Not For Sale--Going Exploring--Need Help

[Magdefrau]

Greetings fellow bears. Here in Arkansas, the north mountain part, old man winter is turning loose of his cold grip. So the Trail Manor/bear is fixing to come out of the cave/garage to look for food/fun.

I have convinced the chicken plant that they should let me have three of my four weeks of vacation benifit time off. What a fight.

The last three weeks of June our family plan this trip to California and back. Three weeks of adventure. Not to be undertakened by those of weak inner's.

This is our plan. Please give us your comments on road conditions, gas stations and places not to miss. Where have I figured wrongly? Great leaders are only great because of help from their freinds. I am asking for your knowledge in help in my planning.

Harrison, Arkansas to Amarillo,Texas
62-412-44-40......489 miles 6-7 hours
Amarillo, Texas to Grants, New Mexico
40......370 miles 8-9 hours
Grants, New Mexico to Grand Canyon, Arizona
40-264-191-264-160-89-64......317 miles 6-7 hours
Spend one full day on South Rim
Grand Canyon, Arizona to Sequoia National Park, California
64-40-58-99.......627 miles 13-14 hours
Spend one full day at Sequoia
Sequoia National Park, California to Yosemite National Park, California
180-41......179 miles 3-4 hours
Spend two days at Yosemite
Yosemite, California to Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada
120-395-120-6-6/95-375-93......384 miles 8-9 hours
Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada to Mt. Carmel Junction, Utah
319-56-14-89.......144 hours 3-4 hours
Spend two days and see Zion and BBryce Canyon National Parks
Mt. Carmel, Utah to Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
89-12-24-95-191-66-160......431 miles 9-10 hours
Spend one day at Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado to Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
160-150......222 miles 5-6 hours
Spend one day here
Great Sand Dumes National Park, Colorado to Black Mesa State Park, Oklahome
150-160-25-160-287/385-325......311 miles 6-7 hours
Black Mesa State Park, Oklahoma to Osage Hills State Park, Oklahoma
325-412-99-60......409 miles 5-6 hours
Osage Hills State Park, Oklahoma to Harrison, Arkansas
60-59-10-412-62......247 miles 5-6 hours

Total Miles 3916/14mpg*$2.50gal=$700
20 night @ $20 400
Meals 400
Supplies on trip 450
Intertainment 1800
________
Total 3750
Round up $4000

This will be a big trip for us.

[Bill]

Wow! What a nice trip! Congratulations for putting this all together.

My only comment is that I think you have been conservative in your estimates - probably on purpose. I think you can cover
each day's distance a little faster than you estimated - IF YOU WANT TO. My wife and I are religious about holding our max speed to 65 mph, and in the flat parts of the country, we can hold that speed pretty well. On boring parts of the trip, we also make as few stops as possible, and often pack a lunch to eat while driving. Under those conditions, we average just about 60 mph over the course of a day.

Gas should be less than $2.50 everywhere except California.

You MAY be able to get by with less expenditure for food, depending on how much cooking you are wiling to do in the TM. But your estimate for 3 weeks is pretty good.

Supplies is an interesting topic. I'm not sure what is covered here.

And "entertainment" can cost whatever you want it to.

On the other hand, $20 a night for campground fees may be on the low side.

Overall, I think you've got a great (and workable) plan, and a reasonable cost estimate. When you get back, please tell us about the trip ...

Bill

[ragmopp]

You might want to consider the purchase of what was formerly a National Parks Pass (if you don't already have one). That changed this year to a Interagency pass. Here is a quote from the Park service:

The new Annual Interagency Pass offers access to all public lands across the country that currently charge entrance or standard amenity fees offering visitors a simple and cost-effective way to visit multiple recreation sites. The new Annual pass is available for $80 online at: http://store.usgs.gov/pass.

It went up drastically this year, BUT it now allows entrance into many places the old National Parks Pass didn't. As an example we went to Yellowstone last year and it was $25 to get in. So you can see if you visit a number of parks it will save you money.

Of course, if you are of that 'correct' age you can still get what is now called a senior pass. It is still $10.

ps. I would expect that gas in some of the remoter parts of Ca. will be in excess of $3 a gallon by the time you leave on your trip. It's $2.99 a gallon where I live in the Sierras right now.

Mike Anderson
2007 2720SL (on its way)
2005 Toyota Tacoma

[lnussbau]

If you're going to stop in Grants, you might be interested i seeing "Sky City," that is, the Acoma Pueblo, just a bit south of Grants. It's an Indian Pueblo sitting on a high mesa, and is quite interesting.

Since you are taking I-40 through eastern Arizona, you'll probably want to see the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest parks, both right along I-40. Meteor Crater might also be interesting to you.

All of these are along I-40 before you get to Flagstaff.

[PopBeavers]

Everyone knows about the big trees in Sequoia park, but many people overlook the caverns. I have been to several caverns and the lighting was always nothing more than a string of cheap bulbs dangling from the ceiling on a cable. These caverns were modernized about 15 years ago. All of the lighting is recessed and soft. Really brings out the colors.

In Yosemite check out the Sunday brunch at the Ahwanee hotel. A little pricey but the best I have ever had anywhere. However, I haven't been there in 15 years, so it may no longer be served. If you have kids, they will be able to stand inside the fireplace at the hotel, so at least visit the hotel. Many tourists miss it because they only seek out the waterfalls.

[PopBeavers]

Speaking of Tehachapi...

If you are a train fan then don't miss the Tehachapi Loop. Probably the only place in the world where a freight train goes into a loop and crosses over the top of itself, as long as it is at least 100 cars long. There is a small restaurant/coffee shop on the east side of the loop that has an HO scale model railroad that models the loop. Very unique engineering, but not a big deal unless you happen to like trains or are into model railroading.

[wbmiller3]

Haven't been to many places on your list...but I suggest staying in the park campgrounds at Mesa Verde and Great Sand Dunes. If the stream is flowing in the latter it's a blast to play in...there is a interesting "surge flow" phenomenon that makes surf-like waves come down periodically. Also, the campground there is a great spot to find Pinyon Jays if you're into birds.

The Mesa Verde campground was a bit run down, but IMHO you can't beat actually being on site. They also have ranger programs every night. If you want electricity be sure and make reservations. We dry camped and it was fine, but some folks want it.

If you like the ancient ruins take a side trip to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument while you're at Mesa Verde. Not so spectacular but you get to scramble right up to them.

Have fun!

[B_and_D]

It sounds like a great trip!

I checked the campgrounds (for trailers) inside Yosemite valley a few days ago and they were booked through July 15th except for a few, one-night dates (reservations aren't available yet for dates after that). There are a few campgrounds outside the valley that you might want to check out, but it can take quite a while to get into the valley if you camp outside. There was also a slide that has been blocking one of the roads so you might want to check the NPS website for information on that.

If you can't get into the valley with the TM, you can probably stay for one night there with a tent without reservations; there is a campground just for people who want to spend one night there and then take off hiking the next day.

It might also be possible to get into one of the Valley campgrounds (if someone has cancelled) if you just show up with your TM. Timing your arrival there midweek would probably increase your chances.

I would imagine that Sequoia also gets booked way ahead of time, so you might want to go ahead an make those reservations now if they're still available.

We've been to Yosemite in June, September and October, and June was the best great time to go. There were horrible mosquitos though, so bring your repellant. And bring your rain gear for hiking; the spray from the falls can drench you in about a minute.

Have a great trip!

Dee

[PopBeavers]

The road to Yosemite from Mariposa along the Merced river is limited to a short length. You can not tow a trailer or drive a motorhome in via that route. The east entrance near Lee Vining may or may not be open at the end of June. It probably will be this year because so far there isn't much snow.

Two years ago we stayed at yosemitepinesrv.com (http://www.yosemitepinesrv.com/) near Groveland. Clean, very quite during late off season. Some pull throughs, but we backed in. Pool, showers, laundry. Small petting zoo was nice if you have kids. It is a bit of a drive into the valley, but we didn't mind. This was our first trip with hookups, which was the main purpose for the trip.

If you go up the hill from Don Pedro Lake towards Groveland DO NOT make the mistake of going up Old Priest Grade. It is way to steep to have a trailer on that. Stay on the main road.

[John Kelly]

Sounds like a great trip. Last spring we went to Utah from Maryland after stoping for a wedding in Indianapolis. We went to 7 or 8 Nat. Parks. Stayed at Glendale KOA campground in Utah. Great campground to visit Zion & Bryce (other campgrounds were o'k). We stayed in Motels on the way out & back. Total miles 6171 -14 miles/gal - $2.87/gal average - $1231 total for gas. Total cost of everything including Motels was $3,225.

Have a great trip. There are so many sights to see in this great country.

John & Marion