Overdrive off???

[RuffRiddin99]

Originally Posted by BernieB

Here's a couple more photos from that trip, so you can see what "real" hills are like.

Wolf Creek Pass going up





Either somewhere in Montana or North Dakota after crossing Lolo Pass the day before on the return trip...

I cant believe that little truck made it through all of that... Good drivin is all I have to say.

[BernieB]

Yeah, BlueHawk (his name) is probably the best truck I've ever driven. Dependable as can be, rarely breaks down (three times in 13 years, and all in very convenient spots), and just gives off this whole "Can Do!" attitude. The g/f and I joke that he's like a little kid, pretending to be a big tough guy, in his case, he thinks he's a semi.

The bottom photo, now that I thought about it, was taken two days after I left Lewiston, Idaho. I left late on New Year's Eve, headed north and east to Lolo Pass into Montana, and drove right into a blizzard. That was the beginnings of the major ice storms we had that year, and by the time it got dark I was in the middle of Lolo National Forest, on gravel roads, snowflakes the size of dinner plates coming down, and the road was about 6" deep in ice and blowing snow. Other cars and trucks were going into the ditch all over the place, but we just kept right on trucking along in 4x4 (only had to stop once, right at Lolo Pass, to chain up - not because I needed to, but because a state cop insisted I had to). By the time we got over the pass and into Missoula we had 12-14" inches on the ground (fun, because the trailer axle was only 7" off the ground, and was acting sort of like a cheese slicer) and it was about 9 PM. Checked into a motel but checked out again half an hour later because the people in the next room seemed to be playing basketball and the basket must have been hung over the bed. Complained to the manager and got a "but it's New Years" response, so I left and drove on to spend the night in Butte. The rest of the trip home was even more fun, what with 20-30mph winds, freezing rain, snow, temps in the negative teens and below. I enjoyed the HECK out of it.

[eponator]

Wow sounds like it was quite a drive!! I wish even just once to take a trip like that, driving through all forms of the elements before hitting my destination... Only makes the drive that much more interesting haha!!

[BernieB]

If you want to read about the entire trip, including why I was out there, and with more photos, I kept a running journal of it in the forums on my own site. (Mods: My site is a WWII wargaming site - nothing to do with trucks - so should be "legal" under Truck Forum rules)

Here's the link: SP:WaW Depot™ :: View topic - Fixing Mom's House (with photos)

[eponator]

You definitely know allot more than just cars / trucks LOL... My electrical skills aren't up to par with that large of a project (mainly due to a lack of experience) but I could have helped with the ducting / frame work

Man, so you travelled that far for that undertaking!!?? You're a rare and endagered breed Bernie!! One I am glad to have crossed paths with!

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by eponator

You definitely know allot more than just cars / trucks LOL... My electrical skills aren't up to par with that large of a project (mainly due to a lack of experience) but I could have helped with the ducting / frame work

Man, so you travelled that far for that undertaking!!?? You're a rare and endagered breed Bernie!! One I am glad to have crossed paths with!

I hate hi******* (can't say jack-ing here?) a thread like this, but I might as well finish what I started... apologies to the OP!

When my g/f first came up with the idea of giving her mom a remodeled kitchen as a Christmas present, and got her siblings to pitch in for the materials, we didn't really think about getting my equipment out there. Later on though I realized that I had only a couple of options:

• Fly out and back and rent/borrow/buy whatever tools I needed then leave them there.
• Ship all my gear out in a container, then ship it back
• Drive and take it all with us

We figured the costs and buying the trailer and driving actually worked out to be the cheapest, so that's what we did.

[RuffRiddin99]

Originally Posted by BernieB

I hate hi******* (can't say jack-ing here?) a thread like this, but I might as well finish what I started... apologies to the OP!

When my g/f first came up with the idea of giving her mom a remodeled kitchen as a Christmas present, and got her siblings to pitch in for the materials, we didn't really think about getting my equipment out there. Later on though I realized that I had only a couple of options:

• Fly out and back and rent/borrow/buy whatever tools I needed then leave them there.
• Ship all my gear out in a container, then ship it back
• Drive and take it all with us

We figured the costs and buying the trailer and driving actually worked out to be the cheapest, so that's what we did.

You do some really good work. If I could do half that, I would be happy.

And as for the thread.... Tecnically you guys already answered my question, so this is kinda like post script details...lol.

What was the total distance between you and your moms???

[RuffRiddin99]

Oh,,, what was that rig in the background of the last pic???

[BernieB]

We were living in Silver Spring, MD at the time, and my g/f's mom lives in Lewiston, ID. The shortest distance (according to Google Maps) is 2,493 road miles (via a northern route). However, going out we detoured south to Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado (personal reasons) which made the drive out about 2,800. Coming back I took the northern route, just a little different from what Google suggests, and it was about 2,600. So the total mileage was about 5,400 round-trip.

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by RuffRiddin99

Oh,,, what was that rig in the background of the last pic???

I just refreshed my memory by going over the details in the thread on my own forum. That rig was stopped right close to the South Dakota and Minnesota border. It was a super heavy duty transporter, hauling a large transformer for an electrical substation. Total length was about 250 feet, with something like 96 wheels. It was fully articulated on both ends so that it could negotiate highway on-ramps. I've only seen two of these things in my lifetime and they are really, really impressive!