getting ready first road trip HELP

So … all the advice here, very sound. Thanks to all and especially LostAgain who is on the other side of the Sierra from us, where we spend a lot of time but he lives there and knows his stuff. I was also going to suggest Bodie State Park in California but not knowing your starting point, it’s hard to know what area to suggest. I can tell you though, that in a lifetime of a camping, backpacking, rock scrambling, x-c skiing, etc., etc. the only person I have ever chosen to put at risk, is me. 

When I have others with me and/or I’m with them, then it’s the appropriate group mentality of planning to the least experienced AND/OR the most at-risk person AND/OR loved ones who I don't want to be at risk. 

Or to put it another way, please don’t do this trip as you’re outlined. You very obviously love your daughter and your mother and want to have a positive experience. As well, your daughter (and your mom!) most certainly need you to stay safe. Please camp at a place where you can have the trailer and all needed services, and then drive (without the trailer) a short distance, as others have mentioned, to view the night sky. The comments specific to your daughter's medical condition are also extremely noteworthy. 

It doesn’t take much, to get away from lights. You also asked really good questions but it’s also clear that you do not have the expertise for the equipment and the extremely rugged trip you’ve planned. Don’t take offense at that! I choose ALL of my trips, according to my expertise. When I’m with my guy, which is more often than not (especially in recent years because I’ve made some promises to loved ones about certain things I won’t do solo anymore) then the circle of expertise – and backup – is stronger because we've joined forces and combined skills. You are the mom. The one who is responsible for making this trip as safe and fun as possible. Note that “safe” comes before “fun”. Please also consider adopting one of my mottos which is, “live to camp and tell about it”. Oh, and one other thing along with the others’ advice re: carrying drinking water [AND FOOD YOU DON'T NEED TO COOK] and such – take a canvas tarp. Not a plastic one (well they’re good for other things so take that too), but a good canvas one. As someone who has spent a lot of time putting on tire chains, reaching under vehicles for various reasons, changing tires, etc., there is no replacing a good canvas tarp. Especially when the ground is hot and down to bare mineral soil (pebbles, rocks). They also make great shade walls, ice chest covers and other purposes. Very versatile! Please let us know what you decide, and please know that all of my comments are given with sincerity and heart for wanting you to have a really good outcome for your family. And wanting you to come back and tell us how positive it was. 

Here is my plan B as it is currently shaping up in my noggin: drop the r-pod off (and the grandma if she wants) in Bloomington at a full hook up, wi-fi, laundry, cafe, convenience store, hot showers type RV place. Then take the Odyssey, the kid (high-functioning, no seizures since age 3, cleared by her 3 doctors), tent, fly, cooler, aux battery, and minimal sundries down into Chaco via the NORTH roads, weather permitting. Sleep in the tent with the kid Sat night, June 16, IN Chaco canyon (for the midnight tours and observatory they have on Sat nights for campers ONLY). Go get grandma Sunday morning for day tours of Chaco Canyon (if she want to) or otherwise play Sun by ear. 

Is this a forum where I could post my whole intended trip? I sure would like to do that...

Also looking at the Dolores recommendation! and feeling so blessed to have found this forum.

more later, I'm late to my appt to get the hitch put on the car

Val

BTW, the 2019 r-pod 190 is supposed to come with 15 in, D-rated tires, which I think is fabulous!

My daughter is 18 years old (about 15 in terms of social development, about 28 in terms of "formal" cognitive development). She loves camping and knows she loves camping. We have a lot of TENT experience and equipment, but I usually wrap my camping trips around water--preferably rivers! I just have never used a trailer before in my whole life, never pulled anything with my own vehicle larger than a little U-Haul box, never handled electricity-powered/propane-powered/sewer-related living 'stuff' while camping before, never 'done' a desert, and never driven any mountain roads in the USA (I've driven the alps plenty, but in passenger cars).

The idea of buying a trailer has been on my mind for about 20 years, I'd say . I thought, well, now I own a vehicle that is supposed to be able to tow, let's try it out. My mom's getting to the age where tent camping isn't much fun for her, but she still loves it, so for about 2 years we've been doing the 'rent a cabin' thing when she comes with us. It's not the same. It feels like a motel and you don't go outside nearly as much as with a tent. So I figured with this rental trip I could get a feel for whether or not my family would like trailer camping, and if they do, then maybe next year I could look into buying a used one.

When my mom and I first planned the trip, we just based it on my daughter's dreams and didn't think to look at the actual ROADS until about two weeks ago, which is when I discovered what we had done, lol. 

There is so much careful preparation with tent camping, and I think what happened is we both just sort of thought (without realizing that's what we were doing) "oh, well now we have a camper, we don't have to do anything! we can just jump in it and go" 

I like the new plan.  Looking at a map, you must be talking about leaving Mom and the Pod in Bloomfield.  I don't know about road conditions, but Google says that's about an hour out of Chaco.  That's nothing in New Mexico, and assuming the roads are much good at all it should be a beautiful drive in and out twice.

Your timing is great too, with a new moon on the 13th. 

I still don't get it about the extra battery.

TT