Ratty2Austin

yep!! i made it home just fine, rolled in at exactly midnight last night... unloaded the bike and disconnected the trailer and got some rest... I have drivin many many miles... unknown amounts... both of my previous jobs have been delivery jobs, usually racking up about 150 miles+ each 8 hour work day.... for about 3 years or so too.... I drove with my grandma from pheonix to seattle and then back again a few summers ago- so theres 3200~ miles round trip.... I have put about 6k on my new motorcycle, and about 3k on my previous one (honda shadow) this trip to MN from seattle was my 6th driving trip on the same route... so theres about 10,200 miles just in my MN commute alone.. and 3 of those trips was with a heavy trailer behind the impreza!! so yeah.. I think I qualify as being quite the high milage driver! now my impreza needs a bath! and a power steering rack... :-\

well, it has been a HOT trip.. I am in a campground in Keystone, SD... I went to devils tower, near sundown.. so the pics are more shilouet ish (bad spelling, i know ) and then continued on to Mt Rushmore... made it there just after dark.. and I was dead tired.. there is a campground right in keystone.... for 20 a night, and it has free WiFi!!!!! woooooo!! so I am doing good, I will be taking I-90 the rest of the way to 35, then to MSP.... pictures should be sweeeet! (I will upload them for all to see soon!) and even better yet, there are showers here too!!!! yeah! tomorrow will be another intense day for me and the non AC impreza in the 90+ deg heat

yeah, the crab meal from Northguy and Snoman was the BEST!!!! thanks a lot!!! (maybe next year I will bring some Wisconsin cheese? ) as for distance.... its about 1700 miles each way for me... I am heading out in a few minutes, heading back to MN... see ya later!

the impreza is loaded up once again for the trip to minneapolis from seattle! probably going to take the same ol' route again... I-90 to I-94 thru ND.. but possibly considering a different route? would like to take I-84 to I-80 and then go N on I-35.... would definately be a lot longer trip, but more site seeing? (new areas for me and the impreza though!) would it be better or worse for the trailer and the impreza? (hills and rough road is bad for my itty bitty tires on the trailer, and weight+EJ18 is hard on uphill) I will check up on this post in the morning before I head out if anyone has any suggestions, or if you want to meet up again somewhere along the paths of where I could go? and most of you know my #, so give me a call here I go again!

I will add more to this when time allows, but her are a few sample shots from my cam...(I have lots more, still need to d/l from the camera) http://usmb.net/gallery/album112 I will have more on the DV camcorder, that I will be able to edit and possibly have a DVD video of the show (may take a little while, so please be paitient!) enjoy!

well, I am still not sure on a departure time, it will either be tonight or tomorrow early morning- depends on if I get ahold of Jrach (who is somewhere in MI?) if not.. then tomorrow morning definately leaving- I should reach bozeman sometime thursday early morning or wednesday late night.... late night if I could stay there somewhere? !! --> free range and Adog - I should be able to call you when I get close by, caravan is available for pickup at that time.. seems like my passenger room is still good to go- cargo can go in the trailer if you need to pack big- you know my number too if you need to set up a pickup time/location or whatever!

well, I have tried to call him 3 times now, left messages too.. still no reply- Ed, if he calls you, let me know where he is and if he wants to meet up with me tomorrow or whenever he decides to start heading back, so that I can begin my westward drive-

nope, I am driving it! the lifted impreza will be at the show!! I am going to pull the bike in the trailer when i return home to MN.... as for a friday caravan.. I am in with the rest of the seattle area crew if you guys want to time it right with me? whens the planned time of day friday to head down? or location to meet at? give me a call, cause I am going to be offline till I get there- leaving tomorrow or wednesday in the car- see ya there!!!

I am heading out tomorrow or wednesday, the MN to WA trip once again! I should be there friday evening

when I installed the forester struts on the imp, i had to switch the strut caps over to impreza caps, but only the caps, the springs can stay... just try swapping the rear caps over and they should fit fine

well, its decided.. I am driving the impreza back to the show!!! departure tomorrow or wednesday, depending on James Rachner and the brat crew (currently between MI and MN picking up a motorcycle?) should be caravaning with them... dont know if I will be able to post much after tonight, but if not, then see you guys at WCSS7!!! you guys in MT available again for a mini meet? give me a call if you are! (or if you want to ride along for the weekend to the show!)

I have been in contact with him for a bit now.. I am keeping him updated, and trying to help him over the phone figure out what is wrong with the brat... he tried pulling the Tstat out, and it is still not cycling coolant thru the engine, it just gurgles it out of the radiator.. ?? could this be a cracked head, blown HG or a cracked block causing the coolant passages to pressurize and not fill up with coolant? thats just one of my guesses.. I may be able to do one or 2 things.. I could go get the bike and bring it to WA (and make it back for the show!!) or I could deliver an EA81 longblock to him if needed, and if there is one available anywhere between here or there- in wich case, he could come finish the trip as he planned... anyone has any ideas feel free to call Ed, James or me about it!

I have been pondering this idea... if I can somehow let my work know that I wont be available during the WCSS weekend... is anyone else out in this area wanting to go to the show too? if so, could I ride along with someone on the way there, or would someone want to ride with me to drive my impreza back to MN? I need to retreive my motorcycle from WA and this would be a good oppurtunity to do so, and go to the show at the same time! I will ask my work on monday if I can get the time off.. and if I can.. i will let you guys know!! anyone that wants to "help me/help you", let me know soon! this may be a low cost method to let you guys who are out here go to the show, if your car cant make it.. mine will! (it has made the trip 3 times already with no trouble!!) we could split the cost of gas/food and such.. more people in one car the cheaper I will just need to drive my own motorcycle on the way back, so someone will have to drive the impreza back, or their own car if we go that route- any thoughts? call me if this sounds too good to pass up!

well, some of you I have been able to contact so far.. but I still havent met up with anyone yet! I do have a shortage of internet at this time, I can occationally check up on things when I can leech wireless off of the local coffee shops... as for now, just keep an eye out for me around the HWY 7/ I-494/I-394 area... and I did get a job at Eden Prarie Sears- starting Monday! I think tonight (fri) I will be at MOA wandering around, and seeing war of the worlds!! but if your around that area feel free to call me and maybe we could meet up John, I may come up to visit tomorrow morning sometime (if I can remember how to get to princeton ) updates and pictures from the trip will be up soon!

I am now in the Minneapolis area! I will only be online today, then be back in a week (I am going to WI with some people for the weekend of the 4th) I got a lead on a job already, possible mechanic spot at a sears service center.... the impreza and the trailer did pretty good considering the weight it was haulin' first half of the trip, I got about 23mpg, once I got to the other side of the divide (past Butte) it was down to 19mpg maybe the crappy gas out here? I noticed all the pumps i filled up at had 10%ethanol oh well.. once I got to Fargo, it was getting 21mpg again! got some cool pictures along the way, and I got to meet A-Dog- (thanks again for the nice place to take a nap!!!) and cool wagon! I will definately let everyone know when a meet-n-greet could happen thanks again for all the support along the way! (especially all the moral support!)

dont worry, I will be back to visit! this is my last post, till i get a net connection again! so for the next few days, watch for me along the way to MN!!!! guys in MT call me sometime in the evening tomorrow to see how far along I am, and to arrange the meet-n-greet if i am there at the right time! 206-856-7797 thanks for the support everyone!!! if there is trouble, one of you will get a call! woooooooooooowwweeeee!!! here I go!!!!

I will try to contact you when I am near... my computer will be packed up tomorrow evening.. so I need arrangements to be made now, if any... like meeting times/places along the way? phone #s? guys in butte/boesman/billings? MT that want to meet me for sunday night dinner/dessert? camping? which way is better for a trailer'ed car? I94 thru ND? or I 90 thru SD? I will check this tomorrow, then its offline time for a week or 2!!

welcome to the board! hope your subaru choice is good (how can it not be?) and I might see ya around! (I am moving to the modwest this weekend!)

I will definately come by if I ever get the chance in your area! yeah... I am leaving the bike here till I can come back to get it, OR.. one of my friends might buy it... sad, i know.. we will just have to see!

plan #3... this might be a winner.... drive my car+trailer+junk, without the bike this week..... sometime later in july fly back and bring the bike back over, (before winter starts! ) and then I will be less hurried... OR... I could fly back, get the bike, show up at WCSS7 and then head back to MSP!

hmmmmmm.... well.. i have the time now, tomorrow is my last day at Carter... any board members with experience towing a trailer and some free time want to come along? (either fly over from MSP, or fly home to SEA) to drive my car with a not-so-loaded down trailer, and follw me on my bike? or option #2, 2 trips...but... Freddie is opting to help pay for my flight back if anyone is gung-ho about coming along on this road trip as my driver (must be GOOD at driving a 5spd, and with a trailer) please call me tonight, so I can arrange the dates of when this needs to all take place!!! 206-856-7797 (cell phone)

so I am looking at most of my things here, and my tailer, and my impreza.. the "rated capacity" of the trailer is 970lbs.. and i dont think the EJ18 will like any more than that either, going up mountain passes.. one of the heaviest and largest things I am transporting in the trailer, is my bike.. about 500lbs loaded by itself... it gets about 45 to 55 mpg on the freeway, and is realitivly comfortable on long trips.... has cargo bins for all my camping needs... @1700 miles, and average 2.20/gal for gas...@45mpg, it would cost me about 90 bucks to drive it out there... then i looked up an airline ticket.. it would be about $150 or so for a one way flight back to seattle, on a tuesday night.. so if I leave sunday early morning, i could get to MSP sometime late monday or early tuesday.... then fly home, and take the car on the trip, with less stuff in the back... would make that part safer (less top weight in trailer, and easier on the EJ18..) what do you guys think would be best? if I bike it.. where could I stay for the least $$ (midway point, Billings MT) thanks for opinions! need to know before this weekend!!

Ooooooooooooohhhhhhh very pretty! probably pretty fast too! my EJ18 L wagon has ya beat offroad though http://usmb.net/albums/album318/DSCN6389.jpg very nice very nice!!!

i think he is going overboard with the trying to fool people with wording here.. any brat collector should know that thats not even a subaru part! (least not that I have ever seen??) the roundness would indicate gen1, but.. 5spd?? umm... not that I have ever seen.. looks like a datsun shifter or something

its policy at dealers to show registration to the car that the key is being cut, for "theft prevention" purposes.. and the maching cutting thingy, the code-decoder thing for the older keys is different than the new ones.. so they might not actully have it- try a lock smith, most cases, they can actually cut you a key to the correct fit with just the code (buy a key blank from the dealer, uncut)