jcubeta wrote:
Hi everyone,
I am planning my first ever long-haul camping trip with my new travel trailer.
Congratulations - this will be a GREAT TRIP - Search the many trips that have been taken from East to West - ADD, many stops/drive throughs along the way - you know that there is sooooooo much more than just these two Parks out West.
It would be during the summer of 2018,
2018 is a long way out so don't over plan - as IMHO things will change more than they will firm up. The more you learn about the West and what you enjoy, the more the trip will change.
4 weeks off and doing a trek
MORE TIME MEANS MORE FUN.
As you will find out - you CAN DO IT in 4 weeks but every day you can get will just be rewarding you with more of the West you have driven so far to see. Practice this Summer with a number of trips to say - Rocky Gap SP - Ashville/Lake Toxaway - Rehoboth/Indian River Inlet - Williamsburg - just to name a few. Learn to get everything ready so you can start right after work, this 4-6 hours of driving will stretch your time buy almost a full day (this will be a big deal in 2018 in the West)
from Virginia to see (at least) the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone with my family.
My advise would be to head out to Colorado First - while it is not on your list, getting to the Rockies will allow you to at least drive through the areas that are Beautiful - and to begin to make the trip enjoyable. I have probably 20+ Trips Out from Annapolis to Colorado and the route we have found the most comfortable/enjoyable is This Bing Map It does not follow the normal routing options but is an easy drive with less traffic/curves/bumps/drama than the recommended routes - first we use I-68 to Morgantown then up to I-70 - then we drive right through the cities - go to Champagne - then to Hannibal - following RT 36 to just outside Colorado - then a diagonal back to I-70 with the trip ending in the Clear Creek Camp Ground in Golden, CO. From here the west is yours - so go to it - 1700+ miles - Good Roads - if you really push it you might average 50 mph - 34+ hours of driving 4 eight hour days plus the early start right after work, gets you there on a Tuesday evening, think that might be the more sane option as it will require three 10 hour days of really pushing it to beat that, so???
I am sure this forum has seen many of these sorts of posts.
Do a search and you will find volumes on the subject matter.
I have little clue as to how to start planning for such a thing.
Well you have started - now apply what you learn - have a little slack in the schedule to allow for problems - Practice this Summer - then Have at it.
Any advice as to how/where to start would be greatly appreciated. :)
Thanks,
James
Tried to address the questions - now the advice - know your limits, it's a Vacation - Learn to DRY CAMP - understand the Weather - Summer is Hot in Many locations - Summer is Crowded - weekends are not the time to move - crowded/popular, are best seen during the week - Pick your major spots, then route through to at least SEE as many other spots as possible - Relax - leave enough time to get home -
learn from this -
these pictures will help choose - Above all remember to Enjoy the trip and take THOUSANDS of PICTURES.
Best of Luck, remember to let us know as you progress.
Hope this helps,
