Birthday Bash Road Trip, Southern Edition

[mciarochi]

I'm based in the Atlanta area, and will be driving to the Birthday Bash the week of January 7th. I thought I'd start this thread in case there's somebody planning the same route who might like to hook up.

 

From here, it's a couple hundred miles extra to go to LA instead of LV (not counting the drive between), so I decided if I'm going nearly 2,000 miles, I might as well go a bit over and get the full experience.

 

I looked at the routes; you can head west on I-20 to Birmingham, I-55 to I-40 and then take the I-15 into LA. This is the shortest, and takes you through Memphis, OK City, Amarillo, Albuquerque and Flagstaff. Rather like the Johnny Cash song, 'I been everywhere, man...'

 

For an extra 40 miles, you take I-20 to Brimingham, then stay on I-20 to I-10. This takes you through Jackson, Dallas, El Paso, and Tucson.

 

The southerly route will be almost surely better weather, especially out west (it keeps you off the Mogollon Rim). It is also perhaps the most boring drive on the planet. I have never driven I-40, so I may do that just for something different. On the other hand, boring is often better when it comes to driving in winter! Tucson is also home to the best food in the world, period. Lived there for fifteen years, and miss the food terribly. I'm undecided at the moment.

 

No matter how fast or far I think I can go, it is three days of hard driving if you plan to sleep. I know I can do it in two, but to me it just isn't worth the physical toll to drive that long per day. I'd rather enjoy it at least a tiny bit. So, I'm looking at driving on Mon-Tue-Wed. That gives me room at the far end to wash the car, etc., and perhaps be a little late and still relaxed.

 

Thoughts and/or comments from anybody in the South, Southeast, planning to travel I-40 or I-20 who might like to hook up? This may be a lot like herding snakes. In fact, it would be exactly like herding snakes, but it might be worth a try!

[mrfarmdog]

I am in Memphis and trying to determine whether to drive, ride or fly. I am all up for a road trip. My wife does not want me to drive the car but depending on who is coming through and the size of the caravan my opinion may be swayed. At this point we are leaning towards flying to LA and driving out in a GTH. I would like to have my own car there and will consider shipping depending on the cost.

 

All options are open at this point for me. My wife however is only planning on flying out and back.

[Andrew DeSpirito]

I'm in DC, but I'm strongly considering driving cross country to have the car with me. Maybe I could join you guys...

 

Let me check a map and see how long my route would be...probably closer to 3,000 miles...hmm...might cost me more in gas round-trip than flying!

 

I'll check and let you know.

[mciarochi]

SO, I need to be in Georgetown Kentucky this week or so, and thought I might as well have a shakedown run before I head X-country. That would give me some idea what to plan for. It would also serve to put enough miles that I'll just have the 3,000 dealer service done before I head out.

 

I safely reached a top speed several times of <mumblely mumble> mph. By safely, I mean clear shot, no traffic (in front of me, anyway), no police officers. In between those times, I managed to get involved in three (count 'em) - three - morning rush hours. Atlanta, Chatanooga, and Knoxville. That's a first for me. There was about thirty miles of fog, which I took at a safer speed than some idiots around me, and rain pretty much from the Kentucky border. In spite of this, with little effort I averaged <mumble> miles per hour and got 19 mpg, door-to-door. 398 miles.

 

Comments:

 

 

• I'd guess that at ambient traffic speeds I could easily get 20+ mpg, maybe up to 23.
   
  The car is effortless to drive on the freeway. Seriously nice ride.
   
  Not many people pass you in this car, unless it's really dense fog and they are idiots.
   
  Even when idiots pass you in the fog, when it clears up they assume their rightful place as a diminishing speck in your rear view mirror very quickly.
   
  I did buy a Colgan bra for the car. Excellent fit, bad a$$ looks. Worth every penny.
   
  +2 for the bra - the ONLY problem with a white car is that they are certainly the fastest, and also present the biggest laser target of all the colors out there, a bad combination. White stripes would be the second biggest target. The black carbon-fiber bra effectively eliminates this problem, while slowing the car only a small amount.
   
  (I took it off when it was wet, and there was some crud in there. I certainly wouldn't let it dry like that. Car and bra get a bath before it goes back on for the trip home.)
   
  I picked up two prowlers and one motorcycle on radar. No laser hits, but it was high humidity all the way, so they may not have been using laser today.
  

Note:

 

 

• I carefully observed the posted speed limits. I'd be driving, and I'd observe a speed limit sign, and I would think, "The speed limit posted here is <whatever>." Once in a while they went by too fast to read.
  

Another note:

 

 

• I firmly believe in being a courteous driver. I don't cut people off, I give everybody a lot of room, I never tailgate. I leave that crap for ricers with loud exhausts and ridiculous wings on their trunks. I pass with class.
  

That pretty much nails it down for me - it's a cross-country road trip in a Shelby. Woo-hoo! Only extra mod for me is an oil separater, which is on the way.

 

Anybody considering the drive who would like more details, just send me a PM.

[SpeedRacer]

I was thinking about driving from Ohio to LA; however, with the winter weather you just never know when an ice/snow storm will hit and you're stuck. I'm not worried about putting miles on the car; just making it to the event and home again safely. I booked my flight to and a GT-H in LA today. See you in LA, just not in my GT500.

 

Stuart

 

PS - even the southernly route has a chance of ice/snow in New Mexico and Arizona so be careful...

[mciarochi]

I'm pretty much set to go the I-10 route. Odds of freeway problems due to snow are near zero on that route. I lived in Tucson for 15 years, and you might get one or two inches all gone by 9am. I think the worst will be Dallas and points east.

 

I looked up similar points on I-40, and that whole route runs 5 to 20 degrees colder (OK City v. Dallas, and Flagstaff v. Tucson) in January. Drier, too. That's a lot of difference for an extra 20 miles.

 

I might add that these stock tires handle cold and wet pretty nice, considering how much bad press they seem to get around here. That doesn't make them snow tires, but it's been heavy rain and high 40's, and they were rock solid for me. I was pretty surprised, actually.

 

I have to assume the complaints are either breaking loose on acceleration or hard cornering, neither of which were on the agenda today.

[SpeedRacer]

I'm pretty much set to go the I-10 route. Odds of freeway problems due to snow are near zero on that route. I lived in Tucson for 15 years, and you might get one or two inches all gone by 9am. I think the worst will be Dallas and points east.

 

I looked up similar points on I-40, and that whole route runs 5 to 20 degrees colder (OK City v. Dallas, and Flagstaff v. Tucson) in January. Drier, too. That's a lot of difference for an extra 20 miles.

 

I might add that these stock tires handle cold and wet pretty nice, considering how much bad press they seem to get around here. That doesn't make them snow tires, but it's been heavy rain and high 40's, and they were rock solid for me. I was pretty surprised, actually.

 

I have to assume the complaints are either breaking loose on acceleration or hard cornering, neither of which were on the agenda today.

 

mciarochi,

 

Good luck and God's Speed. We'll see you in LA. Regards.

 

Stuart

[Sherri Leicht]

mciarochi,

 

I-10 comes thru Houston, not Dallas. No snow worries here, bring your shades and sun block Hollar as your passing thru.

[CSX4350]

mciarochi,

 

I-10 comes thru Houston, not Dallas. No snow worries here, bring your shades and sun block Hollar as your passing thru.

 

He's going I-20 through Dallas to I-10, 20 merges with 10 a ways East of El Paso.

 

I live 1 mile off I-10, 50 miles East of San Antonio. I'm going I-10 all the way to Phoenix, then up to Vegas. I doubt anyone wants to caravan with me though. I'm driving a 45 foot bus with a car trailer, probably 67 feet total and cruising at 65 MPH tops. With a 150 gallon diesel tank I don't have to stop for fuel much...

[Sherri Leicht]

He's going I-20 through Dallas to I-10, 20 merges with 10 a ways East of El Paso.

 

I live 1 mile off I-10, 50 miles East of San Antonio. I'm going I-10 all the way to Phoenix, then up to Vegas. I doubt anyone wants to caravan with me though. I'm driving a 45 foot bus with a car trailer, probably 67 feet total and cruising at 65 MPH tops. With a 150 gallon diesel tank I don't have to stop for fuel much...

 

 

aaahh, ok! wish it was summer, i would love to drive mine out!

[mrfarmdog]

OK folks...

 

At this point I plan on driving from Memphis, through Dallas. So my route is I-40, I-30, I-20, I-10.

 

Who wants to hook up!

[mciarochi]

OK folks...

 

At this point I plan on driving from Memphis, through Dallas. So my route is I-40, I-30, I-20, I-10.

 

Who wants to hook up!

PM Sent...

[DubbsFaris]

Okay, well I might just have to do this too, now that Im looking at the large group of responses...

 

I will know more when my car gets here...cross fingers please!

[CSX4266]

You boys honk and wave as you come through Phoenix!

[awakeinAZ]

You boys honk and wave as you come through Phoenix!

 

 

Same for Tucson! FYI - Flagstaff is 7000 feet and LIKELY to have snow this time of year.

[mrfarmdog]

It sounds like everyone has different time schedules so I suggest we start posting here to see who can sync up on the road.

 

My wife and I are currently planning on leaving Memphis early in the AM on the 9th and making it a 2.5 day trip, arriving in Las Vegas sometime mid afternoon on the 11th. We are flexible on the overnight locations.

 

1/9 - Day 1 - Memphis TN -> Abilene TX (633 miles)

1/10 - Day 2 - Abilene TX -> Tucson AZ (770 miles)

1/11 - Day 3 - Tucson AZ -> Las Vegas! (407 miles) get in early afternoon around 2-3PM.

[mciarochi]

You boys honk and wave as you come through Phoenix!

I'll be in Phoenix for the entire following week...

 

Same for Tucson! FYI - Flagstaff is 7000 feet and LIKELY to have snow this time of year.

I lived in Tucson for 15 years. I'm officially and publicly recommending El Charro Cafe on Court Ave. as the next best thing to all the Shelby stuff that anybody could possibly do on this trip. It's right off I-10, and is an absolute "must stop here and EAT!" place.

 

http://www.elcharrocafe.com/index.asp

 

I will know more when my car gets here...cross fingers please!

Done. Good luck!