Solo Pelican Road Trip (& Heat Test) W/Pics

[ZOA NOM]

So, for background, I'm a System Engineer with the FAA, and I travel to the FAA's Academy in Oklahoma City about once or twice a year, mostly for one or two weeks at a time. This trip is for an 8-week software course, so Uncle Sam sez I can drive my POV and he'll foot the bill. So I slap on some new rubber (I traded in my Potenza RE750's for the Fuzions to see if the cost difference was worth it. So far, I like them a lot.), newly painted valance and chin spoiler, fully charged A/C, most of my tools and head out. My route is designed as a sightseeing tour of the Southwest, along as many backroads as I can find. Here are some pics from Day 1 & 2:


A small lake beside the road near Tioga Pass. Elev 9000 ft.


Same lake, yes I actually took this picture.


Not a car in sight. I left the Bay Area at 0530, which put me in the park ahead of most of the Friday traffic. Smooth sailing all the way through to the Eastern entrance.

I made it to Lee Vining, a small town on the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas by 0930, so I couldn't even check in to my room. I decided to kill the afternoon fishing at Lundy Lake, about 7 miles up the road. No, I didn't catch a thing, but talk about "me" time. It's been awhile since I've been able to just sit by a lake and relax.

Here was my spot. It was too windy, and too early in the afternoon for fishing, I think. The locals swore the Bass were jumping in the boats. I might have had better luck later in the day.



I have some pics from the Las Vegas leg today that I'll post later.

As for the heat test, it was well into triple digits in Vegas today, and my temp gauge never wandered above 9 o'clock. Here's a pic for proof:




PS- There weren't too many places to grab a bite between Mono Lake and Las Vegas, but one small place stood out. Hey K911sc, isn't that your truck?




I'm staying in Mesquite, NV tonight, and heading north into southern Utah to try highway 12 (look it up), and should make it to Pagosa Springs, CO by tomorrow night. More to come.

[Seahawk]

Nice.

[ianc]

Careful... The top of the 'T' in 'Temp' equates to about 260F, and that is too damn hot...

ianc

[Grady Clay]

Beautiful travel photos, Porsche included.

Have (careful) fun over Red Mountain Pass near Durango. If for some strange reason you have to come slightly north, you are welcome here in Denver. We have a bed but no borth…. err.

On my flight from Denver to Oakland in June the guy in the next seat was returning to Hawaii from 6-weeks or so FAA in OKC. Small world (big Agency).

Drive safely, keep the pictures coming.

Best,
Grady

[ZOA NOM]

Originally posted by ianc
Careful... The top of the 'T' in 'Temp' equates to about 260F, and that is too damn hot...

ianc

It was pretty steady right where it is in the picture. From looking at past posts, I thought the 10-o'clock line represented 250. In any event, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for the concern.

[ZOA NOM]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
Beautiful travel photos, Porsche included.

Have (careful) fun over Red Mountain Pass near Durango. If for some strange reason you have to come slightly north, you are welcome here in Denver. We have a bed but no borth…. err.

On my flight from Denver to Oakland in June the guy in the next seat was returning to Hawaii from 6-weeks or so FAA in OKC. Small world (big Agency).

Drive safely, keep the pictures coming.

Best,
Grady

Small world indeed, Grady. I might take you up on the visit on my return trip the first week of September. More pics to come for sure.

[Carrera3.5L]

Originally posted by ZOANAS
It was pretty steady right where it is in the picture. From looking at past posts, I thought the 10-o'clock line represented 250. In any event, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for the concern.

8:00 mark is 90°C or 194°F and the 10 o'clock line is 120°C or 248°F. Your reading is nowhere near 260°F and is around 210°F-215°F which is fine, especially with the a/c blasting and up-and-down mountain driving.

I would LOVE to take my flyrod out to a few of those lakes! Too bad you didn't catch any fish but the worst day fishing is better than the best day working!

Ralph

[ZOA NOM]

Thanks, Ralph.

Tomorrow should be another hot one. I'll be up around 9000' again through southern Utah, so I'll be keeping an eye on it.

Here's my planned route:

[BlueSideUp]

Very cool road trip. Did you pick the roads from experience or just looking them up on the map?

I pretty much couldn't think of a better car to do a road trip in.

[ZOA NOM]

Just picked them by looking at the map, and searching the web for scenic drives. I've done the Cali - to - Oklahoma trip so many times, it just kills me to take I-5 down to SoCal and then I-40 all the way across. Talk about desolate. I did the northern route through Salt Lake and Vail a few years back, and always wanted to see southern Utah, so here I go. It would be great if the wife could take the week and come with me, but she works too. I might fly her out for the return trip.

[BlueSideUp]

Cool, I've done that interstate drive in pieces a few times. Talk about mind numbing.

BTW-Thanks for the hard work! I try out your systems engineering results every week.

[ZOA NOM]

Thanks for the compliment. In spite of some of the negative press the FAA sometimes gets, we really do provide an unequalled air traffic system. God help us all if they decide to contract it out to private industry where profit is king.

[vash]

wow. sorry to see you go, before the AX today.

the trip looks good. i think your car is running plenty cool! how is the AC? and MPG?

[ZOA NOM]

I haven't had the guts to run the AC in this heat. If I were at home, no biggie, but I don't wanna invite trouble on the road. I should get plenty of Oklahoma heat to test the AC while I'm there. As for MPG, I'm around 24, but I haven't set the trip meter to it yet. I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow.

[ZOA NOM]

Pics from Mono Lake to Vegas

This is Highway 120 from Lee Vining, CA to Benton, CA.



Gratuitous P-Car content on the same road.




BTW, the limo tint on the rear windows makes a spectacular difference in the cabin temperature.

[ZOA NOM]

This road was really nice, cutting through a forest that sprang up in the middle of the desert, with nice, rolling sweepers. Not many trucks up here, so the road was in great shape.

[mjshira]

good luck, hope you avoid the fuzz

[ZOA NOM]

V1 has already busted three traps. I can't believe the range out on the open road. It seems like I have to wait forever to see the cop. Knock on wood, no ticket so far. I'm not really pushing too fast, tho. Averaging about 85-90 most of the way.

[juanbenae]

very cool rick. thanks for the link, id been on vacation and not around the computer much. i will keep checkin in on your progress.

[cantdrv55]

Great pics Rick. That one of the lake that mirrors the hill above it is postcard quality. Have a safe and uneventful trip to OK. Your valance and spoiler looks cool.