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48 States in 7 Days

larrynew

Well Known Member
Planning a 48 state trip in two weeks with my son. Below is our planned route. We'll try to do it in 7 days but truly have no need or desire to push our limits or even complete the trip unless it's easy and fun. We plan to be as self-sufficient as possible but we all know how those plans go. We don't plan on an oil change as we'll leave with fresh oil and filter and flight time is planned for 40 hours. We may need an O2 refill, though. I'll try to do a trip report but definitely don't expect Vlad quality. Thanks to Joe Rainbolt for his kind help with route planning and advice.

48%2BStates%2BPicture.JPG


Planned Stops:
KBAZ KDUX KGUY KEHA KTAD N19 KPGA KSGU KHTH KAAT KGCD KALW S68 KBTM W43 KHEI KPIR 0B4 KSBU KLSE C27 0H7 KDTG KVPZ KIRS 5A1 N38 NY0 KRUT KSFM KDAW 6B6 KSFZ 4B8 KOBI KGED KOXB KFFA KFVX KBLF KPBX 0A9 KCEU KPXE KMAI KPRN KMEI 4M5 KIER KBAZ
 
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This is a great idea Larry! The timing is tight it's a sort of a record. Stay 1 day ahead of the weather, improvise or change the route on the go and you are all set. Looking forward for a trip report.
 
Parts is parts...

Planning a 48 state trip in two weeks with my son. Below is our planned route. We'll try to do it in 7 days but truly have no need or desire to push our limits or even complete the trip unless it's easy and fun. We plan to be as self-sufficient as possible but we all know how those plans go. We don't plan on an oil change as we'll leave with fresh oil and filter and flight time is planned for 40 hours. We may need an O2 refill, though. I'll try to do a trip report but definitely don't expect Vlad quality. Thanks to Joe Rainbolt for his kind help with route planning and advice.

48%2BStates%2BPicture.JPG

Grand adventure Larry, looks fun!
From my own adventures in the past (34 Trans-Cons in my RV4 and HR2) if you have any major replaceable parts that break and tend to ground you somewhere, box them up in a overnight mailer box (they're free). If you need support from home, they can be easily mailed to wherever you break down.
I kept my old starter, mag/harness, alternator and fuel pump boxed, marked with yellow sticky and ready to go. If you don't have spares, get the correct part numbers for yours and keep them on your phone in notes. Don't forget a spark plug socket in your tool bag you bring. I Slimed my tire tubes as it's not fun fixing a flat on the road, trust me. Slime works well despite site naysayers who claim otherwise.

Consider a PLB and a small survival kit for you both if you haven't already. Two popular PLB's can track your progress for family members. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
Have fun...:)
V/R
Smokey
 
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0V4 Brookneal Campbell County is basically a ghost town of an airport. Liberty University purchased it a couple of years ago to handle their volume of student training . No services. So unless you're going to meet someone there there's no reason to be there. KLYH would be the better closest choice, or KFVX 30 miles East, there I can show you some hospitality.
 
Don't think there is anything at 61A. In that neighborhood you want KPRN (Greenville) for food and fuel. Or KMVC (Monroeville) usually has free food at the FBO with a fuel buy. It's a popular military training stop.
 
Aurora, Oregon???

Can't believe you're going to be within 200 nm of MECCA and not planning on visiting the mothership at KUAO. Man, whatcha thinking? Call ahead and if you're there M-Th during work hours, you'll probably get a tour.
 
Appreciate the advice

Grand adventure Larry, looks fun! From my own adventures in the past (34 Trans-Cons in my RV4 and HR2) if you have any major replaceable parts that break and tend to ground you somewhere, box them up in a overnight mailer box (they're free). If you need support from home, they can be easily mailed to wherever you break down. Consider a PLB and a small survival kit for you both if you haven't already. Have fun...:) V/R Smokey
Smokey - Great idea with the mailers. I?ve been tracking every tool and the supplies I?ve used for maintenance over the last 3 years. Plus, reading everyone?s posts about their traveling took kit. The biggest (heaviest) thing we?re carrying is a complete replacement nose wheel and a 2lb aluminum Porsche scissor jack. Although 40psi seems to have stopped flat nose wheels after experiencing 2 early with 25psi, we decided it was worth the weight. We?ve also been gathering survival items (and digging through my old military stuff) for the past year.

0V4 Brookneal Campbell County is basically a ghost town of an airport...or KFVX 30 miles East, there I can show you some hospitality.
Morgan - Thanks for the advice. We changed our stop in Virginia to KFVX

Wow great trip which airport in Wi. KOSH
Wish we could but we?ll be back in July anyway.

Don't think there is anything at 61A. In that neighborhood you want KPRN (Greenville) for food and fuel. Or KMVC (Monroeville) usually has free food at the FBO with a fuel buy. It's a popular military training stop.
Dan ? Thanks and changed our Alabama stop to KPRN. Food is an issue we?ve been pondering. It?s available most places but how much time does it take to get it. We?re planning on carrying about a third the trip worth camping style like Scott (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=152245) did last summer and foraging in town for the rest.

Can't believe you're going to be within 200 nm of MECCA and not planning on visiting the mothership at KUAO. Man, whatcha thinking? Call ahead and if you're there M-Th during work hours, you'll probably get a tour.
Don ? That?s the big dilemma with this trip. Is it a road trip with a few highlight stops and flybys or is it a sightseeing tour? We?re definitely going out of our way for First Flight. We?re planning the Hudson River corridor. We?ve got about 5 or 6 planned ?tourist? stops and flybys but we?ve had to work to keep the list from getting too big and taking too much time.
 
Dan ? Thanks and changed our Alabama stop to KPRN.

About 1.5 miles to the interstate exit, many choices. Travis will take care of you.

Forgot to mention the catfish place at KMVC, just off the north end of the airport.
 
Hi Larry,
My 48 State tour was a great time for me and I am certain that you will view it the same. Your 7 day time frame is very ambitious, but if the weather and your stamina permit, I don't see any reason it can not be accomplished as planned.

One change you might consider is substituting Orofino for Lewiston ID, the former being more picturesque as it is located along side of a small river and it has a great pilot lounge.

Good luck and blue skies,
Joe
 
Hi Larry, My 48 State tour was a great time for me and I am certain that you will view it the same...One change you might consider is substituting Orofino for Lewiston ID, the former being more picturesque as it is located along side of a small river and it has a great pilot lounge. Good luck and blue skies, Joe

Joe - Thanks for the tip (I changed to Orofino) and for the help and advice last year with our planning.
 
Wi

I guess what I was hinting at with the KOSH is if you don't land in Wi how can you claim 48 states.
Bob
 
I guess what I was hinting at with the KOSH is if you don't land in Wi how can you claim 48 states.
Bob

Bob - excellent catch. Looks like I had 2 stops in Minnesota and skipped Wisconsin of all states. Time to go back and double check every state. Thanks much!
 
Trip

Larry let me know when your stopping in North Florida if you stop at 2J9 and let me know ahead of time I will by you a tank of gas .
Bob
 
Larry, if you get to the Boise - Caldwell KEUL, and need anything, let me know I always have a car at the airport, tools, and help.

Have fun. Email me for phone number or just email.
 
Bob,

Wow! That?s a kind offer. Just an RV friendly place to stop would be nice. We?ve modified our planned route slightly to be as efficient as possible. Looking at KMAI Marianna but will let you know if we?re ahead of schedule and can drop in. We?ve got the route down to a manageable 857 miles per day average but know there will be adjustments.
 
Rockwood,

Thanks also for the support. We?re planning to launch on Friday, wx permitting. But, we?ve told friends and family that is is a pleasure trip and we?re shooting for 48 states but will be fine if we only get 32 or whatever.
 
You don't seem to be getting west enough .. check out CA's Shelter Cove, and then come down to SF area and buzz the GG Bridge and Alcatraz .. super views from coastal CA. Lots of RV'ers out here.

Then then there's LA .. Hollywood, baby!
 
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You don't seem to be getting west enough .. check out CA's Shelter Cove, and then come down to SF area and buzz the GG Bridge and Alcatraz .. super views from coastal CA. Lots of RV'ers out here.

Then then there's LA .. Hollywood, baby!

Bill,

One of the hard parts of planning the trip has been roadtrip vs. sightseeing vacation. We're trying to finish the trip in 7 days and still see a few sights but we can't see them all.

Was stationed in CA so got to see a lot of the state with Uncle Sam buying the fuel plus my son (co-pilot) was born there.
 
http://www.fly2lunch.com don't leave home without this. pack plenty of water and flying food snacks. IFR? block island Rhode Island KBID is a great food stop for breakfast and lunch.

Turbo,

Appreciate the RI advice. Block Island is really tempting and if the weather looks good ahead and we're making good progress, it is definitely on the list of "slight detours". Yes, IFR as required.
 
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