Road Trip - Seattle to Denver and Yellowstone - long post - 5 min you won't get back
07-19-2007, 02:41 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Road Trip - Seattle to Denver and Yellowstone - long post - 5 min you won't get back
Warning – this post may be of no interest to anyone else… kind of like having to watch someone’s home movies of their vacation!
The wife had to go to Denver for work, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity for a Road Trip!
Left Redmond late Friday, and had to be in Denver by Sunday evening... Quick stay in SE Oregon, and then on to Salt Lake City overnight. Dodged all of the blown truck tires on the road, but while avoiding one, nailed a pothole at a bridge seam - at well over the speed limit. That made me slow down!
Utah is beautiful - stark, but with great vistas and nice flat roads:
Took the long way south of SLC, to make the drive through I70. Bad move, as they had a long section of highway (the beautiful stretch along the river) closed, so everything slowed to a crawl. Just had enough time to stop for a quick stretch and beautiful fresh air in Aspen:
Once we got to Denver my wife had to work for a couple days, while I cleaned up bugs and cruised the old neighborhood:
Then it was off to Yellowstone - drove through Casper, WY - running late, so no chance to stop by the air museum... next trip definitely:
Spent the day in Cody at the museum, and stayed at a ranch with cabins built by Buffalo Bill's niece:
Spent the next two days in Yellowstone - Absolutely beautiful and fascinating scenery:
Day 1:
Day 2 - Had to wash the car in the morning – the bugs were even worse than after arriving in Denver , and the road into Yellowstone was being re-paved – dirt/gravel road for 10 miles, so between bugs and mud, I just had to wash it!
I saw a few other Corvettes on my drive (8-9, with 7-8 waves – many from across divided freeways!) No other Vettes cruising through Yellowstone though, except what looked like a 4 person family, with Dad and son in the lead car and Mom and daughter following close behind:
Great encounter – they pulled over to let me pass, and there were 6 hands waving! Mom and Dad are raising their kids right!
And boy, am I gald I washed the car that morning! 
Back on the open road – and the roads through Montana really are open! Too bad they were forced to comply with national speeding guidelines... It would have been a lot more fun if speeding infractions were still $5 fines.
All together just under 3K miles. Averaged 25 mpg, and about 75 mph (including the city driving time). Washed the car 3 times, and that was showing lots of restraint (really tempted to stop and wash it 7 times, but figured my wife wouldn’t do another road trip with me!) Passed about a bazillion cars. Found a 6.8 carat sapphire. 0 tickets. 2 close calls with deer, and found out that the Z51, with the Sport seats, is comfortable enough for 8-9 hours at a stretch, and can hold 9 days of clothing, laptops, and cameras (and car wash supplies!) - even with the top off! Truly a great car!
While I understand many people babying their Corvettes, and trying not to rack up the miles or get them wet, for me it's all about driving! Preferrably it doesn't rain, so I can keep the top off all of the time, but even so - What a blast!
The wife had to go to Denver for work, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity for a Road Trip!
Left Redmond late Friday, and had to be in Denver by Sunday evening... Quick stay in SE Oregon, and then on to Salt Lake City overnight. Dodged all of the blown truck tires on the road, but while avoiding one, nailed a pothole at a bridge seam - at well over the speed limit. That made me slow down!
Utah is beautiful - stark, but with great vistas and nice flat roads:
Took the long way south of SLC, to make the drive through I70. Bad move, as they had a long section of highway (the beautiful stretch along the river) closed, so everything slowed to a crawl. Just had enough time to stop for a quick stretch and beautiful fresh air in Aspen:
Once we got to Denver my wife had to work for a couple days, while I cleaned up bugs
and cruised the old neighborhood:Then it was off to Yellowstone - drove through Casper, WY - running late, so no chance to stop by the air museum... next trip definitely:
Spent the day in Cody at the museum, and stayed at a ranch with cabins built by Buffalo Bill's niece:
Spent the next two days in Yellowstone - Absolutely beautiful and fascinating scenery:
Day 1:
Day 2 - Had to wash the car in the morning – the bugs were even worse than after arriving in Denver
, and the road into Yellowstone was being re-paved – dirt/gravel road for 10 miles, so between bugs and mud, I just had to wash it!I saw a few other Corvettes on my drive (8-9, with 7-8 waves – many from across divided freeways!) No other Vettes cruising through Yellowstone though, except what looked like a 4 person family, with Dad and son in the lead car and Mom and daughter following close behind:
Great encounter – they pulled over to let me pass, and there were 6 hands waving! Mom and Dad are raising their kids right!
And boy, am I gald I washed the car that morning! Back on the open road – and the roads through Montana really are open! Too bad they were forced to comply with national speeding guidelines... It would have been a lot more fun if speeding infractions were still $5 fines.
All together just under 3K miles. Averaged 25 mpg, and about 75 mph (including the city driving time). Washed the car 3 times, and that was showing lots of restraint (really tempted to stop and wash it 7 times, but figured my wife wouldn’t do another road trip with me!) Passed about a bazillion cars. Found a 6.8 carat sapphire. 0 tickets. 2 close calls with deer, and found out that the Z51, with the Sport seats, is comfortable enough for 8-9 hours at a stretch, and can hold 9 days of clothing, laptops, and cameras (and car wash supplies!) - even with the top off! Truly a great car!
While I understand many people babying their Corvettes, and trying not to rack up the miles or get them wet, for me it's all about driving! Preferrably it doesn't rain, so I can keep the top off all of the time, but even so - What a blast!
Last edited by WAwatchnut; 07-19-2007 at 03:17 PM.
07-19-2007, 02:46 PM
#3
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Magnificent! Thanks for sharing! 
07-19-2007, 03:13 PM
#7
Safety Car
Thread Starter
It's a small price to pay to not drive around in a dirty Vette!
07-19-2007, 03:24 PM
#9
Melting Slicks
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Thanks for your trip report! I'm waiting for a status report on my '08 order from 6/21 & this was just the vicarious tonic I needed to ease the pain! 
07-19-2007, 03:28 PM
#10
Race Director
Good to see you two Driving the USA in your Chevrolet!
07-19-2007, 03:51 PM
#11
Burning Brakes
Oh well, sounds like you had a much better road trip. Nice pics!
07-19-2007, 05:10 PM
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Cody Digs????
Hey, WAwatchnut......!
Wonderful pics..... the wifey and i are going to yellowstone in late august in our 07 vert..... we have been there several times and just love it, so we are going again... i am interested in more info about where you stayed in cody! those cabins look awesome! if you can, let me know the scoop! cody makes a wonderful central spot to make day trips from.... thanks!-------Kevin
Wonderful pics..... the wifey and i are going to yellowstone in late august in our 07 vert..... we have been there several times and just love it, so we are going again... i am interested in more info about where you stayed in cody! those cabins look awesome! if you can, let me know the scoop! cody makes a wonderful central spot to make day trips from.... thanks!-------Kevin
07-19-2007, 06:11 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '06
Now that's what I call a road trip!!
We've done a couple of long ones in our 2006 coupe....the longest 7,000 miles and the other 4,000. The C6 is a great touring automobile.
Thanks for the write-up and the pics.
Hope to see you at the All Corvette Show at the Triple-X in Issaquah next month.
We've done a couple of long ones in our 2006 coupe....the longest 7,000 miles and the other 4,000. The C6 is a great touring automobile.
Thanks for the write-up and the pics.
Hope to see you at the All Corvette Show at the Triple-X in Issaquah next month.
