States driven?

[rumblecloud]

When I was little, my then GF and I left from here in MI and
did the Colorado Springs/Pikes Peak up through the Grand Tetons and back across the Badlands, Mt, Rushmore in a 72 Vega.
Blew the head gasket toward the end of the trip and limped home, Great times.

 

[superj]

all youns in the smaller states have it a little easier to get up in numbers

this is my problem. 6 hours to the east state line, 10 to the west state line, 10 to the north, but mexico is only 2 hours away

 

[scotts90ranger]

this is my problem. 6 hours to the east state line, 10 to the west state line, 10 to the north, but mexico is only 2 hours away

Yep, hour for me to Washington, 5ish to Ca, similar to Idaho...

 

[97RangerXLT]

Mine has been pretty much in the surrounding state of IN.

Started Life in IL, has been to IN (current residence) KY, OH, WI, TN, MI.

Other cars... I have seen several more states and Canada.

AJ

 

[JoshT]

I'm at total odds with Josh... an hour in security, an hour dealing with parking and shuttle, an hour for the plane delay and god help you if you go through miami (8 hours on the tarmac waiting for a gate, 2 hours to get from gate to car rental terminal on the worlds longest slowest shuttle train)... I drive if it is gonna be 5 hours less than flying which pretty much means anything 7 hours drive or less, no questions asked.

When I typed that about flying, I'd also mentioned that I only had a few more states to hit all of the Southeastern States. I was kind of referring to not driving any place outside of that region. I later removed that part of it. With 7 hours of driving from my house, I'd still be firmly within the southeastern states. Basically I can make it anywhere in that region in about a day, or 10ish hours of driving. The further reaches of that region are around 11 hours.

So yeah, my statement isn't that much different than yours, I just quantified it with geographical area instead of distance or travel time. If I can't drive there in a day (~10 hours) I'm looking at flights. Could I drive further? Yes. but I'm not doing it straight through for a few reasons. First there the safety aspect, I'm not sure if I'd be safe to drive much past 10-12 hours. Second, while I enjoy driving, I have no desire to spend that much time behind the wheel in traffic.

There's also time to consider. If travel time is going to take more than one day in each direction, that time has to come from somewhere. Either it's cutting into the time spent at destination, or it is requiring additional leave days to allow for travel. I'd rather reduce travel time, maximize time spent at destination, and retain the leave for other trips.

Mentioning Miami. I think about the longest driving time from my house to a tourist destination in the Southeast is Key West, FL. By the map it's a 12-13 hour drive. I've done it once straight through and actual travel time was closer to 14 hours. Passed through Miami but didn't stop, it was closer to the 10 hour mark. Hard to believe it's almost 3 hours from Miami to KW. That was a long weekend trip, I'd never been and wanted to see it. I do want to go again someday, but make it more of a road trip with sight seeing along the gulf coast on the way. That'll probably wait until I have some form of camper, likely a truck camper on the F-250 and pulling a motorcycle for local exploring.

 

[JoshT]

Yep, hour for me to Washington

That would be a 10 hours drive for me, but I'm talking about a different Washington and I absolutely will not drive there. DC is one place I want to hit up sometime during the next few years, but I will not even consider driving to or in that place. My regional airport has ~$90 one way. Between not paying for gas and avoiding the traffic, it seems worth it to me. Not like I'd really be able to use my vehicle when I got there anyway. Traffic is too bad and everywhere I'd want to see can be accessed via public transportation. Been twice, but both times on someone else's schedule and didn't get to see what I wanted to see.

 

[scotts90ranger]

That would be a 10 hours drive for me, but I'm talking about a different Washington and I absolutely will not drive there. DC is one place I want to hit up sometime during the next few years, but I will not even consider driving to or in that place. My regional airport has ~$90 one way. Between not paying for gas and avoiding the traffic, it seems worth it to me. Not like I'd really be able to use my vehicle when I got there anyway. Traffic is too bad and everywhere I'd want to see can be accessed via public transportation. Been twice, but both times on someone else's schedule and didn't get to see what I wanted to see.

Back in '96 I was able to do the end of middle school trip thing and we went to DC, that general area is fantastic to visit, we went to the Smithsonian and visited all of the things in that general area (right next to the Lincoln memorial and reflecting pool and so forth), went to Arlington and toured the white house and I think congress and all those things (it's 28ish years ago, I think it's legal to forget some details). I'm pretty sure I agree with you, from what I've heard it's bound to be a pain in the rear, I've spent some time in the general area for work (not DC, but some areas around NJ and PA within an hour or so of there) and it wasn't my favorite to drive around...

 

[sgtsandman]

I refuse to fly unless it is for business or it's something time sensitive. Travel via commercial aviation has become so much of a hassle and exercise in misery that I would rather drive, even if it requires staying over night in order to get there.

 

[Shran]

I've done the Durango/Silverton twice... once as a 5yr old kid and once after I was 30-something with the little lady. If dates are a little flexible very late aug or sept would be good time to see the trees changing colors (lots of trees on that route)... not all pines in the mountains. Fall is the first week in Sept, last day of Aug will be 99 - always is. Rain and 40 degrees starts 2nd week, snow by Halloween. Train leaves at the butt crack of dawn, basically takes a whole day. I do not envy you doing southwest CO or the eastern plains in August w/o AC...course my ranger doesn't have AC either and I just do it....
Sounds like a blast, I really enjoyed my trip to truckstock (1948-56 F-series meetup group).

We did a trip through the mountains in 2017, by FAR one of my favorites...so much to see. Last week in September so it was pretty nice down south by 4 corners but where we camped east of Ophir got down to about 10 degrees. Great time to see the colors, and snow.

 

[don4331]

Move from University to 1st permanent job: SK, MB, ON.. Then it was just across the bridge in Ottawa to QC.

Vacation trip: ON, NY, VT, NH, MA, ME, NB, PEI & NS.

Work/wedding trip: ON, NY, PA, WV, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN, KY, MO, KS, NE, SD, ND & SK (oops, ND doesn't exist and already have SK)

Back and for home for holiday: SK, ND, MN, WI, IL, IN, OH & ON. Alternate route added IA. Note: While gas prices in US are better; lake effect on south side of Great Lakes makes driving...exciting in both Michigan UP and OH/PA/NY. Although one trip from North Bay to Sault Ste. Marie got too exciting as well.

Move to Calgary adds AB. Trip to mountains BC; Holiday to north YT & NWT

Hauling buddy to Houston: AB, MT, WY, CO, NM and TX

Sports trip: ID & WA (MLB, NFL & NHL all in same weekend; got my money's work for the MLB playoff game as it went like 18 innings)

Does a test drive count? Then I have CA and JA (MX).

Now, I've driven in NL; AZ, OR, HI, CT but not in Ranger. Also, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Austria, Australia, and Italy. Finland/Ireland/Bulgaria next year is currently on hold.

I turned down: Scotland, England, Singapore, Japan and India.​

Missing: NU; AK, NV, UT, AR, LA, MI, MD, NJ, DE & RI

 

[Brain75]

@Jim Oaks how long would it take you to figure out your map/list? I bet he just says all 50 except rhode island or something.....

I could be really mean and ask him to make a separate list for each ranger....

 

[DeeRanger]

Finally found the only pic of my trusty old F-250 that I drove from Pgh. P.A. to Seward A.K. back in 1981. Pic from Hillside Anchorage, Nov, 81.

 

[JoshT]

Finally found the only pic of my trusty old F-250 that I drove from Pgh. P.A. to Seward A.K. back in 1981. Pic from Hillside Anchorage, Nov, 81.View attachment 124291

That one looks like it was a little confused about what it was. Bumpside cab with a dentside bed. From what I can tell it is probably sitting on a bumpside frame, because the gap between the bed and cab would be larger if it were dent side. Cabs or wheelbase got a little longer in 1973 IIRC, kind of like the regular cab Rangers in 1998.

 

[JoshT]

@Jim Oaks how long would it take you to figure out your map/list? I bet he just says all 50 except rhode island or something.....

I could be really mean and ask him to make a separate list for each ranger....

I'd guess 49 unless he put it on a boat and shipped it to Hawaii.

 

[Brain75]

....I hope to ride the historic train between Durango and Silverton before meeting up with the rest of the group. ....

Well I found out some sad news about the Durango/Silverton narrow gauge coal/steam train tonight... Apparently the fire called the "416 fire" was somewhat vaguely indirectly hinted at having been caused by most likely a coal something... so the last coal fired run of that train was this last week. The owners converted the whole of all locomotives to oil.... so while you get the beautiful scenery and all that no more coal smoke in your face when it rounds the backswitch over the rivers and no more pretty coal black smoke puffin out as it roars into the station.

Still narrow gauge, still the same locomotives, just no coal.

On the plus note maybe folks can get better pictures now, all the ones my dad took when I was 6 years old trying to catch the engine and tender as it crossed the river back and forth were nothing but black clouds.

Watch incredible video of the last coal burner on the Durango & Silverton

A 143-year tradition came to an end a year ago this week as No. 481 marked the last of the Durango & Silverton's steam locomotives that the company converted from coal burning to oil.

www.yahoo.com