TheSamba.com :: View topic - How realistic is this 2 week 7,000 mile trip we plan for 09?

Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:51 pm

After the successful completion of our Myrtle Beach 2,600 mile trip we are thinking big! A cross North America tour for 2009, more than 7,000 miles and 10 days of driving!

Over ambitious? Comments please.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:08 pm

Thats averaging 700 miles a day! It seems you won't be doing anything but driving.
I guess I'm a "slow down and smell the roses" type of guy and would plan a few destonations and off days.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:13 pm

The idea is to take 2 weeks and spend 4 days in LA.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:18 pm

WOW!!! This would certainly qualify as a "IRONBUTT" run.

I also think that it is a bit long for a 9 - 10 day drive.

Perhaps, doing this around the time of the Manx Club, Big Bear Run in July would give you a break about half way. The run is in the mountains about 2 Hrs east of LA.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:24 pm

It would be great to say you did it, but it doesn't sound like you would have much fun.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:00 pm

Hi Vincent,

First, let me say that it was a pleasure meeting you and your wife on your way down to Myrtle Beach. I admire yor determination and sense of adventure.

As far as your plans for 2009 are concerned, I say, go for it. If you are already thinking this soon about an even longer drive for next year, you must have had a great time driving down and up the east coast, especially during the "driving" part. My dune buggy is just fun to drive as well, I have taken it out many afternoons after work on a 2 hour cruise here along the roads of coastal NC through the various beach communities.

I would imagine that there are few here on this forum (including me) who have had the experience of driving a dune buggy for that long of a distance. You (and your wife) know what you are capable of handling in this situation. You have plenty of time to tweek your route and research your overnight stops and VW-specific repair shops along the way. You can plan for alternative routes, if called for. You will have practically another year to shake out your newly-finished build. You may even have others here on this forum ask to drive with you on short distances.

Whatever you decide, I hope we are fortunate enough to receive continued updates on your plans. Best of luck, my friend.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:16 pm

I'd like to do a Trans-Labrador run like Paul did in his Dodge Powerwagon - http://imageevent.com/moosecreekmaple/translabrador2005;jsessionid=n0i3hq8cr4.penguin_s

Spoke with this gentleman about his trip - neat adventure!

If you're gonna' go, go big! Take the buggy trip - there are plenty of VW guys scattered across the US on the forum that would possibly enjoy chasing you for a few miles through their respective areas!

Life only happens once... no reset on the game of life

bnc

Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:35 pm

Way too far for two weeks.

That's 10 hour days even if you could average 70 MPH...which you can't.

For a long trip plan 4-500 miles/day maximum.

If you do better than plan, great...it allows some time for relaxation, seeing the sights or visiting. (and also allows for unplanned problems like rotten weather or breakdown).

I've travelled most of the Canadian and west coast parts of that route...IMHO there is lots to see and do which you will totally have to miss if you try to maintain such a grueling schedule.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:22 pm

Charles Kuralt said: "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything."

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:59 am

I would have to agree with what some of the others have stated - way too far for ten days. You won't get to see much, and you would have to do some serious haulin'!! I think the 400-500 mile per day limit previously mentioned is probably a good figure. You'll get worn out quick doing more than that for several days consecutively (IMHO).

Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:34 am

Thanks everyone for your feedback. This is what I was looking for!

At lease I did not get a: "Wake up you idiot" which makes me believe this is possible.

The trip planner is strictly demonstrating driving times.

I just wanted to clarify a point here. Although the trip planner has shown 10 days of driving, We would be taking 2 weeks (15 or 16 days) to complete the journey.

This means we would be doing 4 days of serious driving to get to California for the 1st part of our journey. Spend a 3 or 4 days in LA, drive up north to Vancouver, spend a day there and drive for 4 days back to Monreal.

I do realize, we will not get to see a whole lot of the attractions or country side along the way. To be honest, I figured this trip should take a minimum ov 4 weeks to take full advantage of it but I've only got 2 weeks to play with.

Part of the reason we are considering this journey is, as some of you have stated, to say we did it but more so for the sport of driving, I really enjoy driving our buggy, it's a sport for us.

I like nightmanx11's qualifier as "IRONBUTT", we would be untertaking this trip as a challenge more than a sightseeing adventure, that's for sure.

Using my Myrtle Beach trip as reference, I feel I can drive 700-800 miles per day for 3 days no problem. I feel that 4 days may be a stretch but not un-realistic. Again, we would be tacling this endavor in 3 stages. But... I'm still not sure it's realistic and this is why I wanted to get your input.

As Gary has stated, we've got a whole year to iron out the details or get coninced that this is a stupid idea ;-)

Thanks all.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:09 am

Congrtats on your lat trip. The Norhteast corridor you drove to Myrtle Beach is a highly conjested area, , some parts not great riding. Your next tip seems more scenic, , but I'd suggest more time to smell the roses myself.

Bosotn Bob E

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:26 am

I-5 through California means missing, the Pacific coast, Santa Barbara, San Simeon, Big Sur, Monterey, San Francisco, Yosemite, the Sierras, Tahoe, and the Redwoods.

You would see, the Grapevine, Sacramento and Mt. Shasta, but not much else.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:59 am

Life is short, so I say go for it!
Make sure you have real comfortable seats.
We have 65 Ford Mustang bucket seats in our original Meyers Manx & between them & the fact I run lower tire psi's than most, we've driven 300 miles non-stop & felt great when we stopped for a break.

You might want to schedule stops along the way for a "break" & though you have a goal for the final destination, the trip getting there should be as much FUN FUN FUN as actually getting there!
If for some reason you don't make it all the way before having to head back home, you will have had a blast along the way!

I've been on hurried cross-country trips & looking back, I sure wish I would have slowed down a bit & enjoyed the scenery we flew by, trying to get to where we were going!

If you are dead-set on driving the great distance, pretend you are running a "Gumball Rally" & haul butt!!! It would make it more FUN FUN FUN!!!
Good Luck & plan, plan, plan!!!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:47 am

Cocaine might help or meth for a full trip like that but maybe put the buggy on a train somewhere after NY/chicago and skip the cross USA trip , just do California road and Canada . Colorado Utah nevada really suck after you get over how pretty it is . That last about 2 hrs then it gets to be the same old shit . Rest stops non existent and you cant go fast enough to get to the next town it just goes on and on and on .

Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:26 pm

Vincent,If you are confident enough in your buggy to try it,why not.I'm not that confident in mine.Not even a 500 mile trip.You will go through 2 oil changes and valve adjustments.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:23 pm

racetearoffs.com wrote: just do California road and Canada . Colorado Utah nevada really suck after you get over how pretty it is . That last about 2 hrs then it gets to be the same old shit.

The 500 miles of I-5 through California, from the Grapevine to Mt Shasta has got to be one of the most boring highways in the US. It was laid out to miss any cities and towns other than Stockton and Sacramento which are OK places to live but... The first hundred miles or so is usually hot, smoggy and smells like a feedlot. After a while the smell goes away but its still hot and maybe smoggy. I-5 skirts the dry hills along the west edge of the central valley so there's very little agriculture. Its pretty flat because most of the way you parallel the aqueduct carrying water south. I guess its not west Texas boring, but almost.

If you're going to drive the length of California for fun, take 101 and sections of 1 and see the coast. Or take 99 and take a side trip up into Yosemite and the Mother Lode. Or take 395 and see Death Valley, the back side of the Sierras and Tahoe. In fact pretty much anyway you go is well worth the trip, except I-5.

However, if you're only interested in covering miles in a hurry, take I-5.

Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:54 am

looks like you have done your home work.....My opinion is go for it......It IS possible to make this run....When I was driving a truck over the road I turned 6500 miles in 6 days so your trip will be alot easier.....No you will not see alot of the country but you will have bragging rights of having done what few have even thought about....As far as average speed remember Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada Are 75 mile an hour states...just my .02 cents...

Jerry

PS befors people start in on me I never said I made my runs in legal hours or speeds

Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:26 pm

Vincent: I have to agree fully with Freightshaker. When my buggy is finished My wife and I want to do the exact same trip starting from Westcoast- to East. Be a great trip and a lot of fun. Incidentally don't push it in Utah- Found out the hard way. Try to do the Pacific Coast Highway (US 101) if you can you won't regret it. I think we may incorporate route 66 as the US portion of our trip-- Regards- Chris

Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:58 pm

Vincent - As you probably know, we tried to take a 7000 mile Xcountry trip last year ( http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album389 ), and even thought we didn't make it all the way in the buggy, we had a great time.

I would like to offer several tips from our experience. I assume you will be doing this in the summer. The southwest US is HOT!!! I don't remember if your car has a roof, but if it doesn't, get one. You can deal with the rain, but the hot sun beating down in 110 + degree heat can be too much. For additional cooling, get some large hand towels, you can soak in water and put around your neck and use spray bottles with water to mist yourself for more cooling. Wearing light cotton, long sleeved shirts helps 'cuz they hold the moisture longer than bare skin. Traveling early in the cooler part of the day (starting @ 4 am) also helps in the desert. Kathleen would not have made it without this equipment.

Another tip would be to carry spare parts & tools to fix the (complete) fuel system, ignition system & charging system. We were able to do a valve job with only the help of a machine shop, I had all the other parts on board. We also carry oil & gas.

If you need to be somewhere at a certain time, allow an extra day for problems. This allowed us to get to the Manx Club Big Bear event on time even after doing the vavle job, and get home to CT after the breakdown in New Mexico. We were able to drive to CA in 4 1/2 days, even with a 1/2 day detour.

A electronic navigator is mandatory for directions to places and all the things you will need, like gas, lodging & food. Carry the latest issue of Hot VW's for resources like where VW shops are located. Try to leave time to "smell the roses" and do some sightseeing, your route has many possibilites. A membership in AAA also helps. So, once again, go for it and I hope you have better luck than we did. We may try it again next year. Tom