On the road

[briandg]

I think that it is about time that I log on and give my experiences with our summer trip. Patty and I bought a new 25 Safari LS,FB,SE in December of 2006 at George Sutton RV in Eugine Oregon. He was kind enough to hold it for us until June. Our treatment from them was excellent including all service work I needed done before the trip. We lived in it for better than 2 weeks while Patty had surgery on her knee and left on the 7 of July. Took it back to Sutton to get the water pump fixed and a light and got on the road. The total pulled miles were 7955. Our TV is a 2003 yukon Denali that started this with 13000 miles on it. We live in Alaska on a Island with only 12 miles of paved road so most of its miles are when we are out of state. The Denali has the 6 liter engine with the air ride and all the other goodies. I had GM change the transmission fluid to synthetic Which they said was alright and we got on the road. I pull with a Ha Ha , Mckesh mirrors, and a prodigy brake control. I also use a pressure pro tire system to keep a eye on the tires for me. I try not to pull faster than 60mph in 3 gear and the computer in the Denali told me that we got 12 miles per gallon with the AS. I have the tires at 60 psi. Transmission never got above 205 on a long up hill grade and for the most part stayed at 190 or so. Outside temp for the most part was 90 or better with the high in Calf. at 118. Interstate most of the way. Some parts of Arizona and New Mexico I would pull in overdrive because it was so flat that I could see tomorrow coming. The Denali really felt better in 3 gear though. I had no trouble pulling up hills at my speed or going down as long as I use the rule of what ever gear you pulled up in use that to go down in. I had no trouble stopping in a hurry if I had to and with that many mile I only had to twice. I had wind big time across I 10 in Arizona and New Mexico and Texas. I had trucks and Sobs going sideways, they should have got off the road as some of those thunder storms came through. The total dream is a Airstream with a Ha HA, did not know that the wind was blowing till you looked at the grass on the side of the road. Hooking up to a Ha Ha is a piece of cake. Hitching Rods help. I would raise the Hatch in back put the rods in and back up till I was close. Raise or lower the hitch and back in. This is nothing to be worried about. Pulled across a set of cat scales and had 3100 front 4000 back 5860 AS and total of 12960. GCWR is 14000, Tongue weight was 900 with spare, full tanks, batts. Gas tank was full, AS as we live in it and both of us in the car, fresh water at 2/3 and gray and black empty pulled back to Washington state where we had Airstream of Spokane repack the wheels and do some minor warranty work and winterize it for us. Called them on Tuesday and ask if the would work on it on Wed. and they said sure. Top notch service and people to deal with. Put Molly into a barn for the winter and drove back to Alaska. No pics to show as I don't do a lot of that. Sorry it is so long but it was a long trip. We are ready to go again, we love our Airstream.















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[TBRich]

Welcome to the Airforum, briandg...Sounds like a wonderful trip you had, and that everything performed well for you... Lots of miles, so you really broke it in! You're like the rest of us already...yearning to get back out on the road as soon as you get home!

Again, welcome, and thanks for the run-down on your trip... Where you going next time?

Hope you have a bunch of Happy Trails!

TB

[SilverCabin]

Hi briand and welcome to the forums. Sounds like a good trip with your Airstream. I use hitching rods too, and they do make unassisted hitching pretty easy. I would be interested in knowing your route to/from Alaska as we are planning to make that trip in the next year or two or three .

Randy

[Minnie's Mate]

Welcome to the forums. Great report. So sad to already put her away for the winter. Hope spring comes early for you.

[briandg]

Silver Cabin, because we live on an island we have to get off by boat. This year we put the Denali on the barge and shipped it to Seattle. Flew down and picked it up and started the trip.

[SilverCabin]

Originally Posted by briandg

Silver Cabin, because we live on an island we have to get off by boat. This year we put the Denali on the barge and shipped it to Seattle. Flew down and picked it up and started the trip.

Thanks. We're planning on taking the Alaska Highway up from central Canada. Talked to several people who have taken that route, but nobody who drove the western routes.

Randy