West Coast, East Coast trip?

[rdane]

After reading about all the fun last summer we are planning a West coast to East coast trip in April or May.

The planning is half the fun.

Here is part of it. Buddy and I are doing a mad dash to NY. Hopeing for under 40 hours from the Pacific. We want to touch the big water on either end just so we can say we did.

Then the wives are flying out. Mine will ride back with me on a slower journey home after a party in NYC.

Buying another tranny for some higher gears as a start. What would you do to the car for prep? Any suggestions on time of year, places to see or routes are welcome as well

[Seahawk]

Where are you starting from? Depending on that, the speed run out will leave little time for much more than interstate travel with a very few exceptions. The lazy run home is a different story.
I have done the cross country drive at least fifteen times, sometimes with speed in mind, sometimes with a more open-ended approach.
Sounds like fun!

[rdane]

Seattle area...speed out, sight seeing on the way back.

Where is the closest/easiest place to dip a toe in the Atlantic close to NYC?

[Grady Clay]

Well, first off you must come through Colorado both ways. With planning we can have a serious Pelican-PCA gathering.

How much time and what do you want to see on the way West? April-May is a little early for the High-Rockies as many of the high roads don’t open until June. The Colorado Rockies will be better earlier and all summer/fall. Glacier and the Canadian Rockies are best in July-September.

Best,
Grady

[Seahawk]

Since I am on leave and have the time, I submit the following for your consideration.
I'd take I90 all the way to I80 in Ohio, I80 into NYC. My son and I did the same basic trip two years ago and the total seat time was around 45 hours. I was in a Toyota Tacoma, however, so your speeds may improve that time, especially in the west.
Your choice of an Atlantic toe-dip location is nearly unlimited depending on the time of year. While heading out to Long Island is an option, I'd recommend heading south to Long Beach Island in New Jersey...very easy access down the Garden State Pkwy. My family vacations in the town of Beach Haven every few years and the uniquness of the Jersey Shore is worth an overnight stay. There is a great little restaurant called the Island Baja Grill (owned by the Nugent Family) in town of Ship Bottom just has you come on Long Beach Island if you want a toe-dip, lunch and bolt.
If it were me, and I had the time, I'd to this heading back to Wa. to get the most mountain roads/views possible:

- Find I81 south through Maryland and Virginia. I81 runs through the Shenandoah Vally and you have easy access on and off the Blue Ridge Parky for side trips or parallel travel.

- Hook up with I40 through Tennessee. I40 snakes through the Great Smokies. Once again, there are numerous side trips you can take or substitute for the interstate as you head west, time dependent. Spend the night in Memphis if you can. The MLK, Jr. museum if very good. Beale Street, while small, is fun as well. Graceland will be an eye opener.

- I'd get off I40 in Little Rock and backroad it through the the boonies to Fort Smith. Mena is interesting and the drive is very rural and pretty. Do some homework and I think you'll find the Quachita National Forest interesting.

- I40 to the turnoff for Santa Fe. I've done the drive from SF to Durango a few times and it is great. If you have time, take the detour to Shiprock.

- After that, you're on your own...there is simply too many options!

Have fun.

[jluetjen]

NYC is a very large port on the Atlantic - so basically you can tip your toe in just about anywhere. One option if you are in the city is to go check out the NY Aquarium which is directly adjacent to the boardwalk on Coney Island. What could be a more NY place to put your foot in the water then Coney Island while munching on a "Coney Island" (hot dog)???

[project935]

Visit scenic Detroit!
The Ruins of Detroit

Blast thru Ontario to NY to save a little time and to give the trip some international flair.

Hit the states south of MI on the return leg.

[rdane]

You guys are great. Looks like Alki Beach to Long Island? Still working that out. Alki is a given easy on and off the freeway this end...how about the fastest way to salt water on the NY side. I'd want to establish a salt water to salt water trend for those that want to follow and better our time May be Jack and Tyson will want to meet us in NY! Wayne break in your new "full meal deal" TRE 911 on a good road trip. Not sure where to go inbetween at the moment. Has to be the fastest way through going East. Gotta meet Grady on the way back.

Tell me what the car might need for 2800 miles of high speed Interstate?

Valentine, check.
AAA card, check.
Lazer jammer?
Engine prep?

I am serious. Any west coasties want to join in from SD, LA, SF, Portland, Seattle or Vancouver BC and have a Pelican party in NYC? Our time frame to leave the west coast is flexable.

Could be a flock of Pelican heading east! Cannonball? No Sir? Pelican Annual Migration

[IanW505]

About time you came to our side, Dane! If you can manage to do it in late March, i'll be home then and would love to show you around NYC or Philly. If you need a place to stay, you and your wife are welcome to use our beach house in South Jersey in Stone Harbor. See you in a couple weeks,

-Ian

[rdane]

Sean tells me you guys are planning a similar adventure....tell us more ?

[Jamie79SC]

Dane,

Be sure to review Brok Yates' book on the subject...

[IanW505]

Yeah, we're planning to tour PCH during my summer break, probably in June or July. Seattle to San Diego and back in his car. Haven't planned much yet, just tossing the idea around!

[mede8er]

I'll pick up where Seahawk got off.....

Durango east on 160 to Alamosa...Pagosa Springs is awesome....

17 North to Leadville......

24 North to Vail....

70 West throughn Glenwood Springs......

13 North to 80.....

191 North through Jackson and the Tetons......

80 Home...........

[Grady Clay]

So, what is the preliminary proposed route for the east-bound migration of the flock?

Considering you are going for the record Migration, there should be some rules for the future challengers to follow.

It seems to me that Alki Beach faces Puget Sound, not the Pacific Ocean. How about having the starting and finishing points are a public beach/park that faces directly onto the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Do you want this to be Elliott Bay to Newark Bay?

How about restricting the Migration to 911s or ? Do you want a Pepper SUV with an auxiliary 500 gallon fuel tank and only two fuel stops?

What consideration for mileage should there be? It is considerably farther from Olympic NP to Rockaway Point than say, Santa Monica Beach to Jacksonville Beach.

Does sleep time in a hotel count?

How about points (no, not that kind) for encounters with the Courtesy Patrol?

The most important issue is safety. No Pelican road kill permitted!



OK, to answer some of your questions:

Have everything done to the 911 at least a month in advance. Don’t touch it for anything just prior to the trip. During the month prior, take some extended trips and calculate fuel and oil consumption.

Stock gear ratios should be just fine. If you get going too fast, you attract unwanted attention. If you blow past a matron in a Volvo with 80 MPH difference, she will dial 911 (no, not the car) in a flash.

Borrow a BIG fuel tank. There are OE tanks up to 120 liters, race cells even larger. A small second 20-30 liter cell will allow you to run the main tank dry. Whatever you install, make it a sound and proper installation. No jerry-rig destined-to-fail junk.

Have new all weather tires, appropriately speed rated.

Plan your food, napping, and body functions.

Consider your route. I-90 and I-80 are subject to spring blizzards. Even I-70 and I-40 can have bad driving that time of year.

Organize Pelican-PCA connections along the route as rescue crew. Do some research of the good shops and home garages along your planned route and alternate routes.

A couple of CB radios and a CB scanner. If there are more than one in the Migration, have some non-CB radios to communicate between cars. Get a portable Weather Radio with a 12V adapter. Of course your cell phones are a must. While a GPS map system might be useful, a $4.95 Rand McNally Road Atlas will work just fine.

You will need a laptop, a digital camera, and a wireless internet connection to keep the Forum informed minute-by-minute. Or else!

You will probably need to wire an auxiliary multi-port power source for all your electronics, a single cigar lighter won’t hack it.

Don’t go overboard on spare parts. Your spare tire should be the same as your front road tire and wheel and same rolling diameter as the rears. Test fit the spare for inside clearance in the rear. Leave the inflatable spare at home.

The absolutely necessary AAA card, credit cards, and the green stuff.

Remember, NO PELICAN ROAD KILL.
Driving on the highway is one of the most dangerous things we ever do.


Time for some others to chime in.


Best,
Grady

[porschenut]

rdane, according to my road atlas it is 2,900 miles from Seattle to New York. To do that in 40 hours means you will have to drive at an AVERAGE speed of 72.5 mph the whole way across. If you plan on sleeping and refueling along the way, you'll have to average about 200 mph. Just let me know when you approach Colorado so I can get out of the way....

[rdane]

Thanks Grady for taking over the management We needed some direction! Just my 2 cents below.

>Considering you are going for the record Migration, there should be some rules for the future challengers to follow.

yes

>It seems to me that Alki Beach faces Puget Sound, not the Pacific Ocean. How about having the starting and finishing points are a public beach/park that faces directly onto the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Do you want this to be Elliott Bay to Newark Bay?

I was looking for easy on and off the freeway for the start and beginning so traffic won't screw up the times if we leave and arrive in light traffic times..

I am open to suggestions here.

>How about restricting the Migration to 911s or ?

Yes, 911s with a factory, general production, street car gas tank
More likely to get others involved if we are low tech on gas tanks....Tyson and Jack wm ight ould come up with a 200 gallon tank

>What consideration for mileage should there be? It is considerably farther from Olympic NP to Rockaway Point than say, Santa Monica Beach to Jacksonville Beach.

How about average speed with a mileage calculation. But I would think the closer the mileage on all routes, the better for the driver's endurance and less influence on the end results.

>Does sleep time in a hotel count?

yes...two drivers..was my plan and no stops but for gas. Pelican sells a pee bottle right?

>How about points (no, not that kind) for encounters with the Courtesy Patrol?

no...we drive safely or don't get caught. I think penality points would be in order to keep us safe and sane...if that is possible.

>The most important issue is safety. No Pelican road kill permitted!

you die, you loose ...hurting anyone is a bad thing.....tickets are bad.. bent cars are bad.

Awesome stuff Grady...more anyone?

Jack Olsen has a link, film, something? as to the current record of LA to NY. IIRC it was 70+ mph average for the trip.

Who wants to party with Pcars in NYC?

[project935]

You're making us midwesterner's jealous ... we can have only half the fun!

Maybe we should head west, do a U-turn in CO and then scoot back east?

[Grady Clay]

Jack Olsen, please post a link to your aledged record run. Hehehe

Best,
Grady

[rdane]

Not Jack's run Grady...he has the info about THE record run ...

[Hoffman912]

dont take interstates.. they are borring!

take us 50 thourgh nevada, us6 to us40 in utah, take us40 and us34 and then us6 through colorado. lost of twisties all the way through, and great sceenery. you'll go through rocky mountain national park as well.. definitly fun and beautiful.

now youre in nebraska, take 6/34 all the way through nebraska, 34 through iowa, 34 to 24 through illinois, 24 through inidiana, 30 through ohio...


b routes are much more fun, and more rewarding than interstates. and they dont take any longer.


ive done the cross country trip twice taking nothin but b-routes out and interstate back.. b-routes are definitly more enjoyable.