Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:39:37 +0000
Reply-To: brett rueff <rueffy@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: brett rueff <rueffy@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Travel Report: Oregon to California Via I-5 mostly (long post)
In-Reply-To: <BAY0-MC1-F11QMCcuYF00024e44@bay0-mc1-f11.Bay0.hotmail.com>
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I'll be making the same trip in late January - only a little bit longer. Leaving from Vancouver, CA. We meet at the salton sea for three days to fly powered paragliders and powered parachutes around. Its the biggest meet of its kind in the continent and probably the world.
Brett
>
> Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2010 13:42:33 -0800
> From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Travel Report: Oregon to California Via I-5 mostly (long post)
>
> I escaped the wet northwest and arrived, with no problems, at my
> destination near Salton Sea in the So Cal desert. Warm and dry here. So
> far, it seems like there are fewer Recreators out and about this season.
>
> I left Lyle, Wa. about 4pm (70mi. East of PDX) after some close checking
> of the various road condition sites along my considered routes. Every road
> showed slick, snowy or icy except Interstate 5, which I find very boring to
> drive...but I was all packed and ready to roll, so I took that one anyhow.
> I finally broke out of the Gray about Ashland, Oregon...seeing the bright
> moon, about 9pm.
>
> The "new" Jetta 2.0 liter inline is working flawlessly. I didn't really
> even notice any of the smaller passes that used to see me over in the slow
> lane with the big rigs. I did negotiate some of Siskyou Pass with a
> downshift from 5th to 4th, but kept my uphill speed to about 60mph at ~
> 4000rpm.
> At around Yreka, California, I encountered a BIG headwind. High wind
> warning were posted and when I stopped for fuel near Weed, my gas cap blew
> away and I could barely stand in the gusts. Very cold, too, at the top of
> the divide near Mt. Shasta. Motoring right into that and climbing, I still
> kept my speed at 65...(my chosen cruising speed) but my fuel consumption was
> the highest I have ever seen at 18.9 mpg! Despite recently tightening my
> external mirrors...the driver's side couldn't stand against what must have
> been 60+mph headwinds and 75mph vehicle speed..(that is 135 apparent
> wind!)..
>
> Over all mpg on this 1300-mile "power- drive" was right at about 22, which
> is almost two mpg less than I was getting with my older 1.8 liter inline VW
> motor. I attribute the higher fuel consumption to higher cruising speed,
> mostly. I spent $175 on gas to cover 1300 miles. Paid a high of $3.49 a
> gallon for mid grade. Also I may be slightly out of timing spec, since I
> timed the motor 'by ear'. This whole drive, the prevailing winds were sort
> of reversed, too. Normally heading south east, there is often a tailwind.
>
> I pulled into a TA truck stop near Corning, Ca and caught a few hrs of
> sleep. On one edge of the big rig parking there was a border of trees with
> room to snake the vanagon in. After a bit of moving toys and tools around,
> I crawled into my sleeping bag, anticipating a boring foggy drive down the
> central valley in the morning...but at sunrise I was pleased to see the
> south winds had blown most of the normal winter fog away. At Sacramento, I
> opted to take the 99. A little less 'generic freeway' than the 5
> interstate. And I must say, traveling on Christmas day was a great call,
> traffic-wise.
>
> It never ceases to amaze me how fast California drivers go, especially
> when they are nose to tail on the freeway, rapping on cell phones, doing
> make up, etc. I pushed my cruising speeds up to 70-75 and I was still
> being passed by everyone by at least 20mph, it seemed. I did not care to go
> much faster in that traffic, given Vanagon brakes and some of the very poor
> road surfaces..
> With my recent shocks, new tires and my peppy little 2.0liter hotrod motor,
> I never felt like I didn't belong out there and I was pretty comfortable
> with it all, but I must say, I do prefer smaller highways. Prudence and
> weather reports of mountain blizzards and coastal flooding...that kept me on
> the Super Slab....which is not so super..having been last repaired when
> Eisenhower built em, from the conditions I saw...
>
> I pulled into our desert campsite well after dark, using my roof mounted
> unity spotlight to find where my SO had put us this season. Driving around
> in sand and mud, due to recent 3+ inches (annual rainfall already) of rain
> in the past week. Today, sitting in the library parking lot in my shorts
> and flip-flops using the public Wi Fi and contemplating a bike ride soon.
>
> A good journey, all in all, so far.
> Don Hanson
>
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