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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: hargreaves on July 14, 2011, 11:19:49 PM

Title: Goin' on a trip
Post by: hargreaves on July 14, 2011, 11:19:49 PM
Well, the time has come, my wonderful wife and I have finally retired. We have been working on  the bus for three years,  taking short shake down cruises up and down the west coast while working on it. We finally have it complete enough to take an extended cruise.

Our plans are to visit our daughter who lives with her Husband in Kalamazoo and then up to eastern Canada. Never been past  Spokane ! We plan on traveling on interstate 90 most of the way with side trips to see some of the wonderful sights the northern US has to offer.

If anyone has been this route I would love to have your ideas of RV places to stay,  things to go see, places to avoid,  place to fuel up etc.

We plan on traveling for approximately 3 months . We have a 1987 MCI 102A3, 8" raised roof ,6V92 330 hp, 740 Allison. Approximately 6 mpg US. climbing the mountains around Vancouver.

Maybe we will run into some "nuts" on the way.

Gerry and Pearl Hargreaves
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: Mex-Busnut on July 14, 2011, 11:27:46 PM
Congratulations on both your retirement, and also on being in love with your wife!

Have you considered Rocky Mountain National Park, or Yellowstone?

I would also be interested in knowing how you have checked out liability insurance for Canada.

Blessings.
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: hargreaves on July 14, 2011, 11:35:25 PM
Haven't thought about Rocky Mountain park. Good idea also plan on stopping at Yellowstone. We have Government run Insurance up here. 2 million liability insurance.
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: Iver on July 15, 2011, 12:11:31 AM
Hey Gerry, 
   Way to go....congratulations,
Very envious, 
Iver.
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 15, 2011, 01:09:58 AM
Road trip?  Hey that is great.  Most of America is currently suffering with a disease inflicted upon us by the Oil Companies.  It is called "Anal Glaucoma" which simply means ... "When you cannot see your A** going anywhere." 

I am glad you are getting out and about.

Might consider the bus meet in Cody, Wyoming in August?  It is right on the way (south of Billings) and on the back door of Yellowstone NP.  It is listed in the calendar section ... Meeting In The Rockies.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: Ed Hackenbruch on July 15, 2011, 08:38:30 AM
When are you leaving and where are you getting on I-90?  We are 2 miles off of 90 at Ellensburg  Wa. Been here for a while, might be here for a few more weeks but don't know for sure. Waiting on a job in Northern Idaho so when they call we will be gone. :)
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: hargreaves on July 15, 2011, 08:55:43 AM
Thanks for that info BCO, I will check on it.

Ed we will be in Leavenworth the 18th and 19th July staying at the Thousand  Trails reserve. Probably take Hwy 2 to Spokane.
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 15, 2011, 12:23:25 PM
Quote from: hargreaves on July 15, 2011, 08:55:43 AM
Thanks for that info BCO, I will check on it.

Ed we will be in Leavenworth the 18th and 19th July staying at the Thousand  Trails reserve. Probably take Hwy 2 to Spokane.

I have been all the way across highway #2 and it has its moments, it is good little trip.  Check out Cody, you won't be disappointed.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: rusty on July 15, 2011, 02:05:50 PM
Gerry, Try Glacier national park in northern Montana. If you go let me know how it was. The wife and I had plans to see it the last of last month but the road to the sun was still not plowed. Safe travels.

Wayne
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: baldeaglewy on July 15, 2011, 02:18:34 PM
Thanks for the plug on for the  "RALLY IN THE ROCKIES", Don.

Gerry...we would me more than happy to see you here in Cody, there will be a LOT of bus nuts here the 24th thru the 26th of August.  Let us know if you need any information.

Kindest regards,
Pam & Tony
baldeaglewy@aol.com
Cell 307 250 6966
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: Mex-Busnut on July 15, 2011, 02:33:49 PM
Quote from: boxcarOkie on July 15, 2011, 12:23:25 PM
Check out Cody, you won't be disappointed.

BCO

Most honorable Mr. Boxcar Okie sir:

What are the draws to Cody Wyoming?

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 15, 2011, 04:32:03 PM
Quote from: Mex-Busnut on July 15, 2011, 02:33:49 PM
Quote from: boxcarOkie on July 15, 2011, 12:23:25 PM
Check out Cody, you won't be disappointed.

BCO

Most honorable Mr. Boxcar Okie sir:

What are the draws to Cody Wyoming?

Thanks in advance!

Cody has a lot of history, it is scenic, and your absolute best bet, would be to use the contact information in the post just above yours.  Pam & Tony Saraceni, they live there, they can tell you all about it.  Email and telephone is listed.  Nice folks.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: hargreaves on July 15, 2011, 06:45:49 PM
Pam and Tony, Thanks for the invite. We will be passing through Cody, unfortunately we will be a week early and can't stay longer. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Good Luck with the rally. Maybe we will run into some early birds.

Gerry
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 16, 2011, 02:33:44 AM
Quote from: baldeaglewy on July 15, 2011, 02:18:34 PM
Thanks for the plug on for the  "RALLY IN THE ROCKIES", Don.

Nuts.  I said "meeting in the rockies" didn't I?  Oh well, Ceste Le Vive, that is French for I screwed up.  My heart was in the right place.  Sorry.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 16, 2011, 02:35:44 AM
Quote from: rusty on July 15, 2011, 02:05:50 PM
Gerry, Try Glacier national park in northern Montana. If you go let me know how it was. The wife and I had plans to see it the last of last month but the road to the sun was still not plowed. Safe travels.

Wayne

Best see it while you can Wayne, I understand because of global warming, the glaciers (which the park was named for) are rapidly disappearing and soon will no longer be there at all.  Last I heard they were down to three, which isn't very many considering what the previous numbers were.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: rusty on July 16, 2011, 06:01:02 PM
Don, Yes but this year they are growing with all the snow they had. Maybe next year we will try to get back up there and see the park.

Wayne
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 17, 2011, 04:06:31 AM
I understand that they have hot loads of the stuff up there, the Green River in Utah is running at 279% of normal because of snow melt and they say other northern rivers are going to stay at flood stage for quite sometime.

Interesting area, lot to do and see up there, it is a shame it is so far from Oklahoma.

BCO
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: buswarrior on July 17, 2011, 06:25:52 AM
Depending on your timing, there is a busnut rally in Clio MI, just north of Flint.

Aug 18-21 2011, early in on the 17th.

CCO & GLCC

Converted Coach Owners and Great Lakes Converted Coaches

Ed Roelle, who is on this board, is one of the hosts:   edroelle   at   yahoo  dot  com

Give or take, 20 coaches attend, many of them busnut pioneers from before the internet.

Lots to learn sitting around, and no doubt a coach or two being worked on by the group!

happy coaching!
buswarrior
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: hargreaves on July 27, 2011, 09:02:16 AM
Well we are siting in West Yellowstone Nation park , the trip so far has been flawless except for the passes. The old Gal doesn't like the hills when we are up at the 5,500 ft level. I guess the air is thinner  and not as much going through the rads.

Is it normal for the engine to quit as soon as the hot engine light comes on. It is pretty scary when you are climbing a hill with one lane blocked off for road work and there is no place to pull off.  We had to turn on the defrost and body heat to get her to cool down.

Getting 6 miles per gallon traveling at 60. Quite happy with that.

The country is gorgeous. Gotta go the park is waiting for us.

Gerry
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: qayqayt on July 27, 2011, 10:09:09 AM
We've had the hot engine buzzer go on and the cutoff engage twice.  Both times on the Coquihalla in stinkin' hot weather (last year).  You can restart the engine by holding the override switch to get out of traffic.  Our rad was really dirty so I blew out all the grime when I got home the last time.  I understand that you can improve the effectiveness of your rad by as much as 20% if you can remove air flow restriction.  As you know, while the rest of the continent is frying in hot weather, we haven't had the really high temperatures this summer in BC to try out our solution.

The other option is to install a desert mister that sprays cold water on your rad to cool everything down.  Some people swear by it and some people swear AT it.  If the problem persists we will definitely consider it.

Bryan
Vancouver BC
Title: Re: Goin' on a trip
Post by: boxcarOkie on July 27, 2011, 10:27:55 AM
Quote from: hargreaves on July 27, 2011, 09:02:16 AM
Well we are siting in West Yellowstone Nation park , the trip so far has been flawless except for the passes. The old Gal doesn't like the hills when we are up at the 5,500 ft level. I guess the air is thinner  and not as much going through the rads.
Gerry

Can you send me an email on your route thru the park?  (ldsrrt91@gmail.com --- the highways you are taking and so forth)  I sure would appreciate it, I am looking for an alternate route to Cody, Wyoming as there is a lot of road construction in the Billings area which I am trying to avoid.

Thanks,

BCO