The trip up the 93 north to Ely had the engine spinning around roughly 2200 times per minute at a cushy 80 MPH. On a particularly long and free of patrol stretch of road top speed was tested and hit with a very abrupt and not at all comfortable rev limit and fuel cut around 110 MPH. So much for Land Speed Records on the way to Bonneville. Long highway gave way to smaller towns and many tankups, and here lies the kink in the armor of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. With the AC not at all on deep freeze, at real world highway speeds the Grand Cherokee consistently scored 17 or so MPG over multiple fillups. Mileage got a bit better with the AC off at night, but stops for fill ups were frequent.
All-wheel drive is helpful on the road for powering out of corners, but especially impressive off road. It was driving fast on off-the-highway mining trail and dirt road jaunts that the big
Jeep really shone. The Grand Cherokee Laredo was an absolute blast to drive on the rolling pebbles of dusty central Nevada dirt roads on the way to nonexistent ghost towns. A Gigi Galli size grin was present as the intersection between pavement and dirt disappeared in the rear view. Traction control and ABS is also very handy on dirt surfaces where larger rocks serve as a surface of bigger marbles. Good thing too, as over exuberant driving on a surface of round marbles with round spinning tires in a heavy vehicle can quickly lead to trouble.
Once out on the salt flats the Grand Cherokee Laredo’s rear section folded perfectly flat and served as a deluxe non-smoking single with no reservations required. Not even William Shatner could beat this deal. A bit of foam and an inflatable pillow along with a few Mexican blankets collected over the years transformed the cargo area into the Bonneville Hotel in no time. Converted back into transportation, the Jeep was pointed south on the 93, then southwest on the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, or U.S. 6. The highway was named to honor the Union forces during the Civil War at the bequest of Major William L. Anderson, Jr. of the U.S. Army. Other than the memory of the Civil War and lunar craters there isn't much else on the 6 going through Nevada. Make sure to tank up in Ely.
