Just came back from a 6 day, roughly 1,600 mile road trip with my wife. Turned into a reality TV tour with stops in Murrel's Inlet, SC (Party Down South), Charleston, SC (Southern Comfort) and seeing Big Smo in North Myrtle Beach, SC (Big Smo).
Car ran great, no issues and was way more comfortable as I remember back when we did this in various P cars.
It rained almost exclusively the entire time.

Picking up car from service before the trip

The day we left

On the Virginia Bay Bridge after making some noise through the tunnels ….




First stop for no other reason than it was the furthest South beach stop we could make after work was Atlantic Beach, NC. Probably the only stay without rain.
Also no pics of the car as we arrived late after dark.
Sunrise over the beach



Next stop Murrel’s Inlet, SC for lunch:



After first day of driving we had a 20.7MPG, they highest I saw was 21.4 on the trip

Next Charleston, SC, which was completely rained out and I have no pics of the car. We just ducked into the hotel garage and had a brief moment of no rain the next morning. Hotel was great and so was dinner but really did not see anything of the town other than doing a loop in the rain in the car along Broad and King street and up East Market and Murray Blvd.
The hotel rooftop pool and bar the next morning, could not go there for night cap because of rain.

Honey took advantage of the no rain morning and swiftly destroyed my vacay porte-monnaie ….



Then back up north to Murrel’s again for lunch and some more Boom Boom shrimp…

Then to North Myrtel Beach, SC


By the way check the resorts advertisement for the Beach cottages …

Look familiar?

We tried to go to the beach once but barely made it there and it started to rain again. Drove several days just through beach front neighborhoods and looked at houses. More shopping of course. Cargo space in the XK was tested to the limit.
The reason we stayed at this resort was because it was across the street from House of Blues

First night we saw Filter

And then Big Smo which was really fun


The on to Ocracoke, NC the next day, waiting for the ferry



Ferry takes about 2 hours 15 to get there and we were a little hung over from the concert the night before …

Arrived on Ocracoke, NC, more rain of course


Had to reduce the stay to oysters, shrimp, fried pickles, bloomed onion and lots of wine and beer…

Ocracoke, been there – done that, bought the t-shirt


… next bar … pounding … rain never stops …


Sun is setting on Ocracoke …


…. And my wife …

A little hitchhiker the next morning

Onto Hatteras and the Outer Banks…




Of course had to take another ferry …

 

Ferry life …




Then we finally disembark on Hatteras …





Down this road is where the Inn at Rodanthe is … soooo we didn’t make it

This Inn was moved behind the sand dunes after the movie was shot there because of erosion. I wanted to get a picture of my car in front of it because Richard Gere drove this in the movie


It is the one in the background with the blue shutters

Driving further North on Rt 12




How much did it rain … this much, second frog on the car … what the what????

 

Thanks for the photo show. Looks like you had a great road trip. Thanks for sharing your experience. Great looking "car" and "model" too.

You're a very lucky man to own such beauty, both car and wife. Simply stunning!

 

Great photo's! Thanks for sharing!

 

Looks like a great trip! I should have done one of these for my Irish break.

 

despite the rain - looks like a great trip. thanks for sharing

 

Happpy to see you enjoying your RS~!

 

You didn't allow that toad in the car, did you?

 

Any member posting a pic of their wife in a shoe shop is in serious danger of a ban.



Graham

 

Great pictures! Thanks for posting. I know you and your wife enjoyed such a wonderful trip in such a fine automobile traveling 1st class all the way. I'm envious.

 

Great trip and photos!

Sounds to me that the money velocity had beat out that of the XKR-S :-).

 

Great pix. Looks like you had a great trip!! Love the XKR-S.

 

Thanks for the photo story, beautiful car (best color), beautiful scenary, great food, what more could you ask of a trip. I often find that poor weather on a vacation actually contributes to having a restful enjoyable time and takes the pressure off of trying to do all of the tourist stuff. I hope you and your lovely wife enjoyed the it. (Well, I know she did!)

Oh, and by the way, the Mina exhaust is installed, and all of the other modifications are almost done, so I hope to actually hear that exhaust as well as drive the car withing the next week or so. I'll report back.

Thanks again.
Ted

 

Ted, you are absolutely right about he weather. We got in nice naps in the afternoon instead of hunting down "things to see". You make a point of just seeing what you absolutely must and take more time enjoying longer lunches and dinners and the here and now of the moment.
Hope you enjoy the exhaust.

Yes, my wife was the single most expensive item on this trip and outspent all meals and accommodations combined .... then again, she has to put up with me the rest of the year ....

Thank you all for your kind comments.

I will tell my wife that her excessive shopping could get me banned here ...

 

FYI... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/o...s-2185/page38/

 

A shoe shop, although risky, cannot be compared to perusing at a jewelry store. At least you had enough money to gas up for the ride home!

 

Great Pics and story, and by the way did you know your engine warning light is illuminated in the fuel consumption 20.7 mpg photo?

Ian

 

I noticed the engine warning light too.

 

yes, it is my HFCs, just shows that bank1 is running lean. It is an ongoing issue because of the parameters for the O2 sensors are too narrow. No harm, just a nuisance. I clear and check the codes before starting a trip but it does come back on.