jeepin911 wrote:
PLAN B (actually like PLAN Q but who's counting)
...>>>... First off - NO WRONG choices - BUT - IMHO there are some places better than others - Some more FUN than Others - Some places that are just FUN and some that because of the Headaches, are just not. As Beautiful as the pictures are of California it is not a High Value Option in an RV trip - Too Many People - Too Few places to Stay - Too much BS - this is from someone who spent 4 years as a kid, in two parts of the State - Sent one of MY Kids to College there - Has visited in an RV there - Has flown in there - Has 10's of thousands of miles there - but if you look at my signature - Have not been back there in over 15 years. Strong Advice - CUT OUT THE WEST COAST PART OF THE TRIP. -- EXPENSIVE -- CROWDED -- NOT RV FRIENDLY.
- Shaved over 1500 miles off - Less places with more days at the important ones, no travel days over 400 but the last one which we can break up if we need.
Couple items to note:
1. Cincinnati to Durango is just a long way - best I can find to do it.
Ohio to the Rockies is just head down Grind it out to get there - Leave the afternoon before the day you planned on leaving, that jump(4-6 hours) - 200 -400 miles is just all gravy and then spend the Night in a Wal*Mart - before pushing out again - ...........
2. I can't seem to tear myself away from Yosemite and Glacier which creates a lot of distance....may have to drop one with further revision - welcome any thoughts,
I'm in the Large Camp that has "Been there Done that" - If I need to do California - I'll fly in and Fly out - Just not RV Friendly in the SUMMER. Glacier on the other Hand - is Possible - need to plan a little - be flexible - be Lucky - It's BEAUTIFUL - UNFORGETTABLE - AND DOABLE. GO FOR IT!
3. Wife threw the beach in at Santa Cruz which we all seem to like the idea of
Waters COLD - Beach is Crowded - Again it's California - No Place to Park - No Place to Stay - just not RV friendly - Have you Looked at Lake Powell? - Warm - Not to many People - BIG - CLOSE - FUN.
4. Thanks for all the advice for those who suggested places, as you can see I took several of them!
5. Love any feedback - even if it's just to tell me "you wouldn't want to travel with me" - LOL
I'd Love to travel with YOU, but not sure You would Travel with ME!
Ok - Here Goes!
Cincinnati to St. Louis (1 night) 350 Miles - St Louis to Topeka, KS (1 night) 311 miles - Topeka, KS to Dodge City, KS (2 nights) 271 miles - Dodge City Great Sand Dunes (1 night) 359 miles - Great Sand Dunes to Durango, CO (5 nights) 167 Miles
Sorry, it may just be me but, in 1,000 days + - in Colorado, you have picked the ONlY TWO places that have never been in my itinerary to return to, Sand Dunes - interesting story, was OK to see, Hike around, but we go to the Beach every year - this is really not even close. Durango, sorry, but when we were there - Traffic - Crowds - Just not my cup of Tea. Silverton - Yes - One way on the RR maybe, - San Juan's - YES!, YES, YES! - in that JEEP and the 4X4 trails - need to add some time here - My kids (39 and 41, one lives outside of Denver) have friends who came out once and are still there - This is Heaven!!! - you need to add enough time to see - Lake City - Trout Lake - Ouray - Dunton and Lizard Head Pass. (Not to slight Pagosa Springs - Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Crested Butte - Marble - Maroon Bells)
Durango, CO to ZION NP (4 nights) 364 Miles
So you have Blown off Lake Powell - Antelope Canyon - Monument Valley - Bryce - Escalante - Kodachrome - Moab - Capitol Reef - Goblins - Rt 12 RT 128. IMHO this just "Say's RV Adventure" - FUN - Why I RV .......The Kids will love it.
ZION NP to Vegas (1 night) 160 Miles
HOT and Not the place to be in the SUMMER.
Vegas to Bakersfield (1 night) 285 Miles
Bakersfield, CA to Yosemite NP (5 nights) 170 Miles
Yosemite NP to Santa Cruz, CA (5 nights) 184 Miles
Santa Cruz to Redding, CA NP (2 nights) 285 Miles
Redding, CA to Crater Lake NP (3 nights) 238 Miles
Crater Lake NP to Columbia River Gorge (4 nights) 246 Miles
Columbia River Gorge to Spokane (1 nights) 294 Miles
Spokane to
I'd take these three weeks and put them into Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana - and you are still selling these states short!
Glacier NP (5 nights) 273 Miles
Glacier NP to Yellowstone NP (5 nights) 386 Miles
Yellowstone NP to Big Horn NF (1 night) 141 miles
Add a day or two to Each - as you will need to be really lucky to get a place close to the Parks - they are Popular - they are Crowded - They are Worth IT!
Big Horn NF to Deadwood, SD (4 nights) 275 miles
I'm guessing Mt Rushmore is here and Custer/Black Hills.
Deadwood, SD to Sioux Falls, SD (2 night) 386 miles
Sioux Falls, SD to Wisconsin Dells, WI (4 nights) 381 miles
Wisconsin Dells, WI to Cincinnati 489 Miles
Good to have some extra time here to get home as more than Likely you will be short on time - as you likely are just getting into the Groove.
From your other POST; Goal.
Goal was to experience RV'ing, see the National Parks/interesting places, and spend time with the family on an adventure. No mission or specific directional goals beyond that.As your name online name is "Jeepin" - I'd think that might be something you would really enjoy - Colorado and Utah are the 4X4 Capital of the West.
I admit I'm Prejudiced, I've been lucky enough to have been exposed to the travel Bug Early and Often as a Kid and then again as an Adult (Some wonder if I ever really have grown up) Having been to Every State but Alaska, I can say that there is nothing Like the Rockies. NOTHING. To have the time to really get to, See, Touch and Experience these Beautiful parts of the USA is just special. To have the 60 days to do this with your Kids IS SPECIAL, but like I said, I believe that if the Goal is to "see the National Parks/interesting places, and spend time with the family on an adventure", then there can be no wrong choices.
On this forum there are Two People I have the Highest Respect for - Two Gypsies and 4 Runner Guy - so I'd suggest you kept their advice in mind - The advice they give is built upon Years of experience - they tell it like it is, they Know what they are talking about.
Keep working on the Choices - Keep us all in the Loop.
Best of Luck,
