Subarus To Oshkosh !! (KMCI)

weirdjim

weirdjim

Ejection Handle Pulled
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
4,171
Location
Grass Valley, CA (KGOO)
Display Name
Display name:
weirdjim
Subarus 2 Oshkosh !! (KMCI)

Departing Kansas City area (Blue Springs) 4 am on Sunday morning the 12th of July.

Route I-35 KC to Des Moines, I-80 to Davenport, I-88 to Rockford, I-39 to Madison, WI-151 to FondDuLac, WI-41 to Oshkosh. Plan on being into Oshkosh before 3 pm on Sunday.

Lots and lots of questions for those in the next couple of months who have driven this route in prior years.

Anybody want to convoy up with us along the way? Any suggestions for communications along the way? We can do Children's Band (Cb) but prefer 6-2-1.25 or 0.7 meter ham band. Can also do FRS if necessary.

Cyndi & Jim



.
 
Last edited:
Route: I've done the northern route of I-76 to I-80 and then all the way to where you'll join up with I-80.

But we bail up to Cedar Rapids and then go 151 through Dubuque. No reason to go further east. 151 is a nice road.

Kent pointed this out to me back in his trucking days.

Fine condition last year. Less amenities along it than the Interstates but no super long stretches without fuel or reasonable break stops.

A little twisty right in Dubuque proper as you work your way to the bridge to cross the river, but good signage. Just follow the signs. No problem pulling the 5th wheel through there.

A little darker if you're traveling at night in some areas. Less traffic at night. Since it'll be daylight by the time you're up there, it won't matter.

Any or all of the roads up there may have significant construction by OSH time, so I always check for that and route around it, if it's big and/or has major delays. (I also check for low clearances for the trailer.)

I like the rural scenery along 151 better too, but that's just a personal preference.

Google shows it's a 9 hour drive via 151 without stops.

They also currently show significant construction zones along it, now that the tundra isn't frozen and they've gone from "Winter" to "Construction".

You have to pull up the State websites to see if those are just cone zones or if they're a big deal.

f26f8e70686937a59a89dd115db42280.jpg


No good hints on Comm. Didn't bother. Turned on the tunes and drove. Maybe I'll put the screwdriver on and hand out counties to the county hunters this year. Or not.

Cell coverage is the usual "okay" along the highway with some dead spots on VZ. Will know how awful TMo is after this year's trip. Don't really care much, more just a hobby to watch it go in and out and see if I can spot all the towers.

We haven't planned what days we are traveling yet, but I suspect we will be in at a similar time. We'd like to get there Saturday but the schedule rarely works out. If we are here by then I'll send you road info for the next day. If not, we'll just see ya there.
 
I'm from NE Wisconsin and travel to Madison to see my kids often. One option for you is to take HWY 26 from 151 to OSH as a little shortcut. It's a two lane road, but there are a few areas where there are passing lanes. You go through a small crossroads town called Rosendale. Sometimes there is a backup there for the one stoplight, mostly on weekends of Packer games. Shouldn't be a problem for you. When you get to OSH, just go over the HWY 41 overpass and then take the first left and you will be on the frontage road that takes you to the campground and/or day parking.

Enjoy your trip!
 
Just did the $$$ math for three days at The Show, 2 people driving from Sacramento area:

Fuel SAC-OSH at 25 mpg and current pricing along the way from GasBuddy: $450.

Three days to The Show and three days home, 4 motel-nights @$85/night: $340

10 days "on the road" food for two @$50/day: $500

4 days camping fee at Scholler (estimated) $20/day: $80

GRAND TOTAL: $1370 PLUS EAA entry gate fees (undetermined at this time).

Just sayin ...

Jim
 
So may cool levels of ambiguity
Subaru (car)
Subaru (Fuji Aero Subaru (airplane)
Subaru engine (experimental aircraft)

Love it!
 
Basic camping fee is $26 / night.
 
weirdjim said:
GRAND TOTAL: $1370 PLUS EAA entry gate fees (undetermined at this time).

Just sayin ...

Jim
Click to expand...


I spent that in one weekend in Philadelphia, not including the airplane travel. Oshkosh is the biggest vacation bargain I've ever seen.
 
denverpilot said:
Route: I've done the northern route of I-76 to I-80 and then all the way to where you'll join up with I-80.

But we bail up to Cedar Rapids and then go 151 through Dubuque. No reason to go further east. 151 is a nice road.

Kent pointed this out to me back in his trucking days.

Fine condition last year. Less amenities along it than the Interstates but no super long stretches without fuel or reasonable break stops.

A little twisty right in Dubuque proper as you work your way to the bridge to cross the river, but good signage. Just follow the signs. No problem pulling the 5th wheel through there.

A little darker if you're traveling at night in some areas. Less traffic at night. Since it'll be daylight by the time you're up there, it won't matter.

Any or all of the roads up there may have significant construction by OSH time, so I always check for that and route around it, if it's big and/or has major delays. (I also check for low clearances for the trailer.)

I like the rural scenery along 151 better too, but that's just a personal preference.

Google shows it's a 9 hour drive via 151 without stops.

They also currently show significant construction zones along it, now that the tundra isn't frozen and they've gone from "Winter" to "Construction".

You have to pull up the State websites to see if those are just cone zones or if they're a big deal.

f26f8e70686937a59a89dd115db42280.jpg


No good hints on Comm. Didn't bother. Turned on the tunes and drove. Maybe I'll put the screwdriver on and hand out counties to the county hunters this year. Or not.

Cell coverage is the usual "okay" along the highway with some dead spots on VZ. Will know how awful TMo is after this year's trip. Don't really care much, more just a hobby to watch it go in and out and see if I can spot all the towers.

We haven't planned what days we are traveling yet, but I suspect we will be in at a similar time. We'd like to get there Saturday but the schedule rarely works out. If we are here by then I'll send you road info for the next day. If not, we'll just see ya there.
Click to expand...

I will second this route. It is four lane highway all the way to Oshkosh. As stated just pay attention in DBQ and you will be fine, same with MSN. If you have a GPS it won't be an issue.

You won't find a more scenic 4 lane highway drive through the heartland than 151 from CR/Marion-OSH.
 
Pinging Jay Honeck ...

Well, another twist in the plans we have to allow for. The Boss (Kitplanes) wants the editors to a pre-Show meeting on Sunday late afternoon. There is no way in HELL for us to get there in mid-afternoon, get through the assembled multitudes, find a campsite, set up, and still get to the party on time. Nor do I relish the thought about coming back late in the evening with a couple of beers under my belt and setting up camp in the dark.

We are thinking about leaving KC late in the day on Saturday and getting to somewhere around Iowa City around midnight or so, thence the next morning up to Cedar Rapids, and so on. Is there a rest stop or other pull-off somewhere around IOW where we can catch a few hours of sleep from midnight to dawn and then plug on to OSH? THat is, without getting rousted by the local gendarmerie?

Thanks,

Jim & Cyndi
 
Pinging Jay Honeck ...

Well, another twist in the plans we have to allow for. The Boss (Kitplanes) wants the editors to a pre-Show meeting on Sunday late afternoon. There is no way in HELL for us to get there in mid-afternoon, get through the assembled multitudes, find a campsite, set up, and still get to the party on time. Nor do I relish the thought about coming back late in the evening with a couple of beers under my belt and setting up camp in the dark.
Click to expand...

Jim, Jim, JIM. The Party is on WEDNESDAY. You're fine. Breathe. :D

We are thinking about leaving KC late in the day on Saturday and getting to somewhere around Iowa City around midnight or so, thence the next morning up to Cedar Rapids, and so on. Is there a rest stop or other pull-off somewhere around IOW where we can catch a few hours of sleep from midnight to dawn and then plug on to OSH? THat is, without getting rousted by the local gendarmerie?
Click to expand...

Yes, there are rest stops near Iowa City on I-80 where you should be able to get some sleep. Check a map of Iowa (or your phone's GPS) for exact locales.

However, if you push a wee bit further down the road, you can stop at the I-80 Truck Stop -- the biggest truck stop IN THE WORLD. There, you can do anything, from have a tooth pulled, to take a shower, eat dinner, or get your shoes repaired. It's literally a little city on the interstate, and it is enormous. There's always a place way off in the corner where you can park and take a nap.
 
sourdough44 said:
Here is that I-80 Truckstop in IA. I may have to visit some day, or at least fly over.

http://iowa80truckstop.com
Click to expand...

They used to have an amazing heart-attack-inducing, all you can eat buffet at this truck stop. Probably still do.

Given all the sitting those boys do, I always marveled at how those truckers could eat! Of course, they were all 80 pounds overweight, and their life expectancy was probably 62...
 
I thought this thread was about those eggenfaller (or whatever they were called) engines that burned so many folks.
 
Jay Honeck said:
They used to have an amazing heart-attack-inducing, all you can eat buffet at this truck stop. Probably still do.

Given all the sitting those boys do, I always marveled at how those truckers could eat! Of course, they were all 80 pounds overweight, and their life expectancy was probably 62...
Click to expand...

I doubt that buffet will ever go away, I look at it each time I stop there, then back away carefully...:lol:
 
Re: Subarus 2 Oshkosh !! (KMCI)

He must have taken a wrong turn on the way to the marina.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Well, next time you're on the coast, stop in. You're my kind of crazy.
;)
Click to expand...

I was in Houston a couple weeks ago and thought about coming down, then remembered how far it still was and just didn't have the time.:lol:
 
Henning said:
I was in Houston a couple weeks ago and thought about coming down, then remembered how far it still was and just didn't have the time.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Texas is hard to get your head around when it comes to size. Houston is a LOOOOONG ways away, and Dallas might as well be on Mars.

It's perfect for GA. :)
 
There is a rest area about 5 miles west of Iowa City. If you take the route up around Cedar Rapids you can drive another 15 minutes up 380 and there is one just south of CR. You would be just over 4 hours Oshkosh at that point.
 
Cykoguy said:
There is a rest area about 5 miles west of Iowa City. If you take the route up around Cedar Rapids you can drive another 15 minutes up 380 and there is one just south of CR. You would be just over 4 hours Oshkosh at that point.
Click to expand...

The comment from Jay et al was that if we press on to Davenport there is a huge truck stop called I80 Truck Stop. It adds another hour to the drive, but it also gives us full fuel, a lit place to sleep in the car for a few hours, a hot shower in the morning, and a hewmongous breakfast. I'm toying with the idea ...

... any comments?

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
The comment from Jay et al was that if we press on to Davenport there is a huge truck stop called I80 Truck Stop. It adds another hour to the drive, but it also gives us full fuel, a lit place to sleep in the car for a few hours, a hot shower in the morning, and a hewmongous breakfast. I'm toying with the idea ...

... any comments?

Jim
Click to expand...

I thought you were one of those Kahleefornya healthy nuts? The I-80 truck stop will give you your sodium intake for the month -- and that's the salad bar!

Try the biscuits and gravy... :D
 
Jay Honeck said:
I thought you were one of those Kahleefornya healthy nuts?

My idea of a 3-course meal is two beers and a cheeseburger with fries.

Try the biscuits and gravy... :D

Cyndi is the B&G freak ... she got hooked on them at Bob Evans and Cracker Barrel when she lived in KC. Me, not so much. I still prefer a ham and cheese omelet for breakfast. Or even better a hot roll with honey and THEN the omelet.
Click to expand...
.....

Jim
 
Clark1961 said:
Thirty years ago when I was a 20-something, sure. Now, get a room if I want more than a 20 minute road-side nap.
Click to expand...

Well, it is like this...senior citizen college teacher with no income from last May through next October, a couple of projects (Cyndi's music studio and my engineering lab) that drained the financial reserves down to minimums, and trying to do Oshkosh on a shoestring. We take our shortcuts where we can get them.

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
Well, it is like this...senior citizen college teacher with no income from last May through next October, a couple of projects (Cyndi's music studio and my engineering lab) that drained the financial reserves down to minimums, and trying to do Oshkosh on a shoestring. We take our shortcuts where we can get them.

Jim
Click to expand...

OSH is ironically one of the cheapest vacations there is -- so long as you stay out of the damned exhibition hangars. :D

Speaking of which -- have we nailed down a campsite for you two yet?
 
Jay Honeck said:
OSH is ironically one of the cheapest vacations there is -- so long as you stay out of the damned exhibition hangars. :D

Speaking of which -- have we nailed down a campsite for you two yet?
Click to expand...

The seminal word is "ONE" of the cheapest vacations. THE cheapest is out in the backyard with a six-pack of Bud and a bug zapper for entertainment. :D

We've sort of decided to do Scholler and do an article on "Newbies In The Campground" but if a spot in the North 40 falls into my lap, I'm certainly not going to turn it down.

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
The seminal word is "ONE" of the cheapest vacations. THE cheapest is out in the backyard with a six-pack of Bud and a bug zapper for entertainment. :D

We've sort of decided to do Scholler and do an article on "Newbies In The Campground" but if a spot in the North 40 falls into my lap, I'm certainly not going to turn it down.

Jim
Click to expand...
Well, Becca is on my site. Jack is on Eric's. Paul and Jim aren't camping. "Other Paul" isn't sure what he's doing, yet -- he's your best chance, at this point.

Just two of us in our usual gang are actually flying in this year! The rest of you slackers are driving, or taking the executive mail tube. WTH?
 
Jay Honeck said:
Well, Becca is on my site. Jack is on Eric's. Paul and Jim aren't camping. "Other Paul" isn't sure what he's doing, yet -- he's your best chance, at this point.
Click to expand...

Well, we've got a deal we can't refuse. One of the folks on this forum (and an early arrival at OSH) has invited us to share their space with our little tiny tent in Scholler. Besides, I've got a good shot at writing a full column or feature piece on "Car Camping At OSH" or something like that ... the ins and outs of doing this the first time without making a total clod of yourself. And I'll probably do that anyway. But I've at least got a head start on the process.

We've pretty well decided that we are going to depart KC in the early evening of Saturday, curl up in a corner of the I-80 Truck Stop around midnight for a few hours of fitful sleep, and then proceed early morning into OSH, getting to Scholler sometime around noon on Sunday. That gives us four hours to set up and still make the magazine author's gathering Sunday late afternoon.

So, Sunday dinner is done, Tuesday is the jambalaya thing, Wednesday is your gig, and we leave Thursday morning. That leaves Monday dinner at question and I'd like to take Cyndi somewhere nice (no, Ardy and Ed's doesn't count) for one dinner. Nothing extravagant but a reasonable sampling of a "normal" Oshkosh restaurant. Friar Tuck's is a last resort. Suggestions?

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
Well, we've got a deal we can't refuse. One of the folks on this forum (and an early arrival at OSH) has invited us to share their space with our little tiny tent in Scholler. Besides, I've got a good shot at writing a full column or feature piece on "Car Camping At OSH" or something like that ... the ins and outs of doing this the first time without making a total clod of yourself. And I'll probably do that anyway. But I've at least got a head start on the process.

We've pretty well decided that we are going to depart KC in the early evening of Saturday, curl up in a corner of the I-80 Truck Stop around midnight for a few hours of fitful sleep, and then proceed early morning into OSH, getting to Scholler sometime around noon on Sunday. That gives us four hours to set up and still make the magazine author's gathering Sunday late afternoon.

So, Sunday dinner is done, Tuesday is the jambalaya thing, Wednesday is your gig, and we leave Thursday morning. That leaves Monday dinner at question and I'd like to take Cyndi somewhere nice (no, Ardy and Ed's doesn't count) for one dinner. Nothing extravagant but a reasonable sampling of a "normal" Oshkosh restaurant. Friar Tuck's is a last resort. Suggestions?

Jim
Click to expand...
Take her to the Charcoal Pit, which is right on the edge of the N40. Order either the walleye pike (good) or the lake perch (fantastic) dinner.

I am already salivating -- and I live in the seafood capital of Texas. There is simply nothing like freshwater perch, IMHO. We will eat perch at least twice during the week.

Now, is it "nice", as in "dress up"? Maybe the rest of the year, but during EAA. And try to ignore the karaoke on the back (outside, thankfully) deck. lol
 
Jay Honeck said:
walleye pike (good)l
Click to expand...


Lake Winnebago was in danger of losing a lot of its fish population due to pollution, so they introduced the coho salmon, which reproduced quite prolifically, but wasn't much to eat. They crossbred the salmon with the pile and got what they called a co-wal. That fish also adapted well to the lake, but wasn't much of a challenge to catch, so they crossbred that with the muskegon pike and got what they called a co-wal-ske.

Now they are trying to teach the Polish thing to swim. :goofy:

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
Lake Winnebago was in danger of losing a lot of its fish population due to pollution, so they introduced the coho salmon, which reproduced quite prolifically, but wasn't much to eat. They crossbred the salmon with the pile and got what they called a co-wal. That fish also adapted well to the lake, but wasn't much of a challenge to catch, so they crossbred that with the muskegon pike and got what they called a co-wal-ske.

Now they are trying to teach the Polish thing to swim. :goofy:

Jim
Click to expand...
Uff-da!
 
We like Robbins up by 9th and the frontage road. Otherwise drive up to Appleton for sushi, but I'm sure you can get great sushi at home.
weirdjim said:
Well, we've got a deal we can't refuse. One of the folks on this forum (and an early arrival at OSH) has invited us to share their space with our little tiny tent in Scholler. Besides, I've got a good shot at writing a full column or feature piece on "Car Camping At OSH" or something like that ... the ins and outs of doing this the first time without making a total clod of yourself. And I'll probably do that anyway. But I've at least got a head start on the process.

We've pretty well decided that we are going to depart KC in the early evening of Saturday, curl up in a corner of the I-80 Truck Stop around midnight for a few hours of fitful sleep, and then proceed early morning into OSH, getting to Scholler sometime around noon on Sunday. That gives us four hours to set up and still make the magazine author's gathering Sunday late afternoon.

So, Sunday dinner is done, Tuesday is the jambalaya thing, Wednesday is your gig, and we leave Thursday morning. That leaves Monday dinner at question and I'd like to take Cyndi somewhere nice (no, Ardy and Ed's doesn't count) for one dinner. Nothing extravagant but a reasonable sampling of a "normal" Oshkosh restaurant. Friar Tuck's is a last resort. Suggestions?

Jim
Click to expand...
 
Not trying to say your route won't work but time seems to be of short supply for you. According to Google Maps going 80-380-151 on up is about an hour shorter...
 
Cykoguy said:
Not trying to say your route won't work but time seems to be of short supply for you. According to Google Maps going 80-380-151 on up is about an hour shorter...
Click to expand...

It would really help if I knew what you were replying to.

Thanks,

Jim
 
Re: Subarus 2 Oshkosh !! (KMCI)

I think Jim is aware of the diagonal route. I posted it here quite some time back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top