MountainTop
Active Member
We're back home in GA after 6 weeks and nearly 7,500 miles across 19 states. Unlike our first trip that ended with a wreck that totalled our first MPG, the only mishap this time was when we picked up some nails in a tire. Good Sam bailed us out quickly and the rest of the trip went smoothly. We drove on interstates and US highways, plenty of local roads, over an 8000 ft.+ pass in the spectacular Big Horn Mtns. and down a steep, winding CA state road that narrowed from 2 lanes to a skinny 1 lane to reach our son's home in the Klamath Mountains. Our camping sites ranged from our favorite in Mtn. Home, ID where each shower unit was locked and private, with a toilet, vanity and homestyle shower stall, to a place in Garden City, KS next to a smelly ethanol plant and a busy railroad with minimal shower facilities to some nice state parks and Flagg Ranch (between the Tetons & Yellowstone where our Sr. Pass got us a 50% discount to 5 days of boondocking where our son lives. We survived 5 days without A/C when it was at least 100 daily (our relief was to spray down our clothes or sit in the Salmon River) and also had a few nights when we used the ceramic heater, but very little rain until the very last day.
Passing through 19 states, several for the first time, gave us a new appreciation for the amazing country we call home. From the forests of the southeast across the plains states into the unusual landscape of the Black Hills was new territory for us. It was heartbreaking to pass by miles of fields where the corn had dried up in the heat, and later to see so many feedlots in KS full of cattle headed to slaughter because farmers can't afford to feed them this year, but there was still beauty in the landscape. Yellowstone and the Tetons are always spectacular and Cody, WY gave us a fun dose of cowboy culture. And all through the west there was a pall of smoke from the many forest fires. We hadn't seen our son for over 1 1/2 years, to spending time with him on the Salmon River in far northern CA was a wonderful experience where we got to see the cabin he and his SO are building themselves and where there's still a good bit of pioneer spirit in that remote area. Even the drives east across NV and southern WY were eye opening. Though dry and sometimes barren, there's beauty in the sage and mountains and big sky above. Stops in SLC and Denver reunited us with relatives from both our families. We took a southern route across CO into KS where we discovered that not all of KS is corn. Then it was into OK, which was much greener than I expected, and on through part of the Ozarks in AR (we'll be back for a longer visit there someday) before a quick visit with friends in Memphis. We drove the last leg of the long journey yesterday, through rain courtesy of Hurricane Isaac.
Now comes the work of unloading, cleaning and storing gear and cleaning our much used little tent on wheels (a challenge b/c we can't get it onto our property due to terrain, so must store it on a lot without water or power). Still, we're already pondering where our next trip will take us, though it will likely be shorter than 6 weeks next time.
Passing through 19 states, several for the first time, gave us a new appreciation for the amazing country we call home. From the forests of the southeast across the plains states into the unusual landscape of the Black Hills was new territory for us. It was heartbreaking to pass by miles of fields where the corn had dried up in the heat, and later to see so many feedlots in KS full of cattle headed to slaughter because farmers can't afford to feed them this year, but there was still beauty in the landscape. Yellowstone and the Tetons are always spectacular and Cody, WY gave us a fun dose of cowboy culture. And all through the west there was a pall of smoke from the many forest fires. We hadn't seen our son for over 1 1/2 years, to spending time with him on the Salmon River in far northern CA was a wonderful experience where we got to see the cabin he and his SO are building themselves and where there's still a good bit of pioneer spirit in that remote area. Even the drives east across NV and southern WY were eye opening. Though dry and sometimes barren, there's beauty in the sage and mountains and big sky above. Stops in SLC and Denver reunited us with relatives from both our families. We took a southern route across CO into KS where we discovered that not all of KS is corn. Then it was into OK, which was much greener than I expected, and on through part of the Ozarks in AR (we'll be back for a longer visit there someday) before a quick visit with friends in Memphis. We drove the last leg of the long journey yesterday, through rain courtesy of Hurricane Isaac.
Now comes the work of unloading, cleaning and storing gear and cleaning our much used little tent on wheels (a challenge b/c we can't get it onto our property due to terrain, so must store it on a lot without water or power). Still, we're already pondering where our next trip will take us, though it will likely be shorter than 6 weeks next time.
