businessgypsy
Curiosity fed the dog
After shopping around for just six years, I finally found a deal I couldn't refuse on a 2008 3500 with the contractor group (220a alternator, rubber floor and wheel well covers, tiedowns everywhere, rear seat sockets under floor, partition prep, slider and rear windows). Off the lot as excess defunct California dealer stock at $27K with 21 miles on the odometer. I had Thanksgiving dinner in Southwest Florida with my 80 year old mom and 30 year old son, got on an afternoon flight and woke up 2400 miles away in Phoenix, Arizona.
I've been lusting after a Sprinter for years, but had only driven a couple of miles in a 2006 T1N a few years back. Now, on Black Friday, I was finally behind the wheel for a three day drive. After reading these forums I was expecting every kind of problem, from unbearable road noise to Black Death. Beginner's luck maybe, but it was a pleasure cruise. I took off through the desert on a bright clear day to get to know the beast.
Join me for the trip via crappy iPhone photos shrunk to postage stamp size shot through a bug splattered window! It'll be as fun as watching your aunt Sadie's cruise slides.
Leaving the Mothership, Airpark Dodge Jeep in Phoneix. These giant Saguaro cacti are what passes for ornamental trees in this part of the world.
I figured to take it easy the first day while I found my way around, so my destination was Ruidoso, New Mexico - about 600 miles.
Passing the Old West town of Tombstone
The ubiquitous roadside attraction billboards of the desert Southwest. Funny, one of my other rides is a '73 Thing (Kublewagen, Type 181) designed by Ferdinand Porsche for some nutcase with military aspirations.
All rocks and mesquite trees, but kinda cool
Passing near the Mexican border, think I saw Rudi blazing away with a load of turistas in his Silver Cloud
White Sands Missile Base in New Mexico, just outside Las Cruces. Birthplace of the space program (and lots of conspiracy theories)
U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, far away from the border. There are indeed stop signs on the freeway. How many people are in that thing? One? Lemme take a look...
Early Santa sighting just outside of Alamogordo. In the desert. On a rat rod high bike.
So, isn't the little ski town of Ruidoso a way off route? Besides cutting the first day short and running me about two hundred miles off course, why would I do that?
Could it be a date with my friend Karen?
Worth it. Totally. Great first day of driving, using Diesel Kleen and getting to know the sounds and vibes. One of these days I'll distill the notes and figure out my mpg. Sadly, there were miles to go, so I said my goodbyes and hit the road bright and early.
Next stop, Roswell. The area 51 Roswell.
They make a big deal out of the alien thing here.
A real big deal.
Lots of sky and road on the New Mexico / Texas border. Also plenty of roadrunners and coyotes, but no Acme anvils falling out of the sky.
Hangin' Judge Roy Bean's office in Pecos, TX "Law West of the Pecos"
It's a beaut! Actually a butte.
An old wooden oil derrick, like the movie "There will be Blood"
What are those green things? Trees? Yeah, out of the dry country and into the Texas Hill country. Hungry for BBQ.
The last bit of fall at 80mph just outside of Fredriksburg, TX.
The cool little German town of Fredriksburg. There was a Christmas Festival going on, but the light was too low for the iPhone's poor excuse for a camera.
After driving the night through Austin, TX with a brief stop to see a friend I had my only weird driving episode. A spaghetti-like urban freeway connection suddenly shot me six stories in the air on a curving single lane ramp. The Sprinter's height and high profile disoriented me 'till I freaked out and slowed to a crawl. Better after a beer and a BBQ brisket. Kept driving untill I saw the sun rise on the Louisiana border.
The Henderson swamp. Scene of many of my childhood days spent flyfishing from a bateau, as well as lots of body dumpings (allegedly).
The Interstate highway over the Atchafalaya River Basin is mostly suspended over water. It's the largest freshwater hardwood swamp in the United States. A majority of the local speak French. I learned to cook here as a kid. Gumbo, Jambalaya, Crawfish Etoufee.
My childhood home of Baton Rouge, LA at 80mph distorted through the windshield while crossing the Mississippi River.
Mobile, Alabama. One of the few places in the US where the Interstate highway...
...crosses under a large body of water through a tunnel
Finally back in my current state of Florida, overlooking Escambia Bay just outside of Pensacola. Only 700 miles to go!
Back at base in Southwest Florida. I wonder if the SLK will fit in the back of the Sprinter?
The new rig was great! I filled up at little mom and pops (yeah, I know) and huge truck stops, pulled off for naps in rest areas and WalMarts, ate a lot of local food, saw some of my beautiful country and some beautiful friends. Can't wait to build it out for an extended backroads journey. Thanks to all here for lots of info and support. This vehicle feels more like me than anything I've been in for a long time.
I've been lusting after a Sprinter for years, but had only driven a couple of miles in a 2006 T1N a few years back. Now, on Black Friday, I was finally behind the wheel for a three day drive. After reading these forums I was expecting every kind of problem, from unbearable road noise to Black Death. Beginner's luck maybe, but it was a pleasure cruise. I took off through the desert on a bright clear day to get to know the beast.
Join me for the trip via crappy iPhone photos shrunk to postage stamp size shot through a bug splattered window! It'll be as fun as watching your aunt Sadie's cruise slides.
Leaving the Mothership, Airpark Dodge Jeep in Phoneix. These giant Saguaro cacti are what passes for ornamental trees in this part of the world.
I figured to take it easy the first day while I found my way around, so my destination was Ruidoso, New Mexico - about 600 miles.
Passing the Old West town of Tombstone
The ubiquitous roadside attraction billboards of the desert Southwest. Funny, one of my other rides is a '73 Thing (Kublewagen, Type 181) designed by Ferdinand Porsche for some nutcase with military aspirations.
All rocks and mesquite trees, but kinda cool
Passing near the Mexican border, think I saw Rudi blazing away with a load of turistas in his Silver Cloud
White Sands Missile Base in New Mexico, just outside Las Cruces. Birthplace of the space program (and lots of conspiracy theories)
U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, far away from the border. There are indeed stop signs on the freeway. How many people are in that thing? One? Lemme take a look...
Early Santa sighting just outside of Alamogordo. In the desert. On a rat rod high bike.
So, isn't the little ski town of Ruidoso a way off route? Besides cutting the first day short and running me about two hundred miles off course, why would I do that?
Could it be a date with my friend Karen?
Worth it. Totally. Great first day of driving, using Diesel Kleen and getting to know the sounds and vibes. One of these days I'll distill the notes and figure out my mpg. Sadly, there were miles to go, so I said my goodbyes and hit the road bright and early.
Next stop, Roswell. The area 51 Roswell.
They make a big deal out of the alien thing here.
A real big deal.
Lots of sky and road on the New Mexico / Texas border. Also plenty of roadrunners and coyotes, but no Acme anvils falling out of the sky.
Hangin' Judge Roy Bean's office in Pecos, TX "Law West of the Pecos"
It's a beaut! Actually a butte.
An old wooden oil derrick, like the movie "There will be Blood"
What are those green things? Trees? Yeah, out of the dry country and into the Texas Hill country. Hungry for BBQ.
The last bit of fall at 80mph just outside of Fredriksburg, TX.
The cool little German town of Fredriksburg. There was a Christmas Festival going on, but the light was too low for the iPhone's poor excuse for a camera.
After driving the night through Austin, TX with a brief stop to see a friend I had my only weird driving episode. A spaghetti-like urban freeway connection suddenly shot me six stories in the air on a curving single lane ramp. The Sprinter's height and high profile disoriented me 'till I freaked out and slowed to a crawl. Better after a beer and a BBQ brisket. Kept driving untill I saw the sun rise on the Louisiana border.
The Henderson swamp. Scene of many of my childhood days spent flyfishing from a bateau, as well as lots of body dumpings (allegedly).
The Interstate highway over the Atchafalaya River Basin is mostly suspended over water. It's the largest freshwater hardwood swamp in the United States. A majority of the local speak French. I learned to cook here as a kid. Gumbo, Jambalaya, Crawfish Etoufee.
My childhood home of Baton Rouge, LA at 80mph distorted through the windshield while crossing the Mississippi River.
Mobile, Alabama. One of the few places in the US where the Interstate highway...
...crosses under a large body of water through a tunnel
Finally back in my current state of Florida, overlooking Escambia Bay just outside of Pensacola. Only 700 miles to go!
Back at base in Southwest Florida. I wonder if the SLK will fit in the back of the Sprinter?
The new rig was great! I filled up at little mom and pops (yeah, I know) and huge truck stops, pulled off for naps in rest areas and WalMarts, ate a lot of local food, saw some of my beautiful country and some beautiful friends. Can't wait to build it out for an extended backroads journey. Thanks to all here for lots of info and support. This vehicle feels more like me than anything I've been in for a long time.
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