2000 miles of nervous nirvana....
- Thread starter Metcalf
- Start date
Tough Trip through Paradise
Metcalf, sounds like lots of fun, when you get the Unicorn built you will look back fondly about how tough you were in the good old days! I did lots of 300-400 mile days in my 1971 CJ,4.88 gears,T18, and a 225 v-6. The speed limit was 55 in those days and it worked out just fine. Looking at your route you might consider just getting on the I-15 from Spanish Forks up to Ogden. The traffic isn't moving much faster then 50 in the slow lane and my experiences with the parallel routes are constant stop and go traffic. On your way back home you might look at going down through Yellowstone to Jackson Hole, along the Wind River Range to Flaming George ,over the Uinta's to Vernal and then down to Grand Junction.I have ground proofed this route in a air cooled Volkswagon camper bus in late May and it is a spectacular trip if the weather is good. Get your AAA paid up and give me a shout if you need a hand when you get to Montana.
Metcalf, sounds like lots of fun, when you get the Unicorn built you will look back fondly about how tough you were in the good old days! I did lots of 300-400 mile days in my 1971 CJ,4.88 gears,T18, and a 225 v-6. The speed limit was 55 in those days and it worked out just fine. Looking at your route you might consider just getting on the I-15 from Spanish Forks up to Ogden. The traffic isn't moving much faster then 50 in the slow lane and my experiences with the parallel routes are constant stop and go traffic. On your way back home you might look at going down through Yellowstone to Jackson Hole, along the Wind River Range to Flaming George ,over the Uinta's to Vernal and then down to Grand Junction.I have ground proofed this route in a air cooled Volkswagon camper bus in late May and it is a spectacular trip if the weather is good. Get your AAA paid up and give me a shout if you need a hand when you get to Montana.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Thanks for the route suggestions.
I thought about using the interstate through the Salt Lake area but just don't think it will be that much fun in a flat fender. Maybe it would work ok, but I just don't know. Generally I want to avoid the interstate at all costs. That is kinda one point about this trip.....to get off the interstates and slow down and see things I haven't seen yet. I have done the I15 north route WAY too many times and it is kinda mind numbing at 70+ let alone at 55. If it takes me longer to use surface streets it takes me longer. Being off the interstate where I can push a broken flat fender off the road totally would be really nice too. On the interstate your so trapped....
I am considering that route back down. I can stop in St Anthony and play in the dunes too! It will all depend on how the drive up goes I suppose....
DarinM
Explorer
Definitely some road-dog traveling. I'm also a bit envious and look forward to reading your stories of how it all goes. I did a trip from Austin to Miami, through the Everglades and back to Austin in my TJ topless about 3 years ago - Ended up being around 3000 miles of sunburned pleasure. I've also done a few topless/doorless trips from Austin to SW Colorado. Ran into some early season snows a time or two. I have occasionally questioned my wisdom. Before I moved to Wichita last summer, I was routinely doing the Austin-Wichita run on my motorcycle, just loaded with what I needed and hitting the highway. My DD is now my wife's 02 Kia Sportage. She finds it amusing that I consider it to be a luxury vehicle. It has windows! Real glass windows! heehee
Be safe and have fun!!!
Be safe and have fun!!!
postalWagon
Adventurer
Look at some of the menu item on packitgourmet.com they have some ideas that you should be able to pick up at the grocery. Best of all most back packing food does not requier a cooler and is compact/lite.
Lee_N
Member
You may also consider taking Bangerter Hwy on the west side of the valley to California Avenue, East to Redwood Road, North to 500 S outside Bountiful, West to Legacy Parkway, then straight in to Highway 89. Bangerter has less stoplights than travelling through the heart of the SLC and Legacy has a 55 MPH speed limit so you won't feel like you're getting run over. Also no Semi's allowed on Legacy.
I live just to the north and west of Highway 89 outside of Ogden. If you have any problems in this area, feel free to call. PM me for my cell.
Sounds like a great trip!
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Great information, just what I was hoping for. I will jump on google maps and check out your suggested route.
PM inbound. Thank you for the offer.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Here is my adjusted route from just before Spanish Fork, Utah to Bringham City, Utah per some of the advice in the thread...
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...h&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&z=13
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...h&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&z=13
Yea, backpacking food. Some of the mountain house grub is pretty good. Ramen, Mac n cheese, PB & J, tortillas, foil packs of tuna, chicken or whatever meat you like. Oatmeal for breakfast or dry cereal mixed with powdered milk, just add water. So minimum cook kit is one pot a spoon and a stove. you'll have plenty of water access with the snow. Good luck. I'm beyond jealous.
jeepdreamer
Expedition Leader
Wait a minute! Your in a military vehicle and don't know what to eat? Why...
MREs of course! hahaha!
Meals rejected by everyone, how fitting!
At least the current ones have meal heaters. The ones I broke my teeth (almost literally) on when I first came in didn't have them. And trying to eat a near frozen Ham slice was dangerous! But all things considered they seem fitting to the journey and would technically keep you alive. Not many die from killing their taste buds! lol!
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Wait a minute! Your in a military vehicle and don't know what to eat? Why...
MREs of course! hahaha!
Meals rejected by everyone, how fitting!
I was a wildland firefighter for 10 years. I have had MORE than my fair share of MrE's
smokeybear
Smokeybear
The weather here in Missoula has been great this week - regularly hitting 80. Next week it's supposed to cool down a bit, but should still be nice. Forest roads are mostly pretty dry in the bottom, but you'll hit significant snow in a hurry as you go up. Look for this book when you get here:
http://www.montanabackroads.org/reviews/books/press-release2club-website.pdf
http://www.montanabackroads.org/reviews/books/press-release2club-website.pdf
jscusmcvet
Explorer
I don't have any advice, just a hearty slap on the back and hope for you to have a great adventure! Thanks for sharing this.
John
John
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Just trying to get organized....
Sorting out the tool kit. It is probably too much, but it makes me feel a little better on a long trip knowing that I could just about rebuild the entire vehicle.
Got the shovel and axe mounted. I'm not 100% happy with the straps I made but they are functional. Not having to carry the shovel and axe inside is nice!
I built a manual throttle using an old tension style bike shifter. I decided to mount it to the steering column. It seems to work VERY well for a lot of things. Warming the vehicle up this morning was sure easy!
I started making a center console based on a 50 cal ammo can. I am adding a locking padlock to a pin on the front paddle. It needs to be raised up off the floor a bit with a bracket, and it should have a small compartment under it with the bracket design I have in mind. Having some locking storage in the vehicle will be really nice.
Sorting out the tool kit. It is probably too much, but it makes me feel a little better on a long trip knowing that I could just about rebuild the entire vehicle.
Got the shovel and axe mounted. I'm not 100% happy with the straps I made but they are functional. Not having to carry the shovel and axe inside is nice!
I built a manual throttle using an old tension style bike shifter. I decided to mount it to the steering column. It seems to work VERY well for a lot of things. Warming the vehicle up this morning was sure easy!
I started making a center console based on a 50 cal ammo can. I am adding a locking padlock to a pin on the front paddle. It needs to be raised up off the floor a bit with a bracket, and it should have a small compartment under it with the bracket design I have in mind. Having some locking storage in the vehicle will be really nice.