As promised after i was semi settled down i would write up a complete report.
(broken link removed)
The mission: Drive from Palmer MASS to St Helens Oregon.
The vehicle: 2007 Ford Ranger xlt, extended cabv-6 4.0 4wd.
The trailer: 2007 Karavan tilt snowmobile trailer with enclosure.
The Route: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...580391,-95.449219&spn=25.442384,79.101563&z=4
Saturday 2-7-09
Packing and running around getting everything ready. The truck has been gone through, almost everything is packed, necessary tools and parts have been aquired and checklists going through. Some goodbyes are said with friends and family.
Sunday 2-8-09
The day is here. Begins with packing up the computer and bed and loading into the truck and trailer. Final good byes are said to family and friends. Proceed downtown to get gas, fill up the gas tank only to realize that i left the cellphone charger and blue tooth charger back home. Go home get that crap say goodbye to my grandmother again and hit the road.
First stop Agawam Mass to say good bye to my cousin, and grandfather.
3:00pm on the open road getting on I-90 west in Springfield MA. Driving through the Berkshires up hill into a 20+ mph head wind with a bulky loaded trailer and truck is not fun. I can watch the gas gauge move as i am driving. Rpms are up high. Roughly 7pm near Utica NY area the wind died so i was able to ease back on the gas. Things are going pretty good, making good time and stopped twice once for food, and once for gas and bathroom break. At around 10 i am passing through Buffalo NY , this was a backup stop incase i was tired but i was anxious to keep going so i keep going. 11:30 arrive in Erie PA, check into a hotel for the night. 1/6 of the way there
Monday 2-9-09
Wake up after a much needed nights sleep and grab a quick breakfast in the hotel. Fill up the ole gas tank and back onto I-90 west. Entering Ohio! Things are starting to get pretty flat, and suprisingly a very little ammount of snow is on the road. A few interesting pictures were taken of misc road signs and names of towns/cities from back home. Before i know it i am heading up I-75 to I-475 heading towards Michigan. Entering Michigan! A quick stop at the welcome center for a needed bathroom break, and while i am there i inquire about tours of the ford plant in detriot. While doing this i find out about The Henry Ford Museum and it's only an hour away. They also have factory tours where you get to go to the plant where the F-150s are made. What the heck why not, i only had 6 hours of driving scheduled for today anyways.
Entering Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. First thoughts while driving by all kinds of buildings is that this entire complex is HUGE! Finally get to the parking lot near the building and go inside. Unfortunately i missed the last factory tour by about 30 mins (last one went out at 3, it was 3:30), i was dissapointed but paid and entered the Museum. Initially i was expecting just cars and Ford history but i was shocked when i entered. This place is also huge inside, i cannot get over the size. The entire nations history from the 1700's untill today was there each in it's own little section. First thing i saw was the Oscar Myer Weiner mobile, followed by tractors and farm equipment from the turn of the century to today. i could keep writing about this but words don't do it any justice please go look at the pictures. I only had a little bit of time so i was kinda of moving right along as they closed at 5pm. I could of easily spent an entire day here and then some. To sum it up, AWESOME. I was so into the exibits that i didn't realize when they closed, i didn't hear any announcement and all of a sudden it was 5:30 and a security guard walks up and politely tells me it's past closing time. I apologize and ask how to get out as i was lost!
Diaspointed they i only was able to spend about 2 hours in there i walked back to the truck and got in. Punched in the hotel info to the gps and off i went. Oops driving through downtown Detriot during rush hour traffic and road construction zones. DOOOOH! Never do that part again. Check into the hotel around 6 ish, call my long time pen pal who i have never met before. We arrange to meet up for dinner at a small chain mexican place called Cancun. Meet up there after i got lost even though the place was less than 5 mins from the hotel.
Had a great dinner with my friend and her friend, closed the place down. We decided to hang out some more and went to a little coffee shop in Lansing calls BigB's or something along those line. Boy did i feel out of place there. I asked for a regular coffee with cream and suger and you would of thought i kicked the barista's puppy! I wasn't dressed trendy enough, i didn't have fake glasses, didn't have a laptop or school work. Ended up hanging out there till we were all falling asleep. Made plans with my friend for brunch the next morning so i could meet her little boy.
More in the next post, i hit the text limit!
(broken link removed)
The mission: Drive from Palmer MASS to St Helens Oregon.
The vehicle: 2007 Ford Ranger xlt, extended cabv-6 4.0 4wd.
The trailer: 2007 Karavan tilt snowmobile trailer with enclosure.
The Route: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...580391,-95.449219&spn=25.442384,79.101563&z=4
Saturday 2-7-09
Packing and running around getting everything ready. The truck has been gone through, almost everything is packed, necessary tools and parts have been aquired and checklists going through. Some goodbyes are said with friends and family.
Sunday 2-8-09
The day is here. Begins with packing up the computer and bed and loading into the truck and trailer. Final good byes are said to family and friends. Proceed downtown to get gas, fill up the gas tank only to realize that i left the cellphone charger and blue tooth charger back home. Go home get that crap say goodbye to my grandmother again and hit the road.
First stop Agawam Mass to say good bye to my cousin, and grandfather.
3:00pm on the open road getting on I-90 west in Springfield MA. Driving through the Berkshires up hill into a 20+ mph head wind with a bulky loaded trailer and truck is not fun. I can watch the gas gauge move as i am driving. Rpms are up high. Roughly 7pm near Utica NY area the wind died so i was able to ease back on the gas. Things are going pretty good, making good time and stopped twice once for food, and once for gas and bathroom break. At around 10 i am passing through Buffalo NY , this was a backup stop incase i was tired but i was anxious to keep going so i keep going. 11:30 arrive in Erie PA, check into a hotel for the night. 1/6 of the way there
Monday 2-9-09
Wake up after a much needed nights sleep and grab a quick breakfast in the hotel. Fill up the ole gas tank and back onto I-90 west. Entering Ohio! Things are starting to get pretty flat, and suprisingly a very little ammount of snow is on the road. A few interesting pictures were taken of misc road signs and names of towns/cities from back home. Before i know it i am heading up I-75 to I-475 heading towards Michigan. Entering Michigan! A quick stop at the welcome center for a needed bathroom break, and while i am there i inquire about tours of the ford plant in detriot. While doing this i find out about The Henry Ford Museum and it's only an hour away. They also have factory tours where you get to go to the plant where the F-150s are made. What the heck why not, i only had 6 hours of driving scheduled for today anyways.
Entering Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. First thoughts while driving by all kinds of buildings is that this entire complex is HUGE! Finally get to the parking lot near the building and go inside. Unfortunately i missed the last factory tour by about 30 mins (last one went out at 3, it was 3:30), i was dissapointed but paid and entered the Museum. Initially i was expecting just cars and Ford history but i was shocked when i entered. This place is also huge inside, i cannot get over the size. The entire nations history from the 1700's untill today was there each in it's own little section. First thing i saw was the Oscar Myer Weiner mobile, followed by tractors and farm equipment from the turn of the century to today. i could keep writing about this but words don't do it any justice please go look at the pictures. I only had a little bit of time so i was kinda of moving right along as they closed at 5pm. I could of easily spent an entire day here and then some. To sum it up, AWESOME. I was so into the exibits that i didn't realize when they closed, i didn't hear any announcement and all of a sudden it was 5:30 and a security guard walks up and politely tells me it's past closing time. I apologize and ask how to get out as i was lost!
Diaspointed they i only was able to spend about 2 hours in there i walked back to the truck and got in. Punched in the hotel info to the gps and off i went. Oops driving through downtown Detriot during rush hour traffic and road construction zones. DOOOOH! Never do that part again. Check into the hotel around 6 ish, call my long time pen pal who i have never met before. We arrange to meet up for dinner at a small chain mexican place called Cancun. Meet up there after i got lost even though the place was less than 5 mins from the hotel.
Had a great dinner with my friend and her friend, closed the place down. We decided to hang out some more and went to a little coffee shop in Lansing calls BigB's or something along those line. Boy did i feel out of place there. I asked for a regular coffee with cream and suger and you would of thought i kicked the barista's puppy! I wasn't dressed trendy enough, i didn't have fake glasses, didn't have a laptop or school work. Ended up hanging out there till we were all falling asleep. Made plans with my friend for brunch the next morning so i could meet her little boy.
More in the next post, i hit the text limit!
