Flying out for delivery and driving back?

[broadicustomworks]

I’m trying to make this not only an experience to buy and drive my new Bronco, but something my wife and two daughters will remember forever (bucket list if you will).
Considering flying out to buy there in Odessa TX.
Taking day 1 after the sale and going through NM maybe over to Winslow, AZ making it to the painted desert by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 2 is driving to, looking at the Grand Canyon, driving to CA coast area by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 3, drive up the coast all day. Stay the night wherever we end up.
Day 4, Oregon, over to Idaho, Yellowstone area. Stay the night.
Day 5, meander wherever, probably south toward Wyoming, Colorado.
Day 6, keep trucking on maybe southward back to Albuquerque and catching US 66 back East.
Take a few days and meander back home.
Of course there’s probably an oil change in there mid-CA for proper break-in.
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
What are your plans?

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[MrJoe]

I’m trying to make this not only an experience to buy and drive my new Bronco, but something my wife and two daughters will remember forever (bucket list if you will).
Considering flying out to buy there in Odessa TX.
Taking day 1 after the sale and going through NM maybe over to Winslow, AZ making it to the painted desert by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 2 is driving to, looking at the Grand Canyon, driving to CA coast area by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 3, drive up the coast all day. Stay the night wherever we end up.
Day 4, Oregon, over to Idaho, Yellowstone area. Stay the night.
Day 5, meander wherever, probably south toward Wyoming, Colorado.
Day 6, keep trucking on maybe southward back to Albuquerque and catching US 66 back East.
Take a few days and meander back home.
Of course there’s probably an oil change in there mid-CA for proper break-in.
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
What are your plans?

I did something similar a few years back. Suggestions,

1) make motel reservations
2) add more time between stops. You'll need it. One day isn't enough.

 

[Blksn955.o]

Do it.
I had an opportunity in my early 20's to travel and took it. It meant taking a couple years off for school to afford it but I do not regret it at all. The longest leg was a 45 day zig zag across the western US badlands, mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, back and forth between areas in Nevada and Utah, across to Yosemite and San Fran back to the southern half of Nevada/Utah with places like Moab, Arches, hiked miles of Bryce canyon, grand canyon, lake Powell, vegas camping 42 of those days and living out of a Jeep Cherokee.

I hope to take the wife and daughter on a PCH trip in the next few years like fly into san fran or san diego and drive to the other over a week and fly home.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I’m trying to make this not only an experience to buy and drive my new Bronco, but something my wife and two daughters will remember forever (bucket list if you will).
Considering flying out to buy there in Odessa TX.
Taking day 1 after the sale and going through NM maybe over to Winslow, AZ making it to the painted desert by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 2 is driving to, looking at the Grand Canyon, driving to CA coast area by sundown. Stay the night.
Day 3, drive up the coast all day. Stay the night wherever we end up.
Day 4, Oregon, over to Idaho, Yellowstone area. Stay the night.
Day 5, meander wherever, probably south toward Wyoming, Colorado.
Day 6, keep trucking on maybe southward back to Albuquerque and catching US 66 back East.
Take a few days and meander back home.
Of course there’s probably an oil change in there mid-CA for proper break-in.
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
What are your plans?

I am doing the same from Granger back to the Atlanta area. Was trying to figure out the route with great stops along the way.

I found Roadtrippers.com I allows you to select the type of attractions and camping or hotels you want along the way and pops them on the screen. You can then start to adjust your route on the places you want to stop. Theyhave an app that you can download as well.

I have haters that it is a great site. Looking forward to creating a great route home!

 

[Straight 6]

You don't need an oil change in CA, just vary your rpms a bit


Engines are made to vastly tighter tolerance today, they don't need 3k oil changes or crazy break in procedures


Also you may be underestimating the size of CA, it's a haul from socal to Oregon, and the coast roads are beautiful, but the speeds can be around 35-40mph. It's slow going in places. Pismo beach to Santa Cruz can take 2.5 hours or 4.5 hours depending on how scenic you want it to be

 

[Blksn955.o]

I am doing the same from Granger back to the Atlanta area. Was trying to figure out the route with great stops along the way.

I found Roadtrippers.com I allows you to select the type of attractions and camping or hotels you want along the way and pops them on the screen. You can then start to adjust your route on the places you want to stop. Theyhave an app that you can download as well.

I have haters that it is a great site. Looking forward to creating a great route home!

I have an aunt and 2 cousins in the Atlanta area (Gainsville is where the aunt lives). Coming from STL we usually take the detour/out of the way stop to the Jack Daniels Distillery (great tour) and hit up Chattanooga and do the aquarium and lunch/dinner. Then head south...we would sometimes hit Helena but have not in years. You can also hit Memphis in a round about way/out of the way stop.

 

[tokyo]

I echo the other responses. Totally do it.

But yeah, I’ve driven all those roads and I think you are overly optimistic on how much ground you can cover while trying to sightsee. So I suggest add more days or cut back on places to visit.

As an old dad some more advice.. My kids are grown now and don’t remember any of the Christmas presents I bought but still vividly remember all family trips we took. At the time they sometimes seemed like a hassle.. but in retrospect I wish I would have done more.

 

[cybersal]

Spend more time in the national parks. Yellowstone can easily be three days, there's a lot more than Old Faithful. The Mighty Five in Utah is an epic trip in itself.

I'd also have to stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine site to see...In other words, Take It Easy.

 

[zaki]

1. Give yourself extra time and then add two more days.

2. Take lots of pics/video

3. Take lots of Lysol, gloves and thoroughly disinfect each hotel room before letting the family in.

 

[Phil_68w10]

Something similar, I'm planning on buying some land out in Montana next year and I'll more than likely take a trip with my Bronco. Hit up 4 corners again, possibly take a side trip out to the Grand Canyon also. Definitely adding some miles when I first get it.

 

[cybersal]

Shortly after merging on 70 West from the Baltimore Beltway there's a mileage sign: "Columbus, 420; St. Louis 845; Denver 1700; Cove Fort 2200."

I always say "next stop Cove Fort." I actually want to mean it one day.

 

[broadicustomworks]

I am sure I am underestimating the north-south length of Cali. It takes a good day here to go up just the OBX.
More than likely from staying in SoCal the one night it will end up being a night in San Fran then onward north the next day. I plan on taking 2 weeks of vacation to do it so we will hopefully have time there without feeling rushed (it’s my biggest pet peeve while trying to enjoy a trip).
I’m going to sit down with some driving times/routes and plan it out so we can stop, take some pics, meander around, shop, eat, and bathroom breaks.
My girls are going to be 16 and 14.5 by next spring and they won’t be home many more years. It’s one of those things where I think the journey, the memories, and the experiences vastly outweigh the cost and I’ll make it up one way or the other because I don’t want to be 70 and look back wishing I had done it.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

I'll be flying and driving, would love to see some of plains as that part of the country has always evaded me. Problem is I'm headed east from Iowa to SC so I might just add a few days and another 1000 miles to head up to SD and see the Badlands in my Badlands. Who knows, have to factor in time and money but would probably never be any closer to it.

 

[broadicustomworks]

I echo the other responses. Totally do it.

But yeah, I’ve driven all those roads and I think you are overly optimistic on how much ground you can cover while trying to sightsee. So I suggest add more days or cut back on places to visit.

As an old dad some more advice.. My kids are grown now and don’t remember any of the Christmas presents I bought but still vividly remember all family trips we took. At the time they sometimes seemed like a hassle.. but in retrospect I wish I would have done more.

Absolutely. We do an annual vacation to the OBX or mtns. And it costs probably between 2-5k so I don’t think this will be far out of line with that, especially with the “specialness” of the trip.
I do wish I was able to stow our luggage and the doors (and the top LOL) so we could go open. But I just don’t see that happening. Already gonna pack light due to cargo space. I plan on getting a rack so hopefully it will be in stock and installed so I can gain some space. Already have a waterproof large rack bag we could put stuff in.

 

[PELS82]

I am sure I am underestimating the north-south length of Cali. It takes a good day here to go up just the OBX.
More than likely from staying in SoCal the one night it will end up being a night in San Fran then onward north the next day. I plan on taking 2 weeks of vacation to do it so we will hopefully have time there without feeling rushed (it’s my biggest pet peeve while trying to enjoy a trip).
I’m going to sit down with some driving times/routes and plan it out so we can stop, take some pics, meander around, shop, eat, and bathroom breaks.
My girls are going to be 16 and 14.5 by next spring and they won’t be home many more years. It’s one of those things where I think the journey, the memories, and the experiences vastly outweigh the cost and I’ll make it up one way or the other because I don’t want to be 70 and look back wishing I had done it.

Best drive of my life may have been from SF to Laguna. Big Sur. Wow.

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