Roadtrip!! (and shipping offer for GRMers)

So I bought Mental's 78 Colony Park wagon. How could I not? I'll be flying out to OKC Nov 8th and departing the morning of the 9th back to NJ.

The "safe" plan is 8 hour days so that would give me stops in St Louis and Columbus (I have friends to visit in Columbus anyway) The less safe plan would be 16 hours straight to Columbus and then home the next day. I'll probably play it by ear but I'm leaning toward the 8 hour days so I can just enjoy the trip. I could use the adventure :)

So anyway I'll have this cavernous station wagon heading from OK to NJ, if anyone needs something moved along those general paths and is willing to meet me on the route (or isnt too far off the route) and it will fit in the wagon let me know. Happy to move some things to offset the fuel cost and add to the adventure.

So while we're on the subject. I'm no stranger to roadtripping thanks to years of BABE rally but any advice for the long solo haul is appreciated. Especially any points of interest to see along the way.

The car seems to be in good shape so I'll give it a good going over when I get out there and I've allotted time to do some travel prep. Radio is dead so Im wiring in some extra 12v ports to run iPod, speakers and GPS unit. Ideally I'd take the BABE boombox which is just a big speaker box with an amp screwed to it, just hook up power and plug iPod into the amp. But its too big to be carry on for the flight and probably cost prohibitive to ship out there. Same goes for tools, it will probably just be cheaper and easier to buy a $30 kit from the local FLAPS, that should cover any emergency needs.

Crank the iPhone......

Holiday Road http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1hPZFUz0YOY

Cars Theme http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsmRuRp4cM

Buddy Guy - Sweet Home Chicago http://youtu.be/xuRhaDrnlWo

Datsun310Guy wrote: Crank the iPhone...... Holiday Road http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1hPZFUz0YOY Cars Theme http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsmRuRp4cM Buddy Guy - Sweet Home Chicago http://youtu.be/xuRhaDrnlWo

I have a great (but eclectic) roadtrip mix that helped me survive the 18 hour stint in the Wartburg. I just need to get some kind of speaker setup.

Congratulations Jim. When you get get bored with it let me know.

Seriously.

Light snacks and no "real" meals until later in the day. Being hungry helps my nervous system stay on edge, and thus, not sleepy.

I did almost the exact same roadtrip but in reverse 3 years to bring home a 318is. Newark to Tulsa. Friday the guys at GutenParts threw me a nice little party and got me good and drunk.

I drove Newark to St. Louis on Saturday 9am to about 11pm, crashed, drove to Tulsa on Sunday morning. I considered going straight through, but the few hours of nothing into St. Louis really wiped me out, so I thought better of downing another huge can of red bull and continuing.

Unfortunately with you starting your journey Friday morning, you'll roll through Tulsa long before I could buy you dinner/beer.

But have a safe trip!

HappyAndy wrote: Congratulations Jim. When you get get bored with it let me know. Seriously.

As I mentioned in the sale thread, I really just consider my stint with the car as temporary caretaker of Mrs Mental's car. I know she loves this thing so maybe I can have some fun with it and fix it up and when it comes time to move on she can have it back in better shape than it started. Of course if she's not ready for it at that time GRM will get the notice :)

z31maniac wrote: Light snacks and no "real" meals until later in the day. Being hungry helps my nervous system stay on edge, and thus, not sleepy. I did almost the exact same roadtrip but in reverse 3 years to bring home a 318is. Newark to Tulsa. Friday the guys at GutenParts threw me a nice little party and got me good and drunk. I drove Newark to St. Louis on Saturday 9am to about 11pm, crashed, drove to Tulsa on Sunday morning. I considered going straight through, but the few hours of nothing into St. Louis really wiped me out, so I thought better of downing another huge can of red bull and continuing. Unfortunately with you starting your journey Friday morning, you'll roll through Tulsa long before I could buy you dinner/beer. But have a safe trip!

Good point on the food, I definitely suffer from food coma so I'll keep it light.

Yeah part of me just wants to power through it and part of me says hey, enjoy the drive and the adventure. This is a part of the country I haven't been through before so I might as well take my time and have a little fun. Its been a pretty stressful year at work and I have use or loose vaca time so Im not scheduled to be back to the office until tuesday, just in case something goes wrong and side tracks me.

You can pick up a cheap mattress and take naps in the back.

Check out some route 66 on the way!

Datsun310Guy wrote: You can pick up a cheap mattress and take naps in the back.

The thought has crossed my mind. I have a place to crash in Ohio, with an old AF buddy of mine. But if I drive straight to his place I'm looking at getting there at midnight. If I stop for naps it gets even later. Really just going to play it by ear and try to enjoy the trip.

Mental is in okc? I'll be in Norman for work 4-11th

I drove straight from Tulsa to Columbus (well an hour north) last weekend in 16 hours or so. It wasn't much fun in a Miata with a race seat but it would be totally fine in a luxury land yacht.

Although if I didn't have to make it back so soon I would have liked to check out some of the things between OK and St. Louis.

EvanB wrote: I drove straight from Tulsa to Columbus (well an hour north) last weekend in 16 hours or so. It wasn't much fun in a Miata with a race seat but it would be totally fine in a luxury land yacht. Although if I didn't have to make it back so soon I would have liked to check out some of the things between OK and St. Louis.

That's kind of my thinking, Im in no rush to get back, I've left myself 4 days (one extra in case of breakdown) so I dont think I want to slug on behind the wheel but rather enjoy the trip.

I don't know of anything really awesome between Tulsa and Ohio but if you haven't been to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, it's worth a stop. It's free to get in and it's only about 15 minutes off your route. There's some really cool stuff to see. It's about an hour before you get to Columbus. Address:

1100 Spaatz Street Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433

There's too much to see in a quick stop but at least you can dash through a couple areas. They have an XB70 but it's not in the main display area, it's on base, so you have to take a shuttle to it. That probably wouldn't fit into your schedule.

Actually I wonder if some of the other Ohio GRM peeps would want to make it into a meetup?

From OKC to outside St. Louis there is a bunch of Rt 66 type stuff if he wants to stay off I-44, or occasionally take a side trip.

Packing up and flying out in the morning.

Right now my transport duties include a disassembled motorcycle and 3 yorkies.

Might have room for some other things if anyone needs transport along the route. Right now I'm planning a 3 day trip with stops in St Louis (friday) and Columbus, Oh (saturday)

If the energy strikes me I may do 2 days in which case I'd be stopping in either Indianpolis or Louisville, KY for the night on friday (still debating which route would be more interesting)

I am in Pittsburgh, so if you need any emergency road-maintenance assistance in the vicinity, shoot me an e-mail. I am not against changing wheel bearings or a head gasket on the side of I-80 or I-76.

pinchvalve wrote: I am in Pittsburgh, so if you need any emergency road-maintenance assistance in the vicinity, shoot me an e-mail. I am not against changing wheel bearings or a head gasket on the side of I-80 or I-76.

Much thanks, I will keep that in mind. I have a lot of family in that area but I doubt any of them even own tools. :)

I did the reverse of that trip with a 24 foot penske truck towing a 12 foot Uhaul trailer when I moved a friend from NJ to OK.. I found everything from ohio south to be VERY boring.. at least until we hit St Louis.

Woo! I'll email you my phone number in case you don't have it any more. You can check out my oversupply of derelicts at the moment..

Feel like a beer in St Louis, let me know.

I 70 is under construction at the Missouri River. That may hold you up, so keep an eye out. You'll be going through Saint Charles County where apparently they just passed a law stating your dog must be buckled up. No, not kidding.

Happy trails.

N Sperlo wrote: Feel like a beer in St Louis, let me know. I 70 is under construction at the Missouri River. That may hold you up, so keep an eye out. You'll be going through Saint Charles County where apparently they just passed a law stating your dog must be buckled up. No, not kidding. Happy trails.

Excellent I will keep that in mind. I wish I could give people firmer schedules but Im really just trying to enjoy the drive and see where I get to each day.

Technically NJ has the same law but it's worded so poorly as to be nonenforceable. But the critters will be traveling in a crate so that should satisfy the law. Not sure I could properly focus on the drive with 3 fuzzballs crawling on me.

The wife says she feels like she'd be able to make the trip through St. Louis this weekend. (She had her gall bladder removed last thursday.)

I'm planning to head out after work friday morning (we'll see how that works out!). We might be able to intercept you in the 'Lou but, if not, happy trails and enjoy the road! We'll be in the Burban with tools if the need arises.

I did a quick search but i was unable to find the overall length of that behemoth. I wonder if it's longer than the Burban?

In reply to JThw8:

They want crates buckled in. Although I'm pretty sure the law doesn't start until next year....

And Jed, if the wife is up for it, hit me up. Same thing. Grab a beer. Hope shes doing well.

Mid-Nov/Early Dec - two full closures of I-70 for bridge blasts. Both directions of I-70 closed for up to one hour. (dates/times to be determined)

Looks like you'll be fine.