Hey Clay i'm thinking we need to have a car wash or something to help raise (fuel) funds. I wonder if we could do something like that.... maybe hire ourselves out as mechanic monkeys for a day or something.

I prefer Man-Whore :rlaugh:

This is great!!! seems to be picking up some steam.

I charted out a route that would add 216 miles to the trip through some pretty wicked desert and mountain roads.... I'll map it out online and share soon we would vist places such as Truth or Consequences, NM and travel down the notorious US Highway 666 !!!

Airlift
 

I'm going to see if I can hitch a ride on an Airforce C130 cargo plane, maybe we could airdrop over Houston. I can catch up with you then... Yeah I don't know if I can swing that far south.

this is deffinately looking sweet, if i drive i will join you guys for sure!!

wow, you guys are amazing. sounds like lots of fun :)

Dregg, we should hook up if sc = South Carolina. That would probably be one of my routes from CT thru SC to meet up with these guys in TX. Depending on where in SC you are it would be a good days drive to get there. I think Charleston (where we have family) is about 16 hours.

yes SC is south carolina, and im in greenville/spartanburg

Shit yeah!! Last day is on my birthday (9-23). Unless something major comes up I'm gonna be going this year.
I normally hate following people, but I think I can make an exception for this.

Following... heck I thought we could make you our rabbit!!

With this group you will not hate following! We (houstonr7club) have some of the best scenic drives, stuff of legends!!!! I will be wonderful!

Keith, I was thinking we could hit up some sponsors (different vendors and such) to supply backup parts like belts, alternators, etc. We could put their names on the shirts and advertises for them on the houston site and other local sites, maybe even score some gas money! I will call ya this week and we can meet up and get some of this nailed down so these other guys can start making their plans.

Clay

I dont want to drive my FD to CA, but i am willing to ride/pay for fuel to go.

I would be a great asset in fixing the broken cars on the way, ask keith what i can do under pressure.

So if anyone will have a extra seat i can fill let me no

I'm starting to think that with the amount of people going, we might be able to get some discounts on hotels. How many people are Definately going, maybe going, or going assuming thier car is done? I do like the idea of hitting sponsors up for gas $$, I'll put someones name on the back for cash.

Dr. Killjoy, I bought a set of street wheels and a few misc things for the FD, just so i can stretch the FD's legs in Arizona and the backside of TX when we get there, instead of leaving the track car on the trailor the entire time.

So since i spent money on street wheels and the likes, you know i'm in 100%. Look forward to meeting you there.

My Best friend officially backed out. Good reason though, he's getting married in the beginning of June and has already taken more than his alotted time off so he's out. I think my wife may go, but a better idea would be for her to flyout to Scottsdale AZ to spend afew days with her aunt she hasn't seen in 12 years, I'll pick her up there and do the last leg with her.

Is there a prescribed or tetative route that is being planned?

I'd like to stress now that my route from CT has just gotten alot more open to suggestions.

wish i could give more input, but i'm coming from fl, so it's i-10 all the way. i'm just trying to coordinate so i meet up with the tx people as they are getting on i-10.

That sounds cool. I really want to hook up with these Texas guys before AZ. I just Mapquested Scottsdale to see what highways etc pass through..... I-10 is right there. Almost Fate. MapQuest says about 30 hours to where I-20 & I-10 meet in Texas. There are so many options for my route that I think will really depend on who else is joining the caravan.

Keith, Clay - where are you guys thinking about heading out from and how many days do you expect it to take?

So Dregg, how serious are you about joining up and how many hours/miles per day are you down for. RX7 Nut.... I may have an open seat till Scottsdale but I got Corbeau's in an FC. I'm 5'11 and can barely fit in the passenger side.

-Brian

Haha...you are NOT going to want to drive with the top down in AZ in September...it'll still be well over 100 out here by that time. I know a bunch of us will leave Thursday evening to avoid driving in the heat, but there is always a group Friday morning that goes as well. In the end, your call, but keep in mind that extra month earlier is really quite a bit warmer out here still. It's rarely under 100 until October.

Dude, we need to chat.... I mentioned running the desert @ night. I stripped out the AC and the interior is 100% black. I think we need to start working backwards from when we all want to roll into Irvine and start setting up meeting places and time frames. I am one for running the desert in a pack at night though. 5-6 hours from Scottsdale to Irvine it looks like. So leaving wicked early Saturday morning seems logical.

-B

We will be heading out from houston (west side). Keith and I will be meeting up soon to look at the route...

Someone else asked about time of departure, how many days, etc. we will probably leave the Houston area on Wednesday, Sept 19th drive to Las Cruces. Thursday will be Las Cruses to Phoenix Friday will be with the Pheonix guys all the way into LA for ss10. (Keith- correct me if any of that seems out of place.)

Rx7nut, you may have my passenger seat!

Personally, my buddy and leave late Thursday afternoon/evening-ish usually between 3-7pm and get a good night's sleep that night. We haven't had any other takers the last couple of years because it's an extra night of hotel, but it's worth it in my opinion to not have to worry about overheating in the hot mohave desert :). We usually roll into Irvine between 11pm to 1am.

The nighttime driving has pros and cons neither Clay or myself have A/C and both have black on black FC's so I feel you in that regard.

As far as rolling into Irvine on Saturday morning that doesn't work very well for me.. I need time to wash down 1500 miles of bugs and dirt before taking her to the biggest car show she will ever see!

Although, I trully understand your interest in the night runs, but I'm not sure that will work for me. (Note: My S.O. is flying in to Orange County Airport on Friday night, which is another reason I need to get to Irvine on Friday afternoon).

I am in the same boat...no a/c black on black...I am all for doing the dessert at night as well....may even shorten the whole thing a day too!!!

You beat me to it....It was nice being there friday night last year and getting some sleep before the big day!!! When do you want to meet up to discuss all this, keith?

FYI: I did the drive through the desert in 2002 and was in a full upper body brace.. it's not that hot (compared to normal driving in Houston) if you keep moving :P Average temps for Phoenix (halfway throug the desert) in September are low 74° and a high of 97°. Like I said only a few (5-10) degrees higher than home. Another concern is if there IS a vehicle failure it will be the middle of the night, roadside repairs may be hampered and there most likely will be few auto parts stores around to help.

Basic driving distances to consider are:
Day one : Houston to Las Cruces - 10-11 hrs

Day two: Las Cruces to Phoenix - 5-6 hrs
or Day two: Las Cruces to LA - 10-11 hrs

Nighttime or daytime those are the variables to consider.


We can hookup anythime.. or just rap about it online... BTW - we missed ya on Saturday.