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Road Trip!

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  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450

    On a road trip this week in Pacific Beach. About 35 miles from home. It is a beautiful 4 bedroom right on the boardwalk. Our friend always insists that we take the master bedroom on the third floor with wrap around glass overlooking the Pacific. Spring break so lots of college kids. Perfect 75 degree weather. No morning fog like in the Summer here.

    Our first major trip will be in June when we head to see the kids in Indiana. About a 5000 mile jaunt. Looking forward to the road with the Touareg TDI. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Over all mileage first 8200 miles is 26.8 MPG. I expect to break 30 MPG this trip. Do not miss flying at all. The Feds have ruined what used to be an enjoyable way to travel.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Haven't heard lately if the whales are still thick out there. Seems like there used to be a good used bookstore in an old theatre there but I may be confusing my beach towns. Spring Break already? Now I know why my brother went back home from Florida this week.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    About the 200,000.8 mi picture of my leSabre..., I wanted to get it at 200,000.0 but it slipped up on me.

    Road trip: at least you're getting out of MI before the next cold front with snow comes through in a couple of days.

    Spring break: is escaping the onslaught of youthful college revelers the reason I have been seeing lots of Ontario and Michigan plates heading up I-75 the last many days?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    Yeah, we're heading for Port Huron and looks like we'll be driving south into the snow. May not get there Wed. night. -edit- Lousy forecast so we're delaying a day.

    Gary, I think the bookstore was in Pacific Beach but my wife thinks it was in La Jolla. Probably not there anymore anyway.

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450

    Gary, I think the bookstore was in Pacific Beach but my wife thinks it was in La Jolla. Probably not there anymore anyway.

    There are several Book stores and thrift shops in PB. The ladies like to walk along Grand and Garnet wandering through the shops. Lots of restaurants. About 1 in 4 worth doing twice. Our favorite Thai place Narraya closed up. So looking for a new favorite. Lot of surfers out this morning.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @gagrice said:
    On a road trip this week in Pacific Beach. About 35 miles from home.

    Thirty five miles constitutes a road trip?!

    @gagrice said:
    About a 5000 mile jaunt.

    That's more like it!

    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

    I hate leaving my mountain top for more than a short drive to Costco. It has to be very special to go to San Diego or the Beach. A week in this place I consider worth fighting the traffic for.

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited March 2014

    So you don't think I am hallucinating for all you in winter weather. image

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @gagrice said:
    So you don't think I am hallucinating for all you in winter weather. image

    Posting pictures like that has to be against some rule on Edmunds. :grin

    It's up in the 50s and 60s here temporarily and I'm really having spring fever. The pictures are the last straw when I know 30 DEG is coming again tomorrow I believe. Temps drop all day ending in rain/snow mix.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Gary sure knows how to rub these things into wounds, doesn't he?!

    We're having pretty nice weather here, too. We hit 43 yesterday after starting at around zero, and temps to start today are ten degrees warmer than that. Highs today are calling for similar to yesterday (up into mid-30s, maybe 40). Not quite sunbathing weather, but getting real close!

    :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

    I would never stay in a place like this if I was paying the $550 plus per night. It belongs to a lady we went to High School with. The Family rents out 3 of the 4 BR units and keeps one just for family and friends. It is good being a friend. We are enjoying very nice weather here. If any of you hit the Lottery I highly recommend this place. Nice restaurants all in walking or bicycle distance. Surfing instructors by the dozens.

    http://www.bluewatervacationhomes.com/vacation-rental-home.asp?PageDataID=62284

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Wow, Gary. There's more furniture in each one of those photos than in my whole house! LOL

    Enjoy the high life! B)

    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

    Long day - 7 to 7 basically. Gotta start breaking these days up, but it's hard not to go all the way when you have a free house to stay at. Should have brought my snow shovel though; had to wade through 6" and a couple of little drifts to get to the front door! Port Huron is colder than the UP today too. Tomorrow is supposed to warm up though; will veg out and maybe hit Detroit Saturday before heading for Niagara Falls Sunday or Monday.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    Side trip to Detroit yesterday. Glad I got to see the art museum before there are any potential sales due to the bankruptcy (it sounds like they will take the museum private over a 10 year buyout period). The best part is the mural. Love the guy carrying the steering wheel assembly (click the pic to blow it up).

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    There's a lot of ice at the falls but I'm always a sucker for the lip. Note the thick layer of frozen spray on the fence at the bottom right. Also found Tonawandas, but didn't need gas so didn't hunt down any cops. :)

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Ok, one more. I think the American Falls are more impressive frozen over like this than the "main" falls.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    Ok, one more. I think the American Falls are more impressive frozen over like this than the "main" falls.

    WOW! Yeah, they are! Temps must have really been cold recently. I don't recall much ice buildup at all when I visited in December 2001. That visit was quite the change compared to us visiting this last September. Both were highly memorable experiences, though.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    Ok, one more. I think the American Falls are more impressive frozen over like this than the "main" falls.
    https://us.v-cdn.net/5021145/uploads/thumbnails/FileUpload/0b/c23f0e2ca91c9ef5e0b4159ef83406.jpg

    All this ice still makes me cold. I'm ready for Spring! Spring!!!

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Surprisingly good Thai food tonight in the pseudo-German town of Helen, in N. Georgia. This place had turned into Gatlinburg south but at least it's dead this time of year. Have to say the tent camping is still a bit cool, but Unicoi State Park is nice.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    N. Georgia. This place had turned into Gatlinburg south but at least it's dead this time of year.

    So that's where Gatlinburg went. It changed in the late 80's. It became a place of stores for tourists rather than artisans selling their work locally. We quit going into the town of Gatlinburg and just shopped and played in Pigeon Forge.

    Never been to Helen GA.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165

    "...tent camping is still a bit cool"

    You didn't get enough bivouac in the military?

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    Had a high number back in the day, so only my brother served. And he didn't have to go to Nam.

    Nice fire last night. Had a bit of damp starting around 3 am, but it cleared enough to break camp around 8ish without getting wet. Also got new pads and they are working well. Nice chair eh?

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    @imidazol97, the place for "Appalachian" artisans now may be the John C. Campbell Folk School. We happened to notice it on the map yesterday but had heard of it before, so we did a short detour to check it out. Turns out there was a weaving class this week taught by a Montana weaver that my wife has corresponded with and talked with on the phone. It was the last day of a week long class and the 8 or so students were happy to have us tour around and chitchat about their work. Great fun, and the campus is a big place with a whole lot of mountain arts kinds of classes and of course, a gift shop.

    It's great Miata country too; that Dragon road is sort of in the area, and there's a bunch of other similar curvy mountain drives that the biker and sport car crowd flock to.

    Heard from a neighbor that much of the UP got 6 inches of snow last night, so we're in no hurry to get home.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited March 2014

    You're living the dream, Steve! Great PR opportunities for your Edmunds chair, camping out under the stars, making use of your new pads (you are talking about sleeping pads, right?! :p), touring folk schools. My wife would be jealous, for sure, if I mentioned it to her. LOL

    Keep truckin'!

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    How can the rest of us get one of those Edmunds chairs I saw in the picture a few days back? Is there an Edmund's gift shop?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    @xwesx, yeah, sleeping pads. :p Thought of you tonight - my brother and his wife were reminiscing about Custer State Park.

    @imidazol97, we got those chairs about 6 or 8 years ago it seems as some holiday swag and the home office sent out new ones this last year (my old one fell apart long ago). They are similar to the ones you get at the big box stores, without the logo of course. Every once in a while someone talks about an Edmunds store, but other than a CafePress experiment (CarSpace mugs and tee, iirc), it never quite gets off the ground.

    The van is, ahem, in the shop 30 miles from here btw. Started missing and completely died on the way back to Chattanooga. Nice folks at the Ocoee Dam Deli & Diner got us hooked up with a tow and mechanic. Never a dull moment trying mightily to get to 200k (and stay married, LOL).

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    The van is, ahem, in the shop 30 miles from here btw. Started missing and completely died on the way back to Chattanooga. Nice folks at the Ocoee Dam Deli & Diner got us hooked up with a tow and mechanic. Never a dull moment trying mightily to get to 200k (and stay married, LOL).

    Sorry to hear about your van acting up.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    Just adds to the adventure. B)

    Seriously, it did die in a pretty good spot, and my brother is coming to the UP next month so we can return the mooching. My brother usually has a spare pickup around we could drive around, but his kid with the Avalanche has his truck in the shop so he's using the pickup. Some leak they haven't figured out yet. That rig is up to 300k so I think at least one nephew is taking after me.

    [edit - mechanic said it cranked right up just now so a clogged cat is the current guess, pending getting it on the lift.]

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    Just adds to the adventure. B)

    Seriously, it did die in a pretty good spot, and my brother is coming to the UP next month so we can return the mooching. My brother usually has a spare pickup around we could drive around, but his kid with the Avalanche has his truck in the shop so he's using the pickup. Some leak they haven't figured out yet. That rig is up to 300k so I think at least one nephew is taking after me.

    [edit - mechanic said it cranked right up just now so a clogged cat is the current guess, pending getting it on the lift.]

    I am not into that kind of adventure. I prefer driving something under warranty when more than 30 miles from home. I would dump the Lexus with only 107K miles if the wife would let me. I have only had one breakdown and one time out of gas in the last 40 years and that is two too many.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097

    I'll give you a grand for the old gas guzzling Lexus right now :)

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    Just adds to the adventure. B)

    You'll make your 200K, Steve! We broke 200K on our 98 Dodge GC on our 2009 trip (that's the trip on which we snubbed you and Brenda due to our funky gastrointestinal illnesses), but, in retrospect, it was a near thing because it started "acting up" on us within a few weeks of returning home. My wife quickly lost faith in it and we had the Forester before the end of September.

    Custer State Park.... beautiful area! Let the reminiscing begin! Perhaps not the best part, but that's certainly one of the finer parts of aging. B)

    Thanks for the updates, BTW. You may live vicariously through the CCBA crew when it comes to new cars, but you certainly return the favor with traveling.

    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

    Really should have pulled off the interstate for a day. Every time we cruise past Cincinnati, as we just did, it looks inviting. Just passed an IKEA (and can easily pass those up), and I stocked up on jam and chow-chow in Chattanooga, so I guess we won't search out that Jungle Jim's supermarket this trip either.

    My brother wants to drive to Alaska this summer but plans to pass up FBX or I'd send him your way. We had to beg off on that trip; just too much on the plate, including a class my wife wants to go to in Rhode Island in July when I'm supposed to be in LA. But we may be house-sitting in Taos around then so who knows.

    What's funny is that we're doing a three week trip this time and stopped one night at a motel and got in two nights camping. Otherwise we've been crashing at relatives.

    297,800 and counting. :-)

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    @Stever@Edmunds said:

    297,800 and counting. :-)

    !!!! That's a weekend outing! :D

    It seems many folks are passing up the Interior portion of trips to Alaska. I'm not sure your brother appreciates the effect his decision has on our local economy. Nevertheless, being the gracious person I am, I hope he has a stellar trip for the memory books! :p

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    edited March 2014

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    297,800 and counting. :-)

    Are you aiming for 200,000 mi? If so you already made it if you odometer reading is right.
    You're pushing 300,000 mi which has to be a milestone. :grinning::wink:

    I just found all these popup smileys when I do my usual :grin. When I type ":", then a letter, a popup menu offers smileys!!! :dizzy_face: But some don't work.

    :cry:

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2014

    lol, I'm a bit fried from driving; got to 198k today. Told my wife as we were passing through your area that I really should email a forum friend, do a meet and greet and drop off my chair. But I'm not quite ready to part with it. :-)

    @Xwesx, we watched the HGTV show on moving to Alaska the other night and some "Brady Bunch" family was moving from coastal NC to Fairbanks. During one of the commercial breaks, one guy (the mayor?), came on and said you really haven't seen Alaska until you've seen Fairbanks. But my brother and his wife are only allotting six weeks for the trip, including drive time, and Denali may be as far up the road as they get (unless they see a bear on the way to Dawson Creek, in which case my sister-in-law will make them turn around and go home).

    The van started acting up a half hour from our friend's house, so we talked to the neighbor and got a mechanic recommendation. Going to try to get it fixed "right" this time. Something is clogging up the cats and/or mufflers we think and trying to shut it down.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited April 2014

    Ah, much worry about not much. The EGR wire had worked lose and the gas buildup over time was making the van miss a bit. Exhaust is fine. Tech rehooked it, cleared the code and gave it a long test drive for $20. Going to try to drive it around town today and try to break it - good diner we know of up the road in a little spot called Lexington that'll get the engine good and hot on the drive up and back.

    Fun chat at the muffler shop this morning with a Canadian woman who crosses the bridge from Sarnia for most of her shopping. Gas prices are killing them (~$5 a gallon) so they are going to sell their '08 Edge soon and get a "car". She did note that US prices weren't all that hot either. Regular is $3.75 in Port Huron (it always seems to be at least a dime higher than the rest of the Detroit/Flint area. Sarnia is a big petro area with at least one refinery but that doesn't help their gas prices.

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132

    @steve: do a meet and greet and drop off my chair. But I'm not quite ready to part with it. :-)

    :grinning: I'll keep watching to get one!

    The shirt that I received from the Spotlight a few months back was fun to wear through the summer cruisins. It's a little large on me, but I wore it to several car shows. I never was approached by anyone asking about the Edmunds logo; we're a little backwards here in the Midwest. But I was asked if I knew where a person running that car cruise was; he thought I was part of the management group. This was at the newly built, relocated Buick store in Fairfield down in GraphicGuy's area . White tile everywhere. Clean. Even the tech writer's area was white IIRC. At Two other shows I was asked questions by folks thinking I was part of the operators. I now understand there's a mantle of responsibility that goes with wearing the Edmunds logo. I was polite and responsive.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    I wore my Edmunds ballcap to the Detroit auto show a couple of years ago but no vendors appeared to have noticed (or were too polite to say anything :) ).

    My auto mug is about worn out; time to drop some hints about redoing that swag.

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,156

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    I wore my Edmunds ballcap to the Detroit auto show a couple of years ago but no vendors appeared to have noticed (or were too polite to say anything :) ).

    My auto mug is about worn out; time to drop some hints about redoing that swag.

    Steve, I presume you made it home - eventually.

    Any other road trips being planned by anyone watching this thread?

    I've got one to Santa Fe set for the end of May, and the daughter will be taking her new MINI to Salt Lake City in mid-June to attend a concert with friends.

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Yeah, luckily we had a free house to crash in at Port Huron. After the EGR wire was reconnected it ran fine for half a day and the started acting up again. Four local mechanics couldn't get a code (no CEL) so I wound up towing it 45 miles to the closest Nissan dealer. They were able to get a code (fancy Nissan scanner?) and replaced the distributor. So far so good, but my wife no longer trusts it. :'(

    So, NM was in the plans for early May, but our cat is sick and needs daily meds. Will see the vet again Thursday, but it may be too much to ask of our cat "feeder" to pill him. Might board him at the vet and go anyway. Or may just go to Iowa for a short trip (and shop cars along the way).

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited April 2014

    @Stever@Edmunds said:
    So far so good, but my wife no longer trusts it.

    Yeah, I know how that goes... I just (last week) paid off the car in our driveway that resulted from the last time that happened!

    I took a quick jaunt down to Palmer and back (700mi RT) last weekend. I drove the Fiesta - the solo adult with my two children; does that count as a road trip? :D

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,156

    @xwesx said:
    I took a quick jaunt down to Palmer and back (700mi RT) last weekend. I drove the Fiesta - the solo adult with my two children; does that count as a road trip? :D

    I would say yes with those distances. Heck, our trip to Santa Fe will be not much more than that - 365 miles each way.

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  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165

    Are you cutting down through the back roads and Taos on one of the ways? Pretty drive.

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,156

    @berri said:
    Are you cutting down through the back roads and Taos on one of the ways? Pretty drive.

    Haven't done that yet - we stick to I-25 since it's faster. I may try to convince the wife to take the scenic route home.

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited April 2014

    Our houseguest hopes to drive to Minneapolis today, around 350 miles.

    I just shoveled 8" of snow out of the driveway; that way his rental Kia Rio will get stuck in the alley instead of the driveway. ;) Lots of snow but it's warmish (29°) and the plows have been out in town for an hour now. Will be a slow slog until he gets south of Duluth.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762

    Hah! Temps in the 50s the last couple of days here! Though, it is getting down to about 30 at night. Mildest winter ever in Fairbanks this year; I'm glad we could share some of our lovely arctic weather with you folks. :p

    Hehehehe....

    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

    The fresh snow is melting fast here. The old stuff will hang around for a while though.

    And while I was composing that last post, he did indeed get stuck in the alley. He was a bit too tentative and didn't blast through the "berm" left by the plow. Didn't get high centered but spun enough to ice down the patch under the tires, and tried to move while turning the wheels. All stuff that's second nature to snow country drivers.

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256

    Thought Spring was here, but had to put the heat back on, hopefully for the last time until next Fall.
    I've been waiting for Spring to break out the Beach Boys Greatest Hits I bought at the R&R HOF on my last road trip, in February.
    Decided to play it today anyway. The darn thing is a bootleg version. Doesn't display artist or song title. just 'unknown artist' and track #.
    It does sound ok.

    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • nancylongnancylong Member Posts: 6

    Really joyful moment that was for you but also your discussion about the price rising is important issue. However it is not affecting only road trips but also affecting day to day aspect of every individual. Gone are the days when we only think about the celebration and enjoyment with friends and family now it is the time to think about the budget first of all before planning celebration.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Methinks someone is using the forums to practice their ESL. :)

    But those days aren't gone. I remember scraping dollars up and living off groceries from home on those 70s road trips. Often I'd drive from one end of a town to another looking for the cheap gas, and this was when gas was 29.9. But you went anyway.

    Found a 1989 calendar the other day where we spent the summer on the road. My last trip note said we'd spend $6,600 for 3 months. The Caravan would have been new then.

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