Re: Long Miata Trip Advice?

John McGaw <nobody@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

mdginzo wrote:
I am planning a trip around the country in my 1995 MIata in March with
my mini dachsund, Bob. I was wondering if any of you had any tips for
me. I am already making sure th car is fit and taking along things
such as a GPS, CB radio and a laptop. I don't plan to bring a spare
tire so I can bring more bags, but I do have AAA and a cell phone as
well as my radio. What else should I keep in mind?


Bags are not a big deal if you have the right kind. In '97 I made a trip
from Alaska and around the perimeter of the US (or up to Savannah, GA
when I ran out of time) in my '91.

And made some great pics. :)

No CB or cell phone were used and I
might have just embarrassed myself by panicking at least once and
screaming for help had I had them. But I would not have driven down the
Alaska Highway without at least the standard donut spare.

Making sure that you have new radials on the wheels may help. So much more
protective rubber. Of course, in my 2006, I have no choice. Fix-a-flat
is included in the price of the car. :)

Note that there are spacious compartments besides the rear wheels (behind
the spare tire and behind a cover at the other side. That side also has
the fuel supply pipe, so I would not put anything heavy there.

Put as much as you can in soft bags or small containers to use the trunk
space as well as possible. I use one non soft carry on bag to put my shirts
in, to prevent them from completely crumpling.

Watch every inch of space. Any item that uses a cubic inch of trunk space,
or even more, for some items, should be carefully scrutinized.

On Bozo, I used to take clothes, *small* portable, digital camera, extensive
tools (lots of aftermarket stuff on that car), spare lights, fuel filter,
jumper cables, GPS, CB, cell phone, spare tire, etc.

Things that can be easily obtained under way if needed should be left at home.
For example, I will put only a single bottle of wine in the trunk, easily found,
but at least a couple of bottles of Tio Pepe and 30-40 bottles of decent beer.
If you travel in Canada, you might find somewhat decent beer at stores, and you
could cut down on trunk space there. In fact, I find that quite frequently
I do stumble on decent places to get supplies even in the US, and I usually end
up back home with a number of the beer bottles I left with.

For bags I
used a pair of soft bags made to custom fit the rear shelf and that took
care of most of the clothes requirements.

Tsjuk. Not the spirit. Travel stuff should go in the trunk. You want to
project an image of being on a joy drive, not on a safari. Before you know
it, you start believing yourself that you are working instead of having fun.

Leon.

When dirty laundry could no
longer be stuffed into the trunk it was, by default, time to stop at a
laundromat.

I drove back to Savannah some years later but in the same car and
finished the trip at the north-easternmost point of land in Maine which
was my original destination in '97.
--
Leon van Dommelen :) Bess, the Miata :) Bozo, the Miata :)
rammm@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas
.

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