Originally Posted by
Arky-X
We will be heading out to Colorado, Utah, and Arizona in September. Won't be doing any off-roading but I got the wife talked into some dirt roads to some less visited places. I want to see the night sky with no light pollution so a couple nights will be away from towns.
We were in South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming a few years ago. It is scary driving 80-85 on the highways with those pronghorns all over the side of the road. In Arkansas, you start braking because you know a deer is going to cross the highway right in front of you.......and when there is one, there is usually one or two more to follow.
I know you'll have a good time. When it's dry, a 2wd with a locking diff will get to most places within reason. When it's wet, there ain't much hope for anything. Some places go from drivable to unwalkable after a short rain.
The night sky out west is amazing. It's not too hard to get away from all road and rail traffic either on the gravel roads.
As for the critters running across the road, there's way more carcasses in the ditches than most people realize. I took a bicycle road ride out here a few weeks back and seen a whole lot more than is noticeable from a car. Several cows too. Open range+black cattle+dark nights = cowpow. Just because the speed limit may be 80 doesn't mean that's a good idea at night. This guy isn't driving like that. Ain't no driving away from animal contact at those speeds, and quite possibly a hospital trip.
I hope the weather for most of your trip is nice. That late in the year, some roads may already be affected by winter weather. I carry tire chains but haven't needed them yet. Not forced to pull into a chain up area so far. Got caught by a random snowstorm driving into Lake Tahoe one time. Cars all in the ditches. 10,000 feet and up, anything is possible, any time of the year.
It's nice to get back to Arkansas, especially after the mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and snakes aren't anywhere to be seen. I'll probably miss the fall colors but get back just in time for ice storms. Yea!
The story of three wheels and a man...