Favorite Drive

[HalfShadows]

Mountain tops are not the only place to land to take a whizz or eat lunch. Just saying I do not do that anymore as of January. And am excited to do and see things from the ground over long distances. I have personal missions to take care of driving my rig, then i will be free to explore. Thinking of doing Route 66 From Ventura to Chicago. Will not matter what time of year anywhere. Snow Bunny's Build will handle all environments and roads.

 

[QinReno]

Most of Rte 66 is now freeway, but there is apparently a book you can get about original byways and stops along the way.

 

[HalfShadows]

Most of Rte 66 is now freeway, but there is apparently a book you can get about original byways and stops along the way.

Thanks Q

 

[highdesertranger]

most of 66 is still there. TonyandKaren did a great write up on it a while back,

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=14689&highlight=route+66

highdesertranger

 

[QinReno]

most of 66 is still there.  TonyandKaren did a great write up on it a while back,

I see wikipedia has a long writeup, plus many other links via google.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66
- https://www.historic66.com/description/

Also, there is the Lincoln Highway, which follows old US 50 and parallels I-80. Nomadic Fanatic just finished it west to east recently.
- https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/map/
- https://www.youtube.com/user/nomadicfanatic/videos

NF is about to set a record, I think - 50,000,000 views in a couple more weeks.

 

[HalfShadows]

Pacific NW is a beautiful drive in October. The leaves change to Bright fire yellows and Blazing Reds. I have a little MG , great mountain car. Would take the MG on the windy mountain roads and take in all the colors. I am colorblind yet i could see the brightness. The top would be down, the heater going, the crisp fall air, the smell of Firesides, Cedar and Evergreen. Ahhh, I love Fall. The MG sits lonely this fall awaiting a perspective buyer. I told myself that I would never take for granted the beauty here. It will be my Domicile my Base as it is. The roads I will Journey may be lacking beauty in comparison. I will have to find the beauty in the inhabitants I approach along the way. I have zero insecurities in my plans. I do not require trial run. October will be my launch to many roads. I will not have a favorite.

 

[QinReno]

Pacific NW is a beautiful drive in October. The leaves change to Bright fire yellows and Blazing Reds. I have a little MG , great mountain car. 

Wow, an MG that still runs. Must be 1965 or so?

 It will be my Domicile my Base as it is. The roads I will Journey may be lacking beauty in comparison. I will have to find the beauty in the inhabitants I approach along the way. I have zero insecurities in my plans. I do not require trial run. October will be my launch to many roads. I will not have a favorite.

I have a homebase to travel from, and it's a good scheme for some of us. I know there are a bunch of people here who are on the road permanently, but my experience "outside" of this forum is that RVers of the retired kind then to go on the road for 3 or 4 years, and then settle to S&B again. I'm working up towards 50:50 :: travel:home.

Also, I don't think you need worry about finding beautiful places to visit. I don't think you can find a bad place west of the 110th meridian. One really comes to appreciate the desert, and all the other out of the way places, except for the damn packrats.

And who needs insecurities. I think the problem is that a lot of people have no experience whatsoever in alternate forms of lifestyle, and have known only one thing for their whole lives. Difficult to break the only bonds you know. Besides, it helps to be a Reformed Beast.

 

[HalfShadows]

Q- The MG is a '77 MGB Roadster. I would do the "Cascade Loop" drive. Take the Cascade Highway 20 East from Burlington Wa. to Winthrop Wa. Then down to Wenatchee Wa., passing all the Apple/Cherry orchards, and buy some apples just out of harvest along the Columbia River.. Then drive East on Hwy. 2 stopping in Leavenworth to look at all the shops-eat some German food, then back on 2 east to Seattle. Then I would take State Hwy. 9 North just before Seattle 60 miles, then back east into the foothills back to home. Will go over 2 different mountain passes on the loop.

 

[QinReno]

Speaking of favorite drives, there is an interesting area further out to the southeast of Seattle, the Channeled Scablands. A year ago, I drove south from Spokane to Pahlouse Falls, and it was like driving over a series of waves. Result of flooding after the ice dam broke that had created Lake Missoula at the end of the last Ice Age.
https://www.google.com/search?q=channeled+scablands&tbm=isch
http://www.icr.org/i/articles/af/channeled_scabland_pic2.jpg
http://hugefloods.com/Glacial-Lake-Missoula-Map.gif
http://hugefloods.com/Scablands.html

Who wants to stay home and watch TV, when there are places like that to go see.

 

[HalfShadows]

Thank you Q  you got my traveling juices going.

 

[HalfShadows]

Check out my new post on Van Thread. (Got my new van)

 

[QinReno]

Thank you Q  you got my traveling juices going.

A week or so trip out to Pahlouse Falls would make a nice shakedown trip for the van. You need a couple of those to sort things out before heading out long-term. 

FYI, the viewing area on the cliff is 2000-feet above the pool, but you can get to the trail going down to the top of the falls, by going hard left over to near the train tracks. Spectacular.

Cool on the van.

 

[HalfShadows]

If some other matter is holding me up after the van is deemed road worth by me, I will do a shake down cruise/getaway in between. Otherwise, will not require a shakedown cruise. Snow Bunny has serious outside lockers , which I might add, will be full of tools. I can build and adjust on the road. After all, I was a A.O.G Mechanic. Dropped off in the middle of nowhere brought an aircraft back up to airworthiness and flew out with the pilot. Fixed wing and Rotary wing both. Contractor with DHS.

 

[QinReno]

I was thinking more in terms of shakedown in regards preparation for living in the van. Getting everything organized. There are certain things that are easier to get at home than when on the road. Eg, ordering a bunch of things from amazon, etc. It took me several trips before I got things more or less settled in how I wanted them. After the first major 6-week trip, I came back and totally changed the van layout around as I didn't much like the first cut, and ordered a new set of whatnots. Every trip I go on, I come up with a few things I'd like to be different.

 

[HalfShadows]

I understand Q. My living room looks like I hit the jackpot with items. All it needs is a Christmas tree. The garage is Bordering that as well. While I am waiting for vehicle parts, I am stripping the wiring completely out and reconfiguring it. (aft of the cab). I am just going to set up my cot and everything else will be put together on the road. Believe me If cannot find what I need on the road, I have plenty of addresses to ship to on my maiden voyage.