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Road Trip!

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    Yesterday, after cruising by a half dozen car washes, there was a big gully washer in Las Cruces. There were one foot high standing waves in the streets and people negotiating 4 lanes just in the center lanes. We got stuck in it and pulled over and enjoyed watching a good downpour, thinking all the time that the van would be nice and clean. Nope.... That's good sticky mud, lol.

    Tonight we're in El Malpais near Grants NM in a nice BLM campground that's quiet and free. If it rains tonight there's a big shelter over the picnic table we can drag the tent under. Right now the full moon is shining and there's heat lightning providing entertainment on the horizon.

    The only wrinkle is that a guy camping across the way may not get much sleep tonight. He has a critter, likely a packrat, sharpening his teeth on something on top of his gas tank and nothing he's done, including driving up the highway and spraying a fire extinguisher up there has helped get rid of him. I hope the critter isn't chewing on his wiring.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Get a hose that slips over the tail pipe, stick it up in there, and FLOOR IT.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ha, the guy just pulled out of the campground or I'd walk over and tell him. Popped the hood myself this morning after seeing chipmunks scurrying under the van.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Careful of chipmunks. If they gather in the thousands, they can run down a moose. I saw this with my own eyes after drinking vodka tonics with my friends over the campfire.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Does that campground have a waffle maker for the free breakfast???? Ah, being out in nature. Did you enjoy that beautiful Full Moon last night and this morning?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The full moon was terrific. Even got up at 12:30 am to enjoy it some more. Our tent has one of those clear panels in the top and it was practically a skylight last night.

    I don't generally get hungry until 10 am and my wife isn't big on breakfast anymore since she figured out that she's allergic to eggs. So all I want is some coffee. We cruised in 90 minutes to ABQ this morning and found a great old cafe place across from the university that sold breakfast for me and an early lunch for her.

    Highlight so far today was enjoying the art exhibit at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and finding two rugs by one of my hero weavers and one by his father. Also got a kick out of pointing out to the docent that one of the rugs was hung upside down (the date and weaver initials are woven into the bottom of the rug). That may have been intentional if they thought it was stretching but it still looked "wrong" to me.

    May make Taos tonight - going to save Santa Fe for later in the week.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    I hope the front passenger window wasn't open when 'that' happened.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Don't forget camping in a wash can be deadly.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=_yCnQuILmsM
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited August 2013
    Steve recommended a program called f-lux
    to me several weeks ago. It reduces the blue component of my computer screen graduated through the evening.

    I like that program. It really makes a difference in how the light stimulates. After a few days of using it when posting on Edmunds in the evening hours, I switched back to the lotsa blue setting. It had a notceable effect on me.

    Thanks for the recommendation.

    http://justgetflux.com/

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    Crazy video. And yeah, the campground where the mud photo was taken was flooded out a year or so ago. There used to be an upper loop road - didn't have time to bike it but it got washed out in places and is still closed. Would love to hike the Narrows in Zion sometime but wouldn't like to hear the water barreling down that slot canyon. Here's a snap of some of the water in Las Cruces during the brief downpour.

    I was driving during the mud pic and my left foot that was hanging out my window still has dirt on it. (insert wink smiley here).

    "Base camping" (ie, house-sitting) near Taos at our friend's off-grid house for a week or so.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test was a road trip book, right?

    This was Black Cherry flavor tested on various yarns, a mohair in the photo.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    Did a day trip today and noticed a lot more cars on the road. Most of the tourists here in NM seem to be from Colorado, followed by California. Hustled into a casino gas station after spotting the $3.39 sign. Turned out every most stations were that price around Española so I hustled for nothing; nice to see no gouging for the weekend.

    Saw two of guys just after we crossed the high bridge over the Rio Grande Canyon heading into Taos this morning.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Our good friends moved from here to Chimayo about 10 miles from Espanola. They love it there. I would stay off the road over the Labor day weekend.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    Yep, that's where we went today. Had lunch at the "Rancho", got some holy dirt for a sick friend at the Santuario and chatted with the weaving couple whose work we love on the edge of town going to the High Road.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    Moved one of the kid's furniture in a rented van. It was packed full and the ride out wasn't too bad. Even loaded, it had plenty of power for those PA hills.
    Ride back, unloaded, was loud and bouncy.
    It only had the basic features with roll up windows and manual door locks.
    No Fuel mileage readout, distance to empty, outside temp gauge.
    It did average at least 17 mpg, which I was very happy about.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited September 2013
    >rented van

    Cargo van or a box style van?

    I had rented a Ford F250-based van to move junior out of one apartment. It had cruise control and got about 18 mpg, just what it did 2 years earlier moving into that apartment.

    Then 2 weeks later rented a box van from UHaul with the small extension over the cab-14 foot including the extension--got 10 mpg and NO CRUISE CONTROL. I would never have thought a UHaul box would have no cruise especially at $.79 per mile. I eventually put one foot under the accelerator and used that to help hold it at a certain height/speed.

    Had to use the bigger van because junior moved into a large 1-bedroom which could accomodate 2 people nicely. So had more stuff to move like sofa and table.

    Next time moving out, I'll rent the Cargo Van and make 2 trips. Charges would be about equal.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    Mine was a E250, so the same as what you rented the first time.
    No cruise. My right calf started aching after about 3 hours.
    We moved 1 bedroom's worth of furniture, plus a bunch of other smaller stuff.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Approached Custer from the south and hit Sylvan Lake via the Needles Highway. Today we reversed it and went to Rushmore from the south to get the views of the big giant heads. Off season so not much traffic, and the twisties and 360s were even fun in a minivan. Must be a destination for the Sturgis bikers. About as scenic as Yosemite and lots funner roads.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I like that section of So Dakota. When we went there in 2009 we took hwy 44 out of Rapid City down through the Badlands and in the back side of the National Park. Never saw so few cars and so many birds. About this time of year. So many older highways that are just more pleasant to drive than the Interstates. If you are not in a big hurry.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited September 2013
    Looks like we did 6,750 miles on our road trip, and burned 280.6 gallons of gas. Right around $1,000, guesstimating $3.55 a gallon. Got 23.96 mpg. Best tank was 27.82 (poking around Taos), worst was 19.78 (bombing across Oklahoma and Texas at 80).
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    This is an interesting article on one man's ordeal with Canadian officials.

    What did I learn?

    Never approach the passport window without being extremely clearheaded about what you are going to say.
    Don’t ever reverse your story in light of questioning. Tell necessary truths, but never volunteer unnecessary information.
    Put all your digital devices away deep in your bags. Do not pull them out at any point in approaching any border. And if you ever get a secondary screening, prepare to have all necessary information stored in some place other than your live cellphone.

    http://libertycrier.com/3-important-lessons-from-a-canadian-border-crossing/?utm- _source=The+Liberty+Crier&utm_campaign=ffc9e1a352-The_Liberty_Crier_Daily_News_9- _19_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_600843dec4-ffc9e1a352-285038393
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Funny, last month a friend went to visit Maine and at the last minute decided to go back home via Canada. Had a passport but not with her.

    So she goes to the border and customs has to run down her information and then lets her enter. Took about twenty minutes. Would have been longer (or maybe wouldn't have happened) if she didn't already have a passport floating around.

    Getting back into the States wasn't any hassle either.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think it is a crap shoot. When I rented a home in Rosarito beach 9 out of 10 crossings were straight through. The ones where they sent me to secondary were never less than 30 minutes and as long as 90 minutes. With Customs, INS and DEA all wandering around my truck. They treat US like second class citizens with their condescending questions. I never had anything to hide. Never brought more than the limit of booze. The hassle at the border was my main reason for not leasing a second year.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yeah, I got stuck at JFK coming back from Italy a few years back. Might have been worth it in the long run because apparently my name fell off the no-fly list after that. I was about ready to call Uncle Ted even though I no longer lived up north, but I think he'd already died by then.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    ".. We cruised in 90 minutes to ABQ this morning and found a great old cafe place across from the university that sold breakfast for me and an early lunch for her. ..."

    Would that be the Frontier cafe? It is a great student hangout and my wife and kids clamor to go there every time we are in Albuquerque. The other great place is El Pinto, a Mexican restaurant out on 4th street.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    That's the one. I was dubious since I prefer "table" service but it was terrific. Funny, our next door neighbor went to school there and doesn't remember it at all. But it looks like it's been there forever.

    I'll have to remember El Pinto for our next trip out!
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited October 2013
    Well, I sure bombed on keeping in touch during the trip! Internet access turned out to be much more sporadic than expected, so I just got used to not using the electronics. Five weeks later and really not in all that much of a hurry to start using them again!

    Summary:

    Left Fairbanks, Alaska at 0630 on 8/24, arrived at 1000 on 9/25.
    12,641 miles
    26.7 average fuel economy. Best was 30.03, worst was 24.9.
    $4.45 was the average price of fuel. I think we paid $6.50/gal as the highest (Beaver Creek, YT) and $3.14 as the lowest (Bend, OR)

    Had a blast. More later. I will say, though, that we did not stop by Sylvan Lake this time. I was tempted, but my wife decided it was too far off our intended path. Instead, we stayed at a place called Keyhole State Park in Wyoming that night. Nice place.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    There's nothing wrong with being 'off the grid' for a while.
    Can't remember, what did you drive? and what is 1000?
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Oh, sorry! 1000 (hours) is 10am arrival time. We drove our 2010 Subaru Forester. I need to upload a couple pics. Hahaha; we had that poor thing LOADED!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited October 2013
    Nice timing - you beat the shutdown and the snow in the upper Rockies. Funny that half your trip was just getting to "America" and back. :D
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Snow.... what?! I was a little disappointed that we didn't hit any snow at all. Still haven't seen any snow here, either. :-(
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A friend of mine is heading from Anchorage to Texas right now and he's got some deal on his Garmin. He has to reset it every 24 hours but his friends get an email when he does the reset that links to a "track and locate" page.

    I thought he was talking a long break in Tok - turns out he blew a plug but the chain saw dealer there got him going with a helicoil after losing half a day. He should be in Watson Lake this afternoon.

    Pretty fun checking in and living vicariously through his drive - sort of wish there was a webcam setup on his dash.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Yeah, technology is great, isn't it? Depending on what he was driving, it's much better that he blew the plug in Tok than further on down the road! But, it doesn't make for a very promising start either, does it?!

    I spent three days (!) in Watson Lake back in 1996 after having been towed nearly 65 miles from Boya Lake Provincial Park. My 1969 Ford Econoline dropped a rear wheel bearing. They had to bus the part up from Edmonton. :cry: Funny enough, my brake master cylinder had failed nearly a thousand miles earlier on that same trip, so I was driving pretty much sans brakes. I made it to Fairbanks, though! Ah, to be young and stupid.

    My tech had the brakes applied upon hitting Canada this time, unless I wanted to pay $20.00 per MB for data! Seriously.... that's extortion! I pay $10/GB now, so basically they're asking me to pay $20,000 per GB in Canada. Um.....no.... ? So, even if I had a dash cam, there wouldn't be any seeing it until many miles after the fact. LOL
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    He's driving a Ford too. :)

    I'll have to ask him about his data plan if he checks in on IM.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    So, the cell phone data plan he has covers the US and Canada and costs him ~$90 a month (ACS).

    We're off in ~10 days for another family run to TN, weather permitting. Had snow all day yesterday but it rained overnight. This may be a Subie trip just so we can get out of the UP.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Sounds like maybe I need to switch companies! I've been seriously thinking about it.....

    Snow, huh?! We haven't seen any of that yet this month. It's been phenomenally warm here, though it is finally starting to dip below freezing at night (yesterday and today). I'm going to actually have to provide water to the rabbits twice a day now. Hahahaha; normally I'm doing that a month earlier than now! :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,118
    No snow in Alaska yet we've had a couple of shots of snow in Colorado?

    Go figure.

    A couple of the ski resorts are already open.

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I guess a 2ish hour trip in moderate traffic on I-405 from LAX to Old Town San Diego, via lunch at Cody's in La Jolla (crabcake omelet) counts as a road trip. Must have been 100 California gray seals around the Seal Beach area, but far enough away from Cody's to avoid the aroma. Seeing A Christmas Carol tonight at the Cygnet and meeting a relation for dinner tomorrow night.

    Oh, the rental car is a 2014 Camaro convertible but we haven't had the top down yet.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    > 2014 Camaro convertible

    To me, that sounds great! I think the Camaro convertible in white look really great.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    How was the traffic in LaJolla? We used to go eat there a lot until the Chart house closed up. The Marine Room is nice, but over priced. We would go to LaJolla more if it was not such crazy traffic and parking. Was Cody's worth the price? I like to eat where I can see the ocean. Found a place in Oceanside that serves the biggest best Fish Taco on the planet. If you are going by Oceanside and get hungry, it is the Harbor Fish n Chips.

    Hope you enjoyed the play.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2013
    Traffic wasn't bad, and we scored a good parking spot right off the bat. Cody's was excellent (mine was a Benedict, not an omelet - my wife had the fish tacos). The play was well done. Good thing since if it had been a snoozer, I definitely would have been sawing logs. Eating Italian tonight somewhere in Little Italy. Go back on the diet tomorrow (Kyota Sushi was lunch today after touring the gardens at Balboa Park). Lovely weather.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    The Camaro outside the San Diego Automotive Museum.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    I could love that Camaro especially with the top down. Of course, here that will be a little cold.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    @imidazol97 said:
    Of course, here that will be a little cold.

    The two level heated seats worked great. :)

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    The two level heated seats worked great.

    Wait..... YOU drove that Camaro? I didn't know you were able to drive cars built in this millenium! Congrats! :p

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450

    Steve was driving the water truck. Someone parked that Camaro in front of him.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Break-up is happening fast here in the UP and the sun is back. It's really nice out. That means it's time to leave town. B)

    Heading for VA and TN to visit family in a couple of days, about 3,000 miles round trip in the van. That should get us within a couple of thousand miles of my magic 200k goal.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @Stever@Edmunds said: ...That should get us within a couple of thousand miles of my magic 200k goal.

    Like this?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Sweet. :-)

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,118

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    Break-up is happening fast here in the UP and the sun is back. It's really nice out. That means it's time to leave town. B)

    Heading for VA and TN to visit family in a couple of days, about 3,000 miles round trip in the van. That should get us within a couple of thousand miles of my magic 200k goal.

    Safe travels!

    We've got a road trip planned for the end of May - a week long trip to Sante Fe for some R&R. Just a few hundred miles each way.

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