Trip Summary

This posting is by Chad in case you detected an analytical flavor and wondered if LauraLee or Jolene had a personality change. It is written for the person that wants to know the big picture or scope of the trip and how we did it.  So, here are the facts.

 

•24 NIGHTS, 6855 Miles,13 STATES

•10 NATIONAL PARKS

•"CAMPED" ONLY 2 NIGHTS (DRY CAMPED/ AKA BOONDOCKED THE REST OF THE TIME)

•2010 COACHMEN 32’ CLASS C MOTORHOME

•ATE OUT 4 TIMES (2X w/family, 2X birthdays)

•$2105 SPENT IN GAS (920 gal, $2.29/gal avg)

•26 FUEL STOPS

•$.31/MILE

•7.5 MPG TRIP AVERAGE

•15,800 LB LOADED w/PASSENGERS

•15% OVERWEIGHT ON REAR AXLE

 

The Route.  The number indicates each overnight location.

 

MAJOR DESTINATIONS

Badlands
Black Hills/Mt. Rushmore
Cody, WY Rodeo
Yellowstone
Grand Tetons-Jenny Lake
Everett, WA - Boeing Tour
Downtown Seattle - Pikes Market, Ferry
Mt. St Helens
Hwy 101 and 1 along coast Portland to SF
Oregon Dunes-rented 4 ATV's. Downtown San Frans-Cable Cars, Fisherman's Warf, ferry back to Sausalito
Yosemite
Death Valley
Las Vegas-saw Fountains of Bellagio
Hoover Dam
Sand Hallow State Park, UT
Zion
Bryce
Canyonlands
Arches
Moab-Jeep tour
Rocky Mountain National Park
Denver-Downtown walking tour, Casa Bonita


MODE OF OPERATION

•Had a rough schedule but didn't have planned out hardly any more than the next day.

•Factors that changed plans: Heat, children's desires, sections of parks closed.

•Missed a couple things because of lack of planning

•Stopped for groceries every couple days.

•Did laundry at the end of week 1 and week 2

　

THE MOTORHOME ADVANTAGE:

•No Downtime

•No restroom stops

•No food stops

•No carrying luggage in and out of hotels

•No waiting for the last person to get dressed and eat breakfast to leave

•Children can sleep longer

•Not cramped traveling – lots of space

•Can do activities that you can’t in a car (play board games, color, draw, wrestle)

•Trade lodging cost for fuel costs (avg $90/day)

 

 

 

We paid for a subscription to overnight parking directory and it was worth it. We very regularly used this to find our next spot to park overnight.

There was a free directory that we used about every other day to find a location to dump and refill with fresh water.

We are very blessed to have been able to experience a trip of this magnitude.  My wife would have chosen a slower pace with some down time every couple days, but went right along with my "Let's see it all" plan like a trooper.  Just about all of us could have kept right on vacationing for a couple more weeks if we didn't have other life commitments waiting for us back home.
-Chad