say 15 if it's not stop-and-go wear), so depending on the current mileage near your departure date, you may be fine--I'd also allow for an extra 1000 miles--it's amazing how the miles pile up when you're "in town" sightseeing and visiting friends for a week. Just driving around town for a week I can put on an easy 600 extra.

Get a 4-wheel wheel alignment before you go and after you return. you don't want to run ~4,000 miles pulling to one side; an alignment on the return insures you haven't hit any severe speed bumps/potholes. (I'm thinking as if a lifetime Firestone alignment package; costs a little more up front, but free forever after the first visit. My vehicles each go in for alignments at least every 5,000 no matter what [after I rotate the tires in that interval])

I'd extend the towing distance to 200 miles. There's some wide open space between Chevy dealers out there. Towns may be closer, but warranty/serviceable dealers or big brand-name tire vendors can be a long ways apart out in the sticks. Small insurance.

A couple 3-packs of flares isn't a bad idea; if you have to pull over, day or night, it'd be good to be able to warn idiots out of the right lane.

Pack an extra quart or two of extra water. If you get stranded and have to wait a long time for a tow, you might need some. No telling, in any weather.

Bring a pack of baby-wipes. Ain't no reason to pick up pink eye from pumping gas.

I'd drive along the southern-most route I could manage, all year long, with an eye on each day's weather outlook across the complete driving range. If you pull over to sleep, rest stops are 'ok', but I like gas stations and (better) motel parking lots (near their entrances). You can sleep knowing there's more foot traffic coming through and you're less likely to get checked out by riffraff.

If you're gonna sleep somewhere public and not be packed, invest in a good quality imitation pistol... something that looks the part at a quick glance. Keep it over your stomach or chest while you sleep. Nobody checking you out will wanna mess with you as you zzzzz. (If you're gonna be actually packed, keep the real thing hidden but EASILY accessible.)

Everything else I can think of has been covered by others. Safe driving.

 

Good advice on here. Mine is the pretty much the same but here is what I do for long trips:

1) I have a AAA Premier membership... gives me 1 free 200 mile tow a year... haven't used it yet.

2) Cell phone and all chargers

3) Hand sanitizer... get the small plastic bottle that fits in your pocket. You'd be amazed how hand this will be for... touching the gas pumps and public rest rooms that don't have soap

4) Small but powerful LED flashlight in the car

5) A portable Jumpstarter: If for some reason you need a jump, you can do it and do it safely all by yourself. Here is an example,

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-50...essor/13035281

6) I have made my own flat tire kit. This is for the times that AAA is out of reach because cell phone has no coverage or AAA can't get there fast enough:

- Hotrod jack - gets the vette lifted enough so that you can put a real jack under it. My vette is only 3.5 inches off the ground so I need this.
- Standard jack
- Dyna plug tire repair kit - I am a big fan of this because there is no sealant spray which will gum up the tire sensors.
- Tools needed to install the dyna plug: pliers, screw drivers
- a 12 V impact wrench to take the lug nuts off
- small air compressor (although most portable jump starts have them built in)

7) If you have a bad back like me, I keep a grabber in the car in case



The nice thing is that in the C5, even with all this "junk", I still have plenty of room... gotta love the C5 cargo capacity

 

I'll admit to being a bit on the paranoid side myself, but these precautions are more appropriate to a trip across Uganda than the US.

 

Sounds like a great trip. I am jealous too.

 

I thought about that. It's already attached to my breaker bar in the rear compartment.

 

Wow, a lot of posts while I was sleeping. Thanks everyone for your advice/suggestions. Looks like I'll be taking the southern route (I 40) with a possible side trip up to the parks in Utah. The 200 mi. radius AAA plan will be purchased as well as the Stanley Jump Starter that was suggested. Tire plugs and tools to use them will be carried. Since I have a bad back, I probably won't be jacking up the car. I'll let AAA do the heavy lifting. I'll be staying in motels and maybe a campsite or two. I do have a CA CCW permit and it is honored in several of the states I'll be passing through as well as MO. Not expecting any trouble, but best to be prepared.

As far as spending the night in Needles, CA, I can stay at my brother's house in Apple Valley on the first night and drive right through Needles and the rest of CA the next morning.

I'm really looking forward to this trip. Thanks again for all of the support and advice.

Kim

 

Don't I wish... them's my common practices, influenced heavily by a regular driving schedule across the Southwest and El Paso. As far back as 12 years ago the Border Patrol was warning us at the checkpoints not to stop at rest stops; things ain't gotten any better in AZ.

 

Perhaps not, but travelling on I40 is a bit different from travelling on I8/I10.

 

That works: AV to Williams/Grand Canyon is an easy drive.

 

Hard to imagine Route 66 didn't come up in this conversation. You need to get off I40 and enjoy the "Mother Road". There is a great web site called Road Trip USA that details many great US highways.

 

Couple other things to consider bringing:
Qt of Mobil 1 and your extra set of keys.

 

When in New Mexico check put Acoma (Sky City) which is east of Gallup and the Sandia Peak Tramway in Albuquerque. Be aware that the International Balloon Fiesta is in full swing from the 1st weekend thru the 2nd weekends in October - no hotel rooms will be available in Albuquerque. Have a great trip.

 

Thanks for the sight-seeing info and the heads-up about hotel rooms in Albuquerque.


Kim

 

Good ideas, JR.

Thanks,

Kim

 

I plan to seek out some remnants of Route 66. In fact, I recently bought and viewed a DVD called Route 66, Return to the Road. The video features Martin Milner (co-star of the '60s TV show) driving a beautiful red 1960(?) Vette down most of what's left of the Hwy. I think this is what put the bug in my brain to take my trip.

Kim

 

I just got home twenty minutes ago from a three day trip from Dallas to Kansas City and the vette ran perfect.

28 mpg on the highway and 25 in the city.

The car ran between 190 and 200 degrees most of the time. I did get up to 209 - 215 a few times when it was real hot outside.

I didn't nothing more than clean the radiator and change the air/oil filters before I left.

I did get the tire pressure warning light once when it was real hot, both rear tires had 41 pounds in them.

 

I also changed all the belts and pulleys.

I think that was the most important thing I did to get ready for this trip.