Key West, FL --> Prudhoe Bay, AK. What Vehicle?

[Soup DeVille]

Boeing 747.


/thread

Lol. Whatcha gonna land it on?

[JWC]

I drove across the U.S. in a Suzuki Samurai---now that was an adventure.

[MexicoCityM3]

I drove across the U.S. in a Suzuki Samurai---now that was an adventure.

The longest drive I've done is MC - San Antonio - NO - Atlanta - Dallas - Monterrey - MC. About 4-5K miles. In the E90 M3 back in '09.

As a passenger many years ago I rode in a Suburban from MC all the way to Orlando & back.

[GoCougs]

Come on man, you know better than anyone here the punishment a gravel/dirt road will dish out. 400 miles (800 miles round trip) of it can literally shake cars apart.  The question is how well maintained this gravel road is. If it's got washboard and pot holes everywhere that 400 miles could take 4 days to cover.  The shaking could loosen suspension pieces and the rocks could puncture tires in something not built for that. 

Just go slower.

[Tave]

Gravel roads don't puncture tires. Either that road has a ton of metal debris from all the work trucks (entirely possible), or the tourists are just driving like idiots (even more possible).

Come on man, you know better than anyone here the punishment a gravel/dirt road will dish out. 400 miles (800 miles round trip) of it can literally shake cars apart.  The question is how well maintained this gravel road is. If it's got washboard and pot holes everywhere that 400 miles could take 4 days to cover. The shaking could loosen suspension pieces and the rocks could puncture tires in something not built for that.

Two days at the most I'd imagine.

[Madman]

Lol. Whatcha gonna land it on?

Okay, so maybe a 747 is too big to land at Prudhoe Bay.  But a 737 can, and does!


Key West, FL to Prudhoe Bay, AK via US Airways and Alaska Airlines.

Fri. Jan. 30.

1:05 PM to 3.19 PM
US Airways flight 4524 from Key West, FL to Charlotte, NC
Plane:  Embraer RJ-175

6:15 PM to 9:02 PM
US Airways flight 1787 from Charlotte NC to Portland, OR.
Plane:  Airbus A321

10:10 PM to 1:03 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 143 from Portland, OR to Anchorage, AK.
Plane:  Boeing 737

(Overnight layover in Anchorage)

8:00 AM to 9:43 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 55 from Anchorage AK to Prudhoe Bay, AK
Plane:  Boeing 737

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=EYW;t=SCC;d=2015-01-30;r=2015-02-03;sel=EYWCLT0US4524-CLTPDX0US1787-PDXANC0AS143-ANCSCC1AS55;q=flights+from+key+west+to+alaska

[SVT666]

Gravel roads don't puncture tires.

Oh, yes they do.  You can get some pretty sharp rocks on gravel roads, and if you're driving a car with tires meant for street use only, puncturing a tire is not that difficult.

Two days at the most I'd imagine.

Only if you don't stop and drive for 8 hours a day.  I couldn't imagine driving on a rough gravel road for 8 hours a day with no real breaks after doing 5500 miles of driving before that.  I drive gravel roads all the time, and if you aren't killing yourself and your vehicle to get there as fast as possible, that trip could take up to 4 days...depending on the condition of the road.  30 mph for 5 hours a day = 4 days.

[Tave]

Noticed I didn't make a nomination. I think I'd go with something like the LR3, FJ, Touareg, or Raptor.

Oh, yes they do.  You can get some pretty sharp rocks on gravel roads, and if you're driving a car with tires meant for street use only, puncturing a tire is not that difficult.

Nah I grew up on gravel and two-track mountain roads, puncturing a tire is very uncommon, and has been since modern rubber. I'd agree that driving those roads on some street slick or bald summer tire isn't the best idea.

Only if you don't stop and drive for 8 hours a day.  I couldn't imagine driving on a rough gravel road for 8 hours a day with no real breaks after doing 5500 miles of driving before that.  I drive gravel roads all the time, and if you aren't killing yourself and your vehicle to get there as fast as possible, that trip could take up to 4 days...depending on the condition of the road.  30 mph for 5 hours a day = 4 days.

Five hours? Might as well call that a camping trip.

[SVT666]

Nah I grew up on gravel and two-track mountain roads, puncturing a tire is very uncommon, and has been since modern rubber. I'd agree that driving those roads on some street slick or bald summer tire isn't the best idea.

So did I, so let's agree to disagree. 

[SVT666]

Five hours? Might as well call that a camping trip.

You've obviously never been on heavily traveled gravel roads in the far north.  Eventually your vehicle and your own body just need a break from the rattling, bumps, and shit and just need to get out.  5 hours on a road like that is a lot in one day.

[Tave]

You've obviously never been on heavily traveled gravel roads in the far north.  Eventually your vehicle and your own body just need a break from the rattling, bumps, and shit and just need to get out.  5 hours on a road like that is a lot in one day.

It was a joke buddy.

But seriously, what are you going to do for the next 19 hours?

[Soup DeVille]

Oh, yes they do.  You can get some pretty sharp rocks on gravel roads, and if you're driving a car with tires meant for street use only, puncturing a tire is not that difficult.
Only if you don't stop and drive for 8 hours a day.  I couldn't imagine driving on a rough gravel road for 8 hours a day with no real breaks after doing 5500 miles of driving before that.  I drive gravel roads all the time, and if you aren't killing yourself and your vehicle to get there as fast as possible, that trip could take up to 4 days...depending on the condition of the road.  30 mph for 5 hours a day = 4 days.

So, where you plan on stopping for these real breaks for 19 hours each day?

[Soup DeVille]

Okay, so maybe a 747 is too big to land at Prudhoe Bay.  But a 737 can, and does!


Key West, FL to Prudhoe Bay, AK via US Airways and Alaska Airlines.

Fri. Jan. 30.

1:05 PM to 3.19 PM
US Airways flight 4524 from Key West, FL to Charlotte, NC
Plane:  Embraer RJ-175

6:15 PM to 9:02 PM
US Airways flight 1787 from Charlotte NC to Portland, OR.
Plane:  Airbus A321

10:10 PM to 1:03 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 143 from Portland, OR to Anchorage, AK.
Plane:  Boeing 737

(Overnight layover in Anchorage)

8:00 AM to 9:43 AM
Alaska Airlines flight 55 from Anchorage AK to Prudhoe Bay, AK
Plane:  Boeing 737

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=EYW;t=SCC;d=2015-01-30;r=2015-02-03;sel=EYWCLT0US4524-CLTPDX0US1787-PDXANC0AS143-ANCSCC1AS55;q=flights+from+key+west+to+alaska

Oh, what fun!

[Madman]

Oh, what fun!

Nobody ever said getting to the ass-end of nowhere was going to be fun.   

[veeman]

Car and Driver drove a gravel road in a corvette.  This is an interesting article.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/the-road-to-remorses-the-road-to-divorces-feature

[Soup DeVille]

Nobody ever said getting to the ass-end of nowhere was going to be fun.   

Actually, I think a bunch of people have.

[veeman]

stock tires too

[Eye of the Tiger]

Actually, I think a bunch of people have.

And in a Festiva.

[Eye of the Tiger]

[Cookie Monster]

I would wait for this thing:

[Rupert]

Come on man, you know better than anyone here the punishment a gravel/dirt road will dish out. 400 miles (800 miles round trip) of it can literally shake cars apart.  The question is how well maintained this gravel road is. If it's got washboard and pot holes everywhere that 400 miles could take 4 days to cover.  The shaking could loosen suspension pieces and the rocks could puncture tires in something not built for that.

Yes, I do know better than anyone here.

If you would rather drive some boring SUV or truck for 5000 miles like a schmuck through some of the most beautiful country in North America and over some incredible sports car roads so you can save a few flats and bushings, be my guest, but any true car enthusiast would pick a fun car for the 90% of the drive on pavement and carry a few spare wheels and change to the toughest available tire in Fairbanks.

I wonder what you guys would say if the trip ended in Fairbanks.

[Rupert]

Gravel roads don't puncture tires. Either that road has a ton of metal debris from all the work trucks (entirely possible), or the tourists are just driving like idiots (even more possible).

Two days at the most I'd imagine.

I've definitely seen gravel puncture tires. Passenger car tires and sharp larger gravel (but still the road surfacing material and not native rocks), granted. I've had I think three flats in the last few thousand dirt/gravel miles, and two were sticks in the sidewall, believe it or not. The last one was a rock, but not gravel, just poorly dodged.

[SVT666]

Yes, I do know better than anyone here.

If you would rather drive some boring SUV or truck for 5000 miles like a schmuck through some of the most beautiful country in North America and over some incredible sports car roads so you can save a few flats and bushings, be my guest, but any true car enthusiast would pick a fun car for the 90% of the drive on pavement and carry a few spare wheels and change to the toughest available tire in Fairbanks.

I wonder what you guys would say if the trip ended in Fairbanks.

If the gravel road wasn't part of the trip, I would say he should drive a Mustang GT convertible.

[Morris Minor]

My brother-in-law who's visiting us (lives in Fairbanks) told me you could do it in a normal passenger car as long as it's not too low slung. But it would not be a lot of fun. He said the main hazard is the trucks, that can make your life uncomfortable if you're driving too slow for their tastes. The bad thing is that, once you get to the terminal, there's nothing to do, e.g. no chance of seeing the Arctic Ocean unless you've schmoozed your way into a pre-arranged tour. There are a couple of hotels just outside the gate - rooms are stacked container style - buffet dining (but excellent food).

[hotrodalex]

or



or



And when I get to the gravel road I'll strip for cash and buy an old truck.

[2o6]

I'm reading the blog. Some guy did it in a FWD CR-V.



I feel like a Yaris with better tires would do fine.

[hotrodalex]

Or the General Mayhem Charger from Roadkill

[68_427]

Or the General Mayhem Charger from Roadkill

Rallying General Mayhem... I couldn't stop grinning while watching that.

[hotrodalex]

Rallying General Mayhem... I couldn't stop grinning while watching that.

I should have done that before painting my car.