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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Epic road trip ideas?

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Nov. 2, 2009 2:58 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

Just need some advice on the route:

The car is a 1971 Dodge Demon: it gets about 25 miles per gallon at good cruising speed

2) I have time but not too much money, So I will camp mostly...

3) I have to hit Joplin, Mo because my Mom lives there

4) Need to hit the Grand Canyon, never been there (Main goal)

5) Should have at least one guy to share the driving duties

6) Stock Solid State Am radio but will probably add a cb for insurance

7) Would not mind going through Denver...if its a nice drive

8) I have gone the south route once before (all the way to Mexico)... not bad but would probably loathe the flatlands of Nebraska or Ok...

9) The trip will be the adventure not the destination...

Any tips or ideas are much appreciated and this should take place about the last two weeks of august (ish)
Nov. 2, 2009 3:27 p.m. JetMech New Reader

valiant171 wrote:

The car is a 1971 Dodge Demon: it gets about 25 miles per gallon at good cruising speed

Overdrive trans?

Your route looks pretty good, and so does your timing. Definitely not a trip I'd want to make in winter.
Nov. 2, 2009 3:30 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

sorry just a sweet running 318 with a 2.94 posi rear and some tall tires... and thanks I really want to hit yellowstone too... but the "canyon" trumps that
Nov. 2, 2009 3:38 p.m. ckosacranoid HalfDork

+1 to adding a cd player or so with a ipod setup with the addtion of lots of songs to add to the player. sounds like it could be really fun. stops along the way......have to hit a couple of junky yards along the way with come really cool pics. lots of memory cards for the camra and evtra batterys and mey be even some way to add video at times. it sounds like it could be very cool for a trip though, you will have think about having some way to update from the road also on here and keep a running idea of whats going on along the way also.

silly idea since you have year to plan the trip, how about raising money for a local chairty and get poeple to pledge money and get them to pleadge more to visit places along the way....as long as you are paying for the trip why not make something of it and heck i pitch in a couple of bucks for the idea if you do it.
Nov. 2, 2009 3:38 p.m. JetMech New Reader

Well, a really high rear-end was my second guess.

And how 'bout Yosemite? I live an hour and a half away and have never visited.
Nov. 2, 2009 3:43 p.m. ddavidv UltraDork

If you want good ideas, browse the ADVrider trip report forums. There's a really great one titled "Poor Man Uraling the US" or something similar. Lots of awesome photos of places you may want to include.
Nov. 2, 2009 3:46 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

In reply to ckosacranoid:

Two words....VIS CER AL:) I want to be one with the machine a la' vanishing point or two lane black top.... and I am posing a "booze cruise" for als nest summer that hits 4 awesome breweries in the area....
Nov. 2, 2009 3:47 p.m. jrw1621 Dork

For inspiration, head over to www.advrider.com and read through the ride report section. These are motorcycle trips but they are typically adventures and they are often done "on the cheap" by camping with only what you can bring on a motorcycle.

My suggestion for the car interior is satellite radio. It works even in remote spaces where traditional radio can get pretty limited.

Joplin and Grand Canyon are mentioned but you fail to inform us of your starting location.

Edit: David beat me to it by minutes but he is right. I suggest reading Vermin's trip to San Diego
Nov. 2, 2009 3:56 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

hmmm I will take a look at it but I will be starting very near minneapolis, st paul...that I cant change and it has been 2 years since I have seen my mom so I guess I have to go to Joplin, Mo, trust me that place sucks! Hell they dont even have curb and gutter... no offense... Oh and for this I am thinking of a "cattle catcher for a muscle car" not a la the General Lee but more like what you would find on a new Ford ranger... I know this is bad but I plan on some sections averaging over the speed limit... I kind of want to do the "vanishing point" run but that is too much... I am looking for an adventure, and the car is well built... and I will be calling on you members later for this ride and plan on a doc like SKIERD did...
Nov. 2, 2009 4:05 p.m. sachilles Reader

Go a bit more east and go down the blue ridge parkway/tail of the dragon etc. Then go west through Tennessee to meet up with your original route.
Nov. 2, 2009 4:06 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

In reply to valiant171:

And if anyone wants to "convoy" I would love that and some great benefits could be had for the charities....
Nov. 2, 2009 4:07 p.m. sachilles Reader

I would also alter the route to either go through Glacier National park (if the going to the sun road is open, which is June or so)or yellowstone/grand titon national park.

I've done several road trips with the wife, and it is definitely money well spent to go to the book store and pick up one of the road trip books, as they have all the sites worth seeing.
Nov. 2, 2009 4:09 p.m. jrw1621 Dork

We do not give you these ride reports so that you can follow the rider's route, we give them to you so you can follow their style.

ddavidv's recommendation:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=454177&highlight=Uraling

my recommendation:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265019&highlight=vermin
Nov. 2, 2009 4:14 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

^^^^ and that is why I am here asking questions, would like to hit Glacier but rather save some miles on a 45 year old car (sure its all rebuild but hey its still 45 years old) and hit Yellowstone
Nov. 2, 2009 4:16 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

In reply to sachilles:

And boy for me in that old of a car that is a bit of a haul, maybe another 1k round trip....
Nov. 2, 2009 4:18 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

I just wanted to throw this out, not as a teaser, but just some ideas... and great thank you, I guess I will have to do a bit more research and listen to use guys and girls a bit more
Nov. 2, 2009 4:20 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork

How interested in history are you? There are several sites on or near your route.

The easiest one to reach appears to be the USS Batfish, a WWII submarine on display in NE Oklahoma. That's right, Oklahoma:

http://www.ussbatfish.com/

You'll also be very close to the George Washington Carver Nat'l Monument:

http://www.nps.gov/gwca/index.htm

And, the Fort Scott Nat'l Historic Site:

http://www.nps.gov/fosc/index.htm

Each one only takes a couple of hours (or so) and all are recommended if you enjoy that kind of stuff.
Nov. 2, 2009 4:22 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

In reply to oldsaw: Uhhh actually I am a history major...................... boy I got some home work to do..... you guys and galls really do rule!
Nov. 2, 2009 4:25 p.m. valiant171 New Reader

and dont feel bad sending me an "updated" route... I would love to see what you guys are thinking, you know the areas I "need" to hit but dont be afraid to be "liberal" in your interpretations of my goals....
Nov. 2, 2009 4:36 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork

valiant171 wrote:

and dont feel bad sending me an "updated" route... I would love to see what you guys are thinking, you know the areas I "need" to hit but dont be afraid to be "liberal" in your interpretations of my goals....

Then keep this in mind - it's still pretty close to Joplin:

http://www.nps.gov/peri/index.htm
Nov. 2, 2009 5:13 p.m. slantvaliant HalfDork

Not tooo far from Amarillo: Adobe Walls - site of two Indian fights (1862 and 1874), involving folks such as Kit Carson, Quanah Parker, Bat Masterson, etc.

Also, you might check out Palo Duro Canyon just South of Amarillo.
Nov. 2, 2009 5:15 p.m. slantvaliant HalfDork

valiant171 wrote:

5) Should have at least one comely lass to share the driving duties

Fixed that for you.
Nov. 2, 2009 6:16 p.m. aircooled SuperDork

When you are driving in the southwest, if you see a truck like this:

Be afraid, be very afraid.
Nov. 2, 2009 7:41 p.m. Appleseed Dork

Time it to coincide with the HAMB drags. They take over the town of Joplin in the summer for some old school drag racin'.

Make a small denture and see the Little Big Horn National Battlefield.

Get a bumper sticker at Wall Drug.
Nov. 2, 2009 8:46 p.m. nocarbud New Reader

My sister did an around the country flight a few years ago. Her and a friend of hers took his twin all over the US, and they got a grade school to sponsor them. The catch was that they had a teddy bear dressed up in a flight uniform that they took all over with them and took pictures of the bear at all their stops. The class got airmail from the bear along its travels as to what he saw and where he was and such. The kids used it as material for history lessons and geography lessons. The cool thing about it for my sister and her friend was that when they went to places like Kennedy Space Center and explained the story behind the bear, they got the VIP tours and got to go places where you normally wouldn't get to go. The bear actually got to sit in one of the space shuttles and get its picture taken. My sister wasn't as lucky, but did get an up close view of it. Food for thought...

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