My 24-Day Pandemic Road Trip Across America

[Donovan]

This is Epic shit.

AMERICA.

 

[MrGable27]

I live here in the high desert, and as a result have spent a great deal of my life in Death Valley. Ive also spent some time out at 29 Palms (Joshua Tree area) supporting the Marines in the field, and it truly is amazing how damn hot it can get out in the desert. When the wind picks up it’s like a hair dryer on full bore with tiny, sandy, razor blades flying around.

 

[avalanchegrey]

Impressive! Thanks.

 

[KillerBlackbird]

Very nice pics! Did you let it loose at Bonneville?

Nah. It’s a salty mess out there lol. Dry lake beds are a little more fun, I think

Great eye for photos, Jim. Great to see the 'ground level' perspective used to good effect. And nice job not over-saturating the colors if you did any post processing on them!

Thank you! They certainly do have post processing!

What?

No Carhenge pics?

Amarillo Cadillacs or International Car Forest? I’ve been to both!

Continue the great trip! I've made 2 similar trips in my Gen1, your right it's the best road trip vehicle! What kind of gas mileage did you average?

Just under 18MPG. Not the best but still decent for a brick on wheels.

I live here in the high desert, and as a result have spent a great deal of my life in Death Valley. Ive also spent some time out at 29 Palms (Joshua Tree area) supporting the Marines in the field, and it truly is amazing how damn hot it can get out in the desert. When the wind picks up it’s like a hair dryer on full bore with tiny, sandy, razor blades flying around.

Definitely. It’s hard to describe what above 120 feels like. Your clothes feel like they came out of the dryer all day and you’re standing in front of an oven that’s at 350 degrees.

 

[smurfslayer]

Amarillo Cadillacs or International Car Forest? I’ve been to both!

Pictures. Or it never happened. ;-)

Definitely. It’s hard to describe what above 120 feels like. Your clothes feel like they came out of the dryer all day and you’re standing in front of an oven that’s at 350 degrees

Legit. I was coming home from a ride south and ran into a 108F stretch. It did drop down a little to the low 100’s but hovered around 102-105. I’m pretty heat tolerant, but on a bike it was a chore. Even with an evaporative vest, the thing was drying out in 40 minutes or less on the highway. I’d pop my helmet visor and had to immediately close it because it was like being in front of a blow dryer.

I’ve been in hotter temps a few times. highest ambient air temp i’ve been in is 118F air temp. Not feels like 118, an honest 118 on the mercury. Pretty much any activity and you’re drenched in sweat.

 

[NM156]

Love the pics! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Beard]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing these pics. I want to do this with my sons.

 

[Jonesky]

Nah. It’s a salty mess out there lol. Dry lake beds are a little more fun, I think


Thank you! They certainly do have post processing!


Amarillo Cadillacs or International Car Forest? I’ve been to both!


Just under 18MPG. Not the best but still decent for a brick on wheels.


Definitely. It’s hard to describe what above 120 feels like. Your clothes feel like they came out of the dryer all day and you’re standing in front of an oven that’s at 350 degrees.

I feel you. I was riding my BMW GSA from San Jose, CA to Reno. Summertime. Big mistake. ATTGATT. Enjoyed 118 degrees thru Stockton. Was pouring water bottles down my Rallye Pro jacket under my chin and never got wet. Thought I wasn’t going to make it. You have to experience that kind of heat to understand it. Wow.

 

[GordoJay]

Most excellent. I'm leaving on a post-pandemic road trip the day after tomorrow. Three weeks, plus or minus. Colorado to Washington and back, roundabout on back roads.

 

[isis]

As a teenager my brother, my dad and I drove across the country in a ‘78 chevy van w/o AC. The windows down in AZ on a 117 degree day was unreal. Face in an oven. We bought 1-qt sized Icees at a gas station and they were 3/4 melted by the time we pulled out of the parking lot. Ever since then I’ve laughed in the face of anyone who has the balls to say ‘it’s a dry heat’. Yeah so is an oven or hair dryer.