First Cross Country Trip NY To California & Back

[Trynforpar]

My wife and I are retiring this year and are planning our first cross country trip from Southern NY to California and back.

We are planning to leave in late July for about 3 1/2 months and hope to cover the northern states going west and the southern states going east.

Its my wife and 2 small dogs that go everywhere with us and we have a 40 foot diesel pusher with a Jeep Toad. I am looking for any assistance and recommendations from those who have done this before.

We started plotting out the northern states and it looks like we are going to have to cut back on some of the proposed sites in the interest of time but I also want some R&R included in the trip.

Suggestions would include roads to travel (I prefer scenic when possible), really cool places to see ( I like National Parks), things to avoid, problems you may have encountered etc.

We've been camping for 30 years and we have owned tents, pop-ups, pull behind trailers, fifth wheels and now our first motorhome.

We are using the Good Sam trip planner which is helpful but let me know if a better trip planner exists.

[wildebill308]

Where in NY are you leaving from? Quick and easy routing. Take I-90 West till you can't then turn left go south till you come to I-10 East turn Left go East till you can't then turn left, go north till home.

Bill

[kaypsmith]

When you get to Florida and start back northward, take I-95 to be sure you go through Savannah Ga., be sure to visit Fort Pulanski (a great place for history buffs) while there and many other historic sites are there. If you haven't already gotten a senior pass

for the National Parks, they can be acquired at most ranger stations, cost $10.00 (lifetime) with proof that you or wife is at least 62. This will get you free admission for you and your party to any national park, and most Army corp of

engineers parks give half off for camping with them.

[jleamont]

Trynforpar, we ran this trip two times. Starting in PA I went out I-76 west to I-70 west to St Louis (watch the signs for I-44 its easily missed, I missed it and the DW still reminds me often) I-44 south to I-40 west. I-40 we love the scenery and stops along the way.

Grand Canyon railway campground in Williams AZ is great. I recommend taking the steam engine up to the Grand Canyon from the campground. Williams AZ is a neat town to walk around.

Route 66 parallels I-40, we jumped on and off I-40 and strolled through some of the small towns and took in all of the old traveling history. I love Route 66 history so that was a highlight for me.

We ate at the "Big Texan steak ranch" in Amarillo TX, stayed at the campground close by and the Big Texan picked us up in a 1970's Caddy limo, that was neat.

We also stopped at a gas station from the Disney movie 'Cars" took a picture of the Motorhome at the old glass top gas pumps in Shamrock TX.

Good place to eat if you like classic cars is Russell's Truck Stop and Museum in Endee New Mexico, decent food neat place to walk around. Just off I-40 at RT392.

[chp007kd40]

I know this is a hard concept for most non-fulltimers, but don't "tow a vehicle" and your trip will be so much more enjoyable. We have not had a vehicle behind our Itasca KD40 for over five years now and have travelled over 35,000 miles since. Admittedly, the first couple of trips were like leaving a family member behind, but now we can't even remember their name.

Enjoy your trip, it's a great adventure. Be careful who you let work on your vehicle, seriously.

David & Ruthann with Peetie, Oliver and Tracker our doxies

[manholt]

Walls Drug Store in S. Dakota, Glacier Park and Banff, Canada ( all part of the same park), Yellowstone, Snake River, Fish Market in Seattle, Olympia National Park, Astoria and all of Hwy. 101 South. Wine country of California, Grand Canyon, all the National Parks in the 4 corners area. Just a few!

In 3.5 months you can cover a lot off the lower 48! Personally, I would get all my Ducks in a row and head out with no time frame in mind, just wander! 14 weeks or 40, I would do it... Trip planner, I only use when I have to be at a specific place and then I use FMCA!

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Carl

[lmsooter]

I know this is a hard concept for most non-fulltimers, but don't "tow a vehicle" and your trip will be so much more enjoyable. We have not had a vehicle behind our Itasca KD40 for over five years now and have travelled over 35,000 miles since. Admittedly, the first couple of trips were like leaving a family member behind, but now we can't even remember their name.

Enjoy your trip, it's a great adventure. Be careful who you let work on your vehicle, seriously.

David & Ruthann with Peetie, Oliver and Tracker our doxies

Interesting concept. Do you rent a car when you arrive at a destination such as Yellowstone or rely on public transportation or scheduled tours?

[john_harris]

I know this is a hard concept for most non-fulltimers, but don't "tow a vehicle" and your trip will be so much more enjoyable. We have not had a vehicle behind our Itasca KD40 for over five years now and have travelled over 35,000 miles since. Admittedly, the first couple of trips were like leaving a family member behind, but now we can't even remember their name.

Enjoy your trip, it's a great adventure. Be careful who you let work on your vehicle, seriously.

David & Ruthann with Peetie, Oliver and Tracker our doxies

ditto on the interesting concept. We are not full timers but on our last cross country, we put just over 1/3 as many miles on the toad as with did on the MH. We tow 4 down and never really found having the little guy back there pushing to be much of a hassle. sight seeing in places like Yellowstone not something to do in MH. Granted there are alternative transportation and at Glacier that can be cool, and Zion a must, but to me that would be more of a hassle. We plan to do the middle route west and southern route back east in the early fall and had not even considered not have the toad.

[wildebill308]

Interesting concept. Do you rent a car when you arrive at a destination such as Yellowstone or rely on public transportation or scheduled tours?

I think that David & Ruthann are in that group that the RV park is their destination. They go to a park and that is where they stay until they move to the next park. There is nothing wrong with this. They are happy with their life stile and I wish them well.

I won't go any where with out my toad. There are so many things to do and see that you can't do in a motorhome. As an example last summer we did North East. in a little over 90 days we drove the Motorhome 5200 miles and the toad over 6000 miles. The ratio was about the same when we went west the year before. The toad gets 30 mpg the coach 8.

Bill

[lmsooter]

I think that David & Ruthann are in that group that the RV park is their destination. They go to a park and that is where they stay until they move to the next park. There is nothing wrong with this. They are happy with their life stile and I wish them well.

I won't go any where with out my toad. There are so many things to do and see that you can't do in a motorhome. As an example last summer we did North East. in a little over 90 days we drove the Motorhome 5200 miles and the toad over 6000 miles. The ratio was about the same when we went west the year before. The toad gets 30 mpg the coach 8.

Bill

Bill,

You are probably right. I don't know how we would do without our toad. From the end of May 2015 to the 1st of November we traveled 5500 miles in the motorhome from Texas up through the midwest then east along the Great Lakes to Vermont and New Hampshire for a couple of months then south to Florida. Used the Jeep for side trips along the way into Maine, Boston, New York City, Washington and just viewing the Fall colors. I think we probably put 5000 miles on the Jeep.

[jleamont]

Both trips out west we didn't tow, at the time our class C wouldn't have been able to make the journey with the jeep behind us (heavier than the tow rating on the coach). But with the class C I could go more places than I can with the DP so it wasn't too bad. We planned on renting a car if needed but in the end it was ok and never had to.

I couldn't imagine not having the jeep now. On occasion if we are camping at a place we have no intention of leaving the campground (weekend trips) I will leave the toad at home, isn't often anymore.

[tbutler]

I'm also in the take the toad camp! The hassle of moving for every little trip takes much of the joy out of having the motor home. Think about it, do you really want to take the entire motor home to town (some really small towns out west) for a grocery run? Sure you can plan ahead and pick up these things while on the road but eventually you'll run into a need for something and it will be pick up the motor home and take it to town for some silly little thing you need. If you had a medical emergency, do you hop in the car and run to the hospital or do you pack up the motor home, bring in the slides, disconnect the utilities and then go to the hospital? You could ask a neighbor to take you to the hospital, we did that one time, a woman and her mother, mom fell and she asked us to take her rather than driving their class C at night on unfamiliar roads. We put about as many miles on the toad as we do on the motor home in a typical summer of travel. What it costs in additional diesel to haul it along is more than offset by the convenience and the reduced cost of driving a smaller, high mileage vehicle (compared to the mileage of the motor home) for all those side trips on small roads and into parks with roads that are unsuitable for motor homes.

Now about the trip. Leaving NY you are headed into PA, OH or KY. I'd stay to the north, you are leaving in late July. It will be hot across the west until you get to the mountains. I would guess that you have probably explored areas close to New York or at least have an idea where to start there. Here are some suggestions for things to see as you travel. These reflect our interests and may or may not appeal to you. If you love National Parks, buy a National Park Annual Pass at your first park if you don't already have one. If you are over 65 you can pay $10 for a pass for the rest of your life! When we did that I made a commitment to join the National Park Foundation which supports our national parks as a way to keep contributing to this wonderful resource we have.

In 2004 we took at history trip following the route of Lewis and Clark across the country. That was the 200th anniversary of the beginning of their trip. It added an interesting theme to what would have been an enjoyable trip under any circumstances. There are guide books for such a trip. We picked up Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark at the visitors center in Clarksville, IN (across the river from Louisville, KY). Louise, my navigator and literary muse, read an entry from the diaries of Lewis and Clark that matched the area we were traveling. The route runs along the Missouri River into Montana and then over the mountains into Idaho and Washington. Along the way you can see a variety of other spots by making side trips. Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are great for hiking and sightseeing. Glacier National Park and Waterton Glacier International Peace Park are sisters across the border from each other. Both are worth a multi-day visit. You will need a passport to cross the border into Canada for Waterton Galcier Park. There are also restrictions on what materials, food, liquor, guns, etc. that you can bring across the border going in both directions. A toad is much easier to take across the border than a motor home but we have crossed the Canadian border with our motor home many times without any serious incident.

Going west from the area of Glacier, the Lewis and Clark Tour follows a tributary of the Columbia River and then the Columbia River out to the Pacific Ocean. Stop and see Grand Coulee Dam and learn about the process that formed the Grand Coulee terrain. The Columbia River Gorge has some spectacular waterfalls along the southern shore of the river. There is a small road that leads from one to another. Basically all the falls are dropping from the slopes of Mt. Hood into the Columbia River Gorge. Follow the Columbia out to the coast to Ft. Clatsop National Park where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805 before their return to the east coast. There are great sights along the Columbia River east of Portland. More than a few of the dams have tours, some better than others. There are fish ladders at some with windows where you can watch the salmon that are climbing the ladder to go upstream. Portland has some interesting old mansions to tour.

Mt. St. Helens is just to the north and there are several visitors centers there as well as plenty of trails to allow you to explore the area around this most recent volcano to erupt in the US. Mt. Ranier National Park is larger and has great scenery and trails. We put off a visit to Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula for many years because we felt it was just too far. When we finally got there, we had many great experiences traveling all around the peninsula. It is a temperate rain forest but during the summers and early fall there is very little rainfall. There are great bike trails along the northern end of the peninsula. The coastal highway, US 101 is a scenic route south from the Olympic Peninsula. We enjoy Astoria, OR which as a nice marine museum highlighting ship traffic along the coast and into and up the Columbia River. South of there is the Tillamook Dairy Cheese Factory which is a must stop for cheese lovers. There is even an RV park across US 101 from the factory and if you aren't ready to stop for the day, the parking lot is very large with plenty of room for RV's.

Florence, OR is a quaint town with many interesting shops and stores. We can never pass through Florence without a stop at the Olive Shop. Louise loves their specialty olives. There is a huge sand dune field south of Florence. We've stayed at a campground on the fringe of the dune field and hiked in the dunes. You can also rent ATV's or take ATV rides with experienced drivers to see the dunes. The first time Louise walked over the top of the first dune she was completely stunned at the sight which is right out of the movies of the Sahara Desert. Sand as far as you can see. There are other stops along US 101, the Devils Thunder Hole, Devils Elbow State Park, lots of beaches and small state parks along the beach. There is Seal Rock and Seal Cave, the list goes on and on. Inland in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is awesome. The lake has to be seen to be believed. There are trails, a boat ride, just scenic views driving all around this lake which is in the caldera of an ancient volcano. South of there Lava Beds National Monument has lava caves that you can explore and the history of volcanic activity in the area which leads back to Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta and others.

In California there is a whole year of things to see from the Redwood Forest, both the state forest and the national park are worth a stop. Walking among the Redwoods is an experience that you will never forget. The same can be said for the Sequoia National Park. Yosemite never fails to amaze, waterfalls, sheer cliffs, beautiful country and great trails. Death Valley National Park sounds foreboding but a fall visit there would be well worth the stop. The stark scenery has its own beauty.

Stop to see and tour Hoover Dam and everybody has to stop in Las Vegas once. There are parks in the downtown area that have you within walking distance of the "strip." They are parking places on a parking lot with full hookups but for a city residence, they work well. South into Arizona as the fall becomes colder there are desert parks like Saguaro National Park and Organ Pipe National Monument. In northern Arizona along I-40 you can see the Petrified Forest National Park and Meteor Crater. New Mexico has interesting sites near Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Taos has some great examples of pueblos that you can visit and learn about the native culture. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a great place to visit any season.

Stop to see the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City or visit the River Walk in San Antonio. Come see us in Edinburg, Texas and I can show you the border fence that some people seem to find such a panacea for our immigration problems. You can visit the NASA Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston. Visit the Texas Gulf Coast and follow it through Louisiana, New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. There are great beach parks all along the way. Another alternative would be to take the Natchez Trace Parkway, a great drive through the southeast along a trail followed by the early settlers in the area. If you time your trip right you can see the Natchez Pilgrimage which features some of the most amazing house tours you will ever take. The Natchez Trace ends in Louisville, KY, back where you started the Lewis and Clark tour. Along the Natchez Trace you will find the grave of Meriwether Lewis.

Now there is no way to do justice to all of this so you just set out and pick what interests you. What you miss this trip you can stop to see on your next trip. Check in at each states welcome center or regional visitors center and pick up the brochures that interest you and travel on. We frequently set out to do or see one thing and find amazing things to see along the way. I never plan a trip in detail before I start, I'm always looking at the map and visitor center information to find the interesting things. I never plan RV park stops ahead unless we are headed into a high use or urban area and then only a few days in advance. I'm willing to settle wherever I can get the services I need. We don't stay in RV parks for the experience of the park, we're interested in the natural areas nearby, the parks, trails, volcanoes, beaches, trees, cactus, and so much more. We love the freedom the motor home gives us to live comfortably wherever we travel. Even if only traveling for a short period of time, wherever you go, you're home!

If you are looking for luxury RV Parks there is a publication for Big Rigs that lists parks that cater only to the biggest of RV's. I'm happy if I'm near the place I want to spend time. We're frequently the most classy rig in the park. All I want is good electric, water and electric. I have everything else I need. We use RV Park Reviews to find our parks. Another useful source is an app for your phone, ALLSTAYS Camp and RV. They also have ALLSTAYS ONP Walmart which will help you find Walmart stores that allow overnight parking and also let you know those that don't allow overnight parking. We stay at Walmart on occasion when we can't find a park where we want. We do this mostly when we are traveling cross country but occasionally when we are touring we'll make an overnight stop at Walmart.

For service I recommend that you find a regional facility for your engine like Cummins Coach Care, check your engine manufacturers web site for their facilities. Freightliner facilities are good for chassis service. Find a dealer for your brand motor home for any manufacturer installed items. The internet is your best friend when looking for service. If you let them know you are on the road, not able to leave the rig and go home, they will usually work with you to get you in and out quickly. Depending on the job, quickly may be a week. In that case, find out what is interesting and take the toad and go exploring while they work or wait for parts.

Finally, if you prefer smaller roads, there are many like US 20 across the Great Plains and pick it up again in Oregon. There aren't a lot of tourist spots or National Parks along the way but it's a great trip through backroads America. It rivals US 50 across Nevada and Utah for the loneliest road in the US. Look at a map (computer, paper, gps, take your pick) and take the smaller road. There is an app for our Garmin GPS that lets us travel with confidence, Low Clearances POI works with many GPS units and has worked well so far to warn us when we are approaching roads with clearance that would stop our travel in the motor home. Louise likes a large print truckers atlas, expensive but really easy to read, which shows all the truck routes, also a way to ensure you are on road suitable for a large motor home. You can pick up an atlas at most any truck stop.

[wildebill308]

Thanks for posting that Tom, I wasn't going to add that much info until the OP answered back.

I enjoyed touring the Lewis and Clark fort but had to wonder about building a fort that the eaves sloped in to the fort. This means you have to walk through the run off and the mud in the middle of your fort. This when they had 6 days in over three mouths that it didn't rain while they were there.

I would add Badlands National park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Little Bighorn National Monument. You can't miss Yellowstone.

I would NEVER be with out my toad.

Bill

[tbutler]

The forts were built in the early 1800's and they were building them to military specs. There was a plan and you followed it, no allowance for rain or snow or heat. I suspect that Lewis and Clark only had a hint of what the winter would bring when the chose the site for the fort and built it in that location. Traveling in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery impressed me in many ways. The men were no strangers from hardship. They did things in the wilderness that I can't imagine any modern man attempting. Ferrying their large wooden canoes and their gear around the Great Falls of the Missouri River 20 miles though lands covered with cactus plants in thin leather moccasins had to be just one of the miserable experiences the Corps of Discovery experienced. These were hearty men and one woman with a baby who fought the elements to achieve their goal. What's a little water!

As I'm writing the above, I was thinking there are so many things that could be mentioned. I agree, I'd definitely see the Badlands of South Dakota (but not in August), Mount Rushmore any day, Little Bighorn, all great stops. There is a Smokejumpers Base in Missoula, MT that I would recommend and Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho is fun for those of us who love exploring volcanic features. We've been criss-crossing the US and Canada since 2001 and there are still things we haven't seen. It's a great country and we're fortunate to be able to travel and see whatever we're able to in the time we have here on this earth.

[wildebill308]

Tom,

Missoula had 3 different farmer’s markets going on at the same time. Right after you turn North on 93 0ff I-90 there is one of the nicest RV parks. Jim & Mary's RV Park, 9800 US-93, Missoula, MT 59808, jimandmarys.com , (406) 549-4416. Each site was very nicely landscaped and they were all different.
If you go up 93 toward Ignatius you will come to the National Bison Range, Dixon, MT 59831, fws.gov (406) 644-2211. When in the area of Ignatius, you should check out Saint Ignatius Mission Church. If you go up far enough, you can end up in Glacier National Park.

Enough memories for tonight, next OR,WA and CA.

Bill

[aztec7fan]

I know this is a hard concept for most non-fulltimers, but don't "tow a vehicle" and your trip will be so much more enjoyable. We have not had a vehicle behind our Itasca KD40 for over five years now and have travelled over 35,000 miles since. Admittedly, the first couple of trips were like leaving a family member behind, but now we can't even remember their name.

Enjoy your trip, it's a great adventure. Be careful who you let work on your vehicle, seriously.

David & Ruthann with Peetie, Oliver and Tracker our doxies

You are not alone. My parents full timed for 8 months with 2 kids and 2 dogs in our 35' fitzjohn with no towd. They were both teachers, so we had each summer off and continued traveling without a car behind.

With my two motorhomes since the mid 1990s, we have never traveled with a towd either.

As far as the trip, you might want to try I-70 through colorado on one of the times crossing the continental divide. Very scenic!

[manholt]

No toad today? No way! Prior to 1983, nobody that I knew had a toad, but all the "cookie cutter" coaches where short and operated on

15 or 30 amp! I got my first toad in 84' and never been without one since and I love the freedom!

I do know a lot of people that still have no toad, but they carry motorcycles, scooters or mopeds instead...works for them! They do not

play golf or go trout fishing!

As Bill said, if your in a park for a length of time, then you also get a rental car and it's probably more cost efficient.

My 2 cent worth.

Carl

[tbutler]

Tom,

Missoula had 3 different farmer’s markets going on at the same time. Right after you turn North on 93 0ff I-90 there is one of the nicest RV parks. Jim & Mary's RV Park, 9800 US-93, Missoula, MT 59808, jimandmarys.com , (406) 549-4416. Each site was very nicely landscaped and they were all different.

If you go up 93 toward Ignatius you will come to the National Bison Range, Dixon, MT 59831, fws.gov (406) 644-2211. When in the area of Ignatius, you should check out Saint Ignatius Mission Church. If you go up far enough, you can end up in Glacier National Park.

Enough memories for tonight, next OR,WA and CA.

Bill

So how did you find all this? Is this your home area or did you just take US 93 and go exploring. We love to do that and just wander along to see what is along the way. There are books that feature "off the beaten path" tour guides. I've used them occasionally. If you've got a favorite guide book, share it with us.

[Trynforpar]

Where in NY are you leaving from? Quick and easy routing. Take I-90 West till you can't then turn left go south till you come to I-10 East turn Left go East till you can't then turn left, go north till home.

Bill

Leaving from Westchester County which is in the southeastern end of the state.

[Trynforpar]

Trynforpar, we ran this trip two times. Starting in PA I went out I-76 west to I-70 west to St Louis (watch the signs for I-44 its easily missed, I missed it and the DW still reminds me often) I-44 south to I-40 west. I-40 we love the scenery and stops along the way.

Grand Canyon railway campground in Williams AZ is great. I recommend taking the steam engine up to the Grand Canyon from the campground. Williams AZ is a neat town to walk around.

Route 66 parallels I-40, we jumped on and off I-40 and strolled through some of the small towns and took in all of the old traveling history. I love Route 66 history so that was a highlight for me.

We ate at the "Big Texan steak ranch" in Amarillo TX, stayed at the campground close by and the Big Texan picked us up in a 1970's Caddy limo, that was neat.

We also stopped at a gas station from the Disney movie 'Cars" took a picture of the Motorhome at the old glass top gas pumps in Shamrock TX.

Good place to eat if you like classic cars is Russell's Truck Stop and Museum in Endee New Mexico, decent food neat place to walk around. Just off I-40 at RT392.

Thanks for the great suggestions

[Trynforpar]

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions and helpful comments. I will definitely take the toad along mainly because we enjoy getting out and seeing the sites after we get set up at the campground. We also have 2 little dogs that go everywhere we can take them. I'm a little nervous but also very excited to have the opportunity to see this beautiful country in a way that only and motorhome can provide.

[tbutler]

One other favorite highway I forgot to mention, US 2 runs along the northern border from Duluth, MN, to Glacier National Park and beyond. Two lane and easy driving with only a few small but interesting towns along the way. We loved Duluth. North of Duluth there is Voyagers National Park. The park has interpreters that will help you understand the lives and times of the early fur traders and Great Lakes travelers. There is an RV park at the marina in Duluth right next to the "High Bridge." You can sit in your motor home and watch the lake freighters coming and going from Lake Superior into the port. We got a real kick out of seeing the Algowood pass under the High Bridge. Several years earlier we had watched her pass through the Eisenhower Locks. We followed her up the St. Lawrence Seaway and saw her several more times that year and then never saw her again until we were in Duluth. We were only there for a few days but there she was again.

A walk across the bridge and you will find a nice array of restaurants and the Great Lakes Aquarium. The Fort Peck Dam in eastern MT is on the Missouri River and is the largest earthen dam in the US. There is a Corps of Engineers campground there but I'm not sure if it can accommodate large motor homes. US 2 also takes you by several US Air Bases. It's not uncommon to see some of the Air Force planes out practicing take-offs and landings as you travel near those bases.

[wildebill308]

So how did you find all this? Is this your home area or did you just take US 93 and go exploring. We love to do that and just wander along to see what is along the way. There are books that feature "off the beaten path" tour guides. I've used them occasionally. If you've got a favorite guide book, share it with us.

No not my home turf. I actually grew up in far western NY State on Lake Erie. If you are ever up that way I have a few interesting places for you. Hear is one example. Chautauqua Institution, http://ciweb.org/

Just 150 miles East is The Corning Museum of Glass, http://www.cmog.org/ ok so that's two.

I did find this app a while ago. You know those racks of brochures in the rest stops? Well hear is one for your computer/phone.

Visitor Tips, From their web site, From Certified Folder Display Service, Inc., the largest distributor of visitor information in the US and Canada, Visitor Tips provides a unique twist on destination planning. After selecting a location, swipe through the digital brochure rack to find things to do, accommodations and activities at your next destination, or in your home town!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.visitortips.visitortips&hl=en

Hearer is another good one for finding parks you didn't know about

http://www.ohranger.com/

CoPiolet is a navigation app that I have used for the last couple of years and has the ability to show you different things along a rout. The good thing you can down load the maps on Wi-Fi and it doesn't use "data" while you drive.

Chimani National Parks https://www.chimani.com/ is useful.

Bill

[chp007kd40]

What a great bunch of replies about towing. I knew it would bring out the best in all of you. No, we seldom stay at resorts or RV Parks and that is why I'm now investing $7000.00 dollars in Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries and a residential fridge so to stay out longer.

On our trip to the East Coast last March and April (43 days, we lucked out on the weather) and only stayed a total of 16 days hooked-up and that was mainly at Cherry Hill and the New Jersey pier at Ellis Island. The rest of the time we are hidden away in some cute little hide-a-way because we can "back-up" at will, spin around, tight turns and blend-in to our surroundings. It is also much easier to find a level spot when not having an extra 25 feet behind you. We could never do that in the 25 years of pulling two Jeeps and a Mitsubishi Raider. We still have our f650GS BMW strapped to the back of our Itasca and we did carry it on this trip.

Yes, we do rent some vehicles and what a great experience that is in itself especially in the last 6 or so years when so many exciting vehicles out there. We do use our motorhome like a city bus because we can take our puppies with us and we "never" have to go back "home" to get our house. Backing up and having a tight turning radius is huge when you have no other vehicle.

I bet some of you will actually try it some day and you might even thank me for the idea. Actually you would be thanking my darling wife whose idea it was many years back.

Isn't it great to have this forum to share ideas.

[manholt]

A little confused! Did you have 2 Jeeps and a Raider in a trailer? If that's the case, I can understand your choice, but why not take one Jeep flat towed and the BMW?

Carl

[washtech]

I'm also in the take the toad camp! The hassle of moving for every little trip takes much of the joy out of having the motor home. Think about it, do you really want to take the entire motor home to town (some really small towns out west) for a grocery run? Sure you can plan ahead and pick up these things while on the road but eventually you'll run into a need for something and it will be pick up the motor home and take it to town for some silly little thing you need. If you had a medical emergency, do you hop in the car and run to the hospital or do you pack up the motor home, bring in the slides, disconnect the utilities and then go to the hospital? You could ask a neighbor to take you to the hospital, we did that one time, a woman and her mother, mom fell and she asked us to take her rather than driving their class C at night on unfamiliar roads. We put about as many miles on the toad as we do on the motor home in a typical summer of travel. What it costs in additional diesel to haul it along is more than offset by the convenience and the reduced cost of driving a smaller, high mileage vehicle (compared to the mileage of the motor home) for all those side trips on small roads and into parks with roads that are unsuitable for motor homes.

Now about the trip. Leaving NY you are headed into PA, OH or KY. I'd stay to the north, you are leaving in late July. It will be hot across the west until you get to the mountains. I would guess that you have probably explored areas close to New York or at least have an idea where to start there. Here are some suggestions for things to see as you travel. These reflect our interests and may or may not appeal to you. If you love National Parks, buy a National Park Annual Pass at your first park if you don't already have one. If you are over 65 you can pay $10 for a pass for the rest of your life! When we did that I made a commitment to join the National Park Foundation which supports our national parks as a way to keep contributing to this wonderful resource we have.

In 2004 we took at history trip following the route of Lewis and Clark across the country. That was the 200th anniversary of the beginning of their trip. It added an interesting theme to what would have been an enjoyable trip under any circumstances. There are guide books for such a trip. We picked up Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark at the visitors center in Clarksville, IN (across the river from Louisville, KY). Louise, my navigator and literary muse, read an entry from the diaries of Lewis and Clark that matched the area we were traveling. The route runs along the Missouri River into Montana and then over the mountains into Idaho and Washington. Along the way you can see a variety of other spots by making side trips. Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are great for hiking and sightseeing. Glacier National Park and Waterton Glacier International Peace Park are sisters across the border from each other. Both are worth a multi-day visit. You will need a passport to cross the border into Canada for Waterton Galcier Park. There are also restrictions on what materials, food, liquor, guns, etc. that you can bring across the border going in both directions. A toad is much easier to take across the border than a motor home but we have crossed the Canadian border with our motor home many times without any serious incident.

Going west from the area of Glacier, the Lewis and Clark Tour follows a tributary of the Columbia River and then the Columbia River out to the Pacific Ocean. Stop and see Grand Coulee Dam and learn about the process that formed the Grand Coulee terrain. The Columbia River Gorge has some spectacular waterfalls along the southern shore of the river. There is a small road that leads from one to another. Basically all the falls are dropping from the slopes of Mt. Hood into the Columbia River Gorge. Follow the Columbia out to the coast to Ft. Clatsop National Park where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805 before their return to the east coast. There are great sights along the Columbia River east of Portland. More than a few of the dams have tours, some better than others. There are fish ladders at some with windows where you can watch the salmon that are climbing the ladder to go upstream. Portland has some interesting old mansions to tour.

Mt. St. Helens is just to the north and there are several visitors centers there as well as plenty of trails to allow you to explore the area around this most recent volcano to erupt in the US. Mt. Ranier National Park is larger and has great scenery and trails. We put off a visit to Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula for many years because we felt it was just too far. When we finally got there, we had many great experiences traveling all around the peninsula. It is a temperate rain forest but during the summers and early fall there is very little rainfall. There are great bike trails along the northern end of the peninsula. The coastal highway, US 101 is a scenic route south from the Olympic Peninsula. We enjoy Astoria, OR which as a nice marine museum highlighting ship traffic along the coast and into and up the Columbia River. South of there is the Tillamook Dairy Cheese Factory which is a must stop for cheese lovers. There is even an RV park across US 101 from the factory and if you aren't ready to stop for the day, the parking lot is very large with plenty of room for RV's.

Florence, OR is a quaint town with many interesting shops and stores. We can never pass through Florence without a stop at the Olive Shop. Louise loves their specialty olives. There is a huge sand dune field south of Florence. We've stayed at a campground on the fringe of the dune field and hiked in the dunes. You can also rent ATV's or take ATV rides with experienced drivers to see the dunes. The first time Louise walked over the top of the first dune she was completely stunned at the sight which is right out of the movies of the Sahara Desert. Sand as far as you can see. There are other stops along US 101, the Devils Thunder Hole, Devils Elbow State Park, lots of beaches and small state parks along the beach. There is Seal Rock and Seal Cave, the list goes on and on. Inland in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is awesome. The lake has to be seen to be believed. There are trails, a boat ride, just scenic views driving all around this lake which is in the caldera of an ancient volcano. South of there Lava Beds National Monument has lava caves that you can explore and the history of volcanic activity in the area which leads back to Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta and others.

In California there is a whole year of things to see from the Redwood Forest, both the state forest and the national park are worth a stop. Walking among the Redwoods is an experience that you will never forget. The same can be said for the Sequoia National Park. Yosemite never fails to amaze, waterfalls, sheer cliffs, beautiful country and great trails. Death Valley National Park sounds foreboding but a fall visit there would be well worth the stop. The stark scenery has its own beauty.

Stop to see and tour Hoover Dam and everybody has to stop in Las Vegas once. There are parks in the downtown area that have you within walking distance of the "strip." They are parking places on a parking lot with full hookups but for a city residence, they work well. South into Arizona as the fall becomes colder there are desert parks like Saguaro National Park and Organ Pipe National Monument. In northern Arizona along I-40 you can see the Petrified Forest National Park and Meteor Crater. New Mexico has interesting sites near Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Taos has some great examples of pueblos that you can visit and learn about the native culture. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a great place to visit any season.

Stop to see the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City or visit the River Walk in San Antonio. Come see us in Edinburg, Texas and I can show you the border fence that some people seem to find such a panacea for our immigration problems. You can visit the NASA Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston. Visit the Texas Gulf Coast and follow it through Louisiana, New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. There are great beach parks all along the way. Another alternative would be to take the Natchez Trace Parkway, a great drive through the southeast along a trail followed by the early settlers in the area. If you time your trip right you can see the Natchez Pilgrimage which features some of the most amazing house tours you will ever take. The Natchez Trace ends in Louisville, KY, back where you started the Lewis and Clark tour. Along the Natchez Trace you will find the grave of Meriwether Lewis.

Now there is no way to do justice to all of this so you just set out and pick what interests you. What you miss this trip you can stop to see on your next trip. Check in at each states welcome center or regional visitors center and pick up the brochures that interest you and travel on. We frequently set out to do or see one thing and find amazing things to see along the way. I never plan a trip in detail before I start, I'm always looking at the map and visitor center information to find the interesting things. I never plan RV park stops ahead unless we are headed into a high use or urban area and then only a few days in advance. I'm willing to settle wherever I can get the services I need. We don't stay in RV parks for the experience of the park, we're interested in the natural areas nearby, the parks, trails, volcanoes, beaches, trees, cactus, and so much more. We love the freedom the motor home gives us to live comfortably wherever we travel. Even if only traveling for a short period of time, wherever you go, you're home!

If you are looking for luxury RV Parks there is a publication for Big Rigs that lists parks that cater only to the biggest of RV's. I'm happy if I'm near the place I want to spend time. We're frequently the most classy rig in the park. All I want is good electric, water and electric. I have everything else I need. We use RV Park Reviews to find our parks. Another useful source is an app for your phone, ALLSTAYS Camp and RV. They also have ALLSTAYS ONP Walmart which will help you find Walmart stores that allow overnight parking and also let you know those that don't allow overnight parking. We stay at Walmart on occasion when we can't find a park where we want. We do this mostly when we are traveling cross country but occasionally when we are touring we'll make an overnight stop at Walmart.

For service I recommend that you find a regional facility for your engine like Cummins Coach Care, check your engine manufacturers web site for their facilities. Freightliner facilities are good for chassis service. Find a dealer for your brand motor home for any manufacturer installed items. The internet is your best friend when looking for service. If you let them know you are on the road, not able to leave the rig and go home, they will usually work with you to get you in and out quickly. Depending on the job, quickly may be a week. In that case, find out what is interesting and take the toad and go exploring while they work or wait for parts.

Finally, if you prefer smaller roads, there are many like US 20 across the Great Plains and pick it up again in Oregon. There aren't a lot of tourist spots or National Parks along the way but it's a great trip through backroads America. It rivals US 50 across Nevada and Utah for the loneliest road in the US. Look at a map (computer, paper, gps, take your pick) and take the smaller road. There is an app for our Garmin GPS that lets us travel with confidence, Low Clearances POI works with many GPS units and has worked well so far to warn us when we are approaching roads with clearance that would stop our travel in the motor home. Louise likes a large print truckers atlas, expensive but really easy to read, which shows all the truck routes, also a way to ensure you are on road suitable for a large motor home. You can pick up an atlas at most any truck stop.

GREAT Info Tom!

Taking a similar trip this year begining in late May, only going "up" from FL base into AR, MO, IA and SD then across to WY, MT,ID, UT and Down to CO & NM and back to FL. Did the lower half in 2014 when we went to International balloon festival.

Wishing you safe & super travels in 2016