Roundtrip Nashville -> Sacramento - 2021 Powerboost

[JediNut]

Well, I returned "home" for a little while after driving out from Sacramento to Nashville last summer (via Texas).
My Sept 2022 drive from Sacramento -> Texas -> Nashville was much more interesting.

This time I took more of a Northerly route and had to go "balls to the wall" to get out there, but since it was just me (and a dog), I could only drive so far in a day. But, I made it out there in 3 1/2 days without having to drive at night. Coming back, I had my Irish son-in-law (and the dog) with me, so we took a little more time coming back so he could see things like Salt Lake City, Arches National Park, the Gateway Arch, etc.

My route going West:

• Nashville -> Union, NE. (11 hours)
  Union is a "village" in Nebraska, with a population of 195... yes, just 195. I found a funny little AirBnB which was a room in an "antique" store. I was welcome to roam around the store at night and if there was anything I liked, I could leave the price tag on the counter with a note and Venmo them the money. (I ended up there because I was looking for someplace "different.") The place was called "The InnJunKtion Airbnb" (https://www.unionjunktion.com/innjunktion-airbnb).
• Union, NE -> Rawlins, WY (9.5 hours)
  Not a whole lot in Rawlins... ate, slept and left.
• Rawlins, WY -> Winnemucca, NV (9.5 hours)
  I'm not a gambler... so same routine as Rawlins.
• Winnemucca, NV -> Sacramento, CA (4.5 hours)

Had I not been in a hurry to get to Sacramento, I would have chosen a different, more interesting route. Driving across Nebraska is much like driving across Kansas... flat. My stopping points were chosen purely based on timing... I definitely would not stop in Union or in Rawlins. There are much more interesting places in Nebraska and Wyoming to visit.

My trip back to Nashville wasn't as rushed, so we took a few detours:

• Truckee, CA (Lake Tahoe) -> Salt Lake City, UT
  Unfortunately, the temple was covered in scaffolding.
  We started in Tahoe because I spent two weeks there before driving back to Nashville.
• Salt Lake City, UT -> Moab, UT -> Idaho Springs, CO
  Definitely the high point of the drive. We spent about 3 hours in Arches National Park... amazing place!
  NOTE: Right now, you need to have a reservation to get in before 4 pm... we got lucky and unkowingly rolled into the line at 4:01 pm.
  Idaho Springs is a good place to avoid when looking for overnight accommodations, apparently, it's a prime low-cost housing location for seasonal ski workers. Keep going to Denver if you can.
• Idaho Springs, CO -> Topeka, KS
  What can I say, it's Kansas. It's pretty farmland put on an 8-hour loop.
  But... that 8 hours is worth it if you go to Joe's Kansas City BBQ... without a doubt... the BEST BBQ that I have ever had... including Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and all points in between. https://www.joeskc.com/
  I told my SIL... "You are a real American now. Driving a pickup truck across Kansas!"
• Topeka, KS -> St. Louis, MO -> Louisville, KY
  My son-in-law wanted to get some close-up pix of the Gateway Arch... so I obliged.
  I have no idea why he wanted to go to Louisville... I went there once on a drunken college road trip from Va Tech in the early 80's... I wasn't impressed then and I wasn't terribly impressed this time. The area near the hotel looked ok... Around E. Market and E. Jefferson... but there were some REALLY sketchy areas outside of that.
• Louisville, KY -> Nashville, TN
  Home, Sweet Home

I did notice a few state-by-state traits of drivers:

• Tennessee - Everyone drives like they are bat-sh*t crazy. Defensive driving is the only way to survive here.
• Nebraska and Wyoming - Amazing drivers!!! On the highway, they go 5+ over the speed limit and immediately move back to the right-hand lane when it's safe to do so. Around town can be a little frustrating as they all seem to drive EXACTLY the speed limit. Roads seem to be in pretty good shape.
• California - Sorry, I lived their 30 years, but I grew up in VA and learned to drive there. Californians are just plain idiots. They will drive for hours in the fast lane, all the while getting passed on the right. Folks will honk and indicate that the nitwit should move over and that is usually met with a one-finger salute or the moron speeds up and starts tailgating folks. And the roads are HORRIBLE in California, all the highway money is going to the train to nowhere.

The truck ran great the entire way. It threw a drivetrain fault in Louisville, but I think that was because my knee might have hit the 4WD button at an inopportune time. I called the dealership the next morning and they said that it was tied to the hybrid battery. But I threw my OBDlink MX adapter on there and checked... the fault had cleared and hasn't come back.

I was REALLY hoping to get better mileage over the course of the trip, but the combination of larger LT tires, level and 85 MPH speed limits in Nebraska and Wyoming definitely didn't help. (75 MPH everywhere else but CA).

Here's the trip meter when I got home:

Sorry if this was too long, or didn't talk enough about the truck... but to be honest, there wasn't much to talk about except that it was a very comfortable 96+ hours of driving... and best of all, it was surprise free!

Take care and happy road-tripping!

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[powerboatr]

thanks
but no way in the world would i go back to sacramento...i had a scary event there back in 04 and and 11 the NM police thought i was wanted for murder there.
glad you made it back ALIVE and DOG

 

[JediNut]

thanks
but no way in the world would i go back to sacramento...i had a scary event there back in 04 and and 11 the NM police thought i was wanted for murder there.
glad you made it back ALIVE and DOG

Thanks... the dog, Finn, was actually the biggest hurdle in the whole trip... he has SEVERE separation anxiety, so I couldn't leave him alone... at all!

 

[powerboatr]

Thanks... the dog, Finn, was actually the biggest hurdle in the whole trip... he has SEVERE separation anxiety, so I couldn't leave him alone... at all!

all of ours go with us ALL the time
we get separation anxiety if we leave them with a sitter
grand dog rules the front seat when its just she and i

 

[JediNut]

all of ours go with us ALL the time
we get separation anxiety if we leave them with a sitter
grand dog rules the front seat when its just she and i

Finn (my grand dog) has a pretty sweet setup in the back seat and is a FANTASTIC traveler. Not a peep from him.... but he could not be left alone *at all*... not even for 10 minutes to go to the grocery store.
(Yes... the yellow strap on the left side is a seat belt strap that is then connected to his harness)

 

[powerboatr]

Finn (my grand dog) has a pretty sweet setup in the back seat and is a FANTASTIC traveler. Not a peep from him.... but he could not be left alone *at all*... not even for 10 minutes to go to the grocery store.
(Yes... the yellow strap on the left side is a seat belt strap that is then connected to his harness)

AWESOME

 

[Str8Shooter]

Sounds like you had quality time with your truck, Finn, and your son-in-law. I love the MOAB, Utah area too. I just visited all 5 National Parks in Utah a few weeks ago.

Those LT tires and lift seem to be killing your MPG. Oops, never mind. I see that you are from Tennessee and California - that explains it. LOL

 

[JediNut]

I just visited all 5 National Parks in Utah a few weeks ago.

Those LT tires and lift seem to be killing your MPG. Oops, never mind. I see that you are from Tennessee and California - that explains it. LOL

When I was driving out to Tennessee last summer, I went through Death Valley and White Sands... both were AMAZING. Each time, I pointed out how close I was to 62 years old (I turn 62 this Nov), because at 62 you can buy a LIFETIME pass to ALL national parks for $80! But I think they must train the folks at the gate because they all (including the guy at Arches) said the EXACT same thing:

"Guess that gives you something to look forward to!" :-D

As far as the LT tires go... this was my first truck... and I listened to the fleet guy I bought the truck from (new): "It's a good-looking truck stock, but if you are gonna spend that much money on a new truck, don't you want it to look exactly like you want it to?!" Keep in mind, I don't tow or haul ANYTHING... I've just always wanted a truck. Luckily, I have a zero-mile commute and I live in Nashville... so I don't drive much... and gas is $2.99/gallon here. I just turned 20K miles on this trip so it'll take me a while to burn through these Nitto Ridge Grapplers, but when I do... I am definitely going with something a bit lighter.

Live and learn.

 

[Str8Shooter]

I have the Lifetime Senior Pass - It's good for 1/2 price camping not only National Parks, but for all federally owned property - National Forest and BLM too. Earlier in my trip, mid April time frame I visited White Sands and I was in New Mexico for a week and a half. I visited Death Valley National Park on May 25th. You are right, Death Valley NP is amazing...very underrated in my opinion. I also visited one of the least visited National Parks. Great Basin National Park on May 28th this year. Also, did a 2 night backcountry trip in the Grand Canyon. Isn't it great to be retired

By the way there is an off-road entrance at mile marker 151.5 off highway 191 in Moab that will take you into Arches NP that will allow you to avoid the reservation system. There is no park ranger at the off road entrance there because hardly anyone goes in that way. Once you get off the highway it is about 15-20 miles of off road to the off road entrance.

 

[JediNut]

By the way there is an off-road entrance at mile marker 151.5 off highway 191 in Moab that will take you into Arches NP that will allow you to avoid the reservation system. There is no park ranger at the off road entrance there because hardly anyone goes in that way. Once you get off the highway it is about 15-20 miles of off road to the off road entrance.

Oh my gosh... that would have been amazing!

Is the off-road section fairly easy? Like I said, it's my first truck and I am about as far from a off-roader as you can get. (I did have a '77 CJ-7 back in the day, but that was all for beach driving in the Outer Banks.)

 

[Str8Shooter]

It is a very easy off road ride when the weather is good. You will not damage your truck on that trail and you don't need to air down. Probably only need about 6 inches of clearance at most. The majority of the road is fairly flat. The BLM off road entrance is near a railroad sign crossing on highway 191 at mile marker 152.5 not 151.5 (mistyped it the 1st time) - this is just a little South of Rt 70 and is a left hand turn if you are heading south towards MOAB. You will be going through BLM land so you will see a few RVs and Trailer Trailers at the beginning. Keep going and take the right hand turns that eventually head south towards Arches. After about 15 minutes you will be in a canyon valley where I camped for 4 or 5 nights. Keep heading South - there is only one road at that point.

 

[KirkBay]

Well, I returned "home" for a little while after driving out from Sacramento to Nashville last summer (via Texas).
My Sept 2022 drive from Sacramento -> Texas -> Nashville was much more interesting.

This time I took more of a Northerly route and had to go "balls to the wall" to get out there, but since it was just me (and a dog), I could only drive so far in a day. But, I made it out there in 3 1/2 days without having to drive at night. Coming back, I had my Irish son-in-law (and the dog) with me, so we took a little more time coming back so he could see things like Salt Lake City, Arches National Park, the Gateway Arch, etc.

My route going West:

• Nashville -> Union, NE. (11 hours)
  Union is a "village" in Nebraska, with a population of 195... yes, just 195. I found a funny little AirBnB which was a room in an "antique" store. I was welcome to roam around the store at night and if there was anything I liked, I could leave the price tag on the counter with a note and Venmo them the money. (I ended up there because I was looking for someplace "different.") The place was called "The InnJunKtion Airbnb" (https://www.unionjunktion.com/innjunktion-airbnb).
• Union, NE -> Rawlins, WY (9.5 hours)
  Not a whole lot in Rawlins... ate, slept and left.
• Rawlins, WY -> Winnemucca, NV (9.5 hours)
  I'm not a gambler... so same routine as Rawlins.
• Winnemucca, NV -> Sacramento, CA (4.5 hours)

Had I not been in a hurry to get to Sacramento, I would have chosen a different, more interesting route. Driving across Nebraska is much like driving across Kansas... flat. My stopping points were chosen purely based on timing... I definitely would not stop in Union or in Rawlins. There are much more interesting places in Nebraska and Wyoming to visit.

My trip back to Nashville wasn't as rushed, so we took a few detours:

• Truckee, CA (Lake Tahoe) -> Salt Lake City, UT
  Unfortunately, the temple was covered in scaffolding.
  We started in Tahoe because I spent two weeks there before driving back to Nashville.
• Salt Lake City, UT -> Moab, UT -> Idaho Springs, CO
  Definitely the high point of the drive. We spent about 3 hours in Arches National Park... amazing place!
  NOTE: Right now, you need to have a reservation to get in before 4 pm... we got lucky and unkowingly rolled into the line at 4:01 pm.
  Idaho Springs is a good place to avoid when looking for overnight accommodations, apparently, it's a prime low-cost housing location for seasonal ski workers. Keep going to Denver if you can.
• Idaho Springs, CO -> Topeka, KS
  What can I say, it's Kansas. It's pretty farmland put on an 8-hour loop.
  But... that 8 hours is worth it if you go to Joe's Kansas City BBQ... without a doubt... the BEST BBQ that I have ever had... including Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and all points in between. https://www.joeskc.com/
  I told my SIL... "You are a real American now. Driving a pickup truck across Kansas!"
• Topeka, KS -> St. Louis, MO -> Louisville, KY
  My son-in-law wanted to get some close-up pix of the Gateway Arch... so I obliged.
  I have no idea why he wanted to go to Louisville... I went there once on a drunken college road trip from Va Tech in the early 80's... I wasn't impressed then and I wasn't terribly impressed this time. The area near the hotel looked ok... Around E. Market and E. Jefferson... but there were some REALLY sketchy areas outside of that.
• Louisville, KY -> Nashville, TN
  Home, Sweet Home

I did notice a few state-by-state traits of drivers:

• Tennessee - Everyone drives like they are bat-sh*t crazy. Defensive driving is the only way to survive here.
• Nebraska and Wyoming - Amazing drivers!!! On the highway, they go 5+ over the speed limit and immediately move back to the right-hand lane when it's safe to do so. Around town can be a little frustrating as they all seem to drive EXACTLY the speed limit. Roads seem to be in pretty good shape.
• California - Sorry, I lived their 30 years, but I grew up in VA and learned to drive there. Californians are just plain idiots. They will drive for hours in the fast lane, all the while getting passed on the right. Folks will honk and indicate that the nitwit should move over and that is usually met with a one-finger salute or the moron speeds up and starts tailgating folks. And the roads are HORRIBLE in California, all the highway money is going to the train to nowhere.

The truck ran great the entire way. It threw a drivetrain fault in Louisville, but I think that was because my knee might have hit the 4WD button at an inopportune time. I called the dealership the next morning and they said that it was tied to the hybrid battery. But I threw my OBDlink MX adapter on there and checked... the fault had cleared and hasn't come back.

I was REALLY hoping to get better mileage over the course of the trip, but the combination of larger LT tires, level and 85 MPH speed limits in Nebraska and Wyoming definitely didn't help. (75 MPH everywhere else but CA).

Here's the trip meter when I got home:

Sorry if this was too long, or didn't talk enough about the truck... but to be honest, there wasn't much to talk about except that it was a very comfortable 96+ hours of driving... and best of all, it was surprise free!

Take care and happy road-tripping!

I experienced a similar fault indicating power train failure and reduced power a few times driving from AZ to Georgia this past weekend. Each time I shut the vehicle off the fault cleared. Saturday I drove for 900 miles without it coming on. Sunday it came on three times. No rhyme or reason.

The fault showed up a few months ago and local dealer couldn't find a fault.

The only issue I can see with the truck is the oil life meter doesn't seem to be changing as the vehicle is driven (2000 miles and still sitting at 100%).

 

[JediNut]

It is a very easy off road ride when the weather is good. You will not damage your truck on that trail and you don't need to air down. Probably only need about 6 inches of clearance at most. The majority of the road is fairly flat. The BLM off road entrance is near a railroad sign crossing on highway 191 at mile marker 152.5 not 151.5 (mistyped it the 1st time) - this is just a little South of Rt 70 and is a left hand turn if you are heading south towards MOAB. You will be going through BLM land so you will see a few RVs and Trailer Trailers at the beginning. Keep going and take the right hand turns that eventually head south towards Arches. After about 15 minutes you will be in a canyon valley where I camped for 4 or 5 nights. Keep heading South - there is only one road at that point.

wow… that would have been perfect. I wish I’d talked to you before!

 

[JediNut]

I did forget to add my one obligatory truck pic from Arches...

 

[gregs150xlt]

I used to live in Nashville. Yup, drivers here are crazy. Its down right terrifying sometimes driving down Interstate - 24 ! !

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