115 cross country drive

[joshhol]

Took the 300D from California to Boston just about 2 weeks ago. Epic journey to say the least. Rebuilt engine in 1984, 325,000 miles on the block with nothing done to it over the years except timing chain r&r and valve adjustments. Of course usual maintenance.
I know the car really well (rebuilt the entire suspension system myself almost 10 years ago) but it had been sitting for about 9 months. Really, it had been largely inactive for 7 years while I had been stationed overseas and thankfully my brother would stretch its legs until he moved away and couldn't do it anymore.
Had the oil, coolant, brake fluid, belts changed. Loaded up with some tools, fluids, flashlight etc and set off from the S.F. Bay area up 80 to Reno. Then diverted to 50 on "The Loneliest Highway" through Nevada on one of the coolest stretches of road ever. Cut through Utah on 70 through "AirWolf" country -for anyone who remembers that TV show- up through the Rockies, adjusting the IP altitude compensating device as I went but noticing nothing, finally on to the endless flat malaise that is Kansas. Weather was warm, no A/C, slowest guy on the road for sure but I wasn't pushing the old girl; average 60 to 65, lot's of patience.
I arrived in St. Louis and looked around for a few days (going to be my new home) and then continued on to Boston but detoured up to Michigan to see family. The last day was a 713 mile/14 hour self-induced beating from Detroit to Boston thru Canada.
The thing that blew my mind was throughout the duration of this entire trip, I only used half a quart of oil, and that wasn't until the last day when I pushed the speed into the 70s to get home.
Remarkable I thought.