226 miles in just under 8 hours

[NAM VET]

With my truck running perfectly, after a month at Charles Talbert's place a hundred miles north of me in very rural NC, I made the decision after about 300 miles of break-in local travel, to make the 200+ mile run down to Charleston from our home near Charlotte. So yesterday, gassed up and put my duffle in the floor boards, and headed south. Of course, it would be folly to try to make it on the Interstate, so traveled the back roads. Small towns, and thru downtown Columbia and several larger towns, but it was usually just me running on desolate country roads. Occasionally I would slow and wave a truck past, but wit my ear plugs in, and windows and vent open, it was OK in the 90 degree temps. No rain. Several stops for non-ethanol fuel, and Big Gulp drinks, and I just pushed on. Lots of attention and waves as I rolled on to the coast. I lam not sure of my MPG, but I have a hunch it was about 10 miles or so. I cruised at about 40 mph, my truck just seems to run smoothest at that speed on new NDT's. Oil pressure stable, it was a good trip. My dash light switch just failed to power my brake lights, so used my left arm out to indicate slowing. I doubt drivers today even know how to give arm signals.

There is a Cars and Coffee on Sat, on John's Island, where I live just south of Charleston. Usually pristine vintage cars, XKE's, British cars, plus the usual rich guys with their Italian steeds. But I am pretty sure when I park mine and mount the air-cooled 30 cal gun on the pedestal in the bed, hang the ammo can off the mount, and drape a belt of linked 30-06 rounds over the gun, it will be a big hit. Machine guns bring out the Boy in all of us. I'll post some pics in a few days. I will be down here a week, then trek back home. Have a new light switch coming.

My wife asked how it was. I reminded her that in Desert Storm I drove a HUMVEE 300 miles out into the desert thru rain, sandstorms, and at the end with black out lights. At the end of that trip though, I just stopped way out in the desert, put my head on the steering wheel, and fell sound asleep.

All well here, and it is good to be back on the road.

NAM VET

[ez8]

Always good to hear that people are able to go long distance in these trucks. I'm still doing a series of trust building exercises. My longest so far is a round trip of about 30 miles.

Keep 'em rolling!

[T. Highway]

Hi Hal,

Glad to hear that your road trip / slow speed adventure was a success. My wife and I always enjoy long back road rides in one of the military trucks. We have found some of the best little out of the way dinners for a lunches and probably couldn't ever find them again.

I know that we all look forward to seeing allot more pictures of your truck and the car show.

Bert

[Cal_Gary]

Thanks for sharing your road-trip story, Nam Vet! That's quite a few miles on a single run; one I've not yet made. I think my most miles in a trip is probably around 50 and that was all errands around town. I've got another run to the dump on tap for Saturday morning so that'll be a 40 mile round trip.

Glad you're enjoying your M after all the work you've put into it!
Gary

[mdainsd]

10 MPG sounds right on the mark!

[jim lee]

My Carryall has a motor from an M37 and it gets just a shade more than 10mpg cruising at 45-46 mph.

-jim lee

[Cal_Gary]

Must be the locking hubs, Jim...
Gary