Texas Road Warriors: taking aim at Ames

[old-tank]

Yeah, I know 'somebody' already designated an "official" going to Ames thread....
Anyhow we're baaack for I think number 6...you can search for previous adventures, but the earliest ones are gone due to forum software changes.
I will leave tomorrow early and 'drive like I have no place to go and no hurry to get there'. We will be leaving central Texas and will drive the blue/white 55 (in the avatar) and hope to make 400-500 miles going north on I-35.
Willie

[jscheib]

Have a safe and enjoyable trip. See you there.

John

[Thriller]

Good luck and looking forward to updates. I only have to cover about 2/3 the distance to Ames as compared to Seguin.

[NTX5467]

I hope y'all have a nice trip in our "cooler" weather tomorrow!

Please keep us updated on how the mpg might change when you clear the TX I-35 corridor and its ethanol'd fuels. OKlahoma should be ethanol-free, KS will have some "oxy" fuels, yet Iowa should also be ethanol-free . . . according to a fuel map I found hidden in the MOBIL website.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[jscheib]

You can't be serious. Iowa, ethanol free? Don't they grow the corn there and run the Indy Car races with it?

John

[Bill Stoneberg]

I too have been loading the car in the trailer, as it is getting judged, and plan on leaving in the morning.
We normally cover more miles then Willie so plan on being in Ames Sunday night.
Lots to do on Monday getting ready for you all to come.

See you in Ames....

Edit from the morning...

I just thought we were ready to go, we have been up and packing for 45 minutes just putting things in the back of the truck.
Coolers, suitcases, enough food and drinks to survive a month long expedition to the jungles of the Amazon, more polishing stuff, etc. etc. etc.

Thank goodness we are taking a truck...

7:30 AM in the revised time for takeoff with hotel in Eldorado KS.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Please keep us updated on how the mpg might change when you clear the TX I-35 corridor and its ethanol'd fuels.

Willis, Ames is 945 miles straight up i 35. I am afraid we will see a lot of that road.

[buick5563]

This annual thread is absolutely no fun without some drama!

Two nights ago, I was attempting to hide a birthday present for my son in the back of my Tahoe before heading out to dinner. As I pulled the sunshade over the gift, I kinda fell back against the back door. I heard the sound of walnut shells cracking and suddenly I couldn't breathe. My ribs had taken a direct hit on the back door. I initially thought I had broken them, but it turns out I just bruised the muscles betwixt 'em. I'm still really sore, but I'm gonna fight through and change the oil on the 55 later today before heading out Tuesday morning, manual steering and all. Whew, that was close! Hopefully that is the extent of the drama for our group.

I am really looking forward to meeting all of you whom I only know through the forum, it seems like there are a bunch of y'all this year.

[MrEarl]

Ohhh Mikey, that had to hurt!!!. Make sure you got plenty of air in the front tires, makes steering with cracked ribs a little less painful. So btw Mike tell me again who all is coming with you. Will I get to meet the misses, Woody and Pop.

Gods speed to all you Texas Road Warriors. Hope to see you all safe and sound in the great corn state. The East Coast Highway Burners will head out early Tuesday morning and God willin and the Mississippi don't rise we'll see you all Wednesday afternoon.

[buick5563]

It's just me and my dad, Peyton.
Woodster and Mary went up to visit her folks in DC (along with sightseeing and 4th of July fireworks on the DC mall), so that was their vacation.
I have already pumped the tires up, and with the spare parts in the trunk, that should get more weight off of the front tires.

BTW, the oil change hurt as bad as I thought it would since my convertible is on the lift, thus making me crawl around like a lizard.

[NTX5467]

USA Fuel Map

2007 Map -- http://www.exxon.com/USA-English/Fil...p%20100102.pdf

2009 Map -- http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/GFM...soline_Map.pdf

The 2009 Map is what's currently linked from their webpage Gasoline FAQ

Also . . . a state-by-state listing of ethanol-free fueling locations is at
//pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=IA

More info as to pump labels and other ethanol-in-fuels information . . .
Ethanol Labeling Laws - State by State Guide.


Enjoy!
NTX5467

[Barney Eaton]

Saturday.... 1:15 pm check list is almost complete. Loading clothes (and beer) last, hope to depart around 7:00 am tomorrow (Sunday) and have a reservation in Emporia KS for Sunday night. With a little tail wind should be in Ames around 3:00 pm on Monday.

I originally planned on the through OK on route 69 that goes through Muskogee to Joplin, but am towing the Reatta and will put it on I-35 cruise and be on my way.

See all of you soon.

[RICK YOUNG]

Cooler temps today . High about 80 F
Yes you can buy Non ethanol here at most places about $2.71 a gallon
also E-10 @ $2.51
E-85 is around $1.75

I was in a parade in Ames Sat morn.
The people definately know you're coming.
Lot's of great comments

Drive safe
See you soon

[JohnD1956]

I hope all of you have a safe trip, and a great time in Ames. Sure do wish I could be there...
But looking forward to some of those great trip photos, and show photos too. Have a great forum breakfast too.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Barney, Mike... Construction on I 35 south of OK City. Not as big a deal as the accident that cost us an hour or so, but plan on it.

I was going to stay in Eldarado Ks tonight, but picked up an ear infection this past week and not at 100 %. So we are in Edmund OK and will have dinner with Willie and Mary Anne.

470 miles 46 gallons of fuel last tank I put in. Nothing like spending $ 100 everytime we fill up. Got these gawd awful front tires (mud & snows) that are trash and they make lots of noise on some of the roads.

Turn the Ipod up Dee....

[old-tank]

Barney, Mike... Construction on I 35 south of OK City. Not as big a deal as the accident that cost us an hour or so, but plan on it.

Fellow Texas Road Warriors stay away from I35 if at all possible. I followed Bill and even got some warning,but still rove 60+ miles out of the way and spent over an hour 'parked' on the freeway. Check out Index of /newsmedia/traffax/statewide_and_holidays.
If you really want to go for it ask for some tip to go around-----no, really stay away.
Tired right now...more tomorrow.
Willie

[Booreatta]

Any reports on the roads from Wichita on North. Best route as I see it is North to Topeka to KC then North on 35 to Ames. anybody have a better route? Wont be leaving Wichita till 8am Tuesday Morning.
Chuck

[Earl]

You can't be serious. Iowa, ethanol free? Don't they grow the corn there and run the Indy Car races with it?

John

There's still a lot of older farm equipment around that doesn't like the stuff. It's not always marked at the pump, but it will be the lower octane that's about 10-12 cents more per gallon.

[buick840]

BTW, the oil change hurt as bad as I thought it would since my convertible is on the lift, thus making me crawl around like a lizard.

LIST OF TEXAS LIZARDS FROM WIKIPEDIA

TEXAS HORNED LIZARD
SHORT HORNED LIZARD
ROUND TAIL HORNED LIZARD
TEXAS SPINY LIZARD
TEXAS TREE LIZARD
LEGLESS LIZARD
GREATER EARLESS LIZARD
ROSEBELLY LIZARD

and many more..................

Which one are you at the moment Mike ....the Spiny Lizard I'm guessing.

Maybe when you hit the Bar on arrival at the Nationals you'll morphe into the ..........Legless Lizard

All the best with the road trip Mike............it really is great fun when you get to put some serious cruising miles on your Buick.

[old-tank]

LIST OF TEXAS LIZARDS FROM WIKIPEDIA

TEXAS HORNED LIZARD
SHORT HORNED LIZARD
ROUND TAIL HORNED LIZARD
TEXAS SPINY LIZARD
TEXAS TREE LIZARD
LEGLESS LIZARD
GREATER EARLESS LIZARD
ROSEBELLY LIZARD

and many more..................

Which one are you at the moment Mike ....the Spiny Lizard I'm guessing.

Maybe when you hit the Bar on arrival at the Nationals you'll morphe into the ..........Legless Lizard

All the best with the road trip Mike............it really is great fun when you get to put some serious cruising miles on your Buick.

The Texas horned lizard is toad shaped with spines and we commonly refer to it as the 'Horny Toad'..... that was my original cb handle, but got too much attention so I changed it to 'old-tank'.

Anyhow I drove 491 miles yesterday, got 17mpg averaging 67mph on the first tank; 13.5mpg averaging 40 mph on the second tank. Looking at a short day and will shoot for Kansas City area.

Willie

[MrEarl]

How's the AC keeping up?

[NTX5467]

What we normally called "horny toad" is more formally termed "Horned Frog" when it's associated with Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Football team logo is of a horned toad, but the name is "Horned Frogs".

Hope y'all have a better trip north of OKC!

NTX5467

[RICK YOUNG]

In Iowa Casey's General Stores has both Non Ethanol and E-10 clearly marked.
Their people helped us get in the Chevy Collection.

[Thriller]

Well, we're getting ready. After getting up early this morning for some football, we went and got the trailer, brought it in to town, tidied up the wagon a bit, and loaded it up.

Now I need to fuel up the Electra, and it is just packing that remains then.

[First Born]

Not a Texas Road Warrior, but leaving Springfield early tomorrow morning. Spending the night in Truro, IA with my daughter. Arrive Ames early Tues. Will be available to help if needed.

SEE YA
Ben