“Keeping the Dream Alive”; Making a 2,100-mile road trip in an old Mopar.
The wife and I had the chance to take our 1972 Dodge Demon on a long road trip. We traveled 2,100 miles in two weeks, stayed at nine hotels, and visited 12 cities, 7 Pubs, and 5 Ice Cream parlors. We were on the road for 10 days and we took a 5-day break to visit family and friends. The first leg of the trip took 3 days traveling from Virginia to Michigan with overnight stops in Beckley West Virginia and Columbus Ohio. We drove a mix of interstate and two-lane roads and crossed the Appalachians mountain range. The last leg of the trip included 4 days driving the Michigan Old US-27 Motor Tour and Splitting the Mitten on M-66, and then a 3 day return trip back to Virginia. The weather cooperated with only a few small rain showers in West Virginia and temperatures in the mid to high 80s. We had a great time, met many old friends, and made a few more along the way.
The Demon (the wife calls the car Jessica) performed very well and averaged just over 15 mpg for the trip. The Demon is a bare bones muscle car, the engine is a bored and stroked small block Mopar (408 ci) with a 4-speed and 3:55 rear gears. No air conditioning, manual disc/drum brakes, manual steering, and one simple side view mirror for the driver.
The phrase keeping the dream alive is not mine, but was a quote from a fellow car guy at our last gas stop in Charlottesville Virginia on our way back home. He stopped just to look at the Demon and told me about his old car, something that happened to us at every gas stop. As he was leaving he shook my hand and said, Thanks for keeping the dream alive.
Here's a a few pictures from our trip.
Everything is packed and the wifee is ready to roll.
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West bound on Interstate 64
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In the mountains of West Virginia
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Demon has plenty of room for all of our luggage.
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Leaving hotel in Columbus Ohio
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Gas stop in Dundee Michigan, talking with another car guy.
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Hanging out with friends and drinking a few cold ones at my brother's place in Jackson Michigan.
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