Any route suggestions for Minneapolis to Phoenix? (Late January)

solardude · November 17, 2017, 10:37:48 PM

Hi Brian - I'm not sure what racking you are interested in, but I buy a lot of racking and have not had too much trouble with shipping. Sometimes I have to pay a little extra for a "short" load and wait for a truck coming in the general direction but normally not a problem. I use www.freightquote.com a lot, they usually are pretty good.

SolarDude

belfert · November 18, 2017, 01:10:29 AM

Quote from: solardude on November 17, 2017, 10:37:48 PM
Hi Brian - I'm not sure what racking you are interested in, but I buy a lot of racking and have not had too much trouble with shipping. Sometimes I have to pay a little extra for a "short" load and wait for a truck coming in the general direction but normally not a problem. I use www.freightquote.com a lot, they usually are pretty good.

The company is Powers Solar Frames. They make a ballasted ground mount system that is very inexpensive. Everyone I've talked to says with my soil conditions that a ballasted ground mount would be best solution for my needs. The reason freight is so darn expensive is due to Powers only using flat beds for deliveries. They won't do LTL due to damage in the past. Most of their orders are for large installations so the trucking cost isn't a big deal for 200+ units versus me buying four units.

If you have another idea for a ground mount system please send me a PM.

belfert · November 18, 2017, 01:24:40 AM

I think I'm probably going to scrap trying to take this trip in the winter. Too much risk of getting stuck due to winter weather. I'll just have to live with the Super Bowl disruptions.

I forgot about a big rocket launch a bit south of Fresno, California in mid May so I might do that trip and stop on the way home to pick up my stuff. Mapping sites seem to show going through Las Vegas as the best route. Going home through Phoenix only adds about 250 miles. Total trip mileage would be about 300 miles more than taking the southern route in the winter. I can hopefully find at least one person to go with to help drive and offset a bit of the fuel cost. I'll have to look at the route Craig recommended from Phoenix back to Minnesota.

richard5933 · November 18, 2017, 04:15:54 AM

Quote from: belfert on November 18, 2017, 01:10:29 AM
The company is Powers Solar Frames. They make a ballasted ground mount system that is very inexpensive. Everyone I've talked to says with my soil conditions that a ballasted ground mount would be best solution for my needs. The reason freight is so darn expensive is due to Powers only using flat beds for deliveries. They won't do LTL due to damage in the past. Most of their orders are for large installations so the trucking cost isn't a big deal for 200+ units versus me buying four units.

If you have another idea for a ground mount system please send me a PM.

Have you asked them if they have another large order coming anywhere near you? Perhaps you can arrange to have your order on the same truck. Even if it's final destination is 4-5 hours away from you, it's certainly closer than traveling all the way to them. This doesn't always work, but I have had success in the past getting manufacturers to arrange for a shared transit.

belfert · November 18, 2017, 11:59:16 AM

Quote from: richard5933 on November 18, 2017, 04:15:54 AM
Have you asked them if they have another large order coming anywhere near you? Perhaps you can arrange to have your order on the same truck. Even if it's final destination is 4-5 hours away from you, it's certainly closer than traveling all the way to them. This doesn't always work, but I have had success in the past getting manufacturers to arrange for a shared transit.

Great idea, thank you. I will call them Monday to see what they say. I will probably still schedule vacation for May in case I have to head out that way.

Scott & Heather · November 18, 2017, 11:46:51 PM

Am I the only one that calculated round trip fuel cost in a bus getting 5mpg at just under $2000? How is taking your bus money savings? Diesel is pushing $3 or more a gallon right now in most places and if you average 5mpg you're out literally just under $2000 for fuel. Not to mention wear and tear.

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chessie4905 · November 19, 2017, 04:01:15 AM

Forget a trailer. Just pull middle and rear seat from your caravan and haul it.We once took our Jetta from Pa. to Fla to get a 4:11 differential for our 4905. Seller lowered it into trunk with engine hoist.

belfert · November 19, 2017, 06:29:56 AM

Quote from: Scott & Heather on November 18, 2017, 11:46:51 PM
Am I the only one that calculated round trip fuel cost in a bus getting 5mpg at just under $2000? How is taking your bus money savings? Diesel is pushing $3 or more a gallon right now in most places and if you average 5mpg you're out literally just under $2000 for fuel. Not to mention wear and tear.

Pulling a 20 foot enclosed trailer I get over 6 MPG. No trailer or small trailer I easily get 7 MPG. I checked a number of cities along the proposed route and I can get diesel in many spots for $2.59 or less if you stay away from the big truck stops. I was shocked at the diesel prices because I paid as high as $3.09 in late September. I have no concerns about wear and tear on the bus. 4,000 miles is nothing for a bus. My tires age out before they wear out.

The trip would also be a vacation so it isn't just about saving a few hundred dollars on shipping. I've pretty much decided not to do this trip and instead drive the bus out to a big national rocket launch in California in mid May and then stop in Phoenix on the way home.

windtrader · November 19, 2017, 12:03:54 PM

Brian,

" big national rocket launch in California in mid May "

What's the big event? Assuming it's at Vandenberg. Always wanted to swing by to catch a launch but always learn about it on the news when it's already over. lol

Scott & Heather · November 19, 2017, 04:09:02 PM

Oh ok, those numbers do
Make a difference. The rocket launch sounds fun

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belfert · November 19, 2017, 05:29:07 PM

Quote from: windtrader on November 19, 2017, 12:03:54 PM
" big national rocket launch in California in mid May "

What's the big event? Assuming it's at Vandenberg. Always wanted to swing by to catch a launch but always learn about it on the news when it's already over. lol

It isn't the big rocket going into space type of rocket launch. I am part of a national organization where folks launch their own high power rockets. There is a national event called LDRS that will be in Helm, California this year. The website for the organization is tripoli.org.

RJ · November 20, 2017, 03:47:31 PM

Quote from: belfert on November 19, 2017, 05:29:07 PM
There is a national event called LDRS that will be in Helm, California this year.

Brian -

Helm, CA is in the middle of literally "nowhere" in the big Central Valley, about 45 minutes/one hour SW of Fresno. It's not much more than a convenience store, a gas station, a post office, an elementary school, and some farm implement repair shops. Smack dab in the middle of farmland and migrant labor. How's your Spanish?

Coming from MN, suggest you fuel in NV or AZ before entering CA, as Moonbeam just raised the taxes on diesel 20¢/gallon, making it the most expensive in the nation. If you have a Costco card, they've got a fuel island in Bakersfield that has diesel, it will be the cheapest in the area. Located on the west side of the 99 freeway at the Rosedale Hiway exit.

Also suggest you provision up in Bakersfield, too, because the little convenience store in Helm will undoubtedly sell out and/or raise their prices for the event.

FWIW & HTH. . .

Iceni John · November 20, 2017, 04:03:26 PM

Quote from: belfert on November 19, 2017, 05:29:07 PM
It isn't the big rocket going into space type of rocket launch. I am part of a national organization where folks launch their own high power rockets. There is a national event called LDRS that will be in Helm, California this year. The website for the organization is tripoli.org.

For one moment I thought that Bakersfield had got its own nuclear deterrence, and was about to nuke its arch-rival Fresno with a few well-placed missiles. Phew. Mind you, some of the Central Valley towns could probably be improved if they were hit by something big and explosive.

I'm still slightly curious - if they go up from Helm, where do they come down? Helm?

John

Ed Hackenbruch · November 21, 2017, 07:03:30 AM

RJ, diesel was $4.98 a gallon on Molokai last year.....i doubt if it has gone down much if at all. Last time i checked it was still part of the US.

luvrbus · November 21, 2017, 07:15:53 AM

Quote from: Ed Hackenbruch on November 21, 2017, 07:03:30 AM
RJ, diesel was $4.98 a gallon on Molokai last year.....i doubt if it has gone down much if at all. Last time i checked it was still part of the US.

Sounds like Needles Ca fuel prices on the Az side of the river there is almost $2.00 a gal difference in price