Trip report - SF Bay to Jackson Hole

["Paul F. Kunz" <pfkeb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

   My wife and I just finished our annual trip from SF Bay area to
Jackson Hole, Wyoming and back with our '88 735i.   We went directly
(991.6 miles), but meandered on the way back.   Some BMW related
observations...

- - On the way east of Reno, we saw only a single BMW on the open road
  and that was an Idaho registered 5er heading back to Idaho Falls
  from Jackson.  There's a BMW Dodge/BMW dealer in Idaho Falls
  (pop. 43,000), so not very surprising.

- - On the way, we did see a number of Mercedes.   Are MB owners more
  likely to take a long trip then BMW owners?

- - Tried to use the cruise control, but found we had to cut it out too
  often.   If you can't use the cruise control on the interstate in
  Nevada when can you use it?   I guess when you're happy to do the
  speed limit instead of the 10-15 over it that I feel comfortable
  with.  BTW, the Interstate in Nevada has a 75 Mph limit.

- - On the way back thru Nevada, we avoided the Interstate and took the
  two lane roads.  Since I've never seen a tropper on these roads, so
  one can go as fast as one feels comfortable with.  100-110 felt
  quite comfrotable for a hour or so at a time.  We did 125 at a
  particularly smooth strech.  Boy, doing a mere 85 after that felt
  real slow.

- - Saw a Z3 registered in Arizona in a Motel in Stanley, Idaho.  Given
  the size of the Z3 trunk, that person or couple had to be traveling
  light.  Meanwhile, my wife seems to be able to spread stuff out in
  every available space in our 7er.

- - Saw quite a number of BMW registered in Teton County, Wyoming, which
  includes Jackson Hole.   I'm not usre there are any BMW dealers in
  Wyoming, but then Idaho Falls is only 1 hour and 1/2 away from
  Jackson.  Jackson is not like the rest of Wyoming, for one thing, so
  many billionaires are buying homes there that they are pushing the
  millionaires out. 

- - If you think that SUVs are cluttering urban roads, then you should
  look at their density in the back roads in the mountains in the
  west.  Now some of these unpaved back roads need a high clearance
  vechicle, butg our lowered 7er with low profile tires did quite well
  on the quite a few unpaved roads.

   Just some observations, for those interested.

------------------------------