The West Trip (Cont'd)

[wyosteve]

Darn Russell, wish I would have seen your post about moving to Flagg sooner. Right across from Flagg Ranch, at Sheffield Creek, there is a trail that takes you up to an old Forest Service fire lookout tower on Huckleberry Ridge. Tough hike going up, but you can get into the tower and the views are magnificient. 100 miles in any direction if it's clear. Oh well, something for your next trip.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

wyosteve,

Thanks - I am sure we would have done that trail had we known. An awful lot of country and not enough time off work to walk over it all. I'll look forward to next time.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 46

Another travel day - this one from Rawlins, Wyoming to North Platte, Nebraska on I-80. Stayed at Holiday RV Park Campground - my wife and so said it is really a nice campground.

My older son has always had an interest in trains. In North Platte is the BNSF visitor center and rail yard - the BNSF says it is the largest in the world. My wife and son said they thoroughly enjoyed their visit and wished they could spend more time.

Here is the website if anyone is going that way:

http://goldenspiketower.com/

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 47

A travel day from North Platte, Nebraska to West Des Moines, Iowa on I-80. Kind of a longer driving day for us of 400 miles. Stayed at the KOA - nice campground. Had quite a thunderstorm - lightning strike on a power pole in the campground.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 48

A travel day from Nebraska to Illinois. My wife and older son planned to visit Starved Rock state park, but when they got there everything was closed up due to flooding.

Stayed at the LaSalle/Peru KOA - ok, but sites really close.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 49

A travel day from Illinois to western Ohio. This day required passing close to Chicago with the five and six lanes of traffic. It went ok.

The last leg coming - back home to northwestern Pennsylvania on Day 50.

 

[Jim W]

Day 49

A travel day from Illinois to western Ohio. This day required passing close to Chicago with the five and six lanes of traffic. It went ok.

The last leg coming - back home to northwestern Pennsylvania on Day 50.

I am glad she and your son got safety through the Chicago/Gray-Hammond area with out incident.

I will be going through this area for 5th time this year; as we are going to Elkhart IN the second week of AUG.

Jim

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Day 50

This wraps up the trip - a short jog across Ohio and home. Good to have everyone back at home, but sad that trip over. My older son went to cross-country practice; said he was sucking wind after not running all summer.

They stopped at a truck.wash at a turnpike service center in Ohio. My wife said they did a good job with spray wands and brushes. Looks clean to me. We need to clean the insides of the trailer and truck both. There are small mountains of clothes, towels, and bedding in the basement now awaiting the washing machine. By early in the week everything will be cleaned, stocked up, and ready to go.again. Too bad I have to work for a living!!

I looked at my notes of all the things to do on the trip - enough undone for another trip.

I am glad my older son went - probably the last time he'll spend that much time with either his mother or I.

I am proud of my wife for taking this on. I still think someone else should have worked with her on driving the truckand trailer other than me - too much marriage stress - but, she does not seem to remember now and is satisfied with her experience. I am starting to wonder if I'll get my truck back - she may just move me out.

Finally, thanks again to the many members who contributed trip ideas and advice. Another round of thanks to all the folks who helped me learn about RV trailers, towing, my truck, etc . I never would have felt comfortable with this trip if I had not learned how to get everything set up safely.

 

[TLane]

******WELCOME HOME**********

Now the planning starts for the next trip.

We leave in just under 3 weeks for 1 week at Colter Bay...

 

[RUSSELL5000]

TLane,

Enjoy the trip. Colter Bay tops my list - not because great campground, but you can't beat a two minute walk to the best view in the world to watch the sun rise and have your morning coffee. I don't think I will live long enough to get tired of that.

 

[KHellewell]

Thanks for allowing us to tag along on your trip, it was a great trip we enjoyed the pictures

 

[Grey Wolf]

Thanks for allowing us to tag along on your trip, it was a great trip we enjoyed the pictures

X2 Hope to see next years trip plans developing!

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Thanks, guys.

I don't know what we will do next year. I am guessing that my wife will be more open to going based on her success this year.

My older son may wish to be more serious regarding his cross-country training, and he is supposed to go to Italy as part of a school thing for two weeks. My younger son has said he does not want to go on a long trip (?? - I can't begin to understand ??). Maybe we can do a month.

One idea I have is going north, up into Canada and Algonquin Provincial park - like to find some moose. Or maybe up through Maine and to the maritime provinces of Canada.

Please feel free to share ideas.

I must say that this trip has started to solidify the idea of full-timing when I retire. I envy those who are at that point now.

 

[Grey Wolf]

How about some short trips for the youngest to a destination he picks. Has he been on any trailer trips yet?

 

[mwilson]

You want to see Moose, eh???

Come on up!!

 

[GAmes]

You want to see Moose, eh???

Come on up!!

LOL. When I told my friends that I was up in your neck of the woods I told them that the only difference between Maine and the Pacific NW is the look out for moose signs. :-laf I didn't see any.

 

[Brian Sullivan]

UP of Michigan

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Great Wolf, younger son has been on quite a few weekend type trips. He is much more of a social person than my older son and does not want to go away from his friends for a long time. And friends isn't even girls. I don't u understand it myself. I would be gone in a second.

Brian, I'll start some research on the UP. I'd like to go to Isle Royale NP some day as well.

Thanks for ideas.

 

[mwilson]

LOL. When I told my friends that I was up in your neck of the woods I told them that the only difference between Maine and the Pacific NW is the look out for moose signs. :-laf I didn't see any.

You only dipped a big toe into the REAL State of Maine. It starts in Bangor......South of that is the "Other Maine"......

 

[Crazy Horse]

Question is "What are going to do to top this for NEXT summer?"

My advice is go to NW Montana, see Glacier Park, Road Going to the Sun, Swift Current Lake, and above all Upper Two Medicine Lake. It will make Yellowstone look like Metropolitan Park in Cleveland. Then the following year make the drive to Banff & Jasper Provincial Parks on the line with Alberta and British Columbia in the heart of Canadian Rockies. It again is a step above scenery wise, hiking wise over everything prior. Been all through those parts for months at a time over the last 30 years. IMO.

The below is from a hike over the top of the Mountain, and down following a creek formed by Ice/Glacier Melt, cutting brush.