Trip to the Grand Canyon

[klenger]

We returned from our trip to the Grand Canyon yesterday with our 5er. Truck and camper worked great. I bought a Honda EU2000 generator before the trip, and it worked great too.



Travel Details:

1483 total miles

137. 3 gallons fuel

10. 8 MPG average

$164. 70 total fuel costs



Stayed in camp grounds 8 nights at about $14/night. Temperatures were anywhere from 50's during the day in the teens at night. The Arctic Fox kept us warm. The Honda generator and solar provided plenty of power to run the furnace, TV, stereo, etc.



The Grand Canyon is awsome. The average amature photographer cannot even begin to capture the scope of the canyon on film. I have left that to the professionals. Below are a few pics of interest.

Read the quote from Major Powell in 1869.

I hiked down about 3000 feet to within 1600 vertical feet of the river.

Interesting Ford F350 towing combinatin

We stopped at the four corners monument

... and drove over Wolf Creek Pass after a snow storm

 

[Okie-Go]

We were there a couple of years ago. I remember that hill from Phoenix to Flagstaff. It was a purty good un. Had a 98 auto then stock. I haven't had the 01 out there yet.

 

[klenger]

We never got south of the canyon. Came and left via the east entrance. We did cross two passes (Eisenhouer tunnel and Vail pass) on the way out, and two (Wolf Creek and LaVeta) on the way back. I pulled all the way up LaVeta pass (9500 ft) in 6th gear. Wolf Creek pass was icy, and we did that one at 30 MPH in 4th gear.

 

[Dkevdog]

Glad to hear the trip went well Ken- Although is sure looks like the Fox could use a bath!!



Kev

 

[The Sequel]

Originally posted by Okie-Go

We were there a couple of years ago. I remember that hill from Phoenix to Flagstaff. It was a purty good un. Had a 98 auto then stock. I haven't had the 01 out there yet.

We've pulled that route with our 6-7,000# travel trailer several times. The '01 does it in style!!!

 

[The Sequel]

Ken, glad you had a good time. How was it towing on the snowy roads? Any advice? (besides don't do it ) I'm also glad to see your posted mileage is very similiar to what we got last summer on a 5600 mile round trip around the U. P. of Michigan. I'd rather get better but am convinced that is about average for our trucks. I know, someone will pop in and tell me they are getting 127 miles to the gallon towing a 72,000# trailer but I'm happy.

 

[klenger]

Dkevdog:



I gave the Fox and the truck a bath (shower actually) as soon as I got home. It drove me crazy to have all that crap on it.



The Sequel:

Towing on the ice. As we approached Wolf Creek Pass, we were traveling at about 60 MPH and starting running into patchy ice, and had no problem. As the grade started to increase, we ran into a larger stretch of ice, and I attempted to maintain my speed. I think that the read end limited slip started doing it's job as all of a sudden I was fish-tailing. Made my poor heart jump a bit. I backed off on the go pedel and straightened it out with no problem. After that I put in in 4WD, dropped into 4th gear, and proceeded the rest of the way at 30 MPH or less. Everything was fine after that. I tapped on the brakes and also applied the trailer brakes a couple of times, and braking action was good and no tendancy to fish-tail. The road had been sanded (which is why the trailer was so dirty), so that helped. It was a good experience, and experiences like this will help me determine when it's safe to tow in the winter.