The Epic Separation

[merlot566jka]

43 days from now I will be on job hunting and terminal leave, separating from 8 years active duty navy.
My brother and my best friend are flying up to Seattle and we are going to make an Epic separation road trip. 2200 miles. 7 days. With my corvette in the bed of the deuce and towing an M105a2.

I would like some input from everyone about how to make this trip truly Epic!

The journey is beginning in Gold Bar, WA and ending in Edmond, OK
Our two biggest stops are Yellowstone nat'l park and Mt. Rushmore.

Other than those, we don't know what else to see!! We have been putting google through its paces, but it's just not producing anything interesting to a group of late 20's guys with a big ass truck and an appetite for zombie dominance.
Were looking for things that are going to make lasting memories, wether through scars or shear awesomeness.

Along with that, were trying to make sure we (including the deuce) are ready to go.
For us, we've got everything we can think of, napalm, potato cannon, Tobacco, and a gallon of water.
Ok but seriously, we're buying a ton of MREs, got plenty of jugs of water, first aid kit, tent, sleeping bags, fishing poles, knives, etc etc. Basically were going camping for a week. No big deal.

The deuce, on the other hand, hasn't been camping in a while. It's last long stretch was it's recovery from Missoula, MT to Gold Bar, WA.
It did just fine, and lots of additions have been made since.
So how do I prepare the deuce for a 2200 mile trip, through mountains, camp sites, cities, and to handle 3 prior navy guys who are trying to take over the world?

My brother wants a stereo in the truck.... (Uh yeah, right)
My buddy wants train horns so he can get chicks to flash us ( I don't see the logic, but I like boobs and loud noises)
I want to make it without having to open the toolbox or my wallet (other than fuel)

Lastly, where along this route can I find deuce parts vendors, or just help incase the cheese slides off the cracker?

Thanks folks!

-Jonathan Anderson

 

[merlot566jka]

The map

 

[AceHigh]

Congrats! Thanks for a job well done.

 

[BadMastard]

Thank you for your service.

Things to do. Stop in Cody Wyoming at the Ponderosa campground. Tell them Jerry sent you, and they might not kick you out right away. They will tell you all the cool things to do in Cody, but stop at the firearms museum.

Train horn? have they not heard the horn on the deuce? It'll work just fine.

Stereo? Buy them headphones. Laugh when they can't hear them. Buy yourself noise canceling ones. A good ipod helps.

Duct tape the windshield before heading into rain. I'd say do it before you start, but you're heading into some hot spots.

You'll love yellowstone. Only place where everyone is going slower than a deuce because they see a duck. or beaver. or moose. or buffalo. or rock. or tree. They go slow is the point.

Corvette in the back! you go! I have some 12' ramps to use, and that with a loading dock will work just fine. They are in Graham, let me know if you need to use them. I have loaded my wrangler on with them from the ground, but it was very very close on high centering it. No chance with the vette, unless you use a higher point to load. Again, you are welcome to borrow them.

Extra stuff I carry- duct tape, a package of assorted bolts and nuts up to 1/2 inch, two wrenches of every size up to 1", a gallon of lucas oil additive since it pinch hits for gear oil, motor oil, and the important one for you- power steering fluid. A pair of air force coveralls, since dressing navy just won't work where you are travelling. Also easy to wear while swearing at your truck on the side of the road. 20 foot of class 70 chain, good for towing, pulling and whacking the crap out of a zombie. You can lock your truck up with it too. Glad hand air chuck. about 20 feet of air line. 5 gallon bucket of spare parts you have accumulated. bucket is great for roadside oil changes and instant portapotty. Don't combine the two.

Deuce parts? Boise Idaho. Idaho Motor pool, alex- can ship you something relatively quickly and lower freight cost. I carry the part exchange list from Steel soldiers too, for filters, bits, etc that you can get from NAPA.

Several cases of good beer. Excellent barter material and if nothing goes wrong, great to celebrate! Even better when things do go wrong.

That's it for me. Safe Journeys.

 

[Tow4]

Big hills in them parts. Make sure the brakes work good. Grand Tetons are south of Yellowstone and it's a pretty drive. There's a lot to see in a short time.

I don't see beer on your list.

Have a good trip!

 

[merlot566jka]

Beer comes in the MRE... Doesn't it!? Haha, beer is like socks an underwear, I don't have to list it, it should be assumed I have it. Brakes work flawless as of now, I'll give em a good once over soon, just in case.

Cody, WY, check. It's been added. Ive already sealed the windshield with polyuerathane! Glad I'll keep up with traffic at Yellowstone! And thanks for the offer on the ramps, I will message you if I need them, as of now a local wrecker is going to load me on the flat bed and roll into the deuce bed. But if that doesn't work out I'll be contacting you! The crap bucket, spare parts, chains air hoses and fittings and tools are a part of the deuce already... Always be prepared! Parts exchange list... I'll have to get that!

 

[Heavysteven]

I like this thread already, 2,200 miles in a deuce. I have a feeling this is going to be very entertaining.

I would service everything belts, fuilds, bearings, adjust brakes, and then go on a 100 miles shake down. Make sure you have extra filters too, a tank of bad fuel can slow you down quick.

2200 miles that's a road trip.

 

[merlot566jka]

Yes it is a road trip! Well in a deuce it sure is.

I drive it about 200 miles a week now, but I still like your thinking. Extra filters and belts is a good idea, I have the spin ons for everything.

 

[hwcurtice]

I want to know where you had to take that tractor to the other day? Talk about a HIGH load!

And how you got it in the Deuce! Oh, and out of it as well!

Yeah, saw you driving on Hiway 2 towards Monroe over the weekend. That black beast is hard to miss.

Anyway, safe trip. The offer to store one or the other still stands, BTW.

 

[merlot566jka]

Tractor? I didn't haul a tractor? I have seen another black deuce, off of sultan basin road, with some monster tires on it. That wasn't me you had seen!
But I did drive out to sultan basin up to Spada lake this weekend. Had 2 of my big friends in the cab, and some junk for the dump, but no tractor.

There is an imposter!

 

[hwcurtice]

I know where that one is usually parked up there. I, at first, thought you were visiting someone up there.

Now I know.

Should have taken pictures... It's one thing to see people haul Jeeps in their trucks, but a tractor....

 

[mightymanx]

Deadwood South Dakota one of the best steaks I have ever eaten was in the Gem Saloon.

Study for that part of the trip by watching HBO's Deadwood I waould warn you of the language but as a Sailor you have heard it all before.

And for what it's worth I start terminal in 2 weeks after 20 years.

enjoy

 

[merlot566jka]

Awesome, I'm looking that up now. I love dead cow!

20 years, I don't know how you guys do it, but 8 was too much for me! If I ever have to go out to sea again, the world better be flooded!

 

[mightymanx]

Not to totaly derail the thread but you would hate my 16 years of sea duty and my retirement job which has me out to sea 2 months on the ship and 1 month off duty/home.

The truly silly thing is I had to pay $925 so I can go to school to learn shipboard safety. This is a requirement for working offshore. The couldn't seem to grasp that I have been working offshore for the last 20 years.

Aparently 20years in the Navy does not qualify as valid training for a USCG STCW certification.

 

[jj]

Your route looks near to the Custer Battlefield at Little Big Horn. Charles Kuralt once called it the saddest place he'd ever been. From most any perspective, he has a point. It is on my list, but, it doesn't look like i'll make it. Go, and tell us what it is like.

 

[M715VFD405]

Thank you for your service for starters. Not much on what to do along that route but you got a welcome home beer waiting on you when you get back to OK. There are a few of us SS members in the area. Keep us posted on the trip.

 

[jbingvtx]

I second Deadwood, and would add Mt. Rushmore while you are in the neighborhood. The camping in the Black Hills of SD is epic. If you take the time to see Mt. Rushmore you need to see it in the daylight as well as lit up at night.

 

[91W350]

Devil' s Tower, the Needles, Big Smith Falls, MV Museum at Lexington Nebraska, Pioneer Village at Minden Nebraska. Shout when you get close.... Glen

 

[hndrsonj]

I was just in Deadwood last weekend. If you need any parts I am just off your route in Cheyenne and can offer a place to camp/shower/eat if needed.

 

[AMX]

My buddy wants train horns so he can get chicks to flash us ( I don't see the logic, but I like boobs and loud noises)



Thanks a lot,now I want train horns too. Have a great trip.