Great northern route 2

[Pat's 52]

Frank glad to hear you made it home safe and sound. I really enjoyed reading the threads about your trip. I was envious wishing I was going along with you. It takes a lot of courage to make that trip on your own. I look forward to talking to you about the trip next year at Dearborn.

Pat Rooney

[mhsprecher]

Congrats on your return. Sounds like a great trip. Why do you think you started having vapor lock problems only upon your return home?

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

Congrats on your return. Sounds like a great trip. Why do you think you started having vapor lock problems only upon your return home?

maybe the 49 did not won't to go home! thanks for taking us with us
Frank! Welcome Home!

[41ford1]

Frank, Thanks for the ride along. Long road trips are the best adventure.

[Frank Miller]

Here is my last day on the road. I may post a few other things as they come up as it was impossible to write these long diatribes while traveling.
I started the day around 9 hoping to miss the NJ commuter traffic but there it was on 78. I had tried to parallel 78 on secondary roads but it was not working. I got on back roads a few exits east of Clinton and started driving north or east according to the GPS. This took me on some little traveled back roads all the way to Morristown where there were red lights and traffic. I thought I was clear as my plan from there was to follow 202 north. It is a rather common route and poorly marked. I had to keep finding my way back to it. I finally succumbed to 287 to just before the Tapanzee bridge where I took the Palisades parkway to Bear Mountain. Finally out of cities and traffic I could start enjoying my drive. While this is the crowded northeast there are some enjoyable drives and to my surprise I turned my last day into something rather relaxing. I purposely stayed out of Connecticut because I have driven it many times and the cities seem to blend into one another. The parkways provide no truck traffic and not much commuter traffic either, with a 55mph speed limit.
From the Palisades Parkway I traveled the Bear Mountain Parkway to the Taconic Parkway. The Taconic Parkway would take me to I90 and a scant 100 miles from home. The drive through the Berkshires is nice except for trucks on the hills. The traffic through Springfield and a few construction sites was barely noticeable. I arrived home at 4:30pm and unloaded the car. When I went to go to my dad's house, I drove up my street a 100 yards and it was the dreaded vapor lock. I rolled back into my driveway and just let it sit until this morning when I started it up with no problem.
I'll be figuring out a few more things and will let you know my tally as to fuel costs and hotel rooms.
Right now I'm at 8093 miles traveled according to my GPS. I also logged 167:20 moving time and my average speed from Eureka CA was 51.7 mph. I'm guessing the car will need a thorough going over but before that I need to go through a ton of mail and pay some bills. I'll be going over the car inspecting things, like brakes. Also getting an oil analysis done to see how the engine performed from the inside. I'll put up some pics in an album. Enjoy. If you're looking for a fall ride I would suggest the parkways I mentioned. WARNING: If you are a liberal leaf lover there is a Donald Trump State Park sign on the Taconic Parkway and you may be triggered.
I have made my facebook group public so if you have an account you can see all the pics. If you know someone who has an account they can show you.

[TJ]

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Frank, glad you made it home safe and sound. It was a pleasure to get together with you at Seaside and Salem out here on the "left" coast. You have a great sense of humor and are a true people person. Tom

[Frank Miller]

I also want to thank everyone who followed my trip. It made it a little more enjoyable and it was nice to have you all along even if it was just in a virtual sense. It was also nice to have a few meetups along the way.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by Frank Miller

I also want to thank everyone who followed my trip. It made it a little more enjoyable and it was nice to have you all along even if it was just in a virtual sense. It was also nice to have a few meetups along the way.

When I'm out near Boston I'll stop in at your place. Not sure when that will be but I will get there.

[Frank Miller]

Today I got the rear brakes on and replaced the spring bushings as well as a rear wheel bearing. Here are some numbers from my trip as I just took the time to enter the notebook stuff into a spreadsheet.
Went through my notebook and put gas and miles in an Excel sheet. Total fuel cost was $1230 for 431 gallons of fuel. Average mpg for trip was 18.8. It was 19.1 from home to Everett Washington. The second half was 18.6. I attribute the lower second half due to driving the interstate more as well as the windy roads on the California coast. I also had the overdrive locked out more in the mountains on the way home. I was going roughly 200 miles between fuel stops but some were less because you fill it up when you see a gas station.

[A bones]

Congrats on getting your back axle woes fixed. It is much better to do so at home. I have a beater pickup that twice wanted a starter. First time was right in my driveway, second time was right in front of my parts store.

You are correct about pushing up the speed, raises the consumption. However I'm compelled to relate this little story.

In '53 my grandparents decided to travel the country. They began in Eastern PA. (Say Philly area) They had a '50 Plymouth that had seen taxi duty. ( he had to teach her driving-she tested and obtained a license, at the age of 55) It was the adventure of a lifetime. Pacific Ocean and back. (West via Rushmore, back via New Orleans, no interstate)

Anyhoo fast forward to 1989. I bring my daughter to visit great-grammom. During our chat I mention their tour, and wonder what gasoline cost for such a ride, back then. Darned if she didn't toddle to her bedroom and return with a 5"x7" note book. She opened to the back and claimed it took $72.35

The real point of all this, to me, was the fact that back then we walked around with silver and copper in our pockets, and every bit of it counted.

So, when is our next trip?

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone,

Originally Posted by A bones

She opened to the back and claimed it took $72.35

Just for giggles, I looked on the interwebs and found that $72.35 in the year 1953 is equivalent to $663.31 in 2017, a difference of $590.96 over 64 years.

Whatever the cost, the memories are priceless!

[Frank Miller]

Well the oil gods have spoken. Hope you can read this ok. Looks like I should have taken a longer route. No zinc additive either. Stock engine with a partial flow filter.

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone. Frank has started a great discussion that adds to his comments on engine lubricants.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231478

[Johnnydidd]

Frank, thanks for sharing, I followed you from start to end. I would like to do the same on Route 66, from Baxter Springs, KS to West Coast. i will try to do this in the spring. i hope to do the same as you through the trip. I feel as though I have known you for years