1st road trip report in 'new' Outback, 2006

[mtsmiths]

Hauled a Honda Black Shadow out from Kalispell, MT to Tacoma, WA. Perfect fit in a 7.5 ft U-Haul trailer. also had the alloys and tires off Honu, The Pretty One's '00 that got totalled. Dropped them off for 'Sister 7" (Thank's Anna).

 

We had been perfectly willing to keep the Legaback for another 100,000 miles, & I'm not exactly overjoyed to have car payments, but I'm in love with the new car. What an effortless car to drive, good climate controls, excellent (for factory) sound system, perfect balance, even dragging the two-wheel trailer (OEM hitch). I hardly knew it was back there, except when I hit the brakes and was blinded by the third stoplight reflecting off the trailer. Another fine feature is the power driver's seat, that reclines virtually flat, excellent for that occassional reststop kip.

 

Trip mileage was a respectable 21.5. Next legs are a run down to Medford, OR (from Pt. Ludlow, WA) leaving at OH-dark-thirty in the morning, then from Medford back to Whitefish on Monday.

 

I'm realy looking forward to highway with out dragging the U-Haul anchor!

[mtsmiths]

And no-ooooow, the re-sssst of the story.

 

Drove, sans trailer down to Medford from Pt. Ludlow. 31.5 mpg trip average. Basically, a non-event trip. Not so the return home Medford to Whitefish.

 

I got forced off the road between Medford and Salem by some guy in a big rush weaving and tailgating his way through traffic that was going too slow for him (we were all running about 70 in a 65). He changed lanes into me and just kept comin after I laid on the horn, and he saw me, I ended up clear over the breakdown lane and into the gravel to avoid contact. If I had been in my other car I would have wrecked. About ten minutes later what to wy wondering eyes does appear but Mr. "I'm in a big hurry" pulled over by an Oregon State Trooper (in a blue Chevy Pick-up, no less, very, very stealthy). So, I stop and go back and tell my tale to the officer. He thanks me, and say's "Well, there goes any thought I may have had about writing a lesser violation" . So Speed Racer gets a double fine 70 in a 35 construction zone, couldn't have happened to a more deserving individual.

 

Had trouble starting a couple times after gassing up (stupid OR no-pump law) acted like it wasn't getting gas, just cranked, then stuttered and sputtered until it caught, then ran fine. 28.9 trip avg over three passes and running 75 almost all the way, except one empty stretch in MT where I ran it up to 100 to see how it felt ... just like 80.

 

I guess we'll keep it.