Back home, trip review

smlranger · 10-04-2006, 12:37 PM

We arrived home yesterday from our first long trip in the Journey. Here are some stats and comments only an RV'r could appreciate:

5,315 total miles; 16 states in 28 days. Saw Mt. Rushmore, Rocky Mountains, Monument Valley in Utah (our favorite), Grand Canyon and Sedona, Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, St. Louis, and National Air Force Museum in Dayton. We saw a lot between those places and the DW did a lot of shopping. I did get to shop in two Cabela's stores...one in Mitchell, SD and one in Wheeling, WV.

Total fuel used...658 gallons, total cost of $1,839. Avg. fuel price was $2.78/gal...lowest was $2.37 at FJ in OK; highest was $3.15 at T/A in Illinois. Avg. mpg was 8.1. Best was 9.4 with a tail wind and worst was 7.2. We weighed the rig early on and was within 1,400 lbs of the GW for the coach and my toad was 4,700, so we were at about 32,000 pounds GCW.

I was impressed and pleased with the 330 CAT and Allison. I never felt unable to keep up even on steep grades and never felt uneasy downhill due to the exhaust brake. It was a bit dicey in a snow storm over Vail Pass in CO. There was one leg of the trip from Amarillo into OK where cross winds were pretty strong and it was basically annoying but certainly not 'white knuckle' driving.

My LP furnace would not work and my heater core started leaking badly. I bypassed the core and will replace that soon. I will leave the furnace to my RV mechanic. On the last two days of the trip, we noticed the smell of exhaust near the rear of the coach. We checked windows, vents, sniffed around the slide/under the bed and just could not determine where the fumes were entering the rig. I crawled under the rig and could not find any errant exhaust leaks. Oddly, on the last leg home, the smell disappeared. ?????

We've talked recently about trading for a newer/different rig but overall are pleased with the overall comfort and utility of the Journey. We like the floor plan but my wife would like a larger shower with tub. I'd love full body paint and maybe IFS to smooth out the ride but just can't justify trading now.

Overall, a great adventure.

smlranger · 10-04-2006, 12:37 PM

We arrived home yesterday from our first long trip in the Journey. Here are some stats and comments only an RV'r could appreciate:

5,315 total miles; 16 states in 28 days. Saw Mt. Rushmore, Rocky Mountains, Monument Valley in Utah (our favorite), Grand Canyon and Sedona, Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, St. Louis, and National Air Force Museum in Dayton. We saw a lot between those places and the DW did a lot of shopping. I did get to shop in two Cabela's stores...one in Mitchell, SD and one in Wheeling, WV.

Total fuel used...658 gallons, total cost of $1,839. Avg. fuel price was $2.78/gal...lowest was $2.37 at FJ in OK; highest was $3.15 at T/A in Illinois. Avg. mpg was 8.1. Best was 9.4 with a tail wind and worst was 7.2. We weighed the rig early on and was within 1,400 lbs of the GW for the coach and my toad was 4,700, so we were at about 32,000 pounds GCW.

I was impressed and pleased with the 330 CAT and Allison. I never felt unable to keep up even on steep grades and never felt uneasy downhill due to the exhaust brake. It was a bit dicey in a snow storm over Vail Pass in CO. There was one leg of the trip from Amarillo into OK where cross winds were pretty strong and it was basically annoying but certainly not 'white knuckle' driving.

My LP furnace would not work and my heater core started leaking badly. I bypassed the core and will replace that soon. I will leave the furnace to my RV mechanic. On the last two days of the trip, we noticed the smell of exhaust near the rear of the coach. We checked windows, vents, sniffed around the slide/under the bed and just could not determine where the fumes were entering the rig. I crawled under the rig and could not find any errant exhaust leaks. Oddly, on the last leg home, the smell disappeared. ?????

We've talked recently about trading for a newer/different rig but overall are pleased with the overall comfort and utility of the Journey. We like the floor plan but my wife would like a larger shower with tub. I'd love full body paint and maybe IFS to smooth out the ride but just can't justify trading now.

Overall, a great adventure.

dstinch · 10-04-2006, 01:14 PM

sounds fun but no heater? and vail pass in snow!we were just in idaho,montana they just had first freeze, snow in mountains.we did not want to leave until there was going to be no snow on passes.2 of them 7000+ feet. lol we only avg.7.8 mpg journey 36g 4600lb toad. Don

rebelsbeach · 10-04-2006, 03:35 PM

Gary, glad you and Julia had a relatively uneventful trip and are home safely...

I'll be leaving here on the 18th for a 2K mile trip out to Texas with a few stops on the way,then will end up with a 1300 miler from Kerrville Texas down to Florida.
3400 miles without incident is what I'm hoping for....

smlranger · 10-04-2006, 03:49 PM

Bob:

I've been watching your threads on the Newmar forum and it seems you may be getting the bugs out. Hope you have a safe, uneventful and satisfying trip.

Joe-K · 10-05-2006, 06:28 AM

Gary,

Sounds like your trip worked out well. We're anxious to check out some of the pictures I'm sure you took.

Let us know what the deal was with the furnace. I've been wondering if you tried turning the motor.

smlranger · 10-05-2006, 01:18 PM

Joe:

I was able to turn the fan through one of the outside vents...that did not help. As soon as I finish R & R the heater core, I will be taking the coach to my favorite RV tech for the furnace fix. I'd be willing to try working on it if I could figure out how to get to the thing!!!

I will post some pics when I get caught up.