“Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country.” -Horace Greeley, 1865 (alleged) Day 1: 21 April 2018 Begin: Warren Township, New Jersey End: Moline, Illinois Mileage: 925 miles Yes, these blogs are coming over a year after this trip ended. But as time marched on, I realized how much of an … Read more…
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Snow fell on New Jersey again, but this time it didn’t seem to match the forecast in a good way, not a bad one. A few inches certainly accumulated, but it hasn’t matched the fury of a few weeks ago. So, with electricity powering the lights, heater and stereo in the garage, it was time … Read more…
With no curling this weekend, I really dove into the Disco. Today is a month even to go, and it’s starting to feel a bit real. I’m leaving on the 20th, and it was the 20th today. Thus the pace quickens. I’d like to do some kind of test run at least two weekends before. … Read more…
The electricity now restored and civilization restored to the homestead, it was time to really crank up the action. Unfortunately, Tuesday was lost to a pretty massive migraine. On Wednesday, I decided it might be a good idea to print out the LT230Q repair manual at the office, and look at it on paper, instead of … Read more…
All was set. Wednesday afternoon, a large order from Atlantic British, facilitated by the inimitable Eric “Extension 231” Riston, was to arrive by FedEx. New exhaust, new transmission and transfer case parts, a new door latch — the final major spend of the pre-trip project. At the same time, a Nor’Easter was to arrive, dumping … Read more…
This weekend I started diving into the LT230Q box I picked up two weeks ago in Connecticut. This is one of the core repairs for the Discovery for the trip. Mine is leaky, groany, and unrefined. Since I’d far rather not have my car resemble a retirement community Hooters tagline, I’ve started rebuilding the new … Read more…
This truck is going to drive me to drink — and I don’t mean the cases of LaCroix that I’m killing working on it night after night to prep for the Mother Country Trail. (I hate the fact that this stuff is a hipster icon, but it’s actually not bad, and sugar and sodium free. … Read more…
Driving across the country solo is something that’s been on my list most of my life. In middle school and high school I’d plot routes out in Microsoft Streets and Trips and flip through atlases and National Park Unigrid brochures, linking together the highlights of the nation. In 2006, my family loaded up our trusty … Read more…