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Thread: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

  1. #1

    Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Hey all,

    I'm planning a cross-country trip, and I thought I'd fill you all in on my plans.

    My schedule is very fluid, and this is a pretty rough outline.


    June 8: Leave NC
    June 8-12: Pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline drive through NC and VA. Hopefully find some other interesting places to see.
    June 12-14: Stay with friends in DC and visit the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum at the Dulles Airport
    June 14-17: Attend the BrickWorld LEGO convention outside of Chicago.
    June 18: Stop by the Illinois Railway Museum
    June 18-July 1st: Make my way from the Railway Museum to Lincoln, Nebraska. Stop at an awesome Air and Space Museum out in the middle of nowhere between Omaha and Lincoln. They have some rare stuff there!
    July 1st-July 7 or so: Lincoln, NE to Visit my 88 year old Grandmother. My parents and my sister with her family will be making trips out there at the same time.
    July 7-20: Head northwest from Nebraska to the following areas:
    -Mount Rushmore
    -Badlands
    -Grand Tetons
    -Yellowstone
    -Glacier NP
    -Waterton Lakes International Peace Park (Canadian side of Glacier)
    July 20-Aug 5: Head south from Montana to the following areas:
    -Drive around northern UT and visit what I can there.
    -Rocky Mountain National Park
    -Drive around CO
    -Maybe do the Alpine Loop in CO
    -Moab
    -Arches National Park
    -Canyonlands National Park
    Aug 5-9: Visit friends in El Paso, TX. Maybe drive to Big Bend.
    August 10-30: Stay somewhere around Flagstaff or Sedona, AZ. Visit Grand Canyon sometime in there.
    September 1st-?: Stay in Southern California. Visit Yosemite sometime and DV if not too hot.
    September 21-24: Ultimate Yota Pismo Jamboree
    October 5-7: BrickCon LEGO convention in Seattle, WA (unsure if I will make it)
    October sometime: Fly to the Philippines to help my sister and her family move there. (unsure of this as well)

    After October: I have no clue. If I have a job lined up, great! If not, then I may settle down somewhere out West (southern CA or, more likely, northern AZ) or maybe head back to NC and settle down in the Raleigh area.

    My contract at work ended about 5 weeks ago, so this trip is primarily a job search trip. I graduated with a Geography degree (concentration in GIS) in '08, so I'd like to find something in my field of study, but I'm open to other things as well. I will be looking for work along the way, with more attention given to the northern AZ, southern CA, and CO areas. As such, my schedule is very fluid and the dates above won't be exact, and in some cases, way off. It's just a very rough outline. I may land a job in 3 weeks and not even be able to do the trip, or I may get to SD and find a job there. I have no clue.

    I will be running solo, so I don't plan on hitting many trails unless I have somebody else to go with. The 4Runner is pretty much stock, although I will have 265/75/16 tires, CB, fuel cans on the roof, and some recovery equipment by then. I'd also like to have sliders and heavy duty front skid plate on by then as well. At this point, the most I feel comfortable doing is just some long dirt roads, fire roads, or maybe something like the Mojave Rd or the trail up to Shuteye Peak in Yosemite (for those of you familiar with these areas).

    If anybody has any suggested trails, places to see, things to do, good places to eat, or jobs available; let me know!

    I'll try to get a map up sometime in the next few days.

    As things sit now, I have a lot to do before I leave, and I'm really not sure I'll get out in time. I may just drive straight to Chicago, or maybe even skip that and drive straight to Lincoln. That's all up in the air right now. I'd like to put a new clutch in the 4Runner, but Marlin doesn't have any in stock at the moment.

    Thanks!
    Daniel
    -Daniel2000 4Runner Sport | V6 | 5spd | 4x4 | Leather | 265/75-16 BFG AT/KO | OBA | BudBuilt front skid

    1990 4Runner SR5 | V6 | Auto | 2wd | 3.90 rear | Cobra CB | 265/65r17 Bridgestone Duelers H/Ts | '08 Tacoma 5 spoke rims | Has an 11:1 crawl ratio! SOLD

  2. #2

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    AWESOME DAN! Pool will be nice in September!

    are you going to buy a spot?
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  3. #3

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Impressive. Be sure to visit while you're in CA!

  4. #4

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Forgot to mention....I'm not sure what moab, arches, and canyonlands would be like in mid August. I suppose that is probably the hottest part of the year there, but I'm hoping the elevation is high enough that it doesn't get super hot. Anybody have any experience driving here during August?

    Quote Originally Posted by Seanz0rz
    AWESOME DAN! Pool will be nice in September!

    are you going to buy a spot?
    I'm seriously thinking about getting a spot. Sure would be nice since I'm going solo.

    I'd like to get a gun and concealed carry permit, but doesn't look like I'm going to have time for all that. Might just have to settle for a can of bear spray and a tazer or something.

    Quote Originally Posted by paddlenbike
    Impressive. Be sure to visit while you're in CA!
    Will do! Not sure if I'll be in the Sacramento area, but I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!
    -Daniel2000 4Runner Sport | V6 | 5spd | 4x4 | Leather | 265/75-16 BFG AT/KO | OBA | BudBuilt front skid

    1990 4Runner SR5 | V6 | Auto | 2wd | 3.90 rear | Cobra CB | 265/65r17 Bridgestone Duelers H/Ts | '08 Tacoma 5 spoke rims | Has an 11:1 crawl ratio! SOLD

  5. #5

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Moab, Arches, Bryce gets hot about now. I've always gone around Easter and even then it gets toasty during the day. Not really an issue but it depends on what you're doing. If you're driving through it's probably no big deal. If you're mountain biking, hiking or wheeling it will be hot. I know some folks that live/lived there and they just did their outdoor activities in the morning.

    As for a CCW look into the fine print. I think here they are only good for the county in which they were issued. From what I've heard if you travel out of the county but in the state you need a letter or something similar. Once you travel out of state it's all out the window.

  6. #6

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    September 29-30 Hang out w/ the Overton's and go fishing at Melone's Lake or grab a beer with them in South Lake Tahoe.

    FIXED?

  7. #7

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Thanks guys. I'll have to do some research on the CCW thing. From what I understand, based on my limited understanding of the subject, an NC issued CCW is good in all of the states I'll be traveling through except for IL, CA, and OR. In IL, personal ownership of guns isn't allowed at all. CA doesn't honor a NC issued CCW, so I would have to travel with the gun unloaded in a locked compartment, with ammo stored elsewhere. Not sure about rules in OR, but I do know they don't honor an NC CCW.

    I dunno...I could be completely wrong. I haven't done a whole lot of research on the matter.

    If I do go ahead with plans for a gun, I'll probably get a Glock 23.
    -Daniel2000 4Runner Sport | V6 | 5spd | 4x4 | Leather | 265/75-16 BFG AT/KO | OBA | BudBuilt front skid

    1990 4Runner SR5 | V6 | Auto | 2wd | 3.90 rear | Cobra CB | 265/65r17 Bridgestone Duelers H/Ts | '08 Tacoma 5 spoke rims | Has an 11:1 crawl ratio! SOLD

  8. #8

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    check with http://www.usacarry.com/ for a lot of help with e carry issues, and good references.

    Sounds like you have the basics, but I also uploaded a map of reciprocity for NC CCW's.
    -Chris
    2004 DoubleCab Tacoma PreRunner: 3.4 V6-Auto, DD/Tow Rig
    1997 Lexus LX450: 4.5 I6-Auto, DD
    1984 4Runner: 22R-5 speed, 14 inch bob, 5.29's, lincoln locked rear, lockright front, Armored and Caged by Mossyrocks Fabrication, total disregard for body damage.
    1997 4Runner: GONE
    1996 FZJ80 Land Cruiser: GONE

  9. #9

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    I have a couch in my RV that pulls out into a bed if you need a place to stay for a night (or longer)if you have any inkling to check out the Portland area on your way through.

    July 20-Aug 5: Head south from Montana to the following areas:
    -Drive around northern UT and visit what I can there.
    Fantasy Canyon, a few hours east of Salt Lake City is worth checking out -> BLM site - Google Images

    When you're in the Salt Lake City area, definitely check out the LDS Temple in the middle of the city - they won't let you in it unless you're Mormon, but the structure is impressive. Oh, Park City, also east of SLC, had a pretty cool mountain town vibe.

    If you need ANYTHING while around SLC, check out the Deseret Industries Thrift stores (store locator) They are a great place to buy a suit (LDS'ers are snappy dressers), camping/outdoor equip, etc. for cheap. On my last trip I bought a pair of 3 year old skis with bindings and a bag for $25 - again just about ANYTHING

    Mountain biking etc in Moab and at elevation can get sketchy if you're not already acclimated to it - expect your range to get drastically cut, take plenty of water and stop to catch your breath and take in the scenery.

    Quote Originally Posted by DHC6twinotter
    I'd like to get a gun and concealed carry permit, but doesn't look like I'm going to have time for all that. Might just have to settle for a can of bear spray and a tazer or something.
    Wasp spray has a greater range and shouldn't raise an authoritarian eyebrow (read more here). Oh, and a flare gun - if you're on hard asphalt aim it at the ground in front of your target and it should shatter/ricochet a nice spread of burning phosphorous (so I've been told, either way it's still a .410ga sized projectile)
    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  10. #10

    Re: Dan's Cross-Country Road Trip

    Note to self, be glad Keith's a friend, and don't go pissing him off.

    WTH'd you learn those bits of trivia man?

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