StealthGTI
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Newport News, VA
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI Sport
It's time to hit the road again. You may recall my "Coast-to-Coast" thread from November. My wife and I had driven to CA to retrieve my mother's cremains and some of her effects. What we didn't expect was to have a change of heart regarding our desire to bring more of her things home with us. Unfortunately, we were at my limit for cargo capacity in my GTI. We immediately made plans for a return trip. We had two significant concerns: 1) Winter was coming; so, we needed to wait until at least March. 2) Unloading/reloading my utility trailer each day was a pain! Plus, it was an aerodynamic disaster. I decided to speed my efforts to finish the conversion project that I had started on my cargo trailer. Using the cargo trailer MIGHT improve aerodynamics, but would certainly allow me to leave my cargo locked in the trailer each night.
Here is the nearly-finished cargo trailer conversion:
I weighed the trailer at 760 lbs (345 kg). I don't want to travel with a rooftop cargo box. So, the spare tires and fluids that once rode on the roof will now ride in the cargo trailer. I know that will instantly add another 100 lbs. I will also carry some moving blankets, collapsed cardboard boxes, impact wrenches, other tools, and E-Track hardware. I'm hoping to leave below 1000 lbs (454 kg), which will allow me to bring back up to 500 lbs of return cargo. We'll see how that works out.
If you recall, we brought home my mother's three cats. Combined with two of our own, boarding them for 16 days would be quite expensive. So, my wife will stay behind with them and then fly out for a weekend to choose what's coming home with me. We have someone who can stand to care for five cats for three nights.... but not for 16. LOL!
I'm looking to return to Tail of the Dragon, central Texas, White Sands, the Very Large Array, and Kingman. With longer days, there are a few photos that I hope to get that I missed last time. I also hope to visit several new places. I'll update as I travel. Of course, I hope to make the trip without any mechanical issues... a redemption for the GTI after the last trip. ;-)
Thanks for following along!
Scott
Here is the nearly-finished cargo trailer conversion:
I weighed the trailer at 760 lbs (345 kg). I don't want to travel with a rooftop cargo box. So, the spare tires and fluids that once rode on the roof will now ride in the cargo trailer. I know that will instantly add another 100 lbs. I will also carry some moving blankets, collapsed cardboard boxes, impact wrenches, other tools, and E-Track hardware. I'm hoping to leave below 1000 lbs (454 kg), which will allow me to bring back up to 500 lbs of return cargo. We'll see how that works out.
If you recall, we brought home my mother's three cats. Combined with two of our own, boarding them for 16 days would be quite expensive. So, my wife will stay behind with them and then fly out for a weekend to choose what's coming home with me. We have someone who can stand to care for five cats for three nights.... but not for 16. LOL!
I'm looking to return to Tail of the Dragon, central Texas, White Sands, the Very Large Array, and Kingman. With longer days, there are a few photos that I hope to get that I missed last time. I also hope to visit several new places. I'll update as I travel. Of course, I hope to make the trip without any mechanical issues... a redemption for the GTI after the last trip. ;-)
Thanks for following along!
Scott
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