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Subzilla View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Jan 2017
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Long trip questions
    Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 11:57am
Planning a "wild west" trip leaving from NC a few years from now.   Looking at a month or so on the road, planning to hit Grand Canyon, Moab, Mesa Verde, Bryce Canyon, Badlands, and others and not in that order.  Most of the NP's and other campgrounds need very advanced reservations.  With 2000 miles just to get out there and with the distances in between the destinations, how does an experienced RVer time those reservations? In other words, how much time do you plan for pure travel time in between the destinations?  I know the biggest variable is how many miles each person is capable of logging every day.  I know what I can do in a day but with continuous days of travel, I can see that capable distance decreasing due to fatigue.  Do you plan an extra standby day in between destinations?  Do you overlap reservations, then modify them at the last minute as you firm up your arrival time?  So far, as a tenter, pop-up owner and Rpodder, I've mainly done single destination trips with maybe a one-night stay over along the way.  

This is very exciting for wife and I!  If work permitted, I would do it next month!
Mark
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 12:34pm

As they say on cable talk shows, there’s a lot to unpack in your question. Being retired and loving the West we have made similar trips from FL many times. Now we live in CO so things are much closer. If you don’t have to hurry I suggest several rules.

Plan for no more than 6 hours driving each day when in transit. With traffic and weather that can sometimes stretch to eight hours but that becomes a long day. A four hour drive is very nice, a ten hour drive is a no-no.

Plan to drive at 60mph max. With slowdowns etc. that usually averages 50mph driving. Remember that your gas mileage will be 10-12 mpg towing so plan your gas/potty stops accordingly. Usually every 2-3 hours.

Plan to arrive at a new CG early in the afternoon. Campsites fill up fast and the early bird sometimes gets a better choice of sites.

Especially at NPs don’t plan any sightseeing on departure and arrival days. Take time in the mornings for coffee/breakfast. Start each day fresh. Don’t cut short a day of exploring to pack up the campsite.

Reserve well in advance. NP CGs are booked early. Sometimes you can catch a cancellation but don’t count on it.

Plan to take your time and relax. Your goal is to see the parks, not log highway miles.

Charlie
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 1:05pm
I highly agree with Charlie. We usually do 55-60 and really try to stay within the 5-6 hour time frame. The travel does drain you, we do like stopping early and usually like CG's with a pool or hot tub to relax in.
We also don't like to travel more than 3 days without a rest day.
Plus we do stop for gas and to stretch every few hours. We also take lots of pictures!!
Sounds like a great trip!!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 1:53pm
If you can't get space at national parks, there are usually state parks not far from the np's. For example, in Utah there is Dead Horse State Park, Green River SP, Goblin Valley SP and Kodachrome Basin SP that are just as great, if not better than the national park campgrounds that are nearby. You still need to make reservations ahead of time though.  We also plan nights at hotels in between campgrounds to break things up. I agree with everything that the previous posters have suggested too. Enjoy your trip.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 4:07pm
Pete great tip! I am going to add those parks to a state by stat campground list I have been accumulating from tips passed on by forum members!

Thanks 
Leo & Melissa Bachand
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 7:24pm
I'm not retired yet so I disagree with Charlie's 6 hour driving days.  First, I think you need to know your own limits and stick to them within reason.  For me, if I'm trying to get from Tennessee to the Grand Canyon, and don't care to dawdle or spend time at interim locations, I don't mind driving 14 hours or more in a day.  I'll stop at a Walmart or truck stop at 8 or 10 pm and be gone by 7 or 8 the next morning.

For my destination locations where reservations are at least highly desirable, I'll make those reservations and time my interim stops accordingly.  Going from the Grand Canyon, to, say Rocky Mountain NP, I'll try schedule some soft time.  Maybe I'll spend the next day at Mesa Verde, then Ouray, Aspen, then RMNP.  If I figure it's a 4 day trip I'll plan on 5 days.  I can spend extra time along the way if I want and I probably don't have to worry about getting to RMNP to make my reservation.  When I stupidly realize that I'm driving right by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, I'll probably have time to take a little detour.  I won't have reservations at the interim places -- I'll be prepared to find a Walmart or even spend the night at a motel if necessary.

There's a whole lot of personal preference involved on long trips.  Charlie's suggestions are great for someone like Charlie.  Some people can't imagine going down the road without a planned stopping point and a reservation.  To me, that's one of the great freedoms of towing your motel room around with you.  Some people would be totally uncomfortable spending the night at a Walmart or driving into a National Forest campground at 8 pm and I understand all that.  This is just another point of view.

TT

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 7:32pm
Having towed a couple 600 mile plus days a few times.. I try very hard to keep it at 350 or less if I need to drive the next day. Otherwise I start to HATE the trip.

We have done rezis and no rezis, in route, just depends on how, where, and when.

If I was starting from NC, and planning to hit the spots you listed, I would allow at least 2 months for the trip and be happier at 3 months.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 7:59pm
Picked up our pod in Panama City Beach last fall.  Pulled it 454 miles back to middle TN.  Stopped for gas (a lot) and once to eat fast food driving a Jeep Wrangler.  I must admit we were worn out when we got home.  Not pulling a TT no problems driving that far.  Point being, pulling a TT does add to the stress.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 9:09pm
Originally posted by Larry-D

Picked up our pod in Panama City Beach last fall.  Pulled it 454 miles back to middle TN. 

I've made that round trip every year for the past 4 years.  From where I am in Middle Tennessee to TH Stone State Park outside of Port St. Joe, FL.  According to Google it's 532 miles.  We go down in one day, leaving around 7 or 8, getting in maybe as late as 9 or 10.  We stay about a week and come back in one day.  We gain an hour coming back, so it's a little easier sort of.

I try to make a it 10 day trip by taking a week off plus a holiday.  No way I'd want to spend 40% of my days on the road.  20% is bad enough.  And it's worth it to me to spend long days on the road coming and going.

My wife won't drive at all with the Pod hooked up.

I'm no superman -- I hope I don't sound like I'm bragging.  My point is that just that one size does not necessarily fit all.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2018 at 7:26am
All great info.  Yes, pulling a trailer does add a stress factor compared to no trailer, for sure.  We picked up our trailer in Ohio and dragged it back to NC but after driving for about 5 hours, we realized we didn't want to try to take it over the Smokeys at night and stopped in Knoxville.  I use to drive many miles without flinching but it seems the older I get, the less I can tolerate....and I'm only 55.  Not afraid to drive 450 or 500 miles at one time....but with a trailer is a different story.  Have a trip planned to St. Augustine in 3 months (Anastasia SP) at 460 miles.  We see how that goes.  

For the big trip, I agree with TT, I really don't want to spend too many days driving to get there.  I realize the journey can also be the "experience" too and I do plan to hit some highlights en route.  But I also don't want to be kaput when we get there either.    I do like the 6 hour (350 mile) driving day concept as a planning tool.  And if possible, pull some longer travel days.  And furpod, I had preliminary planned about 1.5 months at a minimum.  But, 2 or 3 months would be nice.  I think planning some extra cushion days in between destinations is a must....breakdowns, weather, tiredness, the unknown attraction.

Thanks y'all for the great advice.  

Tars Tarkas, we have made many a trip to the in-laws in Hendersonville, TN.  Her kinfolk all grew up there.  450 miles from our doorstep.  
Mark
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