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8800 mile trip to Yellowstone, et al.

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
We got back last Sunday, July 29th from a near 2 month 8800 mile trip to Yellowstone NP, Grand Teton NP, plus 5 other national parks, monuments or battlefields. We also visited museums in two different cities, and the Black Hills.

All in all a very good trip, after the bad start. One day in, and we had to detour from western Virginia, and go to Orlando where my WWII Marine mother in law passed away at 95. We spent a week there and then took off for the west.

All told, things went smoothly, except for the rock that broke my window. Fortunately, it's a small star break and is up in the colored part of the windshield.

Had two flat tires on the trailer, and it was the same tire position each time. Right rear tire. First flat was in Yellowstone, and had it fixed and rims switched. This was $64 at the auto and rv repair facility at Fishing Bridge.

2nd flat was discovered at a campground in Illinois. Changed the tire, and luckily there was a Ford dealership 4.5 miles away. They fixed the flat for $24 dollars.

I also had two different repairs done to my trailer, a 2017 Jayco Jay Flight 23RB.

The faucet in the bathroom had been leaking a little for fometime. However, it began to leak a lot. Stopped in right after Bish's RV Super Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho opened. They cleared enough time so they could replace the bathroom faucets and replace the cone washers under warranty coverage. Knock on wood, it hasn't leaked since.

We also stopped unannounced, with out an appointment at the Jayco Factory Customer Service facility after regular hours. A manager was still there, and he let us stay the night plugged in. Early the next morning they replaced the two bad LED ceiling lights and replace the chrome facing plate that surrounds the micro. It had broken, for some reason. This was also warranty work.

Oh, one last bit of excitement. A deer ran into my trailer. I had seen her coming, but there is very little emergency manuvering one can do while pulling a trailer on I-90 out of Bozeman, Montana. I thought she was going to get me in the grill of the truck, and that would have made for a very, very bad day. Instead, she veered and tried to go behind the truck. Unfortunately for her, the trailer was hitched to the truck. There was a big thud, and I saw the deer down in the middle of the road. I pulled off the interstate as the first opportunity to see the damage. I was expecting a disaster. A deer and aluminum siding, and probably some of the 2x2 wooden studs would not mix well.

Luckily, the deer hit the lower black diamond plate material on the front of the trailer. End result was a dent, the size of a basketball, and 1 to 1.5 inches deep. I have found no other structural damage, at least yet. I will need to re-caulk down there. I believe the seam was separated a little.

As I said, on balance it was a very good trip.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch
12 REPLIES 12

bigorange
Explorer
Explorer
Beautiful areas...we were probably in some of the same places about the same time and maybe crossed paths. 4000 miles from AZ up through Bryce to Glacier then back through Yellowstone and Grand Tetons.

We got lucky with deer...driving in to Bryce in the evening my daughter counted over 90 deer along the road and there were a couple in the road. All stayed in their lanes or off the road thankfully.
Not all those who wander are lost. - Tolkien

2018 Cherokee 235B 5W
2011 Ram 2500 CC SWB SLT 4WD 6.7 CTD 3.73
B&W Turnover Ball + Companion Slider hitch
2003 Sierra T22 TT - Sold

rbpru
Explorer II
Explorer II
Sound like a typical long distance trip, I threaded the rig between a doe and two fawns in a panic stop. The doe and first fawn when in front the second fawn stopped then when behind. A lot of pavement goes by when you are try to stop hard. The critters were well on their way before my heart beat slowed down. ๐Ÿ™‚

On our 8000 mile Western trip we had two flats, one on the trailer, passenger side rear the other on the truck passenger side rear. Also the standard fix as you go items, turn lamp burned out, kitchen faucet spout leaked, all the things that extended bouncing down the road causes.

I am glad you enjoyed your trip.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
I'll leave it at, the deer didn't make it. I hated it for the deer, but man that creature was stupid.

But I would have hated it even more if the front of my truck had come in contact with the deer, or if the dear had broadsided my travel trailer.

1995brave wrote:
What happened to the deer?
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
No I didn't. I have no idea what the local police number would be to call. 911 certainly wouldn't be the number to call.

Nor could I stop in the middle of the interstate to move it, nor could I stop down the road and walk back to move it.

I didn't know if there was a number to call in a situation like that.

1995brave wrote:
ReneeG wrote:
1995brave wrote:
What happened to the deer?


" . . . saw the deer down in the middle of the road"

dead, I'm presuming. Poor thing, but it could've been worse for the OP too.


Did he contact the police or Forest Service to dispatch or remove the deer from the road? A lot of places use the fresh meat to feed the homeless or give to needy families.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

gmw_photos
Explorer
Explorer
Glad to hear you made a good trip out of it in spite of the difficulties.

May your mother-in-law rest in peace. One more of the greatest generation we have lost. Condolences to you all.

1995brave
Nomad
Nomad
ReneeG wrote:
1995brave wrote:
What happened to the deer?


" . . . saw the deer down in the middle of the road"

dead, I'm presuming. Poor thing, but it could've been worse for the OP too.


Did he contact the police or Forest Service to dispatch or remove the deer from the road? A lot of places use the fresh meat to feed the homeless or give to needy families.

maddog77
Explorer
Explorer
Sounds like a wonderful trip! I think I'm envious....counting the days (years) before I can hit the road for months at a time. The sights you have seen out west! Sounds like the mis-haps you describe were well worth it. Happy camping! Oh....I had a large bird connect with the top-front of my aluminum sided trailer...I too was expecting a lot of damage...only a small dent for me too. ๐Ÿ˜„
God, family & camping freinds forever! SMS

'04 SunnyBrook Solanta 3310
'05 Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab w/ 5.7 Hemi V8

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
1995brave wrote:
What happened to the deer?


" . . . saw the deer down in the middle of the road"

dead, I'm presuming. Poor thing, but it could've been worse for the OP too.
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

1995brave
Nomad
Nomad
What happened to the deer?

Dick_B
Explorer
Explorer
I haven't done a survey but I think that same tire is the most susceptible of the trailer tires. There is a lot of junk near the edge of the highway and supposedly the front tire flips up nails, screws, etc. and the back tire reaches out and catches and keeps them. Just sayin'.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two electric bikes (both Currie Tech Path+ models)

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
An Alaska trip will definitely be a trip of a life time. That trip sounds great.

Where has your current trip taken you?


phil-t wrote:
Sounds like a really good trip. Glad you had a good time.
We are nearing the end of a 8k mile trip ourselves, another 3 or 4 days. This is our first "big" trip and has been an exceptional experience. Yup, there have been problems, but nothing unsurmountable. I think that is the "norm".
Time to plan our Alaska adventure for next summer.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

phil-t
Explorer
Explorer
Sounds like a really good trip. Glad you had a good time.
We are nearing the end of a 8k mile trip ourselves, another 3 or 4 days. This is our first "big" trip and has been an exceptional experience. Yup, there have been problems, but nothing unsurmountable. I think that is the "norm".
Time to plan our Alaska adventure for next summer.
2014 Allegro 36LA