What I did on my summer vacation

[thecatsandi]

7500 Miles, 130 Hours of driving. Avg Speed 58 MPH
Start Missoula Montana. Finish Missoula, Montana with stops in Montana (overnight), Wisconsin (overnight), Across the Mackinac Island Bridge (a first), Michigan (visit friends), Ohio (visit friends), New York (caravan up), New York (Birthday Bash), New York (Family), Maryland (Friend), Virginia (Friend), Virginia (Family), Virginia (Friends), Florida (Family), Alabama (overnight), Mississippi (Friend), Oklahoma (overnight), Colorado (overnight), Colorado (Forums Members), Utah (overnight), Oregon (Friends), Washington (overnight at AS of Spokane)
Must sees: Mackinac Island Bridge, Gunnison Gorge, Colorado Hwy 92, Dinosaur Area of North Western Colorado.

Work before the trip: Truck; New tires, New Starter. Trailer; New tires, Replaced high current electrical wiring, installed a real breaker panel, Preped for a third battery.
Work During the trip: Turbo Failed; EGR Valve replaced, Idler Pulley Failing; replaced as well as serpentine belt, Turbo Failed; over boost, Turbo Failed; over boost; hit a UDOT plastic Barrel with trailer. It launched quite far!

Work after the trip: Truck, Turbo Fixed, Oil temp checked, New Batteries, Fuel Filters, Oil Change. Trailer, replacing wheel bearings, checking axles for condition, Replacing Dexter Brakes with Kodiak, Replace Acti-brake actuator with Carlisle, Replacing Left Rock guard and pulling dent from skin.
I am glad to be home. School starts in twenty-six days.

[maxandgeorgia]

Quite a trip, Michele, and matching lists of repair/work on truck and trailer! 26 days til start of school: are you the student or the teacher? ~G

[AirsDream]

Ya' got "Turbo failed" in there three times - sure hope that doesn't mean three turbo failures! One's bad enough!

Went over the Mackinac Bridge yesterday myself ... now you no doubt know why in times of high winds, they close it to vehicles towing trailers and trucks with campers on them. It can get VERY breezy up there, and that guard rail is pretty low! I personally know of only one instance in which a driver went over the edge, but she had a bad result.

As the Bridge Authority points out, "It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. " They are reassuring that this doesn't happen very fast.

Hope you enjoyed your trip through Michigan. We've got some great spots to stop! It's also great on an RT.

[Dave Park]

You should get one of those little colored state maps!

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by AirsDream

Ya' got "Turbo failed" in there three times - sure hope that doesn't mean three turbo failures! One's bad enough!
.

The same turbo over boosted three times. It was replaced (under warrenty) yesterday along with a steering linkage.

I did enjoy my trip through Michigan.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

Quite a trip, Michele, and matching lists of repair/work on truck and trailer! 26 days til start of school: are you the student or the teacher? ~G

It was quite a trip. Not one I will repeat soon. I will be a student again until 2014 or whenever I get bored.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by Dave Park

You should get one of those little colored state maps!

It would only have 7 states missing. One would be difficult to drive to...