sounds great Chet. If I can be of help in any way, please let me know. I'll PM you my phone number a little later.

 

I agree, all my adult life I've been in field service and had to get from point A to B quickly all over the North and South west. It's hard to break the habit but told wife just the other day we need to slow it down a bit. Motels are expensive when doing this so RV's are the way to go.

 

Made it!!! I'll report in the morning how the 7% grade climb went. I wanted to arrive unscathed. That was my goal and we accomplished it!!! Now for cold beer and tacos because it is POURING here. Happy Saturday y'all!! Cheers!!

Started here




Ended here

 

Welcome home you CA kid! Enjoy the weather and think about going back to see the desert wild blossoms soon.

Thanks for the great pics, you got my travel senses tingling.

 

Thanks David!! Get out on the road. I highly encourage it. It took me about to the 3rd day to feel in the groove and relaxed, but once I got there, I swear I could live that way. I love seeing new places and how others live. You meet some neat people when traveling as well. It's cool too because most of the guys are into their trucks, so you naturally end up talking about that as well as the different places you see on the road. The blooms should really be something this year due to all of the moisture.

So, we had a good trip yesterday coming into the state, but I did forget how brutal that grade on the 8 is coming into San Diego. I swear it has to be 7 or 8 percent. It would be tiring to walk up let alone drive. Even untrailered rigs are creeping. I just took it easy and kept temps cool as best I could. I was doing 35 mph in 2nd gear (3rd on the ZF depending how you look at it) by the time I was nearing the top. Let's just say I was in 2nd on the **** indicator. I got EGTs to 1200 a few times just trying to stay safe. I was also ramped up to 3k rpms, but that doesn't bother me. The 7.3 likes to spin, IMO. EOTs were sitting at 227 by the time I finished the climb. Everything else went well. Nothing grenaded, so no complaints. I will say I feel like that grade officially kicked my tail. On another good note, as of yesterday, I used zero oil and leaked none either. I fully expected at least some sort of usage and some sort of problem. We have not made a towing trip in the last 3 years without one, major or minor. I averaged 10.3 mpg as well. I have no idea how that happened. Maybe keeping at 65- 70? I'd say more 65 than 70. I really was motivated to arrive without issue and we accomplished that. The Kia managed 38.6 mpg!! As a result, we came in $165 under fuel budget! It really was good trip. This trailer tows like nothing I have owned....RV, stock trailer, horse trailer....nothing. K-Z made a good one. I think the biggest lesson I finally got through my noggin is to GO SLOW. It saves fuel and a LOT of wear and tear. 70 feels much faster, but the fuel savings was significant and the truck didn't feel like I had taken any life out of it.

Thanks so much fellas for following along and the good words. It made it that much more fun. This trip was one for the books and gave me even more confidence in my setup. Who needs a $90k 6.7?? LOL....

 

That's really good mpg Byron. I doubt I'd get that with my auto trans. Reason why a lot of you want the 6 speed. The Flowers should be good this year. Mitt have to make a trip to death valley also. I remember the last time this happen, flowers were every where there.

 

Ah, Mountain Springs Grade!! Good times driving back up that after spending a weekend in Imperial Valley hunting. Had to do it a few times in an old Ma Bell bucket truck too! Glad you made it up there with no issues.

Now that you're back in CA remember to wave with your middle finger only!!

 

Glad you made it safely!

 

Cool to hear you made it unscathed. Told you that pass was a nightmare lol. Hit IT coming from Yuma. No trailer and still had to look away when cars came buzzing by me haha.
Hey, my 02(auto) is in same class as yours. It absolutely throws a fit when not doing 70+ when towing. Realized that on way here to Az. EGT's in check..etc, but when throttling down / doing trailer speed limit, i was watching gauges more than the road...
i think, if you have some spare cheese molding, invest in 4.10s. My l99 was a MULE afterwards with them gears, towing. Only time out of 6th, was hitn Sherwin and Cajon, towing a loaded 26ft t.h.

 

Glad you made it safely and without issue!

You're going to need to find your happy place with this because it's going to happen to you constantly now that you're back. Leave 15-20 ft for stopping distance and you'll be cut off by someone who just has to be one more car ahead.

I do about 1/3 of my tank at freeway speeds and every 5mph higher I average on the freeway subtracts 1 mpg overall from my tank.

 

More than some spare $ when you have 4x4 with 2 diffs to regear. Otherwise i would like to go that route. Convincing the wife to spend that much for something a passenger would not notice is nearly impossible tho

 

My Auto with 3.73 loves towing at 70 or above to build power and lower EGT

 

 

Will do Zach!! I haven't hit the place yet, but it's on the list for tomorrow.

 

Great, way to make me hungry when I'm trying to lose weight. Thinking 4X4 now. Nom!

And if anyone has the old bumper stickers available, please post up.