Corax's cross country thread - 2010 edition

[corax]

My roomie/landlord/high school buddy is moving in December and said we'll need to get the eff out of his house by then. Also just so happens that I'm reconsidering corp life for the time being and want to get off the east coast, with no open positions to transfer to it looks like I'm gonna pack up the buton down shirts for awhile and go back to dealership life.

I've been working on the RV getting 'er ready for life on the road, and she's just about ship-shape again. So I'm just starting to pre-plan and was hoping to get a bit of input for this bounce (link to the first CC trip) (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=5552.0). Right now, so long as nothing unexpected pops up, it looks like we'll be making a November/December run.

I have 3 possible routes, any input on what to expect on any during the beginning of winter would be appreciated. The full caravan will be me in the RV pulling the Lex, my wife in the 4runner pulling the trailer and another friend who also wants to get off the east coast (and has previously lived where we're going) in his car. The destination is approximate, though we'll probably land within 1 hour drive on the Colorado side of things. I'd like to avoid wicked cross winds, flash floods and wintry chills if at all possible, and I have no idea what each route might hold as "normal" for the time of year we'll be traveling.

Here's the shortest route at 2k, but it keeps us a bit more northern and I'm not sure there's much to do on the way out:
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/2000miles.jpg

Middle route is 100 miles longer and doesn't seem to add much the trip itself except NM:
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/2100miles.jpg

Southern route only adds 300 miles total and still has us stopping in Nashville (gotta stop by Cooter's Place) (http://www.cootersplace.com/), but also gives a bit of VA country-side
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/2300miles.jpg

[YotaFun]

Sad to see you go Keith even though we didn't get much chance to hang out while you where over here.

If your heading out November/December time I would think you would want to stay away from the great lakes as much as possible and any area near.
With that said Option 3 would be the way to go in my book, avoid the great lakes weather and get a nice view of the south, also on your last trip didn't you keep a more northern route?

[Seanz0rz]

id take option 3, since there is nothing in the other two that i would want to see.

too bad you are coming ALL the way out west... haha. but maybe this is just the excuse we both need to go hit moab!

[corax]

Yeah, I didn't really get to do much of anything or get out much here. Somehow I let corporate re-graft a set of strings onto my arms and legs. Damn. I can feel the antiestablishmentarianism welling up.

I agree - routes 1 & 2 need to get scratched for having too many farms.

Hell Sean,you're only 800 miles away from 4 corners and Moab is just a bit north of there. That's only a day driving and it just so happens my couch folds out into a bed . . .

[corax]

So ready to get traveling again. This week I drove 2000 miles, worked 70 hrs and still got chewed out for 1/2 hr for not getting enough done?!? I'm not gonna just burn this bridge, it's getting napalmed! Two beers and the emergency slide :D

On the flip side, I don't think this thread will have nearly number of pics as the other one I did. Before it was more about the trip than the destination, this time it's the destination that's erally got me fired up.

[YotaFun]

So ready to get traveling again. This week I drove 2000 miles, worked 70 hrs and still got chewed out for 1/2 hr for not getting enough done?!? I'm not gonna just burn this bridge, it's getting napalmed! Two beers and the emergency slide :D.


At least make sure its only the bridge to work and no the bridge from east to west, like how the hell am I suppose to cross the Mississippi in the 4Runner without a bridge?
lol

I don't blame you dude, there is always that one really sucky job that you never want to have ties to again.

[Seanz0rz]

At least make sure its only the bridge to work and no the bridge from east to west, like how the hell am I suppose to cross the Mississippi in the 4Runner without a bridge?
lol


ive got a snorkel and a winch, im good to go!

[YotaFun]

Sean you gonna let me borrow those when I want to come over there lol!

[Obi..]

Keith, just seeing this, I've been mad busy w/ the baby and work lately. Well, that and now I'm in pain and trying to figure out stuff after an idiot crashed into me last Thursday while driving in "Clark".

You know my thoughts on where to go and should still have my info to contact us to keep us in the loop as to where ever you two end up. *Also seriously consider Inland Empire or S.D.

:D

[corax]

Keith, just seeing this, I've been mad busy w/ the baby and work lately. Well, that and now I'm in pain and trying to figure out stuff after an idiot crashed into me last Thursday while driving in "Clark".

You know my thoughts on where to go and should still have my info to contact us to keep us in the loop as to where ever you two end up. *Also seriously consider Inland Empire or S.D.

:D


Glad to see you're (somewhat) alright after the crash - how'd the Grizwald do?

We've already done the Inland Empire and S.D. so that's not really in the books. I'm leaning towards a stint in Prescott AZ, but for now we're steering for SW Colorado somewhere around Durango / Cortez (~2 hr drive from Moab). Eventually, the goal is the North Cali / Oregon border area near the ocean.

[Crinale]

humboldt county is great... if ur a pothead :-P (thats on the coast of cali near oregon border)

it has the most marijuana plants of any other area (at least in CA) :-P

[04 Rocko Taco]

if you plan on cruising Nashville, I might just meet you there. Keep me posted. :)

[corax]

humboldt county is great... if ur a pothead :-P (thats on the coast of cali near oregon border)

it has the most marijuana plants of any other area (at least in CA) :-P


Yeah, I loved Humboldt County - not sure if I liked the trees or the coast better. I do remember seeing a whole lotta pale skinned dread locks



if you plan on cruising Nashville, I might just meet you there. Keep me posted. :)


Definately - I'm thinking we'll have at least one overnight at Nashville to run around the city a bit. Not sure how/if downtown has changed since this year's flooding . . . but I remember last time through, the place was jamming (even on an ordinary Tuesday night)

[04 Rocko Taco]

I have been there since the flood, and they were doing some work in the middle of downtown, right by the arena, but it was unrelated, it was a bad water main break, other than that, it was a pretty lively place.

[corax]

I gave notice late last week, so now the countdown is just under one month with alot of paring down to be done yet - for example I have ~12 30"x30"x1/4" pieces of steel to give out + I'm still trying to sell my backhoe + all the other crap that I've accumulated in the last 2 years.

I'm spending this week in Vegas at a 4 star on the company dime (surprised they're still letting me go). Then all the powertrain fluids on the 4runner get changed this weekend - the 4.88 e-locker has ~1,000 miles on it, so it should be completely broken in. Just can't wait to get on the road again.

[YotaFun]

Oh Keith...
I can take some of that steel off your hands for you....
Backhoe not so much though lol!!!

[Obi..]

*Yeah, I saw you were placemarking the 4-Corners area..as for Clark, it's been totaled out..I am just waiting on the check to clear now. I'm back to work, still stiff and sore and likely facing some PT. I'll need to have the left shoulder mri'd to be sure nothing from the reconstruction got damaged or reversed. I'm lucky to be alive and gotten hit where the car did..one second earlier I wouldn't be posting this right now. We're going to pay down some baby-bills and save up for something she'll want (Wifey still wants a AE-86 or 90 w/ an Auto..gotta love her for that).

I still say look at Humboldt-Arcata or South, as I'll remind you Lil'Bro has not had any success on the coastline there. The market is tight and not condusive to a reasonable livable wage. Red Bluff and Redding are always reasonable choices, but bad-hot in the Summer. Try out Monterey, it's actually poised to go big, same with South-West Idaho. Whatever happens, hit me up when and if you're out here, I'll hook you up with a really nice 26" or 29" wheeled wonder toy to take into Soquel Demo Forest. :D



Glad to see you're (somewhat) alright after the crash - how'd the Grizwald do?

We've already done the Inland Empire and S.D. so that's not really in the books. I'm leaning towards a stint in Prescott AZ, but for now we're steering for SW Colorado somewhere around Durango / Cortez (~2 hr drive from Moab). Eventually, the goal is the North Cali / Oregon border area near the ocean.

[corax]

last day with corporate and I get to take my last company demo back in to Jersey (along with the laptop, aircard, CrackBerry, camera, etc)
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/100_7860.jpg

So my wife has to finish out one more week of work (which gives me time to really prep and pack everything) and then we'll be on the road. Our 2nd day driving should see us in Nashville, TN

[04 Rocko Taco]

Hey man, shoot me a PM again with the dates you'll be coming through Nashville. I'd love to meet up with you if I can. You know UY Staff relations, kissin hands, shakin babies, all that sort of thing. :)

[corax]

Hey man, shoot me a PM again with the dates you'll be coming through Nashville. I'd love to meet up with you if I can. You know UY Staff relations, kissin hands, shakin babies, all that sort of thing. :)


I'm thinking we'll probably be pulling into Nashville on Monday late afternoon / evening and staying one night.

[Obi..]

You know UY Staff relations, kissin hands, shakin babies, all that sort of thing. :)


Signature line material right there. :D

[corax]

Slatington, PA > Harrisonburg, VA -> Nashville, TN (downtown was rained out) -> Hot Springs, AK -> Oklahoma City, OK

so far not many pics . . . not much exciting really, alot of rain and wind pushing the RV around :(

mental note: take more trips in the NW

[YotaFun]

Hope you guys reach your destination safely

[Obi..]

:flipoff: Huh? It's kind of hard to hear what you're saying when you're still that far away! :rofl:

[corax]

Made it to Cortez in one piece, the old laptop is slower than a 1 legged dog on tranquilizers so no pics until I can get to a real computer and internet connection (none of this free 56k wifi crap).

On the plus side, lots of exploring to be done after we decide on a specific RV park - looking forward to Moab, Monument Valley and the Canyonlands in the next week or so.

[corax]

Thanksgiving day in Moab :D
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/poser%20pics/100_3718.jpg

[04 Rocko Taco]

GAH, LUCKY!!

[DHC6twinotter]

Awesome!

[YotaFun]

Nice Thanksgiving Day, Wish I had been there too

[strykersd]

Meet up with Scuba out there?

[corax]

Meet up with Scuba out there?


No, I kept my eyes open just in case, but it was just a day trip to check out the area (2 hr drive for me :D). My friend's Troopy is open/open on street tires, so we mainly did the tourist sites like Arches Nat'l Park. The pic is from Fins and Things which was easy (even had 40 psi towing pressure in the tires yet) except the one slick rock hill that had snow on it yet.

[corax]

700 miles to So Cal, looking forward to the warmer weather

[Seanz0rz]

2nd round is on me!

[Obi..]

:D

LL Cool J - Going Back To Cali (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdizL4on-Rc#ws)

[corax]

400 miles to go . . . here are a few pics from yesterday.

Chimney Rock near Teec Nos Pas in CO. It was odd seeing all this snow here, it usually melts off within 24 hrs
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/100_4053.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/100_4055.jpg

This will have to be saved for another trip, just too cold to really enjoy running around right now (ice is a factor).
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/100_4070.jpg

This hill had the RV down to ~35 mph with the pedal flat to the floor, once again the 4runner did fine pulling a 2 ton trailer.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/10-11%20cross%20country%20v2/100_4073.jpg

[Obi..]

CC'd reply here..

Be careful. California's in an Arctic Blast right now with very low wind or air movement. It's making for really bad black ice and low hanging fog. It's got below 42degrees here numerous times for the S.F. East Bay, well into the low 30's and even 27 degrees once..I heard it has been similar in spots in So-Cal and Nevada.

[corax]

what'd R. Burns say about the best laid plans of mice and men? Oh yeah, they go awry. Looks like my plans to stay in So Cal for a month or two has been derailed. As of now I'm paid up at the RV park in San B. until Sunday, then it looks like we're gonna burn some asphalt up the I-5 to Oregon . . .

[Obi..]

:hillbill: Hot dang, I'll have 'em spark up the grill den son.
Colette Steak, eggs, 'un sum hash brown will set you straight!
http://www.engaygedweddings.com/CA/IMAGES-CA/collettes-events/collettes-events-steak.jpg
http://brunchbox.info/wp-content/plugins/rss-poster/cache/04acc_img_2829_1.jpg

I just wish I wasn't hurt so we could at least go wheel and play in the silly stuff out here.

Reminder Wally World don't allow non that there parking's out here b/c they dubm, but I'se sure I can git the wife n fam ta allow you'se two to park out in fronta mah shack for a spell. :hillbill: