The Trip West

[RUSSELL5000]

I don't know if this is the right forum, but here goes:

My wife mentioned she wanted a “camper” about three years ago. So, we looked and found a used 1995 Jayco Eagle bunkhouse model –as it turns out, it was a very nice camper and really enjoyed it. We needed a truck to pull it with, and after some internet searching and a couple of test drives, settled on a 2012 Ram 2500.

We got another travel trailer, a 2015 Jayflight 28BHBE. It was clear my sons would soon be longer than the bunk beds in the one we had, despite how much I liked it.

Last summer (in 2014), we decided on a trip west; I asked and received many good suggestions from the folks here on the forum.

Being the CDO type (that is Compulsive Disorder: Obsessive, which is nothing more than your normal obsessive compulsive disorder, but with the acronym in the proper alphabetical order, as it should be! ) I very carefully planned the trip and route, again with good suggestions from folks here on the forum.

The trip is 52 days in length. There are 12 travel days of between 300 miles and 350 miles each day. Roughly 8 days are devoted to the Badlands and Black Hills areas of South Dakota, roughly 18 days are devoted to the Yellowstone area, and roughly 14 days are devoted to the Grand Teton area.

While travel has been meticulously planned, the time spent at each area is fairly unscheduled. The only planning done outside of travel was to try to make a list of things to be sure to experience. The list is long, and I am certain only a small portion of the list will be accomplished.

My wife and older son (16 years old) are doing the entire trip. I will be at work except for a two week period during which I, my younger son (14), and my step-father will be joining the rest of the family by plane in Wyoming. We spent quite a few evenings this past winter researching routing, learning and practicing first-aid, and discussing, planning, and rehearsing safety on the road and on the trail.

We spent quite a few Saturday and Sunday afternoons in practice driving sessions. This is one thing I would not do again – I should have found someone else to work with my wife on the driving. When all is said and done, I think my wife is doing well, but it was not the right way to go about it .

She continues to find backing up challenging – so do I – but I feel if you wait until you are perfect you will probably never do anything.

I want to extend a big “thank you” to the many folks here on the forum. I appreciate the help and suggestions for this trip. If you suggested we do something on this trip and we end up not doing so, please do not be offended – there is so much I think I could do this trip ten times.

DAY 1
The trip began today – not much to say, as it is a travel day. I will update with the results of this first day of travel tomorrow. Here are pictures of our rig and my wife and older son, ready to go.

[DJL1967]

Sounds like you are on a great adventure! We are leaving on our west coast adventure in two weeks. Central Canada to Vancouver Island and return home via Wa, Mt, Sd and Mn. Have fun and safe travels.

[oldmanAZ]

Be safe and have a great trip!

(Another post today said that KOA reservations are ahead of last year. Point is, if you haven't already, you should plan a making CG reservations!)

[RUSSELL5000]

DJL1967, thanks and it sounds like you have a great trip coming up. Maybe I can go farther north in the future.

oldman_AZ, we made travel plans very cautiously due to this being a new experience - all nights reserved, and usually as far in advance as allowed. I noticed the national parks get reserved right away; basically, a year in advance.

Thanks!

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 1 was a travel day from Erie, PA and heading west out of Pennsylvania, across Ohio, and into Indiana. This was all interstate driving. My wife said that she encountered several sections of road work requiring slowing down and speeding up as well as fairly persistent wind during the day and two thunderstorms. Fuel mileage was below average at 9.8 mpg (usually between 10 mpg and 12 mpg). My wife said there was one alarming moment when a tractor-trailer rig pulled back into the right line ahead of her after passing in the left lane – she said it was very close to the front of the truck. Here is a picture at the KOA campground for the night (I had to flip this picture - not sure why).

[DJL1967]

"DJL1967, thanks and it sounds like you have a great trip coming up"

We did the East coast last summer and had a blast! Really looking forward to this trip and the kids can then say they traveled coast to coast across Canada.

[Racinforthefinish]

Envious of your trip, enjoy!

[Travelbug422]

Wow what a trip! I'm originally from PA but live in Washington state now but I can remember my first trip West. You will be blown away by the sites you have planned to see. Be safe and enjoy the trip!!!! Keep us posted on your travels.

[cekkk]

Way to plan! My head is spinning. My advance planning consists of answering one question: Shall we go somewhere?

[RUSSELL5000]

Travelbug422, I was in Washington once - in Seattle. I went to the market where they throw the big fish. Bought some peaches, blackberries, and raspberries that were amazing. Ate until my belly burst (and subsequent other activity!) Never forgot that taste.

cekk, one of these days I will be retired and my planning will consist of flipping a coin at an intersection to choose left or right turn. Until the I am a slave to the calendar!

[tdk2765]

Sounds like a great trip but I'm confused, because the first pics and the later pics look like a different trailer. What am I missing?

[Filthy-Beast]

Passenger side vs. drivers side ???

[RUSSELL5000]

tdk2765 and Filthy-Beat, the picture looks funny because it came upside down and I used my photo editor to flip it. I.e., looks funny because I don't know much about pictures.

DAY 2

Day 2 was a travel day west across Indiana and Illinois and a little over half way across Iowa. The weather was better: no strong winds and some light rain, no thunderstorms. The truck continues to do great, and fuel economy was back to normal at 11.2 mpg. The route was I-80 skirting Chicago. My wife said the five lanes with lots of traffic was nerve-wracking (picture below). We did not practice on roads like these earlier because we don’t have any around us in northwestern Pennsylvania. At any rate, although not an enjoyable drive, worked through fine. A longer day; 385 miles. My wife and son said the KOA campground last night was fine but the sites were very close together.

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 3

Another travel day: west across Iowa then north to the east side of South Dakota. Perfect weather, easy roads, easy driving day. Nice campground this evening.

[Travelbug422]

South Dakota is an awesome state with the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Custer Sate Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial. You'll be seeing signs for Walls Drug all along the interstate. :-) It's a real tourist trap. Watch out for the deer!

[RUSSELL5000]

DAY 4

Day 4 was travel day, completing the first leg of the trip west. Travelled west across South Dakota to the KOA campground on the edge of Badlands National Park. Easy roads, easy driving. The truck and trailer have worked out great. It occurs to me that a trip like this is probably old hat to many JOF members – a big deal to us, though. I am proud of my wife and son for undertaking this travel. I again appreciate what I learned here on the JOF forum because it helped me set everything up on the rig so I don’t worry about them driving.

Tremendously different country than northwestern Pennsylvania in the Badlands.
 

DAY 5

Day 5 was spent hiking in the Badlands in the morning to early afternoon and then a trip to Wall Drug. The hike included the first sighting of pronghorn antelope for my son. He was surprised that the pronghorn are smaller, on average, than the eastern white-tail deer. I guess everyone should experience Wall Drug at some time. I am awaiting pictures of the Badlands.

[RUSSELL5000]

DAY 6

The plan for Day 6 was to go to Wounded Knee, but the road to the actual site was washed out. Reserving the route, came across a goat in the road. Apparently the goat felt that the road belonged to him and would not move. This is a nice picture of the South Dakota prairie; this is actually on the Pine Ridge reservation. My wife told me last night that they have had 16 inches of rain for the year so far; normal is around 3 inches. The balance of the morning was spent at the Wounded Knee museum in Wall, SD. I am glad they did this because a stop at the Little Bighorn battlefield is coming up – my son will get to see both sides of the story.


The day was spent hiking and looking at the fossil digs. Had a quite a few animal sightings, all of which my son is seeing in their natural habitat for the first time: more pronghorn antelope, countless prairie dogs, bison, and bighorn sheep (which I have never seen myself). My son said they came across a group of bighorn sheep and the babies from this season. I have no idea what the proper terms are for bighorn sheep. My son said he felt like he was on an alien planet; the land is so different from northwestern Pennsylvania.

[RUSSELL5000]

DAY 7

The morning of Day 7 was spent at the minute-man missile silo. When I was in the USCG from 1977 to 1981 I was stationed at an Omega station in Lamoure, North Dakota from June, 1979 to June 1981. The first day off I had a took a drive in the countryside and looked at the endless sea of green: wheat and sunflowers. I saw this gravel area that was surrounded by a triple fence and had this big concrete patio in the middle. There were little blue signs on the fence that said “SAC”. The area around the fence was mowed, so I walked around the perimeter to look at it. A while later I saw this blue crew cab pickup pull up next to my car. Four guys got out wearing dark blue uniforms and carrying M16s. Two stayed by the truck, one went over to my car, and one walked to about twenty feet away from me. The guy that approached me asked me politely what I was doing. I said just looking around. He then told me that I was on a military installation and that I was welcome to look all I wanted from the road but would I please leave the immediate area now. The sight of four automatic weapons put me in a most agreeable mood , and I said I was already on my way out. All of the guys back at the Omega station had a good laugh at my expense when I relayed this experience later; I had no idea what I was looking at.

I am glad my son got to see this when there are so many fewer missiles in service. I hope it stays that way, although the desire of man to destroy his neighbor never seems to diminish. In a lot of ways I think the world is more uncertain than when I was in elementary school in the early 1960s learning to “duck and cover.”

The afternoon was spent hiking. The evening brought a thunderstorm and lots of rain.

[big78ford]

How's the trip going? My wife won't even pull my camper with me in the truck, there is no way she would try a trip like this without me.