- Thread starter
- #21
jackfit
Well-known member
Trip across USA
Hi Ron,
As you have pointed out, How am I going to do it. Well , I am backpacking across America, I just happen to have a corvette for transportation. I have spent the last year (4 years) , rebuilding the car. Engine rebuild, suspension (trailing arms, springs , bushings, bearing, etc ) with less than 6,000 miles on it, new tires for trip, all running gear, in good shape , cruise control, new Dewitts rad. Real hoses, clamps, etc. New belts, spares, lots of places to stay over at.
I am developing a soft canvas luggage rack (bag ) to attach to back deck of car. Spare tire carrier will be used for tent and other supplies. (fix flat can )
Two shirts, pants, shorts, very little unnecessary stuff. It was to be a very low key, personal journey, it has grown a bit and that is why I am starting now to plan how to do it. I assume changes in route will occur. My needs are very minimal (easy to say in my warm house now ) but that is how I am approaching the trip, I have been to most major cities, and tourist attractions are not high on my list. Out of the way camp grounds and rural routes when possible. I have a very good Garmin GPS, and as we proceed with input , I will know more of what is possible. Your help is really appreciated.
I have an old version of Street Maps, and my Garmin has computer sync and additional maps to down load or modify. I will have my laptop etc.
So, I am trying to keep calm, and will continue to look at every inch of space in my car for storage, and to keep remembering that this is a fun trip, lots of places to see, people to meet, and in a way, share an experience that I dreamed of 37 years ago at age 25, with the same car, just an older body (mine) and car's, and the same enthusiasm or more than when I was 25. ( I keep telling myself that) my wife is great, she keeps saying, "Great Dear, have a good time, call when you can, and make sure your insurance is paid up" (life) .
I hope you keep thinking of all the possible trouble I may get into, otherwise I would stay in denial of the discomforts that may arise. I am depending on the help of members, to keep the car going , minor stuff. I hope no major failures.
Jack
I would suggest that you buy a program like Streets & Trips and experiment with your route. The program has the ability built in to select different roads for different segments of the trip (i.e., scenic route, fastest route, etc) as well as being able to drag the trip route to a specific road if that doesn’t happen to be the road selected by the program. In addition, you can see camp grounds, etc along the way. And, you can plug in specific locations by address and it will route you directly to that spot – like a GPS System. Streets & Trips runs about $39 and they have a more expensive version that includes a GPS receiver.
I changed the fuel portion of my map to 14.5 MPG and bumped the cost up to $2.95 for an average price for Hi Test and that makes fuel costs $2,786 and assuming 4 oil changes at $25 each – you are in your fuel window.
Campgrounds will probably run you about $25 a night – perhaps a bit less for tent camping – but not much less. Food, unless you can cook at your campsite – or you stick to a fast food place – it is probably hard to get buy on less than $20 @ day.
You will want to take in some tourist sites along the way – so make sure you route through places like Yellow Stone, the “Big Ditch,” the Redwood Forests, etc. Also, there are some great museums – Bowling Green, KY, The Cord, Auburn, Duisenberg museum in Auburn, IN just to name a couple.
And – I hate to say it- but you need to plug in some repair money – if nothing else, you are bound to get at least one flat tire. You, also, need a little tool kit with a spare fan belt and I would make sure that you have new heater and radiator hoses on the car for departure. And not those nice NCRS quality New, Old Stock hoses. You want something that will stand up on the trip – two years ago, we went to the West Coast and it was June – we had 117 degree temperatures in Mesa, AZ and it was 107 degrees at 7,000 feet at the lip of the Grand Canyon and then we drove through snow on some of the mountain passes. So, be prepared, I don’t know how you are gonna get everything you need for a 3 month trip in that 2nd generation car.
Hi Ron,
As you have pointed out, How am I going to do it. Well , I am backpacking across America, I just happen to have a corvette for transportation. I have spent the last year (4 years) , rebuilding the car. Engine rebuild, suspension (trailing arms, springs , bushings, bearing, etc ) with less than 6,000 miles on it, new tires for trip, all running gear, in good shape , cruise control, new Dewitts rad. Real hoses, clamps, etc. New belts, spares, lots of places to stay over at.
I am developing a soft canvas luggage rack (bag ) to attach to back deck of car. Spare tire carrier will be used for tent and other supplies. (fix flat can )
Two shirts, pants, shorts, very little unnecessary stuff. It was to be a very low key, personal journey, it has grown a bit and that is why I am starting now to plan how to do it. I assume changes in route will occur. My needs are very minimal (easy to say in my warm house now ) but that is how I am approaching the trip, I have been to most major cities, and tourist attractions are not high on my list. Out of the way camp grounds and rural routes when possible. I have a very good Garmin GPS, and as we proceed with input , I will know more of what is possible. Your help is really appreciated.
I have an old version of Street Maps, and my Garmin has computer sync and additional maps to down load or modify. I will have my laptop etc.
So, I am trying to keep calm, and will continue to look at every inch of space in my car for storage, and to keep remembering that this is a fun trip, lots of places to see, people to meet, and in a way, share an experience that I dreamed of 37 years ago at age 25, with the same car, just an older body (mine) and car's, and the same enthusiasm or more than when I was 25. ( I keep telling myself that) my wife is great, she keeps saying, "Great Dear, have a good time, call when you can, and make sure your insurance is paid up" (life) .
I hope you keep thinking of all the possible trouble I may get into, otherwise I would stay in denial of the discomforts that may arise. I am depending on the help of members, to keep the car going , minor stuff. I hope no major failures.
Jack