TRIP SUMMARY-ACROSS US 2009

After 87 days touring the US we arrived home safely. Memories of many great places and events but best of all getting to visit many friends & family members along the way. Just a few are in the collage: Starting in the upper right corner & going clockwise: Dan & Karen's home on Supper Bowl Sunday, Riverside, Ca; Roger & Pat under cherry tree, DC; Joyce & Robert Bullard, Bellsville, Tx; Taylor & Michelle, DC; Cactus Queens at Gypsy Rally, Az; Roger & cousin Louise Evans, Bandera Tx. Also visited (no pictures): Rosemary Rios, Indio; Bob & JoAnn Martini, Yuma; Marvin & Ellen Johnston, Lake Medina Tx.
We also met new RV friends along the way that share their travel experiences on their respective blogs.
Our home place made it on its own while away. Some of our fine neighbors did check on the house & watered Pat's plants. Have been home for a week and we are back to normal.

Here's a summary of miles traveled and a daily cost of the trip. We did keep a journal of all expenses. Thought some of you RVer's might be interested. At this time fuel costs are low with diesel costing $2.28-$1.88/gal. We did boondock several nights (no rv park) & used several of our RV Memberships for discounts.

Total miles traveled................................... 10,500
In motorhome............................................ 7,600
In Honda.................................................... 2,900

Average daily costs (all expenses)................. $76.36
RV Parks...................................................... 17.85
Diesel & Gasoline.......................................... 25.00
Groceries, eating out, admissions & misc. ..... 33.51

Nice to be home. Thanks to all of you for following us. Hope to see you soon. Enjoy life! Roger & Pat.

MICHELLE & TAYLOR

Meet Michelle (my niece) & Taylor. Location is Great Falls National Park...just outside Arlington Virgina on the canyon walls of the Potomac River. Taylor proposed to Michelle just a few yards from here early in April. The marriage will take place sometime late January 2010. Location will be somewhere in the DC area. The dog is, "Dozer" & a character.
I couldn't get these photos out of my camera until I got home.

A neat couple with a lot going for them. Currently remodeling their home. Both employed in the computer field & will have a nice home.

This was a warm Sunday noon & the Potomac was running full force. The Park was full of picnickers.
Guess who?












Click the photo to enlarge so you can read!

FINAL STOPS

Read prior blog first. This is a continuation.
Pat & Greta with Boulder Dam in the background.
Brother Mike pointing where new turbines & intakes will be built.
This winds up our visit to the Dam. Enjoyed a fine Chinese dinner this evening at PF Changs.

Early Sunday (4:30 AM) we depart for our 450 mile trip to Coarsegold to complete our 3 month journey. Much easier to drive at this time of the day & miss all the traffic. Arrived safely...plan to do a wrap & summary. The best to all of you & thanks for following. Roger & Pat
Some earlier travelers across Boulder Dam!

FINAL STOPS NEXT

I am running behind on my posting. My writings here starts on April 23rd. This morning we leave Hatch, Utah for Mesquite Nevada. Programmed to stay at the Oasis Casino & RV Park in Mesquite. Plan to dine out tonight, empty our RV holding tanks & take on fresh water. Friday & Saturday we will be dry camping in front of my brother Mike's & Greta's new home in North Las Vegas.
Arriving in Mesquite it was quite warm & they have fallen on hard times. Many of the Casinos have scaled back. No buffets during the week. The RV park was 1/3 full & we had full hookups.

Friday we arrived around noon at my brother's home. All parked including a parking pass from the home owners association. Greta is teaching school. They are the perfect hosts. For dinner tonight we dined out at a Olive Garden.

On Saturday morning Mike planned a short motor trip. Arrived at Boulder Dam to view the new construction of Highway 93's new bridge that spams the canyon and is above the dam. Note the arch that is being poured in place that will support the bridge roadway when completed. Scheduled to be completed in 2010. I believe it will be one of the tallest bridges in the world.
A popular tourist attraction in Las Vegas. (have lost 2 photos in this blog so I will post a continuation)

ZION NATIONAL PARK

On this cold morning we off on a hour's drive to Zion in the Honda. Entering the park on the East side from Route 89 is a twisting & winding road that takes you through this tunnel. Buses & motor homes go by escort. So glad that we elected to leave the motor home outside the park. It's my understanding that coming into the park from the West side there is no problems for motor homes or buses.

Once through the man made tunnel the beauty of the park's landscape's unfold right before you. What a site it is.

The park receives more visitors than Bryce. So the trams are up & running. We parked at the visitor's center & were off for our Zion experience. The Tram is the best & easiest way to view the park. It takes 90 minutes to complete it's route. One can get on & off as many times as you wish at no charge...free.
At the end of the route we got off the tram & hiked 3.2 miles inside the canyon & along the Virgin River which has carved out the walls over time. The foliage was beautiful with many kinds of ferns growing in the shade.
The colors change as the day progresses.
By this time we were ready for lunch. A Tram stop at the lodge was a convenient lunch stop. The next stop was at the museum where we were able to see a film on the history of the park.
We had camped in the park in the mid sixties with our children. There have been many changes from that time.

There is a good size campground in the park that takes RVs & tent camping. Dry camping on a first come basis; no reservations.

A great park to visit, the tram is a relaxing way to get around. This time of year the weather was very comfortable. Gets real warm in the summer!!

On to Mesquite Nevada tomorrow.

BRYCE NATIONAL PARK

Arrived at the Riverside RV Park in Hatch, Utah around 1 PM. Will be staying here for the next two nights. This afternoon we are off to see the beauty of Bryce National Park. After a 30 minute drive our golden age pass gets us into the Park. Our first stop is to the visitor center for a map of the park & to view the orientation movie. You are allowed to drive your car inside the park. The road runs South of the entrance for 20 miles along the West ridge of the park. Pull outs are along the way with excellent viewing spots.
This was a photo op afternoon with the sun looking over our shoulder.
There was snow lacing the hoodoos and on the mountain peaks that added to the contrast and beauty of the park. If one wanted to hike there are several trails. The highest point by car is 9,600 feet. I think we

stopped at ten different viewing stops. Both of us rate Bryce as a spectacular park to visit. Views are endless & change by the minute. So glad we were able to be here this afternoon!The weather was on the brisk side and refreshing. It will get down to freezing tonight at the RV Park.

Tomorrow we will drive to Zion National Park which is about and hour south of Hatch.

JOLIET, IL TO HATCH, UT.

1,533 miles. Leaving Joliet on Friday morning April 17th. We will do this stretch over 5 days driving about 300 miles each day. Following the interstates 80, 76, & 70 West; taking Utah Route 89 South. Why are we going to Hatch? Will tour Bryce & Zion National Parks. Then on to Las Vegas to visit brother Mike & Greta.
Bad weather is forcast to hit the Rockies on Friday & Saturday. Studying the routing we did; oh well if they close I 70 because of snow we decided we would just wait it out. Planned not to stop at any RV parks on this leg of the trip. We boondock when we can. The motor home can handle it and we save a few dollars.
Our first night was camp Wally: Super Wal Mart, Newton, Iowa. In the heart of Iowa corn farming. Had a great view looking right into a farming landscape to the East. It was a warm afternoon & every body was coming in to town. The ground is still too wet to till...planting time is just a few days away.

Leaving Newton this AM we drove through Omaha, Nebraska; then on to Kearney Ne. for the night. Well the rain started and it rained for most of the morning. We still enjoyed our ride through the farming country. Arriving in Kearney we elected to boondock at Cabela's Store parking lot which they let you do. The store is about 1 mile East of town in a level farming area. Union Pacific's main rail line East to West is right across the highway. Later in the afternoon the clouds gathered above & soon lighting struck & hail began to hit for a short period. Each time a loaded coal train passed the ground shook. Would you believe neither of us heard or felt the trains during the night.

On to Sterling, Colorado about 135 miles East of Denver. We were getting reports that I 70 was closed on Saturday. Arriving at Camp Wally in Sterling we found a nice parking space for the night. Over the TV the weather reports from Denver were reporting it had warmed up & flooding was occurring in some spots. Good news for us.

This Monday morning we passed through Denver around 10:30 & headed West toward Loveland Pass.
Road reports were all roads open. Pat was able to capture all of the photos while we were driving. The mountain landscape was breath taking. As old trucker's would say the road was dry & dusty.

A stop in Rifle, Co at a road side rest we were able to empty our waste water & take on a new supply of water. Mid afternoon we arrived at Grand Junction, Co. Camp Wally had posted signs, no over night parking. So we looked for a plan B location. On the West side of town there was a developing industrial park. The roads were in...our spot for the night. We had protection from a patrolling sheriff.

An easy drive the next day to the high desert town of Hatch, Utah. Will be touring Bryce this afternoon.
Until next time wish you were here. Roger & Pat