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Monday, October 23, 2017
Trip Summary
It's taken three weeks to wrap our minds around a summary of this trip.
It would be easy to focus on having a flat tire on the trailer, a trip to an emergency room to treat Dick's chigger bites, multiple intense rain/hail storms, a leak in a fan frame, a detour to avoid fires in Oregon and the nine days the Durango spent in a body shop recovering from a Portland accident. But those memories would dim many glorious memories.
The southwest is packed with adventure and many wonderful sights. We were able to experience many of both.
Travel Trivia
We drove 8,348 miles (7,341 miles towing) and got 14.0 mpg on this trip.
The total for the past 10 years is 102,558 miles driven (83,921 miles of towing) and 395 trailer set-ups.
Expectations
We had hoped to re-visit places of past delight and travel new, out-of-the way routes ... and did.
Special Sights & Experiences
* Traveled the Natchez Trace Parkway
* Traveled the Gulf Coast from Houston to Corpus Christi
* Stayed in Seminole Canyon State Park near the Texas/Mexico border
* Lake Amistad
* Fort Davis National Historic Site
* McDonald Observatory
* Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, NM
* Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM
* Hovenweep National Monument
* Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam
* Traveled the Trail of the Ancients (US-160)
* Vermilion Cliffs
* Grand Staircase-Escalante
* Traveled the Scenic Byway 12 (including the "no berm" Hogsback)
* Capitol Reef National Park
* Bend and Sisters, OR
* Stayed in a number of exceptional campgrounds
Disappointments
We had hoped to wander around in southeastern Arizona (in the Tombstone and Bisbee area) and get a closeup view of the Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs area near Page, Arizona.
We missed the first because we avoided the sweltering 110° temperatures in the area and the second because of poor planning.
Close Calls
* Came within 13 miles of running out of gas when we filled-up at Sydney, NE.
* Came within 0.3 gallons of running out of propane when we got home.
Problems
* Fresh water tank has a slow leak (we knew of it before we left, have to fix it).
* Fantastic Fan frame leaked after a heavy rain (Airstream dealer's repair didn't work).
* Trailer tire flat caused by a screw.
* Durango front end damage caused by a street barrier.
Our Next Trip
We're considering a new approach ... drive fewer miles and see more sights. For example: go to a state (Kentucky?) and explore as much as we can.
It would be easy to focus on having a flat tire on the trailer, a trip to an emergency room to treat Dick's chigger bites, multiple intense rain/hail storms, a leak in a fan frame, a detour to avoid fires in Oregon and the nine days the Durango spent in a body shop recovering from a Portland accident. But those memories would dim many glorious memories.
The southwest is packed with adventure and many wonderful sights. We were able to experience many of both.
Travel Trivia
We drove 8,348 miles (7,341 miles towing) and got 14.0 mpg on this trip.
The total for the past 10 years is 102,558 miles driven (83,921 miles of towing) and 395 trailer set-ups.
Expectations
We had hoped to re-visit places of past delight and travel new, out-of-the way routes ... and did.
Special Sights & Experiences
* Traveled the Natchez Trace Parkway
* Traveled the Gulf Coast from Houston to Corpus Christi
* Stayed in Seminole Canyon State Park near the Texas/Mexico border
* Lake Amistad
* Fort Davis National Historic Site
* McDonald Observatory
* Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, NM
* Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM
* Hovenweep National Monument
* Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam
* Traveled the Trail of the Ancients (US-160)
* Vermilion Cliffs
* Grand Staircase-Escalante
* Traveled the Scenic Byway 12 (including the "no berm" Hogsback)
* Capitol Reef National Park
* Bend and Sisters, OR
* Stayed in a number of exceptional campgrounds
Disappointments
We had hoped to wander around in southeastern Arizona (in the Tombstone and Bisbee area) and get a closeup view of the Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs area near Page, Arizona.
We missed the first because we avoided the sweltering 110° temperatures in the area and the second because of poor planning.
Close Calls
* Came within 13 miles of running out of gas when we filled-up at Sydney, NE.
* Came within 0.3 gallons of running out of propane when we got home.
Problems
* Fresh water tank has a slow leak (we knew of it before we left, have to fix it).
* Fantastic Fan frame leaked after a heavy rain (Airstream dealer's repair didn't work).
* Trailer tire flat caused by a screw.
* Durango front end damage caused by a street barrier.
Our Next Trip
We're considering a new approach ... drive fewer miles and see more sights. For example: go to a state (Kentucky?) and explore as much as we can.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Day 57 – Carlock, IL to Columbus, OH
Thanks
to nice weather, we just kept going.
The Route
We went further than planned today. The planned 270 miles became 355 miles and we
ended up at home.
We left Carlock on I-74, snaked through Indianapolis on I-65,
connected with I-70 there, and took it east to Columbus.
About the Day
The day was sunny and pleasant.
The temperature ranged from the low 60’s to the high 70s.
Along the Way
Illinois …
Sometimes we return to a place we’ve been on purpose; sometimes it
happens by accident. Today it was the
latter.
We were considering a stop for a late breakfast. We had passed a few options and finally picked
one on a whim. Rich’s Family Restaurant (in Ogden, IL) looked nice and it was conveniently
located at an I-74 exit. We pulled in
and noticed the parking lot looked familiar.
Sure enough, we had stopped at the same place last year.
It was nice, nothing fancy.
Indiana …
There’s little to report other than the chronically rough, poorly
maintained roads in Indiana. I-70 was
the worst.
Ohio …
The good news is that we arrived on a nice day. There was no rain to avoid.
We parked the trailer at 6:15 and after two trips, had it unloaded by 8:45. The operative word is “unloaded”. It’ll take a few days to put things away and
clean the car and trailer.
Tomorrow
We'll start adjusting to normal life and wish we were ready to leave on the next trip.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Day 56 – Newton, IA to Carlock, IL
We’ll
be home by Tuesday.
The Route
This was our sixth and final day on I-80. We left Newton on I-80, connected with I-74
just east of Davenport, and drove south on I-74 to Carlock. It was a 257 mile trip.
About the Day
It was mostly sunny with high clouds … a delightful day for
driving. The temperature ranged from 63°
to 80°. Gusting cross-winds made for interesting
towing. Truck traffic was heavy at times. The highway was in good condition.
We got on the road by 10:00.
Along the Way
Iowa scenery …
Observation: Northwestern Illinois looks a lot like Iowa, it's just not as hilly.
Mississippi River …
 |
| Views from the bridge |
Travel Trivia
We just traveled eastward on I-80 for four full days and two partial
days. We got on it in Utah, passed through
all of Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa, and got off in Illinois. I-80 is 2,900 miles long and we only saw 1,220 miles of it.
The Campground
We’re staying at Kamp
Komfort RV Park. We’ve stayed here
before. It’s very nice, not fancy.
 |
| It's a quiet time of the year for many campgrounds. |
 |
| Site #2 |
Sunset
 |
| We experienced sailor's delight tonight. |
Tomorrow
We’ll stop for our last night on the road.
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