Planning a Road Trip

[Petros]

My daughter and I are going to drive from WA to Austin TX between Christmas and New Year, and I am driving back right after. I am taking her to her collage. It would be fun to stop and say hello to fellow list members along the way. Especially if we can sack out overnight at your place (we only need a warm and dry floor to sleep on, we will have sleeping bags), it would save us a lot of travel expense.

It would be especially helpful if anyone lives in the Twin Falls ID area, or somewhere in Norther Utah (that is about our first stop for the night). And than someone in Northern NM or Texas, but we can likely arrange for short visits with anyone in Utah or Colorado (depending which hwy we take). And I can always drive back a different way than we go.

It is always fun to meet other list members.

Also, any suggestions as to which roads we should take that time of year. In the winter sometimes the fastest way is not the shortest through the mountains.

Also, on our way south I am stopping to buy a T4wd in CO that I am going to drive back home. I am going to bring my tools of course and a few spare items like fan belt, timing belt, alternator, whole distributor, heater hoses, rad hoses, motor oil. Small items I could buy along the way if needed (spark plugs, wipers, etc.), do you have any suggestions on what else I can easily bring that might need along the road. I just need to get it home, so non-essentials are not necessary.

Thanks in advance

[hberdan]

That's a heck of a road trip!

As far as driving thru Wyoming and Colorado in the winter, your best bet is to avoid mountain driving altogether, and come across from SLC on I80 to either Laramie or Cheyenne, Wy, and then south along the east side of the Rockies to Denver, on US 287 or I25. I would avoid I70 thru Vail Pass if at all possible, as blizzards frequently shut it down.

From Denver, it's almost as fast to drive down I25 to Raton NM and southeast on US 87 thru Dalhart to Amarillo , then to Dallas on US 287, as it is to drive east from Denver to Salina KS on I70, and then south to Texas on I35. Weather would be the deciding factor. US 287 thru west Texas is mostly four lane and comfortable driving. Plus, Amarillo has steakhouses selling 72 ounce steaks, if you need one! BTW, those steaks are free, if you can actually eat the whole thing in an hour or less...

With all of these routes, watch the weather closely; winter winds make I80 through Wyoming desperate and dangerous at times; it's infamous for white out conditions and major multi-vehicle accidents. But at least it's flat. Driving thru Kansas and Oklahoma is b-o-r-i-n-g but consistant; the drive south on I25 thru Raton is spectacular along the east side of the Rockies, but more susceptable to winter driving conditions than the Kansas I70/I35 route.

As far as what essentials to bring along to drive that Tercel back in the winter? I think a AAA membership card would be essential, along with extra warm clothing, a snow shovel and scraper.

[Petros]

That's a heck of a road trip!....
As far as what essentials to bring along to drive that Tercel back in the winter? I think a AAA membership card would be essential, along with extra warm clothing, a snow shovel and scraper.

Yup, already got those. Thanks for the info. I have driven these roads in summer, and I have done a lot of winter driving too (but not in these areas). So I thought this would be a fun adventure, and to expect possible day or two delays due to weather, and we are planning accordingly, with enough warm gear to sleep in the back of the Tercel if need be.

[danzo]

You guys are more than welcome to stay at "The Chateau", aka my haus. Nothing fancy, but she is furnished complete with dual couches (actually one is a futon!). Be cool to talk Tercs, just email me more details.

[sdoan]

Petros,

That sounds like a great trip. Over 13 years I've put thousands of miles on my Tercels on road trips and longest was about 4,000 miles. Had problems twice. Once the charge light came on and I suspected warn brushes so I tapped the alternator with a hammer and it started charging again. I drove it home 300 miles or so with an intermittent alternator. The second was more severe as it cut our trip short. About 400 miles from home the exhaust valve in #3 gave up and I had to drive home on 3 cylinders. It was slow, but made it fine. I had been happily ignoring less and less power and poorer gas mileage, so I suspect a compression check would have let me know that the valves were not in great shape. I really should buy a compression gauge.

You know your car very well so I suspect you will have no problems.

Honestly the thing that concerned me the most was the pass between Twin Falls and Salt Lake. I've driven it several times in the spring and summer and I recall seeing intimidating winter weather signs. Also 84 outside Pendleton and through the Blue Mountains has a bad winter reputation - it ices up. And watch out for ELK in there. Don't know about passes further south or west except Soldier Summit which I think is off your route.

Again, it sounds like a great trip and I'd love to see pictures when you're done.

[deejay1272]

Hey Petros,

I just drove out on 84 to The Dalles this weekend for a bit of a get-away and noticed that the wind can be quite fierce in the gorge, so be mindful of that in the little Tercel. Also, a quick check to ensure that both headlights are pointed in the proper direction is useful. My headlight directions don't really agree with one another and it was difficult to see with the rain.

Otherwise, this sounds like a fantastic road trip! Have fun and take photos:)

[teranfirbt]

I was going to mention good lighting, a Hella H4 conversion set can be had from Rallylights.com (make sure they're the E-code ones..), best $100 you'll put into your car. I like to keep a gallon of coolant, a couple quarts of oil, and a basic tool kit in the Terc at all times (essential sockets and wrenches, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm and 19mm), along with some pliers and a few screwdrivers. A set of booster cables isn't a bad idea.... You never know when you'll find a stranded motorist who needs a jump (I've never used the tools in my car on my own rig, but they've helped save other motorists a few times).

[ARCHINSTL]

teranfirbt -
I was just on the Susquehanna site - are you talking about the Hella Vision Plus at a little over $100/pair - or the E-Code (off-road only ) at over $185/pair (and up, depending on the bulb). The Vision Plus seem pretty impressive.
Tom M.

[teranfirbt]

I was speaking of these guys: http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=744
I had them on my Celica before I did the project setup, and I have a set in the Terc now. I did have a problem with the uprated bulbs that I bought from them, I'm running Sylvania X-tra vision bulbs now. I also have a pair of Hella 500 driving lights above the bumper that outshine the H4's on high beam.
What would be awesome is if Hella did a 6054 style free form housing vs the parabolic ones they do now.
The vision plus ones are pretty good, but the E-Codes are really where it's at. While technically you could get in trouble for having the E-Codes in, I've actually asked a couple cops about it and they didn't know the difference, plus the light control the E-codes offer is sooooo much better.

[skyerunner]

Nice! I just did this trip in the opposite direction (Denver to SF, now up to Portland/Seattle, and then going back to CO via Montana before xmas). For all the advice, I-70 through Vail Pass in the Rockies gets shut down just as often as I-25 S from Wyoming down to CO. Just have fun!

[Petros]

Skyerunner,

see if you can drop by for a visit! Than we can visit you in CO on our trip to TX after Xmas.

[skyerunner]

That could be great! We could also maybe organize a Front Range Tercel meet at the same time as where I'm staying is only a couple miles from highlander's place.

[hberdan]

Yep, we could all meet in Nederland for the day. Or at a brewpub in Boulder.

I still think it's a slow creep of a drive eastbound over Vail Pass and through the Eisenhower Tunnel--at least in every Tercel wagon I've ever owned. Once I got caught east of Vail but west of Vail Pass for four hours in winter conditions...with the pass closed. No fault of the Tercel, certainly, but it would've been nice to return to Vail instead of sitting there until the pass reopened.
And if you're driving that way on a Sunday night, be prepared for a 4-5 hour drive to Denver, with all the returning skier traffic.
At least the wagon's got plenty of room for extra gear.

[Petros]

okay, it looks like the road trip is on for the week after Christmas, I will be driving to TX from WA, going through eastern OR, lower ID, Utah, CO, NM and than TX, and than I will be driving back alone.

Is there anyone along the way that I can use as emergency contact in case we need it? Or even better for an overnight drop by, would be appreciated. Especially if you can offer us a couch or a floor out of the weather where we can sleep. Please PM me with your contact phone number and your location. I do not know we will need it, but it is nice to know there are friends along the way that can help us out if we need it.

Thanks for all your trip planning info.

[4wdchico]

okay, it looks like the road trip is on for the week after Christmas, I will be driving to TX from WA, going through eastern OR, lower ID, Utah, CO, NM and than TX, and than I will be driving back alone.

Is there anyone along the way that I can use as emergency contact in case we need it? Or even better for an overnight drop by, would be appreciated. Especially if you can offer us a couch or a floor out of the weather where we can sleep. Please PM me with your contact phone number and your location. I do not know we will need it, but it is nice to know there are friends along the way that can help us out if we need it.

Thanks for all your trip planning info.

If strange weather conditions force you to heading across to the west coast and then up north, always a possibility this time of year, I would like to offer you emergency support and a possible overnight drop by if needed. PM me for contact info.