Another Road Trip

[Texas Jim]

Howdy all,

Will try to be fairly brief.

Left Ft. Worth a little after 5pm, Friday afternoon. The first 100 miles took almost 3 hours. Traffic was awful getting out of town.

After getting to the OK state line, things went real well. Traffic was fairly heavy, but moving well. Had planned on driving an hour or two north of Oklahoma City and spend the night.

As we got closer to the Kansas state line, I asked Darling Wife if she was tired and ready to call it a night or should we go on for a while? She said to go on.

This repeated itself over and over ALL NIGHT. I just kept driving and making pit stops every three or four hours.

We made a stop at a little store / gas station in Kansas (I think). There were about a half dozen pretty nice looking cars and about 10 guys hanging around talking. As we got out, one of them said to us... "Pretty car... want to sell it?" Darling Wife came back with.... "SURE... if the moneys right." They all laughed and one of them ran and opened the door for her. They seemed like nice kids.

Not a whole lot to tell... I just kept driving (Darling Wife don't drive) right on up thru Kansas into Nebraska, then west thru Nebraska to Wyoming, then all the way up Wyoming till we got to Billings, Montana a little after noon.

Finally stopped for the night there but it was for SATURDAY NIGHT, not Friday.

Would have been there several hours earlier, but couldn't make any time. Could not find any BEAR BAIT or FRONT DOORS. We had to be content with about 83/84 mph. I was afraid that if I went any faster... and if I DID get stopped... I wouldn't be able to talk myself out of a ticket and I didn't want to donate my vacation money to them. There were a couple of stretches in western Nebraska, that I kicked it on up to around 110 for 5 to 10 miles at a time, but that was about it for driving fast.

Mileage from home to Billings was a hair over 1,420 miles. Not a bad days drive.

Sometimes I get started driving, and just keep on and on.

Reckon I ain't got enough sense to know when I am tired.

After checking in, went and had a late lunch / early dinner and Darling Wife went to bed.

I went and found a car wash and cleaned up the DTS a little. We had ran thru several rain showers on the way to Montana.

Came back to the motel, logged in... read posts for a while...did a bunch if IM's then finally went to bed about 10pm. It was time. I had been up since 4am Friday morning. That was about 42 hours without sleeping.

More later,

[BodybyFisher]

WOW, my Dad LOVED driving but I have no doubt that he would tip his hat to you. He loved the open road, loved the mid-west and loved Cadillacs. You would have gotten along with him very well.. Relax and Enjoy, Mike

[Texas Jim]

Mike,

We also love traveling. Darling Wife is slightly mobility impaired. She is not real strong.. physically (can't walk very far) and has a balance problem when walking. I always hold her hand to help steady her... so... the best kind of vacation for her, is just to ride and look at the country.

So thats what we do.

Just went out and checked the mileage.

2065 miles .. since Friday night and this is only Sunday night.

Only ran 645 miles today. We got started real late. 10 am when we left the motel.

We are in Kallispell Montana right now. Just a few miles from the west entrance to the park.

[Texas Jim]

Howdy from Montana,

This is an update for Sunday. I am running behind on updates.

Left Billings late Sunday morning, about 10am. Darling Wife was sleeping so well... I kinda hated to wake her up.

I had washed the DTS Sat afternoon after arriving at Billings. It started raining on us within 10 miles of leaving the motel. Didn't do much good to wash it.

Headed west on I-90. Passed a county sheriff about 20/30 miles down the road. Speed limit is 75... he was poking along at about 62/64. There were about 15 cars stacked up behind him.. afraid to pass him.

I ain't skeered.

Set the cruise on 73 and went on around. He speeded up and tailgated me off and on for about 40 miles. Acted like he was just LOOKING for a reason to stop me. He finally got off te freeway, so I went back to my normal (for this trip) of 83/84.

We continued west on I-90 to a little ways west of Butte Montana, then South on I-15. We had decided to make a big loop thru the back roads …just to see what there was to see. If anything.

Forgot to get gas in Butte, figured no big deal, you can get gas anywhere. Not in Montana you can't. Got off of I-15 at Divide MT. No fuel available. Coming down I-15, we had looked for fuel at Buxton and Feely…no fuel. I was down to a quarter of a tank, so, instead of going across on Hwy 43, we continued south on I-15 to Dillon. Fueled up there and headed west on 278.

Just west of Jackson, we were watching a BIG BLACK storm cloud. Figured we were going to get rained on AGAIN. A few miles further along… it started HAILING…BIG TIME. Within just a few seconds, the road was covered with about an inch and a half of hail. Had to do a quick reversal of direction. Took off back the way we had just come for a few miles. Pulled into a ranch driveway and watched the storm go across the big valley. Kind of exciting for a few minutes.

The rest of the drive on around and then up to Missoula, on Hwy 93, was uneventful except for about 5 miles of road construction. They had removed the asphalt, and you had to drive on dirt / MUD for about five miles. Pretty white car got caked with mud down both sides, back bumper and trunk. Oh well, will have to wash it again.

Left Missoula, heading N on 93 towards Kallispell. Road is mostly two lane with an occasional third lane for passing. Somewhere, about halfway, we had been following a late model Corvette for several miles. It was a six speed manual. Going thru some of the little towns and stopping at lights, you could hear it as he took off and shifted gears. We were behind a line of three cars and a U-Haul truck. There was a good long passing area, he pulled out and took off…I was right behind him. We ran from about 50 up to 115 getting around them. I stayed right with him all the way. Actually we were around them by about 90, but he stayed on it for a bit.

Of course he was probably in 5^th or 6^th gear and mine downshifted… but still…. It was fun.

Arrived at Kallispell without further incident.

Heading out in the morning (Monday) to drive the "Going To The Sun Road" thru Glacier National Park.

[Texas Jim]

Monday's Update,

Left out fairly early, for us. 9am. Heading to the park.

Stopped at a local restaurant for breakfast. The motel manager recommended it. We ordered the house special omelet. They were great. Three eggs, ham, bacon, green peppers, onion, mushrooms, and I am not sure of what else was in them. Also included hash browns and toast for Darling Wife, and two pancakes for me. Total bill, including coffee and orange juice... less than 20 bucks.

It was about 30 miles or so to the park entrance. I love the navigation system in the DTS. It will take you straight to wherever you tell it to. It has saved us from frustration several times. I never want another car without it.

The drive thru the park is beautiful. About 50/55 miles. Real narrow real crooked 2 lane road. The road was built (I think) in the 20's and completed in 1932.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going-to-the-Sun_Road

The first 15 miles were in pretty good shape. As you start up to Logan pass, they are doing a lot of rebuilding of the road. About 5 miles of construction. There are signs saying be prepared for up to FOUR HOURS of delay. Luckily we were there on a holiday and there were minimal delays.

There are numerous waterfalls cascading down the sides of the mountains. Very pretty. One place, about fifty yards long and 150 feet tall, is called "The Weeping Wall." Water is just coming out of the rock face all over it. Really neat... the way it looks. Big rough granite wall with water squirting out all over it.

A few miles before we got to Logan Pass, it stated snowing. Not real hard, but enough to cover the evergreen trees and make it look like a scene from a Christmas Card. There was one place where there were several hundred five to ten foot fir trees. Just the right size for Christmas trees... all covered with snow. It was very pretty.

Left the park and drove to Great Falls Montana to spend the night.

Can't decide if I am going to ease down to Yellowstone and then back thru Colorado and then back home, or take off and go to Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Crater Lake, in Washington and Oregon ...and THEN head back home.

Reckon I will find out in a little while when I get on the road and see which way seems right.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Great road report. We still need to send you with a camera next time, although photos would probably pale versus descriptions.

How would one prepare for four hours of delay between where they posted the sign and where the delay starts?

The great part of that type of trip is the lack of schedule and ability to just turn around when the storm hits etc. Hope you continue to have a good trip.

[KHE]

Headed west on I-90. Passed a county sheriff about 20/30 miles down the road. Speed limit is 75... he was poking along at about 62/64. There were about 15 cars stacked up behind him.. afraid to pass him.

I ain't skeered.

Set the cruise on 73 and went on around. He speeded up and tailgated me off and on for about 40 miles. Acted like he was just LOOKING for a reason to stop me. He finally got off te freeway, so I went back to my normal (for this trip) of 83/84.

I hate it when those jerks do that.... the cop was creating a traffic hazzard by driving so far below the speed limit. Whenever I encounter one doing 55 in a 70 on the interstate, it is the same situation - NO ONE except me will pass the cop. I always pass the cop doing the speed limit and eventually, the others will follow. I think it is a game they play...

[Texas Jim]

Great road report. We still need to send you with a camera next time, although photos would probably pale versus descriptions.

How would one prepare for four hours of delay between where they posted the sign and where the delay starts?

The great part of that type of trip is the lack of schedule and ability to just turn around when the storm hits etc. Hope you continue to have a good trip.

Bruce,

I did take a couple of pictures. Need to dl them to the laptop and see if they are any good,,, then upload them and put links here.

As to a four hour delay... nor to be indelicate, but, at out age, the kidneys and bladders aren't what they used to be.

We would have to turn around...somehow. The road really isn't wide enough to turn around on. I wasn't kidding about it being narrow. It would be very, very difficult to turn around.

I couldn't travel on a schedule. It would drive me BONKERS. Maybe I should say.. even more BONKERS than I already am.

Thanks for the well wishes.

[Texas Jim]

I hate it when those jerks do that.... the cop was creating a traffic hazzard by driving so far below the speed limit.

I think it is a game they play...

Yeah, I agree.. about them playing games.

A large percentage of them seem to be on some kind of power trip / intimidation thing.

It irritates me.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Bruce,

I did take a couple of pictures. Need to dl them to the laptop and see if they are any good,,, then upload them and put links here.

As to a four hour delay... nor to be indelicate, but, at out age, the kidneys and bladders aren't what they used to be.

We would have to turn around...somehow. The road really isn't wide enough to turn around on. I wasn't kidding about it being narrow. It would be very, very difficult to turn around.

I couldn't travel on a schedule. It would drive me BONKERS. Maybe I should say.. even more BONKERS than I already am.

Thanks for the well wishes.

I know photos seldom capture the real pics, but it is nice to be able to see some of the sights you are touring.

I would not want to wait 4 hours to pass either; that seems a bit much.

The new CTS-V will come in automatic, which is easy on stiff legs, but the auto is limited to 171mph where the manual will hit 190 or so. We'll have to see if it sits comfortable for your wife though. I think an XLR would be a fun car to tour in, and is not hard to get in or out of.

[JimD]

It would be a coin flip for for which would be the wrong "touring car" choice between the XLR and the Corvette.

With the top down, the XLR can carry 53 things: a deck of playing cards and a credit card receipt.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Shipping your luggage ahead to your destination is very popular I understand. Also saves all that carrying.

[TDK]

Texas JIm,

"Can't decide if I am going to ease down to Yellowstone and then back thru Colorado and then back home, or take off and go to Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Crater Lake, in Washington and Oregon ...and THEN head back home."

Assuming you might include Crater Lake, please check your email for a suggestion on the route home to Texas.

Best Regards

[Texas Jim]

Tuesday update,

Not much to report today. Was a pretty uneventful day.

We are now in Yakima Washington.

A little over 600 miles (and two tanks of gas) from Great Falls Montana.

Looks like the gas is going to be our biggest single expense of the trip, followed by motels, of course.

There is some pretty spectacular scenery along this part of the trip... if you like rugged mountains and a lot of driving up and down and up and down and up and down.

Saw quite a bit of snow on the mountains. The temps on the highway never got below 38. It stayed in the 40's till just before Couer d Alene Idaho. Then it jumped up to low 70's.

Found me a good front door for a while today right after we came into Washington state.

Fairly new S55 AMG Mercedes. He had his cruise set on 100, so I did the same thing... a little ways back of course. It didn't last long enough.... about 100 miles, then we had to make a pit stop. Darn it.

Sure hated to lose him... we were making some good time for a change.

Didn't make real good time today. Took almost 9 hours to go 600 miles but we got off the interstate a couple of times to drive thru some of the old towns.

Tomorrow morning we are going to Mt Rainier and maybe to Mt St Helens. May not get to go to Mt St. Helens because of THIS..

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/news/2008/200807...-roads-99.shtml

We will find out tomorrow, I reckon.

[Texas Jim]

Update for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,

No internet connection for the last two days....

A computer guy ain't supposed to be without an internet connection.

Checked on road conditions for Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier. The road to Mt St. helens was washed out and almost impassable. They started road construction on the entrance road to Mt Rainier on Sept 2nd. I was told there may be up to two hour delays both going IN and coming back OUT. Said to heck with BOTH of the mountains, and headed south towards Crater Lake in Oregon.

Drove S from Yakima WA to the Columbia River Gorge. Driving along the river, is a really beautiful drive. We stopped at the Bonneville Hydroelectric Dam.

I am really glad we did. That was interesting. I learned how the salmon get around the huge dam and was able to actually watch them swim up the fish ladders. There is an underwater viewing room where you can watch the fish swim upriver to spawn. We were also lucky that Sept is spawning season. In about 15 or 20 minutes of watching them, probably close to 100 swam by. The size of salmon surprised me. THREE FEET LONG are common with some bigger than that. A large percentage of them will weigh 25 to 40 pounds. The Ranger said that some will get to be close to 70 pounds. I had envisioned them to be about a foot long or maybe a LITTLE bigger, but not three to four feet long.

My knowledge of salmon came from watching the Discovery Channel and seeing bears in the river grad one to eat. They were always about a foot long.

From the dam, went west to Portland and picked up I-5 South to Roseburg. Took 138 East to to N entrance to Crater Lake. Close to 100 miles of real twisty, sometimes narrow, two lane road.

It was getting kinda late when we got there so drove around a little bit and then tried to get a room. There were no rooms available at the lodge so we had to go about 30 miles or so S to a little place called Fort Klamath. Don't blink as you drive thru, or you will miss it. Little Mom and Pop place. Clean and comfortable enough, but ONE HUNDRED BUCKS for about a thirty dollar room. Oh well, thats what I get for not planning ahead and having reservations.

Friday morning, got up fairly early, drove the 30 miles back to Crater Lake and drove the RIM ROAD all the way around it. Took a couple of hours.

The lake is almost 2000 feet deep and is the PUREST water in the world... or so the little handouts say. There are no streams feeding into it. It is composed entirely of rain water and snow melt that has accumalated over the last several thousand years. It is, without a doubt, the BLUEST water I have ever seen.

After driving around tha lake, did almost 400 miles to Winnamucca NV to eat a delicious dinner with TDK and his lovely wife. Had a delicious dinner and a very pleasant visit with them. We enjoyed it immensely. He drove the DTS... said he liked it. He ran it up to 120 on a little curvy two lane road out in the country. He admitted it ran pretty fair.

Today consisted of nothing but driving. Close to 900 miles From Winnamucca NV to Denver CO, in less than 12 hours. Didn't kill too much time. Lot of triple digit running. Passed real close to Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover Utah but didn't have time to go out there and try out the Cadillac.

I am running out of time to get back home.

Have about 1000 miles to drive tomorrow and I will be back home.

[Regis]

This is great reading Jim. I feel as though I'm enjoying passages from a Louis L'Amour western novel. But instead of involving a cattle drive, it's a caddy drive. Thanks for the updates.

[Bruce Nunnally]

/concur, nice write-up. Very short on pictures, but nice write-up.

I hope you have a safe trip back to Texas.

My cell phone has enough internet that it can be used in an emergency to post on the board. Review here.

Dell just released a new line of mini-laptops with solid state hard drives and 9" screens that are easy to tag along if the hotel has wifi.

[gemmichelle11]

Welcome home, Texas Jim! Glad you're back safe and that you had a wonderful time touring in the DTS!

[Texas Jim]

Welcome home, Texas Jim! Glad you're back safe and that you had a wonderful time touring in the DTS!

Thanks, But we ALMOST made it home. But not quite....

We are stopped for the night in Guthrie OK.

Nothing has went the way I wanted it to go today.

Got a late start from Denver.

There was a cop about every 40 to 50 miles coming out of Colorado and all the way across Kansas to Salina KS.

I couldn't find ANYBODY that was in a hurry so that I could follow them.

We had to just poke along at 75/77 all darn day. You can't get anywhere going like that.

We ate lunch in Salina KS, then started South back to Texas.

Still couldn't make any time.

Then Darling Wife's stomach was upset... Probably from the lunch.

Had to make several unscheduled pit stops.

We started looking for a motel as we crossed the OK / KS state line.

The first one didn't have any rooms.

The second one didn't have any GROUJND FLOOR rooms and had no elevator.

The third one was kindy dirty and dingy. I got my money back and headed on down the road.

The next one ... the clerk had a REALLY BAD ATTITUDE.

Just before getting to Guthrie OK, pushed the OnStar button to find a GOOD motel.

We like Holiday Inn and Sleep Inn. There was a Sleep Inn here so....we made it this far and called it a night.

Hopefully tomorrow will be uneventful.

[gemmichelle11]

Well, Texas Jim, I wonder if you drove thru Wichita Falls, by way of Lawton? I would have warned you to watch out for the construction zone on the Flyover. The motorcycle cops are like buzzards with their radar guns. Drive safe!

Edited to add (ETA): I just realized that I may have missed a prime opportunity to meet you, Texas Jim, and your wife, today as you made your way thru North Texas. We could have met at IHOP in Wichita Falls. I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner.

[Texas Jim]

Well, Texas Jim, I wonder if you drove thru Wichita Falls, by way of Lawton? I would have warned you to watch out for the construction zone on the Flyover. The motorcycle cops are like buzzards with their radar guns. Drive safe!

Edited to add (ETA): I just realized that I may have missed a prime opportunity to meet you, Texas Jim, and your wife, today as you made your way thru North Texas. We could have met at IHOP in Wichita Falls. I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner.

GMS06,

Sorry that we didn't come that way. We came straight down I-35 from Guthrie OK... (North of OK City) to Ft. Worth.

[Texas Jim]

Well, we finally made it home.

Left Guthrie OK late this morning. It was almost 10am.

248 miles later, arrived in my garage at 2PM.

Today I was FINALLY able to get some company to run with.

A BMW 540 and a new looking Lexus, one of the big ones.

We made good time for a change... averaged about 80 I think.

Beat the heck out of yesterday.

Driving along as slow as we did yesterday, just completely tires me out.

Running 900 miles like I did Friday, is less tiring to me than the 650 we did Saturday. And I did the 900 in LESS driving time than I did the 650.

It is great to take trips, but it is nice to be back home.

A great big THANK YOU to all who have read this boring travelogue.

I left out a lot of details, but didn't want to run EVERYBODY off.

[Bruce Nunnally]

I enjoy your travel logs and please continue to post them. I do wish they had more photos or video but those are just icing on the cake.

[gemmichelle11]

There's no place like home, Texas Jim, so welcome home! There's also no place like the good ol' USA, so much to see right here. You did alot of driving. I certainly enjoyed reading about your adventure in your Cadillac with your Dear Wife.

My CTS will be parked in the Stockyards on the 21st. We'll be eating Risky's ribs and watching the Longhorns being herded thru the streets and maybe take another photo of Dad on the Longhorn bull!

Thanks for sharing with us!

g.

[Texas Jim]

There's no place like home, Texas Jim, so welcome home! There's also no place like the good ol' USA, so much to see right here. You did alot of driving. I certainly enjoyed reading about your adventure in your Cadillac with your Dear Wife.

My CTS will be parked in the Stockyards on the 21st. We'll be eating Risky's ribs and watching the Longhorns being herded thru the streets and maybe take another photo of Dad on the Longhorn bull!

Thanks for sharing with us!

g.

Thanks for the welcome home.

You are right... there is so much to see and do right here in the USA, I have no real desire to go to other countries.

Haven't had any Riscky's Ribs in a while.

May have to get there early and eat them all up from you.