MJ Road Trip – Los Angeles, CA to Portland, ME

[Motorhead X]

I am in the middle of a 3,141 mile road trip in my ’91 Comanche and currently taking a break at a rest-stop in Indiana. So far things have gone well. The MJ still has a few minor oil leaks including the rear main seal and the stupid oil fill cap, but otherwise rolling along good so far. The SofTopper has worked and I purchased a 4 inch thick foam bed on foambymail.com along with a Coleman 0 degree sleeping bag to avoid paying for hotels. Seems more comfortable than my bed at home.

 

The strangest aspect of the trip has been the lack of clouds. NONE. The whole way there hasn’t been a single cloud in the sky. Four days through CA, AZ, NM, TX, OK, MS, IL, IN, and no clouds so far. I suspect it has to do with the CA fires creating a weather vacuum across the country. Lots of smokey haze, but I’m not complaining. The weather has been nice for traveling.

 

St. Louis was a highlight last night. I couldn't believe how crazy people were driving at 8pm on a Sunday night. There was a major accident on a connection (just 10 ft. above me to the left) while I was going through a maze of interchanges downtown. The impact on the concrete barrier was loud and plastic car parts and smoke came raining down all over. I was able to drive on the shoulder to avoid most of the parts and keep going. It was a heart racing moment. A trucker and I were working together to get through the debris and I could tell he was breathing a sigh of relief as well. I decided to call it for the night and holed up at the next rest-stop in Illinois.

 

On a different but important note, I am thankful to be an American. We live in an amazing country with an incredible variety of landscapes and people. I really hope that we can get it together as a nation and reunite. There are factions around the world working hard to tear us apart and I feel a duty to try my best, even in some small way, to bring us back together. I also feel strongly that we must protect the rights that our forefathers worked so hard (and often died) to create and protect.

 

My trip will conclude at my brother’s home outside of Portland, Maine and from there we will head over to his cabin in Western Vermont. The cabin needs some repairs that we will work on and then I am looking forward to seeing Fall colors which should arrive soon. The adventure continues...

 

[MiNi Beast]

 rock on man. one hell of a trip cross Country. keep oil in it and have a blast. thanks for sharing. 

[Pete M]

awesome!    I love a good cross country trip!       keep us posted on the continuing adventures  

[JMO413]

That's one heck of a drive. How about a couple pictures along the way.

[Eagle]

Your route will probably take you across Massachusetts on I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) and then up I-495 or I-95 to Portland. That said, if you decide to come though Connecticut on I-95 or I-84 -- be sure to let me know.

 

Hmmm ...

 

According to Google maps, your best route will be I-84 through Connecticut. Waterbury is just a few miles north of me. Depending on when you'll be going through, we might be able to arrange a [face-to-face] mask-to-mask and a virtual fist bump on your way through.

 

[Motorhead X]

I'm just outside of Albany, NY on my rest-stop adventure today and have been making good progress. Spent the night at a truck stop along Lake Erie. Woke up to the coldest morning I have experienced in a while... but it felt good. Started up the MJ and coolant started pouring out on the ground. Turned out to be just a loose connection on the lower radiator hose. Pulled the air box and tightened her up, Good to go... Then started it up and it began leaking from the other side. Turned out the upper lose was loose too! My MJ hasn't ever seen colder temps. It was originally from FL/GA area.

 

Day 5 and still no clouds in the sky. Just more haze. Fine by me.

 

The SofTopper makes a heck of a howling racket between 60 and 70 mph. It goes away at 75, which would be great if I could keep it there. Not much of chance of that with no cruise control and tons of construction traffic.

 

I had some friendly folks on the road give me a thumbs up on the MJ, especially in OH last night. One dude in a Semi truck full of cows was sort of racing me and another guy in an F-250 towing a trailer of golf carts pulled up along side. Some people really make an extra effort to praise the MJ and it feels good.

13 hours ago, Eagle said:

Your route will probably take you across Massachusetts on I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) and then up I-495 or I-95 to Portland. That said, if you decide to come though Connecticut on I-95 or I-84 -- be sure to let me know.

 

Hmmm ...

 

According to Google maps, your best route will be I-84 through Connecticut. Waterbury is just a few miles north of me. Depending on when you'll be going through, we might be able to arrange a [face-to-face] mask-to-mask and a virtual fist bump on your way through.

 

Thanks Eagle for the invitation. I will take you up on it another day. My brother has plans for dinner later tonight and I would make for rough company anyway since I haven't had a shower since Friday morning!

18 hours ago, JMO413 said:

That's one heck of a drive. How about a couple pictures along the way.

 

Will see if I can get some decent pics later today...

 

[Motorhead X]

I didn't take many great pics on the trip, but here is the truck in Maine. Looks like Fall is early this year. The trip took me four days and 7 hours, averaging 11.3 hours of driving per day. I didn't add all the gas mileage, I was just relieved to pay less than $2 a gallon on most of the trip.

[MiNi Beast]

sweetness. glad to hear you made it intact. slacking on the adventure pics. perhaps get a few when you head up to camp eh. 

[Manche757]

That will be a trip you remember the rest of your life. You have put words together in such a way that we are there with you. Great (old) truck that we are familiar with. Would tying the soft top down to bed level reduce the flapping and prevent tearing? If time allows, visit Baxter state park if you enjoy wilderness. You will see moose. The Appalachian Trail ends in Baxter at MT Katahdin. 

[Minuit]

Doing the All Breeds trip last year really made me love doing long road trips in my MJ. Glad you had no major problems. The fire haze was pretty heavy in Billings, MT when I was there for a couple of weeks this month.

 

Have to ask - screw type hose clamps, right? That'd be why I don't use those anymore.

[big66440]

WOW that's cool!! I dream of taking a trip like that in my Comanche one day. I would have at least introduced myself to you and "JazzyJeeper" if I didn't have to work 24/7 , but anyway I hope you enjoyed the trip and if you're ever back here in So Cal we can meet.