2nd Gen Coast to Coast to Coast Tow Test **MISSION COMPLETE**

Safe travels

*sub'd*

 

Keep an eye on the weather. Its not quite as nice as your Florida beach stop, east of the Mississippi headin NW along your route. Hopefully, your schedule has you passing between the cold fronts this week. Your planning speaks to your attention to details and safety. You are never off schedule or late if you arrive safe, sound and together. God speed and enjoy yourselves.

 

It would probably be better to have 5w-30 or maybe even some M1 0w-40 in the engine for towing that much, it won't thin out as much as a 20 weight when the oil gets hot. Any chance you'd do a UOA on this OCI? I'd love to see how the 20 weight holds up to all the towing.

 

The last 7 years I’ve spent two months every year in Homestead. Gonna miss the Keys and all the unique places like HB Saloon.

 

Me too on the Test. Unfortunately I plan on making an oil change in West, TX before the “uphill”. Have 5.5 Qts of Amsoil on hand. I may keep a sample in a bottle to sent out when I get settled into CA.
I never considered changing the weight for towing either, I guess I just assumed the sig series would handle it no issues.

 

Day 6/21: Marathon, FL to Ocala Nat Forest.

Miles today: 416
Total miles: 1,273
Travel time: 9hrs 30 minutes
Running Average MPG: 10.5



We made pretty good time today considering we had a vet appointment for the dog in Key Largo that took around 45 minutes, broke a strap holding the back of the bike down and had to make a stop on the side of I95, stopped for more heavier duty straps, and made a wrong turn to the campsite costing us 16 miles.

Another really cool, large, densely vegitated campground with natural springs you can swim in.

Tomorrow will be our longest day. We’re shooting for 590 miles to get all the way to New Orleans where we’ll take a two day break in a hotel. And by break I mean hit Bourbon St all night long

 

Love your whole plan! Go Oregonians!

 

We stayed in Juniper Springs campground last night in the Ocala National Forest. Spent a few minutes checking out the springs before we hit the road this morning. Really cool place, wish we could stay longer and do the canoe tours through the waterway system.

 

Are the raccoons at the Juniper Springs Campground still crafty as F!@#? I camped there years ago, had one get in my cooler and eat all the eggs I had.

 

They must be off there game. I even forgot to tie off the trash and put it in the truck and it was untouched this morning.

 

Day 7/21: Juniper Springs To New Orleans

Miles today: 577
Total miles: 1,850
Travel time: 11hrs 15 min
Running Ave MPG: 10.3



Interesting day. Noticed a continuing decrease in MPG despite no change in driving style or terrain. It’s been mostly flat, small uphills with equal downhills. Two tanks came in at less than 10mpg today. Will continue to watch.

Coming out of Mobile we heard a bang, when I looked back I noticed the Coleman stove had shifted and assumed the noise was it hitting the front of the bed. Lucky for us we were only 1.5 miles from a planned fuel stop when we heard the noise because we pulled into that gas station with the smoking carcass of a tire.



Took about 20 minutes to throw the spare on there and get back on the road.



Since we’re not leaving New Orleans till the 29th I’ll hit tractor supply first thing in the morning and get a new spare mounted up.



Other than that, pretty uneventful, wet, gloomy day with not much to look at. Now, we have a date with Bourbon St.

 

The colder temperatures and winter gas could be killing your mileage.

 

When you tryna city but don’t know how...




Bourbon street is one block behind me. Couldn't get to it because of construction and a police stop blocking a road.

 

Enjoy reading your thread, thanks for posting.

 

Looks like you have the trailer set up right, nice and level with a WD hitch. It would be interesting to see the actual weight of the loaded rig to see if you are overloaded. I'm going to guess you are past the 11,400 GCVW(?) limit on that truck. Maybe drive it onto a scale at one of the many truck stops along the way just to see. Also you can get the code from scanguage to see the trans temp on the guage.

Stay Safe!!

 

A headwind would have a big effect on your gas mileage also.

 

I know I’m WELL over the GCVW but I’m not sweating it. Stopping is still easy with the controller set properly, and that’s what’s important to me. The truck and trailer empty (gas light on) scaled at 7,900lbs. I will scale it all at the destination to see what it’s gross weight is. Didn’t know the MT had a temp sensor. Maybe I don’t want to know what it is Lol. All my fluids are getting dumped and replaced when I get to California.

True. Just a couple MPH head wind would really affect this setup.

 

Day 9/21: New Orleans to Katy (Houston), TX

Miles today: 383
Total Miles: 2,233
Travel time: 8hrs 30min
Running Average MPG: 10.4



Boy did I wake up with a hangover this morning. Damn you New Orleans...you’re the best!!!



Made up for the shitty meilage I got in Western FL, we actually got 12.1 on one tank. Today was a short day, would have been shorter had I not drove 10 miles in the wrong direction I got no help from the wife who was drunk on a Starbucks eggnog Latte and didn't know East/West from her elbow
At least I didn’t drive 2 hours in the wrong direction...I’ve done it before...

Now, for those of you that live in TX you probably already know about Buc-ee’s. For those of you that don’t...you haven’t properly road tripped. Buc-ee’s is a gas station/convenience store the size of a Costco, it’s F’ing amazing. Has about a hundred pumps out front, the cleanest bathrooms you’ll EVER use alongside an interstate and 20,000 sq feet of snacks including a carvery, sub shop, deli, bakery, coffee shop, electronics store, auto parts store, apperal outlet... you can get lost in the jerky section, it’s amazing. I can’t walk into one without spending $100 on gas/road snacks.

(This is just the side of the building)


We’re hotel’ing it again tonight. The wife is out on the town with an old High School friend that lives in Houston and I stayed back to take care of maintenance. Lubed my U-Joints and slip yolk, lubed the trunion bars, lubed the trailer hubs, reworked some of the strapping and checked all tire PSI.

Tomorrow we head NW towards Lubock then on to NM where more camping awaits.

 

Sub’d

 

" Didn’t know the MT had a temp sensor. "

Don't think it does.I was thinking you had an AT.

My AT climbing goes as high as 235 then drops right back down.