Solo road trip

[patrick66]

I've been pondering life and all that that entails this past year. My wife and I had a Cancun trip tentatively scheduled for this past week, back in June. But, life kept throwing **** at me (house A/C repair, truck axle repair, car water pump and heater hoses, work on my son's truck and more) which dwindled my trip account quite a bit. So, I cancelled with no penalties; that worked out well, since Cancun has been inundated with rain from Ian. Now, we're looking at a late March '23 trip, before all the insanity that is Spring Break happens. Be that as it may...

My wife is not big at all about road trips, these days, for several reasons. I've been considering a road trip in either the Coronet or the Imperial, solo, for a two-week adventure to wherever I point the car. I have a tent, air mattress, sleeping bag, backpack, fishing gear, and all the things I need to comfortably camp wherever. Either car is quite capable of such a trip. Obviously, such a trip would be close to the beaten path. "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!" is a great movie quote, and one I intend to take to heart. I'd probably drive the Coronet. I've owned that literally my entire adult life. I'd love for my wife to go with, but she just doesn't do riding or driving well these days, regardless of the vehicle. I figure if I did this, she could go to Florida with a couple of her friends and hang out at the beach, sipping margaritas and power-tanning. Chick stuff. We'll still go to Cancun, of course.

My brother died at 62. I'm the same age now. My little sister is a year younger and is in ill health. Sixty-two should not be an expiration or "use-by" age.

I've done several long road trips in the Coronet; some were nearly 2,500 miles or more. Those were all before I turned 25, and before I got married. I guess it'll all be predicated on the price of fuel then, among other variables.

I don't believe I'm being selfish in wanting to do this. Ten to 14 days of solitude and reflection. Catch some bass or a couple of trout. All that time with no radio or TV, with the cellphone available for emergencies. The rumble of Chrysler big-block goodness. Roll 2,000 to 4,000 miles on the odometer. Stay wherever.

My Dad waited way too long to do the motorhome thing with Mom. He got very sick about two weeks into their trip. Mom didn't drive. So my wife and I drove to their rescue in western Missouri and drove their rig back to Oklahoma. They stayed for seven months, which was fine. I could tell Dad was upset about not being able to finish his dream trip, though. I don't want to be that.

The things I ponder...

Anyone else have similar thoughts???

 

[Budnicks]

IMO, (like Bo Jackson) just do it, you never know
you aren't getting any younger, enjoy life
if a road trip is what makes you happy, go for it...

Have fun, take lots of photos to share here

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I'm 63 now in July

I really sowed my oats & traveled a lot (racing &/or work)
cross country a dozen times or more
when I was younger, 350,000 miles on one rig & 365,000 on another
then another 100,000+ on the last one (it was the nicest too),
almost all tow-miles
IMO be a lot more fun in just a car, especially a cool car
not a huge truck/trailer or motorhome towing...
Mostly to races or final destinations (some work/fun on a few trips too)
lots of camping out, fishing, riding quads, staying in RV parks
or National parks, along the way/s where they'd let me
(big trailer or Motorhome "lengths" restrictions)

I did a few trips to Alaska, they were fun/great too
after one of them I up & moved to Alaska for a couple years
back in the mid 80's

I'm glad I did it young/er too...
I had far more energy & $$$ then too...
I got it out of my system 'for the most part', I had a blast doing it too
(a few places I'd still like to see)
But;
since moving up here, I got so much great country (Gods Country) to explore,
fish, hike, 4x4-ing, go for a ride or shooting &/or a hunt
or just do day road trips, I don't need to go (or want to now) on a long trip
so much to see in 'my own county' or 200+ miles in any direction

I'm a homebody now, I like it that way too...

I do understand the wanting to do it too

I did trips without Lisa &/or the kids a lot
it was a nice break, but I'd miss them some time on the trip too
I'd miss my dogs or animals a lot 'when they didn't go too'

I didn't feel guilty, they didn't make me feel guilty or bad
(not that I remember anyway)
when I got back it was so good to see them again & share my trip stories too

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(for the wife)
Much of Florida isn't a great destination right now,
or the near future
unless going to work or volunteering etc.

 

[JJ383RR]

If you're wife is cool with it, do it. I may have to ponder the same soon. I'm 60, wife 67. I would love to do a cross country road trip in the 69 300. My wife and I love our trips together, but I don't know if she could tolerate a long trip in an older car...it does have ac, but the seats are vintage 69....I sometimes wonder if I could...lol, but it is on my bucket list , and she knows it. We'll see...

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

We all have a one way ticket. Enjoy life while you can.

 

[patrick66]

We all have a one way ticket. Enjoy life while you can.

Pretty much my take, too.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Go for it!

 

[PlymCrazy]

If you and your wife agree, go for it. I never advise going against mama. Make sure you’re both on the same page. That trip sounds like a lot of fun. I’d try to persuade her to join you if you think she’d enjoy it. I honestly am lost without my wife by my side in anything besides work. Even there she’ll stop by to say hi occasionally. Regardless of what you decide, hope you have great time. I don’t have that kind of free time just yet. But I’m working on that!
- Nick

 

[74gtx]

I agree, if your wife is alright with it I’d go for it too.. I’ve always wanted to do that as well. I think the hardest thing for you will be choosing which car to take. Enjoy!

 

[Nxcoupe]

I've been pondering life and all that that entails this past year. My wife and I had a Cancun trip tentatively scheduled for this past week, back in June. But, life kept throwing **** at me (house A/C repair, truck axle repair, car water pump and heater hoses, work on my son's truck and more) which dwindled my trip account quite a bit. So, I cancelled with no penalties; that worked out well, since Cancun has been inundated with rain from Ian. Now, we're looking at a late March '23 trip, before all the insanity that is Spring Break happens. Be that as it may...

My wife is not big at all about road trips, these days, for several reasons. I've been considering a road trip in either the Coronet or the Imperial, solo, for a two-week adventure to wherever I point the car. I have a tent, air mattress, sleeping bag, backpack, fishing gear, and all the things I need to comfortably camp wherever. Either car is quite capable of such a trip. Obviously, such a trip would be close to the beaten path. "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!" is a great movie quote, and one I intend to take to heart. I'd probably drive the Coronet. I've owned that literally my entire adult life. I'd love for my wife to go with, but she just doesn't do riding or driving well these days, regardless of the vehicle. I figure if I did this, she could go to Florida with a couple of her friends and hang out at the beach, sipping margaritas and power-tanning. Chick stuff. We'll still go to Cancun, of course.

My brother died at 62. I'm the same age now. My little sister is a year younger and is in ill health. Sixty-two should not be an expiration or "use-by" age.

I've done several long road trips in the Coronet; some were nearly 2,500 miles or more. Those were all before I turned 25, and before I got married. I guess it'll all be predicated on the price of fuel then, among other variables.

I don't believe I'm being selfish in wanting to do this. Ten to 14 days of solitude and reflection. Catch some bass or a couple of trout. All that time with no radio or TV, with the cellphone available for emergencies. The rumble of Chrysler big-block goodness. Roll 2,000 to 4,000 miles on the odometer. Stay wherever.

My Dad waited way too long to do the motorhome thing with Mom. He got very sick about two weeks into their trip. Mom didn't drive. So my wife and I drove to their rescue in western Missouri and drove their rig back to Oklahoma. They stayed for seven months, which was fine. I could tell Dad was upset about not being able to finish his dream trip, though. I don't want to be that.

The things I ponder...

Anyone else have similar thoughts???

View attachment 1349618

View attachment 1349619

I volunteer to be copilot and mechanic in wait. Sounds like a fantastic time at the perfect time of year. I am 65 and feel ya. I want to do a rt 66 trip and wife is not the same woman she was 8 years ago when she bought me the rt 66 travel guide book. I think it would be a blast. Have fun and take a lot of pics.

 

[dadsbee]

Read my signature.. it tells you all you need to know. I'm a year older than my Father was when he died, 11 years older than my Sister was when she died and 30 years older than my Daughter was when she slipped the surly bounds. Just do it...

 

[440 4 speed]

Fortunately if I can get our car finished, my first wife, still girlfriend , will go on a long haul trip.Hopefully to a show within 1500 miles. So many carry handgun people make make me nervous . Would like to make a 60th Anniversary of the Charger.
Jim Rodebaugh the most knowledgeable person as far as I am concerned about first gens, wants to have a meet somewhere.
If anyone has ideas about where, could tie into a major show, is willing to help. It would be very good, he certainly is NOT full of himself like some.
Humbly submitted.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Fortunately if I can get our car finished, my first wife, still girlfriend , will go on a long haul trip.Hopefully to a show within 1500 miles. So many carry handgun people make make me nervous . Would like to make a 60th Anniversary of the Charger.
Jim Rodebaugh the most knowledgeable person as far as I am concerned about first gens, wants to have a meet somewhere.
If anyone has ideas about where, could tie into a major show, is willing to help. It would be very good, he certainly is NOT full of himself like some.
Humbly submitted.

I have to disagree with “carry gun makes me nervous,” statement. The whole point of conceal carry is so you don’t know. There are some people you’d be shocked they even own a firearm, much less carry one. You know how many people I kill on a daily basis? (I’ll give you a hint, it’s 0)

We need to stop this “people who carry are monsters” stereo type bullshit. Stop believing the one sided news.

 

[440 4 speed]

I have to disagree with “carry gun makes me nervous,” statement. The whole point of conceal carry is so you don’t know. There are some people you’d be shocked they even own a firearm, much less carry one. You know how many people I kill on a daily basis? (I’ll give you a hint, it’s 0)

We need to stop this “people who carry are monsters” stereo type bullshit. Stop believing the one sided news.

WOW! I DID NOT SAY those who carry are monsters! My first adult solo trips to your country were about 1966. Never expected to meet someone carrying. Have a lot of friends in the in the US from that time that might carry now.
What I was trying to get across was the subject never came up.
Fortunately we don’t have the same need here except handguns are being smuggled into Canada even by drones, to Major Cities like Toronto Ontario. So the Federal Government mandated new rules to ban handguns in Canada.
An aside my wife is one of 785 females in a Province of over a million people that has a firearms acquisition and possession permit.
In my opinion the Liberal Government is trying to cater to the problems in the major city’s in Canada.

 

[patrick66]

Since writing this, I've been on an Alaska cruise with my oldest brother (5/23), and did a 2000-mile road trip to my HS class reunion (7/23). My plan for the solo Coronet or Imperial road trip is planned for April 2024. North through the Dakotas, then West to Montana and head home through Wyoming and the Colorado prairie lands.