Off on our road trip, finally!

[bevans6]

We leave tomorrow morning for our first real trip in our bus.  First leg is Hamilton Ontario down to Myrtle Beach to stay at the Huntington Beach State Park for 4 days.  We've stayed there before and really like the peace and quiet you get in early December mid week down there.  Then we move to Roebling Road race track, just outside of Savannah for four days, we will watch some vintage racing and hang out with our buddies.  They have a whole pig BBQ on Saturday night, all the BBQ, oysters and beer you can fit inside you.  The BBQ smoker arrives already fired and smoking at 7 am on Saturday, and it's painful to smell that all day long and have to wait till dinner time!
Then we roll back north.  We take about two days, planned, on the road each way.  It's about  2200 miles not counting side trips.

I get stuck somewhere, I'll shout for help!  Cody, you and Libby will be constantly in our thoughts.

Cheers,
Brian

[Busted Knuckle]

Brian great to hear good news!
Keep us posted, have a great trip, and good luck!
  BK 

[Ed Brenner]

Brian, Let me know when you get here, I live only 4 miles from Hunnington Beach Park.
(cell) 843-655-0064
Ed

[bevans6]

Will do, we'll be there Monday AM unless something bad happens   

Brian

[Van]

Have a good trip Brian and watch them gauges Good Kuck

[PP]

Hope you're having a safe and wonderful road trip. We're enviously waiting for updates from you while we sit here on hold for personal reasons Getting tired of these frosty nights.....

[Dreamscape]

Enjoy the ride! It'll end too soon and you'll wish you were back out on the road!

Have a safe one!

Paul

[bevans6]

Well, we did  a long day on Saturday, 900 kms, to stop at the truck stop at Beckley WV  11.5 hours total, including a few rest stops.  Bus ran good all the way, used a little oil as expected.  Next day we got to Huntington Beach State Park at about 3:30, and settled in.  Man oh man, is it a bear getting through the close to 40 miles of stop and go traffic that you have to run through into Myrtle Beach and then down 17 to the park - when your clutch is out of adjustment and the air assist isn't working right!  I was having visions of stopping and calling for a 6V92 and 740 to be delivered roadside...  But we got in fine, I adjusted  the clutch again and it should be OK now.  The bus rolled down the grades in top gear, just touching the brakes every once in a while.  It went up everything evenly slightly steep in third on the governor, so that was fine for me too.  We ran through a little snow and sleet on the Saturday after dark, and I was able to confirm that the headlights were in fact aimed totally wrong and were about useless, so I have 2 and a half hours to PITA driving to get to our chosen stop.

up date again if I find another free WIFI.  Next is to go to Savannah area on Thursday.

Cheers, Brian

[Len Silva]

Where are you staying in Savannah?  One of our favorite places is Tybee Island, nice little campground there  http://www.cityoftybee.org/Campground.aspx.  If you like seafood, be sure to check out the Crab Shack on the road to Tybee http://www.thecrabshack.com/

[bobofthenorth]

Whatever you do Brian don't turn off I-95 at the sign for the Savannah rest area expecting it to be one of those 5 acre jobs with lots of parking and easy highway access.  We made that mistake and finally rolled to a stop within easy walking distance of the Savannah waterfront.  We had a great time and made out OK but the pucker factor on that rest area is significant.

[Ed Brenner]

  Okay , I caught up with Brian and his wife today at Huntington Beach Park today ( Myrtle Beach area).
  He doesn't have any access to the net at this point and I don't think he wants too(on vacation).
  I told him I would let everyone know so far so good.Tried to get him to continue on and stay south for the winter.

  But after Savannah,he is headed back NORTH !!!!

  Oh well, I tried, here are a couple of Pics to prove he was here




ED

[busshawg]

He missed to boat if he's heading back, haha. I think I would have given up just about anything to keep rolling south. haha.  Clean unit must have given it a bath.

Grant

[bevans6]

Just arrived safe and sound back in sunny Ontario - NOT!  As I sit, overcast, brisk breeze, temps right at freezing and light snow drifting around.  Trip went as planned, and frankly a lot better than expected!  How does zero bus problems in 2200 miles sound, plus 10n days and nights in the coach with zero "camper" issues?  Pretty bloody good, I'd say, for the first trip over 200 miles!  To say I'm happy with the way the bus ran is an understatement.  have not done fuel mileage yet, but I think it will be as expected.  I think oil consumption is high, about a gallon every 500 miles will be what it turns out to have used.  Governed speed in fourth is about 72 mph, and I ran between 60 and 70 most places that were flat.  Up hills (real hills like the run up I77 to Fancy Gap, and RTE 19 up from Beckley, were all third gear.  Only had to dip into second once, when I got hemmed in behind an oversize vehicle (hauling a complete 1950's diner, I kid you not.  They seem to assemble them somewhere and ship them by truck).

Huntington Beach SP was very nice, at least 400% more populated than when we were there last 2 years ago in the same week.  Met with Ed, had a nice visit.  Coach was showing the natural glow of a stainless steel MCI with 1000 quick miles behind her, including at least 200 in sleet, so thank you for the 'clean" comment, I'll take it!  Savannah was a bit less successful, we got monsoon rain on Saturday night and the racing was delayed due to 6" of water on a couple  hundred yards of track.  We took off and headed north early, looking to hit a window in the weather that we kinda got.  600 miles in rain or dense fog, but no snow or  freezing rain.

First trip complete!  Now - what do I fix to make it not use a gallon of oil every 500 miles?  Or do I even fix it?

brian

[desi arnaz]

where in ontario ar you from? we just got back from a "visit from hell" to the wifes family in the falls.

[PP]

Glad to hear your trip was 'uneventful' LOL When I read about other people's problems and swapping engines on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, I count my blessings when I cover 10 miles without incident