(New 5-13 pics added) Saddled up and ready to ride! EBR 40th and Moab here we come!

[DonsBolt]

Duhhhh.

Don, I guess if I would have opened my eyes and read your sig I would have seen the answer to one of my questions!

Don't worry about it, and I can relate on the way you feel.

I drove 600 miles Yesterday. and about 250 miles today. Though I get to sleep in my own bed each night.

 

[ChrisinWV]

Hi back at ya Don!
You two have a safe and memorable trip.
Nice to see you finally have a setup that works well.
I know how frustrated you were.
Have a ball, see ya in Carlisle.

 

[Good Times]

Drew, Looking forward to meeting you again. We Talked briefly at SOB 8. (I had the car hauler up at the store) Sent my bronco down yesterday on the car hauler, and I'm flying into Vegas tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to seeing your broncos up close. I'v heard they are pretty special.

Good Times

 

[Broncitis]

Sunday, April 30th, 12:10PM
Miles traveled: 1456
Location: Oklahoma Exit 108 of I-40 (about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City)

I got about 2 hours sleep and then got up to have lunch. We took about a 2 hour stop for lunch and to look around the trading post, then readjusted some of the tie downs on the Broncos and bikes. We got back on the road a few minutes after 2.

No Broadband coverage in this area, so I'm drafting this to send when I can connect again. This is the first I have not been about connect so far which is surprising since it's not far from Oklahoma City.

Back to try to sleep for another hour or two...

...3:48PM, Mile 1574...Just entered Texas.

OK, still can't sleep or surf the net so I've been in the sleeper looking at a Truck Paper that I picked up at the last truck stop. I need to stop that because it always leads to more ideas which means more money! Man those Pete 387's are sweet looking rigs!

6:10PM, 1715 miles, somewhere in New Mexico (BFE I think?), my turn at the wheel again.

8:00PM Stopped to make a conference call with our event planning comittee for the East Coast Bronco 40th when we get back I had to convert the "bedroom" into my mobile office with all my folders and paper work to review.

9:20PM: Back on the road

Monday, 12:10AM
Miles traveled: 1971
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Stopped at the Flying J. Decided to fill it up again rather than risk needing fuel in Cali and paying the higer prices. We should have plenty to get into Utah which has some of the lowest prices in the country according to www.gasbuddy.com. We ate again, not sure at this point if it's supposed to be dinner, lunch, or breakfast for one or both of us? After fueling the truck and ourselves and talking with Todd Z. We decided to both get some sleep and head out in the early AM to meet Keith at Protofab in the AM. His shop is on the way to Phoenix and about 400 miles from Albuquerque.

7:40AM...Got some sleep and we're ready to pull out to head to Protofab which is about 5.5 hours away so we should be there about noon local time.

We finally picked up Broadband service again somewhere in NM but I was driving and could not update.

8:10AM I'm having a little technical difficulty with the SD card reader for some reason?...will post pics in a bit when I get time to mess with it after I drive a bit, we gotta get rolling...

 

[mkupec]

Glad to see Don & you finally have a tow rig setup that you enjoy - nothing more frustrating than breakdowns after spending good money on upgrades. That Volvo should last for years to come with the task it's now been relegated to. I appreciated taking a look at it when I stopped by last Sunday to get the axles, it's a nice setup that has conforts much better than the dually!

Reading you initial post, I was wondering which vehicle was going to be the sacraficial one at the front of the trailer - with the plastic wrap on the '77, it looks like the best choice. Hopefully only bugs splatter the plastic.

Looks like you got things worked out with using that Verizon Broadband Access card. Or did you go with whatever Cingular or AT&T are offering? Of all of the cards, our network folks like the Verizon one the best and it's all we use. Just don't expect high speed out of one when you're setting in a conference room buried within the brick walls of a motel!:-[

Have a safe trip out west and back - hope to see you at All-Fords (myself bronco-less) on that Saturday and if I get Deb convinced to come along we should be at Paragon. This all depends on what I hear from the Ortho Dr this Thursday about my right hand & wrist, they're still unuseable. Typing and mousing on a PC really sucks using just your left hand.

Michael Kupec

 

[Broncitis]

Madguyver: I'm on my Dell laptop and I'm using a Verizon Wireless Broadband Aircard that goes into the NIC slot and basically acts like a cell connnection but at better speeds than if I did dial-up through my cell phone.

I just got it a few months ago and use it as my primary internet connection now since I can use it on the go. This is my first real widespread use of the network. Pretty good overall, but dead much of yesterday in the middle of the country.

 

[av8rds]

Drew,

Not trying to Hijack your thread...but heres a photo of our test run yesterday...

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=4/11918012149.jpg&s=x402

I'm really not looking forward to the 2380 miles!! The AAA Trip-tiks are a killer to morale too.....50 miles and flip a page, 80 miles flip a page...do you know how many pages are in a 2400 mile trip!!!! crap!!

See ya in Moab....your gonna beat me to the condo(hopefully only by 3-4 hours but you never know what will happen) so we'll have to talk about parking after you get there and let us know how its set up.

Sean

 

[mkupec]

Oklahome is one of the 19 states that don't have Verizon Boadband coverage. It should have reverted to the slower 64K "modem" mode in those areas.

Not sure what states you'll be in, but here's a list of some states/cities that I figure you'll be traveling through:

Arizona
Chandler Gilbert Glendale
Mesa Peoria Phoenix
Scottsdale Tempe

Colorado
Arvada Aurora Denver
Fort Collins Lakewood Westminster

Nevada
Henderson Las Vegas North Las Vegas
Paradise Spring Valley Sunrise Manor

Utah
Provo Salt Lake City West Valley

Just about all of California
(I was getting 2.5MB in San Fernando area back in Feb).

MJK

 

[Skiddy]

Duhhhh.

Don, I guess if I would have opened my eyes and read your sig I would have seen the answer to one of my questions!

We just stopped so my Dad could check the load and tires. We're now aobut half way to our first stop (Phoenix), with 1317 miles traveled.

We just crossed Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma a few minutes ago.

Pic of my Dad at the wheel crossing the lake, and of the rig at Waffle House last night. I love Waffle House and always stop at them when we travel through the south. I started a tradition back in '98 when we went to the first East Coast Bronco Roundup of taking a photo of the Broncos and tow rig at with a Waffle House sign in the background. I have a rather large collection of these photos now. This one was a bit of challenge since it was nearly impossible to turn the rig around in the parking lot! I had to jack it around and slide the rear tires sideways :-X

Man I wish I would had read this yesterday. I would had been out there waiting for you all to come strolling by I only live 3 miles off I-40. Good luck guys and have a safe trip.

 

[Broncitis]

Monday 11:52 (8:52 local)
2150 miles traveled
Location: Just into Arizona

After a stop at the AZ boarder to stretch and get some gifts, we're back on the road and I'm back in the sleeper and Don is at the wheel.

I dug out my backup card reader so here are some new pics...

Don driving over Lake Eufaula in OK

Don and the rigs at the Cherokee Restaurant in OK

One of a few windmill farms we saw. This one had 75-100 of them

Me at the New Mexico welcome area

Rear view where you can see KB6677's 40" Krawlers sticking out

Time delayed self portrait from the dash

Much different terrain than PA!

 

[Broncitis]

A few more...

Getting on part of the old Route 66

Albuquerque at dawn with city lights in the distance

Self portrait in Volvo's mirror

Long grade out of Albuquerque with Route 66 Casino in the distance

Trading post in AZ

Rig at another trading post. I'm not sure why they call them "trading" posts. I offered a Bronco T-shirt for a stuffed Jackalope and they just looked at me kind of funny? ;D

The mobile office/bedroom/kitchen (normally there is a microwave in the cabinet above the fridge/freezer, but we took it out for added space on the long trip.

 

[Broncitis]

Drew, Looking forward to meeting you again. We Talked briefly at SOB 8. (I had the car hauler up at the store) Sent my bronco down yesterday on the car hauler, and I'm flying into Vegas tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to seeing your broncos up close. I'v heard they are pretty special.

Good Times

Good Times,

Yeah, I had to stop and check out your rig at SOB since I had been planning on getting an extreme tow rig for a few years. I'll see you in CA!

 

[brian72]

Keep the trip log coming....this is good reading. If ya can't be there, this is pretty good 2nd best.

 

[Broncitis]

Drew,

Not trying to Hijack your thread...but heres a photo of our test run yesterday...

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=4/11918012149.jpg&s=x402

I'm really not looking forward to the 2380 miles!! The AAA Trip-tiks are a killer to morale too.....50 miles and flip a page, 80 miles flip a page...do you know how many pages are in a 2400 mile trip!!!! crap!!

See ya in Moab....your gonna beat me to the condo(hopefully only by 3-4 hours but you never know what will happen) so we'll have to talk about parking after you get there and let us know how its set up.

Sean

Sean,

Looks like you're ready to roll!

Yeah, It won't be any too soon until we are there! 2255 miles so far and another couple hundred to Phoenix then about 300 to Victorville.

Those trip tiks drive me nuts! Just get on the PA turnpike, then I-70 and it will run you until about an hour or so out of Moab where you finish up on 191.

From our house it was only like 4 or 5 turns!

I'm not sure what time we'll be leaving Victorville for Moab on Sunday?

Harry should have left MI last night or today and is stopping in TX to pick up Nugents Zebra Bronco for the display at Carlisle. We'll be heading up to Moab together and probably with several other folks from the 40th.

If you get there first the key is under the door mat. Be sure to take a print out of the rental confirmation email I sent in case there is a problem.

You may want to see if Jim Howell and Marc Reiter's departure from Ohio is in sink with yours. You could meet them and roll out together.

See you there!

 

[Broncitis]

2:51PM
Location: Cordes Junction (Protofab's shop)

Just wanted to say that I finally made it to our first destination, Protofab!

Keith, Mike and the crew greeted us with some VERY nice goodies that I will be hauling to the CA and PA 40th Anniversary events!

Keith gave us the grand tour and man-o-man do they crank out the goods! There are awesome Bronco parts everywhere, even hanging from the rafters!

They have so many parts being made for all us hungry Bronco (and Jeep :-X ) gus that they are getting ready to break ground on a new 2.5 acre site just down the road! I can't wait to see that!

Anyway, lots of cool ideas and parts coming from Keith and Mike and some great support for these events as well! Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their great products and they way they give back to the community!

I will post some spy photos later ;D

Now we are off to Phoenix to meet up with the foremost Bronco Historian, the one and only Todd Z.

 

[Mr Joe]

Wow...it's so.....flat out there.

This is so cool... Just reading your log gets us all excited. Keep the updates coming ;D

 

[toddz69]

Wow...it's so.....flat out there.

This is so cool... Just reading your log gets us all excited. Keep the updates coming ;D

Well, Drew and Don are here in Phoenix now. They pulled in about 5:00 or so. We got a hardtop and a hood loaded up. They're getting their much-needed showers now.

Will post some pics later.

We're off to dinner.

Todd Z.

 

[toddz69]

Well, Drew and Don are here in Phoenix now. They pulled in about 5:00 or so. We got a hardtop and a hood loaded up. They're getting their much-needed showers now.

Will post some pics later.

We're off to dinner.

Todd Z.

Here are some shots from the EBs in front of my house.

TZ

 

[Broncitis]

...They're getting their much-needed showers now...

Todd Z.

Todd told me he sent out a post with a few pics, but he did not tell me that he told everyone we stunk! ;D Actually, that was the most refreshing shower I can recall taking in a LONG time!

Well, we just spent a nice night with Todd having dinner at a great local Mexican place and then talking Broncos at his place. I also got to meet Matt Lane who stopped by. I'm back in the sleeper and ready to crash (my dad was real quick calling dibs on the guest room) so we can get up and head over to CA in the AM.

 

[Broncitis]

More Monday 5-1-06 pics.....

• snow capped mountains in AZ
• Rolling onto I-17
• Scenic views along I-17