So you think you drove *your* LBC this weekend? Ha!
Brought the 1975 TR6 home from Phoenix to Kansas City.
Thursday - Day 1: 325 miles
East out of Phoenix through Mesa and Apache Junction. Up through the
hills of the mine country of Miami/Globe, Safford, with lunch in
Clifton. Then north up the Coronado Trail. Maybe 90 miles of twisty
switchbacks into the mountains from 4,000 feet to 9,000+. Spent the
night in Alpine, Arizona, 8,500 feet; clear and cold.
Friday - Day 2: 515 miles
East out of Alpine crossing into New Mexico. Down southeast into Silver
City, NM. Again north to loop through the Gila National Forest then east
over the 8,228 Emory Pass of the Mimbers mountains, before going into
the desert and Truth or Consequences. Up I-25 to San Antonio then east
to Carrizozo and north to Santa Rosa.
Saturday - Day 3: 514 miles
West on I-40 back to 84 then north to Las Vegas, NM. Up and around to
the Fort Union National Monument and then a late lunch in Wagon Wheel.
Storm hits, can't go west (put top up!), go east through the Canadian
River canyon and into Roy. Through Roy on 120 to the north east to
connect with 56. High wind and horizontal snow on a dry, brown prairie.
Continue on 56 east, last into the night, to Dodge City.
Easter Sunday - Day 4: 397 miles.
Front blew through; sunny but cold. Put top back down. Continue east,
mostly on 56. Great lunch at Hays Inn in Council Grove after being
stopped by a trooper (warning!). Continue back to Kansas City on the two
lanes. Seemed as if an "old barn tour" as we saw 100's of beautiful old
barns -- wood, stone, brick, etc.
Summary:
4 days
1751 miles
less than 350 miles with top up
less than 100 miles on interstates
80 gallons of gas -- 22 mpg average
2 qts of oil
1 trooper warning (68 in a 55 but he thought traveling in that car when
it was that cold was punishment enough!)
Only one intestional distress event in Las Vegas (NM), Wagon Mound (NM),
and Elkart (KS).
Life doesn't get any better than this,
Bob Allen, Kansas City, cranky '69CGT and perky '75TR6
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