Off on a long trip

[captsteve2002]

Well today I'm off on a 7,000 mile trip from AZ. to Maine then down the east coast to Miami then back to AZ. The first part of the trip It will be just the dog and me, then my wife will join me for the trip down the east coast and return to AZ. I'm a bit unsure about the weather along highway 40 going east, but will keep a close eye on what is happening. I will write updates as we travel.

[keekers]

Safe and happy travels Steve.

[cpaharley2008]

You can download weather app's to your smart phone and carry a weather radio for warnings.

[reetired]

I believe 511 ...will also tell you road conditions. Pick the route, can be done by exits.

Safe travels

[captsteve2002]

Well I have now driven a bit more than 2,200 miles in four very lonnnngg days. I'm now visiting a friend in Afton, VA. and will stay here for a week. In the next day or so I will post what my fuel usage was for each leg of the trip. I know I was surprised at many leg that I got over 15 mpg. and on one leg got a bit over 17mpg. Yes I came straight through, missed a number of great sights, but needed to get here to spend some time before going to Mass., and Maine next week. I will spend some time enjoying that part of the trip. Then my wife will join me in mid May, and we will have a leisure trip down the east coast to Miami, before heading home to AZ.

So far both the trailer and truck have run without any problems. I was having a heat problem with the wheel bearing on the driver side and found that it was too tight and one of the balls was seized in the holder. Replaced the bearing, repacked the wheel as well as the other one and now my temps are always below 95 degs. I still check them often and look for problems before they are major problems.

[NEWFISHER]

Sounds like a great journey ( I think of a trip being a week or so) and thanks for checking back in. Its exciting reading through the posts of your travels while living vicariously through you.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Sounds like a great journey ( I think of a trip being a week or so) and thanks for checking back in. Its exciting reading through the posts of your travels while living vicariously through you.

Jon posted exactly right! So many of us live vicariously by others travels. Please post pics when you can...

And may your wheel bearings stay cool!

[captsteve2002]

Here is some mileage data on my travels. I drive a 2006 Chevy 1500. six cylinder, and started the trip with 154, 472 miles on the truck.

Day 1: Drove from Prescott, AZ. to Albuquerque, NM distance of 430.2 miles.I averaged 15.562 mpg for the whole day and got a high of 17.779 mpg for the leg from Jamestown to Albuquerque

Day 2: Drove from Albuquerque to Prague, OK. a distance of 551.1miles. I averaged 14.481mpg for the day and my high was14.847mpg from Amarillo to Sayre, OK.

Day 3: Drove from Prague, OK to Lebanon, TN. a distance of 674.1 miles. I averaged 16.092 mpg with a high of 16. 218mpg from Webber Falls, OK to West Little Rock, AR.

Day4: drove from Lebanon, TN to Staunton, VA a distance of 486.1 miles. Average for this day was 15.427 mpg with a high of 16.41mpg from Wytheville, VA to Staunton, VA

For the whole trip I average 15.390 mpg. It seemed that I got a lot less when the wind was dead ahead, but I was surprised that my MPG didn't drop a lot with hills. The truck never had to work to hard to keep up a the speed of around 60 mph.

I hope this helps those of you thinking about a trip and trying to figure what type of mileage you might make. I got better mileage than expected

[Borrego Dave]

Steve with the storms going through the country now I would have thought you would have had a pretty good tail wind. What kind of mpg do you get without the trailer and your motor size? I've got an '02 Ranger with a 4L v6, auto trans and have been getting 17 mpg pretty much steady towing a SD 17. Haven't had any real headwinds yet, just sidewinds. Glad you didn't get into any toranados.

[papa-t]

Safe travels Steve

[reeves99]

Steve,
Glad the trip is going well so far. 500+ miles per day is pretty gruelling!
Where did you end up "camping" on your way? Rest stops? Campgrounds?
Phil

[captsteve2002]

My trip was gruelling driving the number of miles that I drove daily. I did stop at campgrounds on the way and can recommend the the High Desert RV Resort on the top of the hill, west side of Albuquerque, NM. Very clean and someone is in the office until 8PM. I arrived a few minutes before 8 and they explained everything to me. A bit noisy as it is near the freeway, but by the time i got there was so tired it didn't matter.

I did watch the weather very closely, and the winds in OK and AR were mostly from ahead. The wind did change to the side then slightly behind me. My mileage was as report even with the wind.

My truck is a 4.2 Lt., V-6, 196hp, with 154,472 miles when I left. I normally get about 19 mpg or a bit better highway driving, so am very happy with 15+ mpg towing the Scamp 5er.

[carlkeigley]

I'd say that was pretty good pulling a 5er.
My Tacoma six got about 16 average towing.
Between 18 to 20 not towing.

[accrete]

Sounds like a good start to your adventure Steve. I can imagine the ~500 miles a day towing could be "grueling". Cari & i haven't ventured out that far away from home yet with the Parkliner, but one of these days!

Here's to hoping the second and third legs of your venture will be full of good sights and good times.

Thom

[captsteve2002]

Right now I'm helping a good friend work on his property in VA., with 16 acres there will always be lots to do. We are also building a Ginny Coo[\p for a new generator that he purchased, for thoise days that the power goes out; frequent here in the country.

Will not take the trailer up to New England as I have to make long mileage on a couple of days, and not sure about towing on all the narrow roads. I will be traveling for only a couple of days, staying with friends, so it won't be to bad. When I get back to VA. I will pick up the trailer and head south. First to pick up my wife in N.C. the on to S.C. and then taking our time down the East Coast to Miami. So there is a lot more to come, and I will keep people updated.

[captsteve2002]

We have been having a great time visiting friends and staying State and County parks along the East Coast. Many beautiful places to visit, and we will be back to see many places that we don't have time for on this trip. We have toured some of the parks that we would like to return to visit.

We are now in Jacksonville, visiting friends, and will leave here Monday to go to Hutchington SP near Tampa. We will be there a couple of days before heading to the Miami. Not sure where we will stay when we are there, but are going for a wedding.

The truck and trailer have performed without a fault. Very glad that I checked and serviced things before we got underway. I think doing the work in advance and not having surprised along the way is a much better way to go.

After Miami I will be headed to San Antonio, to check in with friends and our accountant, then we will drive back to Prescott, AZ. When we get home we will have completed about 8,000 miles. I will report on gas mileage, the parks we visited, and other things that we found during our 7 weeks on the road. Yes we have covered a lot of miles in a short time, but that is life.