I have a dream ... trip

[Joe S.]

Ihave been dreaming of taking a trip across, mn, nd, mt and into bc. Across bc to campbell river. From there to portland, yellow stone, rushmore and home during the summer and camping all the way. Stopping and seeing all the sights would be nice.

Challenges
1. Sun
2. Heat
3. Driving
4. Cost
5. Binging our dog
6. Over 6000 miles

What helpful suggestions do you have?

What would your dream trip be?

wha

[Ripvanann]

Sounds wonderful Joe! There are so many places I'd love to go... can't do it now for so many reasons. Love to get our kids to a beach to see one. They had their toes in the sand in Boston MA 4 years ago. Twins aren't old enough to remember.  So, I guess a nice beach somewhere would be lovely.

[Carolina]

Oh, Joe, I've done too many car trips.....from Boston to the Midwest, and from El Paso to NC.

I started planning a trip like yours recently, from NC to Portland....but the driving is insane, and flying and renting a car makes more sense in the long run, both for my stamina and financially.

But, then there's the dog, of course.   And it's fun to plan the trip. CAMPING?

Wow you have more stamina than I ever had.  I stopped Camping in my 30's.  Long long long ago.

Tuesday we leave for three weeks in Paris, and have to change planes to get to Charles de Gaulle from Raleigh.

That's enough excitement for me.  But everyone has his or her own dream.

Keep working on it.  Do the Googling of camp grounds and routes and things to see.  That's half the fun.

Hugs,  Elaine

[Carebear]

Joe,

Give me a wave when you drive under Alberta, will you?  I'll try to wave back!  Have an excellent trip.

If I were able, I would take a few months to drive all over Canada and the United States, letting the car decide when and where to stop.  It's nearly impossible to sit in a movie theatre for two hours these days though, so I'm guessing road trips are off the table for now.  But maybe some day...

Oh how I used enjoy being so spontaneous!

[angeldancer]

Ok? you guys are so exciting.  Canada, Yellowstone, Paris,?I'm smiling over the traveling thoughts.  The last time I went camping was  when my son was a scout.  I have done some cabin camping but in a tent it was definitely when he was in transition from cub scout to boy scout.  At this time I am like care bear I don't sit in the movie theater well but would love to get out and see some waterfalls and definitely yellowstone.

I say sunscreen, plenty of water and healthy snacks and take it real slow.  I can imagine myself doing it but it would take a very long time for a trip like that.  It sounds as though you will be gone a month, lol!  I guess I am thinking about myself.  Please enjoy yourself for all of us. 

And to everyone that is going on a special trip this summer enjoy and let us know about your fantastic excursions.

Angeldancer

[susanep]

I use to love camping, and checking out caves. I liked camping that was real roughing it. I have camped that way in the Smokey Mountains, and walked through a 4 hour tour in Mammoth Cave. Lot's of going upwards in that cave.

Those days are over for me now.

I would be happy to work in my little flower garden as I did last year.

Have a great trip Joe if you can. You should be able to work the details out with enough thought.

susanep

[Joe S.]

Our last drive was 2 years ago. We were under time pressures. It was equal in cost to flying. The cost of air flight has gone up to three times what it was then.

A few years before, we drove trans-Canada from Winnepeg to Campbell River. It was harder to stop for breaks every hour or two then our trips through the states. Most of the trip was flat farms. We saw one hill and got excited. It was an overpass for a RR track. Alberta started to have more things to see. I loved the high plains. Then we got to the mountains. They are why we want to drive back. So many things to see that we could not stop for on that first trip.

I have seen most of the sights comming back through the states but Jan has not. We could no afford to travel when the kids were young. Jans idea of camping is a two room suite that does not have a full kitchen (no dish washer).

I was a Scout master for a number of years to get my camping in when my girls were young. They stayed home with mom. Our youngest demands a 3 or 4 star hotel. Our oldest goes camping with her boys.

[Sleepy In Seattle]

Oh Joe, that sounds AWESOME!!!! You're talking about some of my absolute favorite country

I say DO IT!!!! Nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Challenges
1. Sun - sunscreen and sun-resistant clothing (obviously) - maybe get some UV coating/tint put in the windows of your car to help in shielding you. Plan your days so you are at the "sights" in the morning and evening rather than the middle of the day.

2. Heat - Good A/C, "cooling cloths" (look for them at sporting-goods stores or online), and keep several of those instant-activated chemical (ick, I know, but supposedly they're non-toxic) cold-packs in the car in case you get suddenly overheated - you can activate them and put them on pulse-points for instant emergency cool-downs. Doing your hiking and sight-seeing in the mornings and evenings should also cut down on the heat pressure - spend the middle of the day traveling in your tinted-window, air-conditioned vehicle (if your vehicle doesn't have those things, maybe consider renting one that does!).

3. Driving - good music/books on tape, frequent rests, hydration, and a flexible itinerary that will allow you to get extra rest if you need it. Don't be too ambitious - relax and enjoy!

4. Cost - I grew up in a very thrifty family, camping across the country many summers. Look for second-hand travel supplies and equipment, bring a cooler and supplies from home, buy food at grocery stores rather than restaurants, look online for "free attractions" everyplace you go, get AAA and utilize the discounts, etc....but mostly, embrace the idea that life is short and the experiences will be worth far more to you than the money. This kind of stuff is what money is for!

5. Bringing our dog - this is where online research will be incredibly helpful - there are tons of resources for dog-friendly travel, and the area of the country you are traveling in is one of the best areas for it. Be sure to bring your dog's vet papers, especially for going to Canada. Ask your vet if there are any medications you should bring with you, just in case (for instance, much of the groundwater sources in some of those areas carries giardia, etc). Bring a dog crate so if you need to stay in a hotel or leave your dog somewhere for a time, s/he has a safe place to be. You can fill the crate with camping supplies when you're not using it, and it won't take up too much extra space. If you don't have one, they are often available second-hand on Craigslist or some other similar resource.

6. Over 6000 miles - Take it slow, and stay in an inexpensive hotel every now and then for a "luxury break". And remember that life is a journey, not a destination....the travel itself is half the fun, so enjoy the ride!!!!

I hope you take this trip - or at least part of it - and enjoy the heck out of it.

[Joe S.]

Thank you every one! Baileys crate folds to a couple of inches. I plan on taking my folding recliner and getting one for Jan. We have a 10x10 marketing tent that I have to see if it will work b4 the trip. Our mini van has reclining seats in the front. It has a dvd player. Removing the center seats will give Bailey some room. Their is a hitch for a small trailer if required. We had an electric cooler for the car but I can not find it.

Jan has been talking about bringing her induction cooking system and our daughter wants our old desktop computer. Add two suit cases and dog stuff and the van is full.

[litliwlowa]

Have a wonderful dream trip, Joe.

Amanda

[aussie mum]

Sounds great Joe. There's so much to see in this world and so little time....

I have a couple of tips:-

1) After a recent camping trip (albeit in a camper trailer not a tent) is not to travel too quickly.
We drove 4000klms (2450 miles) in just over 2 weeks and were under times constraints to get to our destination in 3 days.
We had 3 x 600klm (370mi) days where we had to set up and pack down every day. It was exhausting.
We took an extra night coming home but it was still so tiring.

Next time, we will either travel shorter distances each day or maybe have a 2 night stop every 2nd night. 

2) If you are tenting, look for one of the new wiz bang, easy up tents which can be put up in just a few minutes.
Eg. Oztent. Here's a link to their website. oztent.us/home
They are quite expensive here, but we know someone who has one and he said it's brilliant.

3) Take lots of photos. They are your best souvenir. I am forever grateful to the inventor of digital cameras. It's easy to take 100's of photos every day to look back and only print a few later.

4) Relax and enjoy yourself 

[Joe S.]

Thankyou for the link, they were unteresting. We got 2 recliners today. Jan's cousins are getting together in portland so she is more open to camping as that is what they are doing.