CO/UT trip (1 Viewer)

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Lets just say i floated the idea a couple weekends ago to someone with a 4 car hauler and it wasn't shot down. Don't know if that means anything but we have time to figure it out as it's looking like October is the month to go. If all else fails I'm flying into GJ.
 
Sounds like fun!
Steve mentioned this trip to me so I thought I would chime in
I went to Moab in August and July a few years ago and it was really hot. It is kind of a challenge to get to Moab if you are flying and need a car. I was in salt Lake City for the August trip and had to take a shuttle down and then rent a Heep. It did fine. There was a place that rented built 40s , but i found out that when i got there. Can' t remember the name of the company.. may be the same that does the Unimog group trail rides.

the July trip was with other Cottonland Cruisers and some Bayou State guys. Had a blast. stayed at the KOA with the swamp coolers semi working. got up to the 90-100s during the day. You would think in the desert it would get cooler at night.. nope. I was in the 80 for this trip and that slow wheeling did not help the AC work. I'd rather be in a 40 or the zuk. Atleast you could get a breeze.

Anyway I will know by summer what's up if y'all don't mind me tagging along
 
bring'n back to top. I got to brain storming (stupidly I'm sure), but nonetheless, that i could haul my junk out to Moab in Oct. with my 1/2 ton. Of course, that is if no other options happen to present themselves and as a last resort. Tow rig is reasonable setup for towing, weight dist hitch, tranny cooler, new motor, new tires, etc...

It's 1750 miles each way to Moab, at 10 MPG roughly so call it +/-350 gallons round trip but that aint the issue. My primary concern is wear and tear on the tow rig and even mechanical issues along the way. Technically speaking I shouldn't have any problems doing it but that's on paper.

Would also love to split the cost of gas if anyone wants to share the driving.

So let the debate begin I suppose, stupid or what?
 
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Find me a 3 car trailer I can use! I have the Mac Daddy Tow Truck. There's also a lot of talk among some East Coasters about Rubicon! And Tate and I will be back at Pismo Beach Turf and Surf this November! Also Hitting up Alaska for most of the Summer again with or without a rig. Then going to Black Hills on way home again. Let me know!
 
:hmm::hmm: rental? No, wait, even better... Doesn't the club need one?

I don't immediately have a 3 car trailer but I do have a 16' that'll happily accept a ride out to UT.
 
tkinze said:
bring'n back to top. I got to brain storming (stupidly I'm sure), but nonetheless, that i could haul my junk out to Moab in Oct. with my 1/2 ton. Of course, that is if no other options happen to present themselves and as a last resort. Tow rig is reasonable setup for towing, weight dist hitch, tranny cooler, new motor, new tires, etc...

It's 1750 miles each way to Moab, at 10 MPG roughly so call it +/-350 gallons round trip but that aint the issue. My primary concern is wear and tear on the tow rig and even mechanical issues along the way. Technically speaking I shouldn't have any problems doing it but that's on paper.

Would also love to split the cost of gas if anyone wants to share the driving.

So let the debate begin I suppose, stupid or what?
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I think your rig would make the trek just fine. From Atl area it will give you the up to St Louis I70 option. DO NOT GO THAT WAY! Not in a half ton. Go the southern route. Not to many big hills that direction. The only prob your going to have is your small gas tank. I would take a couple cans of gas to be safe. Your only going to get !50-180 miles per tank vs. a 35 gallon diesel getting close to 300. Your going to stop a lot and you will struggle to find fuel in that short a distance sometimes.
 
Excellent info and thank you!! Yes, Google indicates the northern route as the shortest and honestly i was kinda wanting go that way just for the scenery but figured the southern route would be easier on the truck. I had not considered the range being an issue, good to know.
 
I70 is breath taking. Im driving my 80 back out later this year and I'm going that way. Look up Eisenhower Pass. Vail Pass. Its the highest interstate in the country. Im talking 14 miles of 7% grade down the back side. I remember seeing a sign that said don't let off the brakes cause you have 7 miles to go. And i was long past stressed about the decent. And i was in a 08 Dodge dually with an exhaust brake.
 
now I really wanna go I-70 but 7% for 14 miles aint no joke. I'd assume the climb up to Eisenhower Tunnel probably has about the same grade. About the only reference I have to that is hwy 111 up to Golden Mtn, there's a relatively short 8% grade and that's a bitch to climb.
 
As someone who has traveled east-west-east many, many times during the years, I cannot emphasize enough that if you are going to Moab or Southern Utah from our area to take 40 all the way to ABQ, then Rt. 550 NW to Farmington then into Southern Utah. It is the easiest, most cost effective and fastest way to get there overall.

Elevation and headwinds are going to be the killer on this trip-- especially if you are towing.
 
Thanks guys and I know you're both right, I'm just dreamin' out loud.

Was just watching a couple videos of I-70 through the Eisenhower tunnel and Vail pass and it is absolutely beautiful but a stupid thought on my part. I was hoping to see a buncho' dumbarses dragging rock crawlers over the pass but no such luck. Go figure. :hmm:

Assuming I do this, and its a big assumption right now, I just hate the thought of missing such an epic drive but common since will prevail.




 
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Take it on your way back.... Downhill with a tail wind.

:)

Make a loop. Leave Moab, head north to Crescent Junction, pick-up I-70E, stop in Fruita and have epic Mexican at El Tapatio (hotel right next door if you have too much fun). Continue east into Colorado, stop in Grand Junction and say hi to Hugh and team at Safari, LTD, then continue east and up you go into the Rockies.
 
good thought, just assumed it was equally painful both ways. You (and me) are assuming I come back, might not.
 
70 is awesome once you get into the CO mountains...it sucks from there east. If you want to save money 40 is the way to go, and it isn't "ugly" at all once you get into the high desert.
 
Here is the best way I've found to describe eastern Kansas to people. Imagine being in the ocean in a canoe. Its a lonely long drive. In the past we tried to drive straight thru. First year we did with a short nap, 2nd year, a few short naps, 3 year, screw a nap, we stopped for the night and climbed in my buddies enclosed trailer and slept under his rig on air mattresses. On the way home, sell to hell with it and got a hotel room. There is a huge rest area soon as you hit the Nm border, just saying. Oh yeah, Wal-marts patrol there parking lots at night so that made us feel really comfortable. Nothing like trying to sleep in a sketchy gas station for the night with thousands of $$$ of gear in the back of the truck. In the middle of the Navaho Indian rez.
 
I was looking at I40 in nowhere TX using Google street view, or should i say street no-view! There aint nuthin' for miles, how damn boring!!
 
Yeah, that is the loneliest stretch of that route for sure! Gets more interesting once you get to/past Amarillo, then awesome into NM and AZ. I made that drive in the 1971 Fiat coming back from Phoenix, was pretty cool.
 
Bump.

Who's going?
 
Sam Stewart said:
Have the final details been decided yet? Dates?
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Nope. That's what I'm trying to get people to sit down and talk about. If nothing gets locked down soon, it'll fizzle out just like it did last year. Planning for travel, rig shipping, open seating, trails, lodging, airport ferrying, food, money to set aside, vacation requests, etc, etc, etc, all need to be WELL underway by the six-month-out point if you ask me. That point is mid April. So if there's nobody committed by then, I'm going to go ahead and plan it by myself and just wait and see if anyone shows up. I've got a handful of local Jeep guys that are pining to go with me so I may just have to plan it with them. :(

Notwithstanding the above, has anyone talked to Roger or Spanky or any other shippers for possibilities in that avenue?
 
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