Migrating east from San Francisco...
 

Rain and snow in the Sierras caused a day's departure delay. I finally left the "City-of-Granola", "Baghdad-by-the-Bay"...
San Francisco, Californucornicopia on Wed., April 17th at 3:00 am.

A few years ago, I bought a 2002 Toyota Tacoma... Anything newer than a 2004 wouldn't fit in my garage built for whatever
they drove/rode-in, in 1913.

It's a truck, born and raised in central CA. Showroom condition...almost. Four-wheel drive with 5-spd manual and a camper top.

I packed it to the max...A 9' Avon roll-up inflatable with launching wheels, full-size futon, (2) outboard motors (2&4 HP),
Makita sliding mitre saw, (2) JBL 4311 studio monitor speakers, Herman-Miller Aeron desk chair, (2) 5-gal. gas cans ($4.21/gal. in SF), tool box, (2) bicycles, camping equipment (not going to do any camping), huge cooler, etc., and a bit more etc.

Day 1...4/17/2019

I was hoping to make the 1st day a 535 mile drive and stay the first night in Ely, NV. I got a 3:00 am start and blew by Ely by 221 miles
and spent the night in Salina, UT at a Travelodge. 756 miles on day 1. Had an awful meal at the only restaurant in town... Mom's.

"Uh, yes! Could you tell me what kind of beers you have? We don't serve alcohol"...Yup, Utah! Not a bar in town.

Rt. 50 from Fallon, NV on, was sparsely driven and I had no problem doing 90 mph+. Drove by 2 State Cops and they didn't even notice me.

If your vehicle breaks down on Rt. 50 you are in very, very deep doo doo. (Can I say doo doo on the Forum?).

It was difficult to take photos, but I got a few and will post them when I am less tired.

Sorry...but nothing comes close to "The Magic Carpet" ride of 1953.

Thanks I love this. Keep us posted.


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Out of curiosity...

What gas mileage does a 2002 truck get going 90mph?

The anticipation is killing me I need more!


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I've found that a strong headwind or tailwind can make a big difference--in mileage and top speed.

I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. I have about 150K on it. Great truck but keep an eye on the frame. Some trucks of that vintage were recalled by Toyota for improper frame undercoating, depending on when and where it was built. I had the frame replaced by Toyota two years ago after corrosion was detected on my frame. The frame replacement was done under the recall (>$11,000) and was of no cost to me. Also, the spare tire holder chain and assembly was recalled. Go to a Toyota dealer with your VIN number and have them check it out. Hopefully your truck will be fine.

Congratulations on coming east.....California is turning into a third world country

Sounds like you're pulling up stakes and leaving the nation's homeless capitol: I can't say that I blame you.

see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xhRXySNUws

No need for that comment. Hopefully it doesn't derail a good thread. :rolleye1:

Congratulations Gary. Sounds like a great excursion.
Just returned from Burbank myself.
For those who don't like California, what can I say, Mild Winter, lots of rain this year, the drought is over, ? how long. Burbank has a unique land fill method and now it is on site to last another 50 years rather than the 15 proposed.
M only desire is that the restaurants had some good fish. However, one cannot have everything but still hope sometime it will happen

________________________________________________

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

Recall is applicable through the 2010 model year and is covered out to 15 years unlimited mileage. Those recalls are only applicable in certain areas where the trucks are exposed to significant amounts of road salt.

Loaded up, I'm getting 18-20.

Going over mountains eats fuel quickly.

And a strong cross-wing blows me all over the place...On a two lane road with BIG big rigs coming at you at 70 mph, and I'm going 90, the wind blast is brutal...Actually folded one of my outside mirrors back.

The local news last night had stories of the wind.

No rust...
 

No rust at all. Before I bought it, I brought it to a Toyota dealer and had them go through everything...Love this truck!

Can't argue San Francisco's status
 

Nope. Not moving. I won't give the ass$#@*s the satisfaction of watching this curmudgeon move. Then they have the satisfaction of raising the property tax, since I'm protected under Prop13. But, please don't tell anyone there's a conservative living among them. In other places I'm considered relatively normal. IN San Fran they call me Atila the Hun:D

Day 2...
 

Left Salina, UT at 5:30 am.

Watched an incredible, almost full moon, rise over the Rockies. I couldn't stop and photo it...Very disappointing.

Rt. 50, now almost into Kansas, has been a very lightly driven road.

The Monarch Pass, Utah, elev. 11,315' was a bit on my nerves as I looked at the edge of my lane and saw a 2 mile drop with no guardrail.

Going downhill, I got in back of a slow moving truck (5-15 mph) that was forcing me to brake and my brakes were getting hot.
I passed it with white knuckles on a curve with no traffic coming head on.

Watching local news in small towns is interesting. Lots of semi-talented newscasters wanting to use their local presence to step=up to the BIG
time.

The BIG issue in Lamar CO today, is the hiring of a local company to take care of the plants in their median strip along
their portion of Rt. 50.

Encountered severe cross winds from the last 200 miles of SE Co. On a two-lane non-divided highway,
I almost got blown sideways into a tractor trailer truck heading the opposite.

Syrup and butter is served with everything. Syrup with steak? Hamburger? At one place they asked me if I would like to purchase some "syrup". I should have asked where it came from.

When I would spend several days on a sailboat and then go home to dry land, it took a couple days to readjust to the non-movement.

I would take a shower and hold on to the walls.

Tonight, I'm feeling the same from the movement of the drive. Buffeting cross-winds didn't help. I was watching TV in my room and I thought the room was starting to move and I started to step on the brakes...YIKES!

The people I have encountered are extraordinarily nice and sweet. Kinda like dripping with syrup. You are what you eat?

I have been a radio addict since 1977 (long story). Today everything was about Demos wanting to impeach Trump. I almost opted for the plethora of religious stations. Settled for practicing mi Espanol, and then rockin' with George Thorogood.

It's a very large country. Time for a drink.

Oh...Carls Jr., in Colorado is selling CBD infused burgers. CVS has CBD oil...Advertised on a big banner on the side of the road.

Colorado Syrup?

https://cannabis.net/dispensaries/pu...cannabis-syrup

Cross- Country Trip Review
 

Thanks Gary for sharing your experience......as another Southern Cal. girl that spends the winter here I can assure those that have not visited or lived in the state, it really isn't a third world country and has not been taken over by crazy dems. Problems here are not unique to this state, just sometimes more magnified because of its size.

I have done the x-country drive a few times since retiring and look forward to trying rt. 50 next year. This year I am flying into Boston in a few more weeks!

Day 3...
 

Day 3

Pretty uneventful day.

Rt. 50 can be frustrating when behind a slow driver you can't pass. Colorado is mostly gorgeous except for the eastern part. It's an extension of Kansas.
Hundreds of miles of flat land and not one tree. I swear if there was a 50'tree in Kansas, you'd be able to see it across the entire state.

Rt. 50 can be poorly marked and my GPS doesn't always ID the road I'm on by route #. When I got up and started the day's drive, I thought it strange the sun was rising on my left, meaning I was heading south. I never saw a turn-off on 50, so I kept driving...and then..."Welcome to Texas"...What? Friggin Texas? I drove through Oklahoma and didn't know it. Yeah I know, I should have stopped and read my maps. So I caught another road heading north east and rejoined Rt. 50 near Wichita...Not too bad of a detour.

I drove about 700 miles on Day 1, 625 miles on Day 2 and another 600 miles Day 3. Spent the night in Ottawa, KS. A really nice, quaint town with an historic downtown. Had chili verde at El Mezcal. My waiter was Mexican. I asked him what town in Mexico he was from..."Guanajuato", he said. He was a little shocked when I asked him if he had been to the Mummy Museum (museo de momias) at the end of the main street, or if he ever saw the Cervantes Festival there. I loved Guanajuato...Hilly like San Fran.

The people I've met have been very nice. I feel sorry that when the Electoral College goes away, they will be left at the mercy of the mega liberal cities that will take their power away.

I've heard the radio ads for "visiting the forest"...An effort to get kids off their buts, away from their devices and out into nature. I wonder if those ads play in Kansas? I didn't hear any. "Ive been through Kansas on three different highways and really can not remember seeing a tree...I dodged a few tumbleweeds blowing across the highway.

There are junk yards I've seen with thousands of cars in a gazillion acres...Want to restore an antique '32 Ford? Got 'em.

Saw a milk farm that had to have over 100,000 heads a cattle. Definitely not free-range.

I heard on the news that Elizabeth Warren was in New Hamphsire Saturday...Another Masshole crossing the border to bring Massachusetts to all...Wonderful!

I've tried posting some photos but get a message "unable to upload".

My motel room is moving around. I wish it would stop...

I think Rt. 90 is the best. You can visit Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole the site of the Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer's last stand, although he didn't stand for long. They shot their horses to use the carcasses for protection). Rt.80 is a study in boring, but I drove it in 1976...Maybe it changed...probably not.

"See the Five-Legged Cow"...
 

When I last entered Kansas, I was greeted by a big sign that read: "See the Five-Legged Cow". :confused:

After many, many hours of suffering featureless countryside pass by, I'd nearly crossed all of Kansas, and was quite ready to pay any fee to see that cow! :eek:

As for the Guadajuatan and the museum, how many New York City dwellers have been to the Statue of Liberty? :rolleye2:

True been in NY all My 54 years and never been to the Statue of Liberty. Been past on my boat many times but never went to the actual statue


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From brother Mark
 

I'm not a regular on the forum but thought I should add some input to a family member. Gary you should arrive at your destination today or by the time you read this, have arrived.

Hope the plumber turned on the water. Wish I was there to help with the dock. Call me when you r there and have time. Hope the smoke detectors aren't beeping.

Just tried to upload an image. Error stating something about "a missing security token."

mark

I've made it to Meredith...
 

Will continue the thread when I get internet connection at the house

Thanks Gary really enjoying this. [emoji4]


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When travelling east...
 

Head for the rising sun.

Got to Meredith today, Wed. 4/23.

I'm going to relax, unpack, do a bunch of other stuff and I'll update the remainder of the trip. A little ice remains around Stonedam.

Just wanted to post that I arrived safely, without incident.

Whew...

Welcome back. Looking forward to the final episode. BTW, we're giving you an extra day...Today is Tuesday, 4/23, not Weds.

When is that nice rust free California Tacoma going up for sale?

3,665 miles in 6 days...
 

Days 5&6...

I am still unable to upload photos...Getting an error message.

Rt. 50 through Illinois and Indiana went through a lot of small towns. Some quaint, neatly packaged and well maintained, and some that made you wonder...People chose to live here? (Not unique to here, in every state this was the case). Makes you wonder... For what reason could they not escape? The visuals of local life were a bit offset by the 30 mph zones. But, it forces you to slow down. But some of the local life would have definitely been missed on the BIG highway.

Western Maryland was an amazing place. Lots of gentle mountains. AND the fastest drivers I saw. At 90, I was one of the slowest on the road. Easily past many times much in excess of 100 mph. I got to a toll booth, somewhere, and there was a very nice self-contained upscale camper towing a McLaren. I would like to know who was towing that car!

Larry Elison owned (owns?) a MCLaren. Bought a secure building to store it in in Foster City, CA and hired a full-time guard to "look over the toy". Bought for over $1mm.

Rt. 50 then became a non-eventful drive through NJ and then I hit NY...OMG! I want to never drive through NY or CT again. Maybe I'm ignorant of how to get around a $15 toll on the Geo. Washington Brige. The insult was, it took forever to get across the thing. 1st gear all the way...When I wasn't stopped in netrual waiting for more progress.

Then I hit CT and remember growing up with a New England phenom of traffic going along at 75-80 and then coming to a grinding halt for no reason. Five mph for the next 2 miles and a gradual increase in speed back to 75-80 with no sign of what caused it...And then it happens again, and again. In one instance, the braking was very hard and with my weight, I was a little slow in stopping and had to go into the median to avoid a rear-ender. And it was raining.

I spent the night with family in Orange, MA...A very nice area. AND THEN...Da-de-dada-da DAHHH! I headed north and entered New Hampshire through the Keane area.

This is an area of New Hampshire not familiar to me. I was astonished at the beauty all the way to 93.

I started in California on Wed., April 17 and went through the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, W. Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and into New Hampshire. In my life I have visited all US states, except for Alaska and North Dakota.

Many years ago I chose to live in San Francisco, California for many reasons at that time. Today I step over waste products, and shop at markets for things I can't find in New Hampshire easily. Within an easy 8 blocks of where I live, every...EVERY, ethnicity of restaurant is available, and most of them deliver when I'm lazy. I can buy rabbit for $3.79/lb, octopus for $5.95/lb, goat, pheasant, elk, buffalo, conch, dungeouness crab, a live chicken and Maine lobster...often cheaper per/lb. than Hannaford in Meredith and etc.

Flylady was right, it's not a 3rd world country at all. It's a misguided state of confused definition of compassion...I digress.

California is diverse, beautiful and a bit unreal. Nevada, Utah have a charm. Colorado, except for Alaska, probably has the reputation for the beauty queen, and everyone loves Florida.

I'd like to share the state I feel has the most beauty and charm I have ever visited. This is in my most humble opinion with respect and acceptance for those who disagree. We all have reasons for where we chose to live, and our reasons are varied, diverse and sometimes hard to understand by others. I hope my choice is not disappointing...Now, in a grand exodus from this thread, I will announce it tommorow...

Night all...Time for a rest.

Oh common really you going to leave everyone hanging like a typical reality show commercial break?

Stay tuned while we try to sell you the whole flex seal family of products...…

Yup...
 

I'm not asking for money...Trying to formulate the editorial content... What else are you doing tomorrow.:liplick:

There a book i am reading called the somewheres vs the everywhere's . It explains why people still live in these small towns here and in UK ( book is written by an author in UK). Explains the rise in brexit and trump. Too much to discuss here and would be controversial. I drove from phx twice and back once. Long drives but nice country
Welcome back

Avoid George Washington Bridge!
 

Gary, I grew up 3 miles from the GW and avoid it unless I am headed to Long Island. For future reference: From northern NJ head food the Tappan Zee Bridge (toll approx $5 without EZ Pass) and then either 684 to 84 into Danbury Ct. or if not towing a trailer I prefer the Merritt Parkway to 91 to 84. If you do a search on the forum there is a thread discussing the best routes from PA & NJ. My trip is 305 miles to Alton Bay and 5 hr. 10 mins. is my best time over the past 30+ years.

Out of all the states I've been in, I think...
 

The most beautiful, in my opinion, is New Hampshire. I can't think of another state that deserves my love more.

New Hampshire has sea shore , The Lakes Region, mountains gently shaped by glaciers, fantastic rivers and streams, forests with conifers and deciduous trees, amazing wildlife, fantastic history, quaint New England towns with white steeples, family cemeteries...each with it's own history, in the summer it's a playground, the winters are a spectacular secret, water clean enough to drink...


Yup, the migration is over, sorry maxum...part of the reason for the drive is to relocate the truck here.

I enjoyed this and it is SO NICE to be home!

I'll second that Gary!
 

My Mom's Homeland, North River Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and she spent two and a half months here with me when I lived at the Camp on Paugus Bay for fourteen years. We boated the Lake and trucked with lawn chairs to Alton as she so enjoyed the Craft Fairs, and she told me how the Lake so reminded her of Cape Breton Island...

PS, Welcome Home Gary!!

Welcome Home Gary!!!!!


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Just for curiosity, how many miles do you have on this vehicle?

Miles on the Tacoma...
 

About 123,000 and I got about 22 mpg

Welcome home Gary - Loved reading about your cross county adventure !

Beauty, of course, is subjective, and I'll not argue about your choice.

I will state only that when it came time to choose where to settle down I passed on NH, not because it was a bad place - it isn't - but because I found a few places I liked at least as much, and which better suited my ambitions.

Boulder Colorado, Albuquerque NM, , Portland Oregon: I chose Portland.

It rains a bit, but the winters are mild and the beauty and recreational opportunities are world-class.

My family all moved to the lakes region from NJ but as I decided to become an attorney I concluded, correctly I suspect, that I'd do better in a locale with a larger population than can be found in and near Laconia.

I enjoy vacationing on the lake but it seems to me at least that it would be a tough place to make a really good living, especially for an outsider.

Good for retirees I suppose, but probably not for ambitious white collar workers.

Oh well, in the immortal words of Buckaroo Banzai: "No matter where you go, there you are."