To Go or Not To Go, That is the Question

[drcook]

That is, to go to Alliance for the weekend of August 22 and 23rd and shoot in the Sagebrush shoot
that I posted about.

My wife said I can go. I am supposed to and offered to take the bro-in-law so I don't have to drive
alone.

I am down to the point of deciding whether to go shoot or buy a couple new sights for my guns that
I need.

I am thinking that I probably should go.

dc

[Delmonico]

Well if you go and drive, let me know if you come down I-80, you sure would need to stop for a cup of coffee and I'm a mile from I-80. 

[drcook]

Where at off I-80. I am at the point of planning my trip agenda if it works out.

Dave

[Delmonico]

Where at off I-80. I am at the point of planning my trip agenda if it works out.

Dave

I am near the airport.

[drcook]

Chicago ? or one of the others. I assume on a prior post you mentioned which state you live in, but
I didn't catch it.

dc

[Delmonico]

I'm sorry, i thought it was listed under my avatar.  I'm in Lincoln Nebraska.

[drcook]

Good Lord willin' and the crick don't rise, I am leaving the morning of the 18th. I'm setting the cruise
on 55 so the truck will get decent mileage. My dad is riding along with me so I don't have to drive alone
Mary wanted someone to go along with me.

I need to cast 100 more bullets that fall into the weight range I want and then I will start loading. I am
going to take a 45-110 a 45-100 and a 45-90.

I might take the new 110 if it gets done. I dropped the Pedersoli Competition off today at the gunsmith
to get rechambered to a 45-110.

If we can arrange it, and the route I take is convenient, I will make a stop in Lincoln Nebraska depending
on the time I come through there.

Delmonico, pm me contact information if you want and your schedule. Better yet, why don't you drive
over to Alliance and shoot that weekend. If you get there Friday, we can get some sight settings.

Dave

[Pitspitr]

If you're planning on only driving 55 anyway, you'll really want to get off I-80 at Grand Island and take highway 2. It's closer and a lot more visually appealling. A side trip to see scenery on the county road between Arnold and Dunning would be worth it as well. That road is being used as a race track for the Sandhills Open Road Challenge this weekend.

[drcook]

Well I went 

We did get off at Grand Island and do the trip up rt 2. There were more grasshoppers on that road
than I have ever seen. My truck and trailer were just covered by them. It was worth the trip
and I would recommend that people go next year.

Dave

[Delmonico]

That drive up #2 is one of our best kept secrets out here and we don't recomend it to just anyone.

Folks are feared they would be able to get food and fuel along it.  Funny folks up there seem to be able to fill their tanks and don't starve very often.

Hint, in the winter when there are blizzard warnings avoid it.

[drcook]

The last time I went (4 yrs ago) we went 80 to 680 (well something 80) and then picked up rt 91
and took 91 through the country over to 2 and then up 2. There were way more fuel stops on 2
than there are on 91.

My truck is a diesel. In the short box 2500 HD's GM only put a 26 gallon tank. Back then before GM and
then I put in the last part that fixed the induction system flaw, I was probably only getting 8+ mpg. It
can get a little hairy when you are running low on diesel. If you run one of these new diesels dry, you
can risk hurting the injectors and you lose your prime. You have to reprime it with a plunger pump.

This year I stuck 3 five gallon cans of diesel in the pickup bed. I bought some busboy trays from Sams
Club and they hold 2 5 gal cans. I have a cap and what is called a "Bedrug" which is carpetting in my
truck bed so I want to keep it clean. (it is chemical impervious though). Next trips that go further
are going to entail more 5 gallon cans of diesel for insurance purposes. Its pretty cheap to stick 10 5
gallon cans back there.

GM covered most of the induction flaw under warranty. The fix was to retrofit the airbox assembly and
intake tubes from an 06 diesel. They fixed the problem in 06. I finished it by buying the turbo inlet
mouthpiece for $115.00 that Garrett redesign for GM to fix GM's big f-up. GM bought back a lot of
trucks because of $300.00 worth of parts. A college boy engineer who didn't have any practical
experience caused a thermal feedback loop that caused the engines to overheat and shut down when
towing.

Anyway, I now get 12 mpg towing and while that doesn't seem like much, 30+ extra miles on 15 gal of
diesel is a bit. The extra mpg + the extra cans that I had, took the worry and pressure off. However,
I still wouldn't want to do rt 2 at night, unless I had enough extra fuel cans to go all the way to Alliance.

I spoke to another Chevy diesel owner pulling a trailer and his comment was that he didn't like the
26 gal tank either, and that for 1000.00 you could buy a replacement 46 gallon tank. I said I could buy
4 5 gal can for about 10.00 to 12.00 each and haul the extra fuel. The only difference is that I would
have to fuel up 1 extra time, but save over 900.00 by using extra cans and his wife nodded agreement
and then so did he. If I ever go real far west, I will haul 10 5 gal cans. That will get me an extra 600
miles worth of fuel.

I realize this is a shooting site and here I am talking diesels, but it is a concern when you go shoot at the
further out shoots. It's best to simply plan ahead and take enough diesel or gasoline that you don't
worry about getting stranded.

I also added an extra spare tire so now I have 2 and hauled a 3 ton jack, some ramps and such to allow
me to change any flats etc.

Dave

[drcook]

Also some of the folks did dress in period correct clothes, appropriate for the era of the buffalo hunter,
the 1870's

dave