Just another buy and drive across country

[T-Mo]

3 hours ago, jimk said:

The storm is over.  To see real Colorado, not just the sagebrush plains, head west out of the Springs, over Poncha Pass and Wolf Creek Pass to Durango.  Then it's your choice to head west over the Painted Desert to Flagstaff or south to Gallop (no man's land).

 

I the route south of Durango ten days ago to Show Low, AZ but started from Denver.

We’re in a coffee shop taking about it right now. We just did the Manitou Incline stairs this morning and feeling more brave with each gulp of coffee. 
 

[T-Mo]

4 hours ago, irdave said:

Crap guys, sorry you got that.  April is typically one of our biggest months for snow- and we're just really getting into spring now.

 

Sorry I missed you, too, but I understand just trying to get through.  Hope this was the crux.  Travel safe.

The storm forced a change in plans and we rerouted to punch thru. A lot of good that did   
 

Looks like one more rainy day no matter what. 

[Steve Tochi]

Sounds like a wonderful road trip!

As Jim said, Wolf Creek Pass would be an awesome drive, and bonus would be you could stop at Kamp Komfort from the Vacation movie, actually I think its called Fun Valley in South Fork.  If coming out I-40, stop in Winslow and take a pic of your car on the corner next to the flatbed Ford!  You know the song right?

Keep up posted, I'm living this roadie vicariously.

[jscaptura1]

If you're in Santa Fe then you are either headed to Albuquerque and I-40 (through Gallup) and on to Flgstaff, not a terribly bad drive but up some good hills west of Albuquerque.   If you go north from Santa Fe you are headed near Taos and over the pass to Durango.  I drove that a few years ago from Durango to Taos...in the winter...at night...in a rental car...with summer tires...you want scary, that was it.  If you're  headed to Durango, then south towards Gallup you'll be traveling through the Navajo (Dine) Nation.  Window Rock is on that drive as well as the 4 corners.  You'll also pass a little place called Fort Defiance, my son lives there, not a wealth of knowledge on '02's but lots of metric tools, jack's, stands, etc.  It is a beautiful drive and Window Rock is only about a half hour away from Gallup and I-40.

[T-Mo]

43 minutes ago, jscaptura1 said:

If you're in Santa Fe then you are either headed to Albuquerque and I-40 (through Gallup) and on to Flgstaff, not a terribly bad drive but up some good hills west of Albuquerque.   If you go north from Santa Fe you are headed near Taos and over the pass to Durango.  I drove that a few years ago from Durango to Taos...in the winter...at night...in a rental car...with summer tires...you want scary, that was it.  If you're  headed to Durango, then south towards Gallup you'll be traveling through the Navajo (Dine) Nation.  Window Rock is on that drive as well as the 4 corners.  You'll also pass a little place called Fort Defiance, my son lives there, not a wealth of knowledge on '02's but lots of metric tools, jack's, stands, etc.  It is a beautiful drive and Window Rock is only about a half hour away from Gallup and I-40.

Thank you for that. You pushed us over the edge and we’re headed North on 24 to meet up with 70, just south of Vail. We’re headed to Grand Junction! 

[jscaptura1]

22 minutes ago, T-Mo said:

Thank you for that. You pushed us over the edge and we’re headed North on 24 to meet up with 70, just south of Vail. We’re headed to Grand Junction

Good luck and have fun!  It is a beautiful drive!  If you have a chance and it's not too far out of your way, Mesa Verde is beautiful as well.  The cliff dwellings there are unbelievable!

[T-Mo]

1 hour ago, jscaptura1 said:

Good luck and have fun!  It is a beautiful drive!  If you have a chance and it's not too far out of your way, Mesa Verde is beautiful as well.  The cliff dwellings there are unbelievable!

What?! I’ve never seen Mesa verde! That is so cool. I think we may drop down there. 

[T-Mo]

So glad we made the call to brave the climb. Willkerson Pass. Says 9500 ft elevation, but it felt like we summited Everest. Lot of 3rd gear. Carbs were gasping for air up there. We hit a number of squalls on the way up, tested the wipers a bit, but once we got over it was... is epic. We’re cruising down the 70 to grand junction, my brothers driving, my wife in the front, I’m in the back watching the Colorado river. This place is beautiful. 
 

short video of some serpentine curves on the way down. I’ll post an edit when we get all the shots together. 

[T-Mo]

I’m posting these from my phone so I’m sorry about the formatting. 
 

Biggest issue with the car is the slack in the throttle. I took a bunch out but there are so many parts in the linkage and each one adds their own flavor to the slack casserole. I dove in last night on the topic. Followed several threads from this site. Still I have a pedal that doesn’t really engage the throttle arm until it’s pushed in halfway. I’m hitting the floor a lot and I can see that it’s limiting. I’m going to send a picture of where all the slack is, maybe someone will have an idea. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by T-Mo

[jscaptura1]

Sounds like fun!  MESA Verde is west of Durango.  That is the area that my son likes to ski!

[jimk]

Probably too far past by now, but Arches National Park by Moab, UT is not far off I70.

[landon]

1 hour ago, T-Mo said:

So glad we made the call to brave the climb. Willkerson Pass. Says 9500 ft elevation, but it felt like we summited Everest. Lot of 3rd gear. Carbs were gasping for air up there. We hit a number of squalls on the way up, tested the wipers a bit, but once we got over it was... is epic. We’re cruising down the 70 to grand junction, my brothers driving, my wife in the front, I’m in the back watching the Colorado river. This place is beautiful. 
 

short video of some serpentine curves on the way down. I’ll post an edit when we get all the shots together. 

IMG_5395.MOV

Did I miss you on the way home from work?  I'm right off I-70 at New Castle if you need anything....

[dlmrun2002]

Arches is cool. Moab red rock too..if you got a mtn bike!!!!!   Great trip to follow ..LIVE.  Thanks for reporting  Once did a rafting trip out of Moab on the Colorado River all the way down to Lake Powell. Took 5 days..   Safe  travel in th o2.

 

dlm ny country

[Steve Tochi]

Wow cool aerial footage!   Here's a suggestion, turn off I-70 in Utah before you reach I-15.  Take Scenic Byway 12 south through Capitol Reef NP and through Escalante.  Amazing drive full of twisties and stunning views.  Will lead you towards east entrance to Zion NP, through the tunnels, the quickly join back up with I-15 on your way to Vegas.  Stay safe and enjoy the ride!

[2002iii]

I drove from California to Georgia with buddy who moved to Georgia in 2019, we went through Las Vegas then spent 3 days in Utah touring Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Escalante and Arches. That was the best trip I've been on in a long time. We did it all in his big gas guzzling 1989 Ford F250 4x4 with a 460 big block and a factory ZF made in Germany 5 speed transmission.

 

I also took a rafting trip out of Moab on the Colorado river and returned to Moab in a 4 person airplane. Another epic trip, got to see Anasazi ruins.

 

I need to go on another road trip, I still haven't seen the grand canyon and lots if other national parks.