7000 miles and 20 states in 58 days.
I'm posting our trip partly for my future reference. The main reason and only reservations during this trip was for the Albuquerque balloon fest in early October. This is probably our 10th trip out West and we moved more often than normal... almost every two days. We also had more light rain than in the previous 10 trips combined. Had to slow down in NV to let a thunderstorm with hail in it, pass in front of us leaving the road white for us. Also had one night of small hail and sleet at the N Rim. I really like Weather Tap Zoom as it can tell you all kind of things about WX around you.
We left N GA for WY by way of S GA (been told that was cheaper than a divorce), a 300 mile detour on Aug 20th. We left the family reunion Sunday at 2PM and stopped just inside TX that night...600 miles. It's not encouraging when the first exit on I-20 in TX is 635 but the next evening we were in Santa FE...830 miles. Both nights at Walmart and then on to South Fork CO and a PA CG to resupply...200 miles. Next we headed to Taylor Park for two nights by way of Lake City...150 miles.
Enjoyed the Wild Bill museum in Cody
Next we took a gravel road out of Taylor Park, in the rain to Buena Vista and then to Rawlins, Wy...400 miles. 325 miles to Cody for two nights and then on to W Yellowstone staying two night at Baker Hole USFS CG...170 miles. We went south out of W Yellowstone staying at Messa Falls and then on to Jackson Hole staying three nights at Gros Ventre CG. Our neighbor here.
From Jackson we spent the night in Fernely, NV, the last stop for reasonable diesel before CA...700 miles. Arrived S Lake Tahoe Labor Day without reservations (Monday not Friday:S) staying at the S Lake Tahoe city park for three days. Saw this interesting German MH there.
Next we took 88/49 to Sorna Fairgrounds for three night driving the car to Yosemite which was depressing because of the fire damage, pine beetle dead trees, and no Yosemite Falls.. not even a wet spot where the fall should be. Next we headed to the Hearst Castle and the wine country near Poso Robles... five days. Headed East by way of Bakersfield where I'd shipped an awning spring to a dealer who was the first to work on any of my RVs in 20+ years. Could not talk the DW into getting on the roof while I stood on too short a ladder to put the spring in the slide topper. Did a day trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs. The drought in southern CA is real with lakes that are 3/4th empty and willows growing at the half full level as it been that dry for that long. Did the 280 miles to Las Vegas staying at Main Street Station FHU CG for $16/night and we needed the ACs.
Unless you get to it early in the day, you need reservations to go one way in this tunnel in Zion
Zion is a easy trip staying in Hurricane for two nights and then on to Jacob Lake and the N Rim for three nights. Two nights at the S Rim in a USFS CG a few miles south as the extra day at the N Rim waiting for the rain to stop put us at the S Rim on Friday with all the CGs full. Hard to pick just one picture.
Headed south to Sedona for two days and then SE to Pine and Show Low and then to Grants, NM to resupply before the five days of dry camping at the balloon fest.
After the balloon fest, the horse was headed to the barn...two days and 1500 miles for a total of 7000 plus 3500 in the car. 24 nights at FHU CG at $24 average price/night. 13 nights in USFS CGs for free or $10/night. 15 nights dry camping, usually Walmarts at the end of a long day driving. Had to rotate the front tires to solve a problem with the MH pulling to the right and had to put on one fuel filter. GasBuddy probably saved me $300 partly by going on line before the trip where there is a map showing areas with less expensive fuel... like Fernley, NV where it was 35 cents cheaper than Reno 15 miles away and CA where it could be a dollar higher if you did not use GasBuddy.
We... DW did not want to leave before Aug 20th and deciding to do some of CA made for a longer trip in fewer days than what we normally do and what I'd recommend. Still made for a good trip and probably the last time I'll drive to CA.
We left N GA for WY by way of S GA (been told that was cheaper than a divorce), a 300 mile detour on Aug 20th. We left the family reunion Sunday at 2PM and stopped just inside TX that night...600 miles. It's not encouraging when the first exit on I-20 in TX is 635 but the next evening we were in Santa FE...830 miles. Both nights at Walmart and then on to South Fork CO and a PA CG to resupply...200 miles. Next we headed to Taylor Park for two nights by way of Lake City...150 miles.
Enjoyed the Wild Bill museum in Cody
Next we took a gravel road out of Taylor Park, in the rain to Buena Vista and then to Rawlins, Wy...400 miles. 325 miles to Cody for two nights and then on to W Yellowstone staying two night at Baker Hole USFS CG...170 miles. We went south out of W Yellowstone staying at Messa Falls and then on to Jackson Hole staying three nights at Gros Ventre CG. Our neighbor here.
From Jackson we spent the night in Fernely, NV, the last stop for reasonable diesel before CA...700 miles. Arrived S Lake Tahoe Labor Day without reservations (Monday not Friday:S) staying at the S Lake Tahoe city park for three days. Saw this interesting German MH there.
Next we took 88/49 to Sorna Fairgrounds for three night driving the car to Yosemite which was depressing because of the fire damage, pine beetle dead trees, and no Yosemite Falls.. not even a wet spot where the fall should be. Next we headed to the Hearst Castle and the wine country near Poso Robles... five days. Headed East by way of Bakersfield where I'd shipped an awning spring to a dealer who was the first to work on any of my RVs in 20+ years. Could not talk the DW into getting on the roof while I stood on too short a ladder to put the spring in the slide topper. Did a day trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs. The drought in southern CA is real with lakes that are 3/4th empty and willows growing at the half full level as it been that dry for that long. Did the 280 miles to Las Vegas staying at Main Street Station FHU CG for $16/night and we needed the ACs.
Unless you get to it early in the day, you need reservations to go one way in this tunnel in Zion
Zion is a easy trip staying in Hurricane for two nights and then on to Jacob Lake and the N Rim for three nights. Two nights at the S Rim in a USFS CG a few miles south as the extra day at the N Rim waiting for the rain to stop put us at the S Rim on Friday with all the CGs full. Hard to pick just one picture.
Headed south to Sedona for two days and then SE to Pine and Show Low and then to Grants, NM to resupply before the five days of dry camping at the balloon fest.
After the balloon fest, the horse was headed to the barn...two days and 1500 miles for a total of 7000 plus 3500 in the car. 24 nights at FHU CG at $24 average price/night. 13 nights in USFS CGs for free or $10/night. 15 nights dry camping, usually Walmarts at the end of a long day driving. Had to rotate the front tires to solve a problem with the MH pulling to the right and had to put on one fuel filter. GasBuddy probably saved me $300 partly by going on line before the trip where there is a map showing areas with less expensive fuel... like Fernley, NV where it was 35 cents cheaper than Reno 15 miles away and CA where it could be a dollar higher if you did not use GasBuddy.
We... DW did not want to leave before Aug 20th and deciding to do some of CA made for a longer trip in fewer days than what we normally do and what I'd recommend. Still made for a good trip and probably the last time I'll drive to CA.
