[Randy Chase]

Roadtrip!!!!

[blues brothers] We are on a mission[/blues brothers]

Am I nuts? The journey starts Sunday.

I appreciate your feedback about roads once you understand my general plans. The map is not done yet.

This may explain some odd questions I have posed on the forums. I did not want to go public until it was certain that I was going and it was a concrete plan. This is why I needed to know if the car was waxed at the dealership... because I had a 2500 mile trip home. And why I needed to know how to mount a V1 BEFORE I had the car.

Thanks to my trip sponsors, specially Sector111, and special thanks to Transio for being able to put together a nice web site on very short notice (this all happened in a short time).

 

[atyclb]

he's comin' to Austin! :clap: :clap: :clap:

I would think Autostrada would accomodate you--talk to Dacia (lotustalk) or Neil there.

 

[mact3333]

Randy, are you really going to take smaller roads for first 600 miles due to break in???...Im curious cause I was planning on driving my car a thousand miles home after delivery but I wasnt planning on taking no damn streets or even hwys...I need freeways cause Im too impatient and lazy!......you really think driving the first 600 miles on freeway would be detrimental to engine??

 

[Randy Chase]

Small roads. Varied rpms. No real freeways until 600 miles.

 

[rtking]

Drive safe, Randy! Looking forward to reading your travel diary!

Bob

 

[heatmiser]

Right on!

 

[cranium]

No way your gonna make it from the gap to Austin in one day. You'll have to drive pretty far after the gap.

And you'll definitely need a GPS if you want to make it on time, it'll be much more convienent on unkown roads and it will give you estimates. I know, I just drove from San Francisco to DC in 5 days. I had a $100 USB (from Best Buy) that connected to my laptop. Worked perfect, escpecially when there was massive backups or when I wanted to see where a road went.

 

[Randy Chase]

Thanks. I might be able to drive longer than others, but it will depend on the average speed I can do in the Elise. I am concerned I will do a slower speed because it will draw attention (tickets) and if I am off the main freeways.

Normally I drive an average of 70-75mph (including fuel and pit stops) and can drive 1000-1100 miles in one day. I figure if I really tried, I could make it across in 3 days. BONZAI!!!!

But maybe not this time.

I can stop north of Austin and try to get into Austin sometime early Wednesday. Damn... the trip is getting longer.

Maybe I can make it from Austin to San Diego in under 2 days.

 

[gotapex]

Normally I drive an average of 70-75mph (including fuel and pit stops) and can drive 1000-1100 miles in one day. I figure if I really tried, I could make it across in 3 days. BONZAI!!!!

But maybe not this time.

I can stop north of Austin and try to get into Austin sometime early Wednesday. Damn... the trip is getting longer.

Maybe I can make it from Austin to San Diego in under 2 days.

I stand in awe of your awesome iron-like posterior. :bow:

 

[Randy Chase]

And people think that sitting 16 hours a day in front of a computer isn't a good work out?

 

[rtking]

Randy Chase wrote:
Maybe I can make it from Austin to San Diego in under 2 days.

Randy, I think you can do it in one day if you wanted. I drove a Chevy Blazer (smaller S-10 style) from LA to San Antonio in one day. (Granted it was a very long day!)

I agree that GPS is helpful and, in my case, really made for relaxed long-distance cruising. I never worried where I was or how far I was from the next town (gas source, nature break and another source of caffeine!) If you don't have your own, I am happy to loan my my Magellan Roadmate 700.

Bob

 

[zvezdah1]

Randy,
Don't think that you can do deals gap to Austin Tx in one day, 129 is a secondary road, not including gap, I doubt you'll average more than 45 miles an hour. You'd really have to hit interstate I think to have any chance of that.


OOPs, just checked your link, I thought you were talking about leaving LCU doing the GAP and getting to austin same day. Hitting Austin on the 17th would be doable the way you have it planned.
Chris

 

[_JD_]

Randy,

Does it have sport pack or an even more focused setup? What color? Details!! Congrats btw.

Jim

 

[eliseowner2b]

Randy,
I live between Atl and deals gap. I picked up my Elise 5 days ago! I think what you are doing is awesome! You guys will have to come about 1/2 mile from my house to get to the gap (if you are taking route 129 Georgia to 64 west (n.c.) so if I can help in any way, please feel free to ask. Heck, Ill drive up to deals gap with you (excuse to get outta work). I've got a friend who owns a company called Lamin-x. (www.lamin-x.com) and I can work something out so he gets you some protection for your headlights/front turn indicators for the trip. (maybe put a link on your website?) The plastic lens of these lights are going to be very prone to pitting and this stuff is awesome! Let me know what I can do to help.
Dan Parker

 

[Stan]

What a cool idea! Long ago I drove cross country with my Dad. We still remember the great time we had. At the Time GE wanted me to drive 400 miles a day from NJ to CA. So we made it from NJ to Colorado by day two and then coasted. We stopped to enjoy all the sights out west. GE was cool about my expense account since the average *did* hit ~400 even though some days only had like 50-60 miles logged in... About 4-5 months later, I bought my first Lotus, a Europa.

 

[Highlander]

Randy.... I'm sure you would have a TON of volunteers to help you with the drive. Shoot, I'd have driven it out to Topeka for you!

 

[Highlander]

DANG!! I just looked at your plan. I have business out in Crossville TN this weekend and I am driving home on Monday. I was planning on hitting the Dragon on Monday afternoon anyway and would love to get a chance to say hi. I'll PM my cell number if you don't mind a drooling visitor in a Honda.

 

[martinm1]

What fun. I did LA to Indy in 4 days in a Miata in 94 and then Indy to San Diego in the same Miata in 3 days in 96. There is really nothing quite like seeing the country this way.
I am envious!!

 

[Ground Loop]

Awesome trip!

This would be the closest thing to "factory delivery" so far. How's it going with Symbolic -- are they cool with the whole thing?

 

[Steve W]

I did 200 miles yesterday in the elise, on everything from very twisties to freeway.

At the end of it my ass was beginning to suffer, and by far the worst roads are concrete freeways. The constant bobbing motion over the stabs can be tiring after 10 minutes.

Good luck!