ragged claws

I'm going to take my 02 Z06 on a 4000 mile trip in October. I'll be leaving from around Sacramento, CA with a final destination of Springfield, MO. I'll be visiting an old friend who lives about an hour south of Springfield. I've set aside three weeks for this adventure. I'm thinking that a week each way and a week for my visit.

I can take one of three routes to Missouri: HWY 40, HWY 80, or HWY70. I might take one route there and a different route back. If anyone here is familiar with these highways I'd appreciate some information. I'm interested in things to see, motel and camping ground recommendations, places to avoid, and overall highway conditions.

I'd also appreciate any advice relating to car prep, car safety at motels, and anything else I might need to know before embarking on this trip.

I've been wanting to take a cross-country trip in a Corvette since I was 16 years old (I'm 67 now). Now that I have the time and money to do it, I'm going to give it a shot. Wish me luck.

Kim

RCFC5

That time of year to avoid snow I would drop down south and take the 40 to the 44, It's a pretty easy drive. The 70 is hell in the winter through Denver and the 80 depending on weather is can be bad

TX Torch

So this is a one way trip?

ragged claws

I didn't realize that I might have to deal with snow in October. Thanks for the heads-up. I definitely don't want to have to put chains on my Z.

ragged claws

No, 4000 miles round trip.

jcsperson

I took a 1700-mile round trip in my Corvette last week. All I really did was change the oil, clean and lube my air filter, check my tire inflation and finally got around to the "rocking seat" fix. I was pretty amazed to find that I averaged 24.5 mpg with a big stroker motor.

One thing you might want to do is see if 93 octane is available everywhere you plan to go and plan fuel stops accordingly. There was some discussion on CF a while back.

Have fun!

QCVette

I drive the I-40 and I-44 (and I-55) a couple times a year from Illinois to Arizona. Generally a pretty good route. Sometimes road construction can show up, but you never know.

If you are taking a week, I hope it is because you are taking some sightseeing trips and/or a lot of stops for other activities. I have driven it at least a dozen times (about 1700 miles one way) and usually drive straight through (sometimes stop for an hour or two sleep) but usually it takes me under 24 hours.

The best advice though is to just have some fun. These are great road trip cars.

ragged claws

Thanks for the info and link, JCS. I hadn't considered high octane gas availability. I imagine that if my Z will run on CA gas it will run on gas available in less restrictive states. Hope I'm right.

Kim

Lee DeRaud

Not really an issue: I seriously doubt he has anything higher than 91 octane where he lives.

bluestreak63

Check the condition of your tires. Get a fresh oil change. And maybe get some roadside assistance, i.e. AAA.

ragged claws

Just going to take my time and see some stuff along the way. It may not take a week to get to MO or a week to get back to CA. but the trip will be a big part of my adventure. I travelled the country on a band bus in the 1970s. I met a lot of interesting people and saw a lot of stuff. I'm looking forward to doing it again on my own terms, and in my own time. Six hours of driving and I'm done. I'm hoping for 5 hour driving days for this trip.

Kim

ragged claws

I'll get an oil change and service before the trip. My tires are in good shape and will be properly inflated. I do need to update my AAA roadside assistance to a 100 mile radius. Thanks for the suggestions.

Kim

rrichar2591

You might think about driving through southern Utah on the way back. That would keep you more south towards the latter part of October just in case there are early storms. Southern Utah has five national parks that are all worth seeing and are within a day's drive of each other. Sounds like you will have the time. May need to pull out a road atlas and see if it would work. Good luck with your trip. Post pics if you can.

JR-01

Taking a 3000 mile trip at the end of the month. I too, have been trying to figure out what could go wrong and what I might need.

I have all the tire repair stuff.....can of inflator/sealer, plug kit, jack, breaker bar and socket and compressor, spare belts(with 15mm socket), spare hoses, battery jumper pack, assorted tools, electrical tape, and detailer and micro fiber towels. It all fits in the compartments under the floor.

I have AAA, GPS and cell phones. It has fresh oil, new tires, fresh coolant and I blew out the radiator.

I plan on being extra cautious where I park. Hopefully in a lit area and close to the room where I can keep an eye on it.

I have a list of top tier gas retailers and plan on dumping a bottle of Techron in before we leave.

I also took the never been used wheel locks out of the trunk and put them on.

If you or anyone can think of anything else, I will be interested.

dbgoodwin

Very jealous. I want to take my z on a long trip

ragged claws

Yeah, I want to see some of the parks in Utah. I may have to adjust my routes from the major highways. The road atlas is a good idea. Luckily I have time to fine tune this trip. Thanks for the suggestions.

Kim

Vetteman Jack

That is the route I would take.

ragged claws

[QUOTE=JR-01;1587315929]Taking a 3000 mile trip at the end of the month. I too, have been trying to figure out what could go wrong and what I might need.

I have all the tire repair stuff.....can of inflator/sealer, plug kit, jack, breaker bar and socket and compressor, spare belts(with 15mm socket), spare hoses, battery jumper pack, assorted tools, electrical tape, and detailer and micro fiber towels. It all fits in the compartments under the floor.

I have AAA, GPS and cell phones. It has fresh oil, new tires, fresh coolant and I blew out the radiator.

I plan on being extra cautious where I park. Hopefully in a lit area and close to the room where I can keep an eye on it.

I have a list of top tier gas retailers and plan on dumping a bottle of Techron in before we leave.

I also took the never been used wheel locks out of the trunk and put them on.

If you or anyone can think of anything else, I will be interested.[/QUOTE

Sounds like you have it covered. I'll have a complete service done on my car before I leave. The tire stuff is a good idea and I'll include tire plugs, sealant, and a compressor. Hope I don't need them though. I'm not much of a wrench so any major breakdowns will have to be addressed by a mechanic. Thanks for your suggestions.

Kim

umrjmac

I assume that you have non-OE Z06 tire sealant, but just in case that is what you do have, check the date on it. It does expire. I wouldn't trust it in an emergency if it were past its prime.

ragged claws

I don't have any tire sealant yet. What do you suggest?

Thanks,
Kim