oso diablo
Footballguy
great twist ending
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My Summer Trip Out West - July 2014 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ray Karpis
- Start date
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
So we did a trial run last night in the big RV with wife, 3 kids and in-laws. I had a work retreat a few hours grim home, so in-laws took kids camping in the RV the first night and we joined them last night.
I've been up since about 4 am. Youngest kid fell off the "dining table" bed twice in the night. Middle kid woke me up saying he couldn't sleep due to the snoring. I swapped places with him and never went back to sleep (due to the ####### snoring).
Two weeks of that won't work. My plan all along has been to tent camp and let them sleep in the RV. Last night solidified that decision. Not sure if the rest of my family will still be very excited about 14 days of that, though.
I've been up since about 4 am. Youngest kid fell off the "dining table" bed twice in the night. Middle kid woke me up saying he couldn't sleep due to the snoring. I swapped places with him and never went back to sleep (due to the ####### snoring).
Two weeks of that won't work. My plan all along has been to tent camp and let them sleep in the RV. Last night solidified that decision. Not sure if the rest of my family will still be very excited about 14 days of that, though.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
We leave in 10 days. Here is the modified schedule:
July 10-11 - drive to Sante Fe
July 12 - drive to Durango, CO - stay at Lightner Creek Campground - Silverton RR/possible rafting on Lower Animas River/ziplining in Durango
July 14 - drive to Mesa Verde National Park - stay at Mesa Verde RV Resort
July 16 - drive to Arches National Park - stay at Devil's Garden Campground - see Arches/Canyonlands/possible rafting in Moab
July 18 - drive to Jackson, WY - stay at Colter Bay Village RV Park near Jackson Lake
July 20 - drive to Yellowstone National Park - stay at Canyon Campground
July 24 - depart toward home
I bought my tent this past weekend. Went with the Kelty Salida 4. It will usually be just me and possibly one other person (either a kid or the wife), so I went smaller to conserve heat in GTNP and YNP. My sleeping setup is going to be the Coleman Comfortsmart Deluxe Cot and a Eureka 30 degree sleeping bag (for the colder areas). I just don't think I could do a Thermarest pad (no matter how comfortable) for 2 weeks.
Welcome any tips, advice, must-see spots, etc. as I hit the home-stretch of finalizing plans.
July 10-11 - drive to Sante Fe
July 12 - drive to Durango, CO - stay at Lightner Creek Campground - Silverton RR/possible rafting on Lower Animas River/ziplining in Durango
July 14 - drive to Mesa Verde National Park - stay at Mesa Verde RV Resort
July 16 - drive to Arches National Park - stay at Devil's Garden Campground - see Arches/Canyonlands/possible rafting in Moab
July 18 - drive to Jackson, WY - stay at Colter Bay Village RV Park near Jackson Lake
July 20 - drive to Yellowstone National Park - stay at Canyon Campground
July 24 - depart toward home
I bought my tent this past weekend. Went with the Kelty Salida 4. It will usually be just me and possibly one other person (either a kid or the wife), so I went smaller to conserve heat in GTNP and YNP. My sleeping setup is going to be the Coleman Comfortsmart Deluxe Cot and a Eureka 30 degree sleeping bag (for the colder areas). I just don't think I could do a Thermarest pad (no matter how comfortable) for 2 weeks.
Welcome any tips, advice, must-see spots, etc. as I hit the home-stretch of finalizing plans.
Apple Jack
Footballguy
I could use a few days in Durango and Moab. Have a blast.
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Maik Jeaunz
Footballguy
nothing to add to the itinerary, just wanted to say good on you for doing a trip like this instead of the usual beach/Disney type of vacation.
I went on a cross country (actually oval shape) trip with my family (dad, mom, sister, puppy) when I was 8, and it's still one of my favorite memories. it may end up being hell to be the one planning & driving it, but even so I can't wait until I have kids and can take them on a similar type of trip.
I went on a cross country (actually oval shape) trip with my family (dad, mom, sister, puppy) when I was 8, and it's still one of my favorite memories. it may end up being hell to be the one planning & driving it, but even so I can't wait until I have kids and can take them on a similar type of trip.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
Trying to decide where to float:
- Snake River in Jackson
- Colorado River near Moab
- Lower Animas River near Durango
Looking for scenery and a little whitewater...class II at most. Anyone have any experience in those areas?
- Snake River in Jackson
- Colorado River near Moab
- Lower Animas River near Durango
Looking for scenery and a little whitewater...class II at most. Anyone have any experience in those areas?
ffldrew
Footballguy
Better chance to see wildlife on the Snake(early bird sees more) - water and air temperature will be colder - if you can handle that this would be my first choice. Only issue is that there is a lot to do around GT/Yellowstone - this will take a day
Moab will be very warm(water will be cool) - bigger wider river and some nice canyon like scenery - probably more of a float this time of year - but there may be some releases upstream that will be coming
Lower Animas I've never done - been along side it - a narrower river and I'm not sure of the cfs in July it wasn't the greatest of winters in the SW -
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Ray Karpis
Footballguy
I'm kinda leaning that way, too. The Snake looks more scenic. The Colorado near Moab looks really muddy from video I've seen online. The Lower Animas seems a little too pedestrian to be worthwhile.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
That's bizarre. Sounds like I might pass you on the highway on the 18th as you are heading into Moab. You guys doing hotels, lodges, campgrounds?
heckmanm
Footballguy
Riding in my in-laws' big-### RV.
Also hitting Badlands/Rushmore/Devil's Tower on the way out, and Four Corners/Lake Powell/Grand Canyon before heading home. 3 weeks in all.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
Great trip so far. 10 straight days in the tent...no rain. I've had some cold nights where I had zip the mummy bag up all the way, though. We've been in 5 national parks...first night in Yellowstone tonight. Arches was phenomenal. Climbed into the South Window Arch with my son. Floated the Snake River with my family. Rode the train to Silverton, Colorado along the Upper Animas River which was awesome. Went 5 days without a shower...tough on a city boy. Just an amazing trip so far.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
First day back at work after a phenomenal 2-week trip. 15 days, 11 states, 5 national parks. I "succeeded" in tent camping the entire trip, which I was unsure as to whether I would be able to do. A few observations:
1. Amazed at the number of foreign tourists at the national parks. It felt like 5:1 the ratio of Asian/European tourists to Americans in many places.
2. Yellowstone got short-changed because it was at the end of our trip. By the time we arrived at Yellowstone, we were 10 days in and had seen Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Grand Tetons, Upper Animas River in Colorado. We had scenery overload. We spent good time in Geyser Country, the Norris Basin, Canyon area, and drove the entire upper loop, but didn't see the entire park. In fact, we left Yellowstone a day early. Seemed crazy at the time to leave early, but we had just done all the sightseeing we could do. I would much rather do Yellowstone on the front end of the trip if I could do it over again.
3. Arches was phenomenal. Despite the heat, it was my favorite area. Our first night there, we took an evening hike from the Devil's Garden Campground trailhead to the Broken Arch. It's not a very popular hike, so we were absolutely alone on the primitive trail. Kids and I were able to climb up on the red rocks, see deer on the trial, and walk directly under the Arch. The end of the trail takes you through a little narrow canyon. Probably my favorite hour or so of the entire trip.
4 Traveling with the in-laws went better than expected. No issues at all until the drive home. We had a tire on the RV blow out in the middle of Nebraska. I wanted to jack it up, put on the spare and get back on the road. FIL had "roadside coverage" and was determined to use it because "that's why we paid for it." After 2 hours of waiting around for a callback and being told there was no one in the area, we limped it across the interstate to a local shop. Another 2.5 hours before we could get a tire mounted and back on the road. Not a huge deal, but it was a little frustrating when you're ready to get home.
5 Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern Wyoming...brutal to drive through.
6. For those with kids doing the national parks, the Passport book is terrific. Kids loved getting their Passport books stamped at the national park visitor centers/ranger stations and collecting the stickers for each park. Hope they keep those books and fill them up as they get older.
1. Amazed at the number of foreign tourists at the national parks. It felt like 5:1 the ratio of Asian/European tourists to Americans in many places.
2. Yellowstone got short-changed because it was at the end of our trip. By the time we arrived at Yellowstone, we were 10 days in and had seen Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Grand Tetons, Upper Animas River in Colorado. We had scenery overload. We spent good time in Geyser Country, the Norris Basin, Canyon area, and drove the entire upper loop, but didn't see the entire park. In fact, we left Yellowstone a day early. Seemed crazy at the time to leave early, but we had just done all the sightseeing we could do. I would much rather do Yellowstone on the front end of the trip if I could do it over again.
3. Arches was phenomenal. Despite the heat, it was my favorite area. Our first night there, we took an evening hike from the Devil's Garden Campground trailhead to the Broken Arch. It's not a very popular hike, so we were absolutely alone on the primitive trail. Kids and I were able to climb up on the red rocks, see deer on the trial, and walk directly under the Arch. The end of the trail takes you through a little narrow canyon. Probably my favorite hour or so of the entire trip.
4 Traveling with the in-laws went better than expected. No issues at all until the drive home. We had a tire on the RV blow out in the middle of Nebraska. I wanted to jack it up, put on the spare and get back on the road. FIL had "roadside coverage" and was determined to use it because "that's why we paid for it." After 2 hours of waiting around for a callback and being told there was no one in the area, we limped it across the interstate to a local shop. Another 2.5 hours before we could get a tire mounted and back on the road. Not a huge deal, but it was a little frustrating when you're ready to get home.
5 Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern Wyoming...brutal to drive through.
6. For those with kids doing the national parks, the Passport book is terrific. Kids loved getting their Passport books stamped at the national park visitor centers/ranger stations and collecting the stickers for each park. Hope they keep those books and fill them up as they get older.
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oso diablo
Footballguy
seconded on both of these.Ray Karpis said:
my trip to Yellowstone is coming up soon. we are headed to Colorado first, with side-trips to Keystone and Rocky Mountain NP, then rafting on the Snake River outside of Jackson, WY, before hitting Yellowstone for 3-4 days.
Ray Karpis
Footballguy
We floated with Barker-Ewing on the 8-mile whitewater float on the Snake River. Did the small 8-person raft with our family of 5 and a guide. River was a little higher than normal and it was a great float for the kids. Nothing too crazy, but plenty of action. We got soaked numerous times, and I nearly came out of the boat once or twice.
oso diablo
Footballguy
that's the one we're doing, only with a different company, and we'll be on the bigger boat with some center (non-paddling) seats for the timid among us.
