4800 mile journey begins tomorrow.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

If you take your original route I could help you out either side of La Crosse, plus you could stop in to Dave's guitar and have a talk with Todd Wolfram..

Ohh, I've already spoken with Todd. A several years ago, when it came to my attention that he and Malekko Heavy Industries were doing the "Wolftone" pedals. Which I'm not happy about.
That's a conversation we'll have to have again.

Originally Posted by Alan A

You are driving all that way to help out a competitor?
Why?

There's this thing called "friendship" ya see...
For the same reason I also took him to his first music industry trade show two years ago.
For the same reason I just finished laser cutting 160 components for him.
Some of my best friends are direct competitors. Most of us are pretty friendly and willing to help out.

In short, not everything is about crushing the "enemy", seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentation of the women

[Scott Douglas]

I hope you're going to take some pictures and post them here for us 'homebodies' to see.
Wish I were going with you.
Should be an interesting trip in these times.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Please post a bunch of pics so we can see the journey. Lots of people need to get out of the house! The more pics we can see- the better.
Car will be fine!

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Alan A

You are driving all that way to help out a competitor?
Why?

I see Wolfe has already answered. All I will say, after having had the honor of knowing him for going on 20 years, is that's just the kind of guy he is.

Wolfe, good luck on your adventure. I'm sure you'll be fine. You know you can call me anytime if you find yourself in need of some "phone triage"...

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

Please post a bunch of pics so we can see the journey. Lots of people need to get out of the house! The more pics we can see- the better.
Car will be fine!

I shall. Was requested by a few friends in the Facebookland to live-stream parts of the drive from out the windshield. I might do that, I've got a good phone mount for it. Did that on a 140 mile drive in the 911 when traffic was nonexistent.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

There's this thing called "friendship" ya see...
For the same reason I also took him to his first music industry trade show two years ago.
For the same reason I just finished laser cutting 160 components for him.
Some of my best friends are direct competitors. Most of us are pretty friendly and willing to help out.

In short, not everything is about crushing the "enemy", seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentation of the women

I’m passing familiar with the concept of friendship. In fact if you’d said I’m driving 4800 miles to help a friend I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. The word competitor means something different to me is all.

As to lamenting women - I’m all good there. Being married to me is enough to make anyone lament...

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I hope you're going to take some pictures and post them here for us 'homebodies' to see.
Wish I were going with you.
Should be an interesting trip in these times.

Road trips in general are fun but with what is (not) going on in most of the country this year, there is nothing better to do. As soon as you get out of major population centers, the stress level wrt Covid goes waaay down because it’s so much easier to socially distance.

I got out of SoCal back in March and drove back once to get my trailer, that’s 3x 2200 miles right there. Each trip was awesome.

[wdfifteen]

You will be passing within 8 miles of our “ranch.” PM me if you want the lowdown on western Ohio. You have a bunk here, dinner and breakfast if it fits your schedule.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by mgatepi

The Garaj in Dayton Ohio
Yuri will take good care of you!

https://thegaraj.com/

Good luck with that. My experience with Yuri hasn’t been that great.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I see Wolfe has already answered. All I will say, after having had the honor of knowing him for going on 20 years, is that's just the kind of guy he is.

Wolfe, good luck on your adventure. I'm sure you'll be fine. You know you can call me anytime if you find yourself in need of some "phone triage"...

Jeff, it's been an honor as well.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

You will be passing within 8 miles of our “ranch.” PM me if you want the lowdown on western Ohio. You have a bunk here, dinner and breakfast if it fits your schedule.

Thanks WD, I appreciate that. Not sure when I should expect to hit Ohio, but I'm thinking it'll probably be later Sunday if I don't take too many stops. I haven't done a drie like this since my 20's... I'm not sure how my 48 year old body will cope these days.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Alan A

I’m passing familiar with the concept of friendship. In fact if you’d said I’m driving 4800 miles to help a friend I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. The word competitor means something different to me is all.

As to lamenting women - I’m all good there. Being married to me is enough to make anyone lament...

I've helped competitors who aren't friends, too. And a few that I rather dislike as well, simply because some bad competitors have put long-lasting stains on our niche.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

I've helped competitors who aren't friends, too. And a few that I rather dislike as well, simply because some bad competitors have put long-lasting stains on our niche.

You’re a better man than I am, Gunga-Din.
I find it much harder to help people I dislike.
Doubly so if they are trying to take away from my slice of pie.

Drifting back to the point. Hope your trip passes without incident. If it doesn’t I hope that it’s serious enough to get a good story to tell your friends over beers - like the time I flatbedded my trailer in Texas with a custom car inside - but not serious enough that the words “severe” or “permanent” are required in the retelling.

O and if no one warned you.
Cops in Ohio are almost as bad as in Virginia. Ware speed traps.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Have a great trip.

I would make one route change:



You miss all the mess of Chicago plus Some of the small towns, like Davenport, are neat.

Chicago is usually a mess and I would concur with Paul, but considering current events it might not be bad. My son lives near Boston and went back to commuting by car because traffic has dried up. What used to take 2 hours is down to 45 minutes now. Chicago may be different.

[ckelly78z]

This weekend in Ohio is supposed to be in the mid 90s with high humidity....we will be camping about an hour North of Pataskala.

[Chocaholic]

Jeez....a short airplane ride is much safer than what you’re planning. I just flew to and from Michigan...everyone was masked, every person in their own row (Delta), disinfected plane, spotless clean airports with few people (all masked).

So instead you’re going to drive almost 5000 miles in an old car, dump in gas station bathrooms, eat fast food and sleep in countless hotels. Rethink! Unless it’s the “experience” that drives you...of course.

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Chicago is usually a mess and I would concur with Paul, but considering current events it might not be bad. My son lives near Boston and went back to commuting by car because traffic has dried up. What used to take 2 hours is down to 45 minutes now. Chicago may be different.

From mid March until about a month ago, Chicago car traffic was down drastically. Right now it's about 80% of normal levels. If you're passing through you can largely bypass the area using something like 355 and 80, though 80 is always full of ten million trucks. It's not that bad, really. There is no way to get through the area without toll roads, however. But you can drive through the high-speed gates and then look up your plate and pay later. It's not a lot.

If you end up needing something when you're passing through here, PM me.

[Scott Douglas]

Back in '15 when I went to KC Mo. I made it a habit to check the oil every other gas stop, just to give my legs some more stretch out time. I'd also park at the far end of the rest stops so I'd have to walk further to pee and for exercise I just would walk the whole length of the stop area once. Got to enjoy some of the scenery more that way too, rather than from inside the car.

[RWebb]

you can set routes to see friends, any interesting natural features, Frank L. Wright buildings, or parts of Route 66

[carreradpt]

Can't help with shops along the way but include me in the " would love to see pics of your journey" camp. Have a great drive, those cars love that kind of stuff. Pics please.