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Well I hit the road this Thursday the 19th of June at 4AM and will return home on July 7th. It will be my 10 year old daughter, my 11 year old nephew and myself. DW says she s not riding that far and sleeping in a tent.
 From home in Maine, here are the stops
 
 [ul]
 

• The Wilds In Ohio http://www.thewilds.org
• Mammoth Caves in KY http://www.nps.gov/maca/home.htm
• Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado http://www.royalgorgebridge.com/
• Four Corners http://www.navajonationparks.org/fourcorners_monument.htm
• Meteor Crater Arizona http://www.meteorcrater.com/
• Grand Canyon AZ http://www.nps.gov/grca/grandcanyon/
• Hoover Dam NV-AZ http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/
• Bonneville Salt Flats UT http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/bonneville_salt.htm
• Grand Tetons http://www.nps.gov/grte/cult/cultural.htm
• Yellowstone WY http://www.nps.gov/yell/home.htm
• Crazy Horse SD http://www.crazyhorse.org/
• Mt. Rushmore SD http://www.nps.gov/moru/
• Mall Of America MN http://www.mallofamerica.com/
[/ul]
 
 Then back home to Maine. We are tenting instead of taking the camper due to the short nature of the trip, the combined distance and quick setup and takedowns, especially if it is raining and we have to get a cabin[:D]. I have had a lot of people give me suggestions of other great places to stop but they don t fit into the timeline we have to complete this trip. Just wish I had more time to see more things. Gonna be a great experience for my daughter and my nephew, I did almost the exact same trip in 95 with 3 teenagers in a Geo Metro, this time it will be in my truck.

 chasd60
Cool!  Sounds like a fun trip!
 I did something like that years ago, too!
 Stopped at alot of the same places.
 
 I think I might have heard of that last stop, But I m not sure.[;)]

 chasd60
How about taking the popup as back up?[:D]
 
 You could tent camp when you re really in a hurry, but if the weather is awful or you want a good night s sleep and some creature comforts you could popup.
 
 

 chasd60
I ll be a month or so behind ya!  I plan on seeing most of those sites, but I m heading up to Montana (Glacier NP) after my week in Pennsylvania.  Then south to Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc.
 
 Enjoy the trip
 
 Cheers

 chasd60
As long as you re going to the Royal Gorge, why not the Black Canyon of the Gunnison? A few miles away (50?) but worth the trip. My website has pictures of it.

 chasd60
Chasd60,
 
 Are we going to see some pictures of this exciting adventure ? And what happened to your website ?  I can t find your nature pictures anymore ......

 chasd60
Charlie, Have a safe, great trip!
 See ya in July! [:)]

 chasd60
What an awesome summer trip!  Talk about making some memories that will last forever.  We ve talked about doing something like that in a few years.  I figure I want the kids to be old enough to remember a trip like that!

 chasd60
[font=" comic sans ms" ]Happy Trails, Charlie!  Sounds like a great trip! [:)]
 
 See you at The Mall [;)]  
 (anybody else feel like singing that old Sesame Street tune? [&:])
 
  [/font]

 chasd60

QuoteCarry a flashlight when walking through the campground at night. Poisonous copperheads and rattlesnakes are common.
 

 I was really interested in the Mamoth Caves camping info until I saw that! Uggghhh, I hate snakes! [: (]

 chasd60
Chas have a great time!  I wish you were going to the rally in VA, but you are going to have a great time.  Give us a report when you get back.

 sandykayak

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  sandykayak
 
 How about taking the popup as back up?[:D]
 
 You could tent camp when you re really in a hurry, but if the weather is awful or you want a good night s sleep and some creature comforts you could popup.
 
 
 

By the looks of my itinerary I will be in a hurry just about all of the time. I did break down and buy some cots with matresses for the tent though, the old hips don t like the ground too much anymore.
 We are staying mainly at KOA s and if the weather is bad we plan on getting a Kamping Kabin at the KOA.

 Kelly

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  Kelly
 
 [font=" comic sans ms" ]Happy Trails, Charlie!  Sounds like a great trip! [:)]
 
 See you at The Mall [;)]  
 (anybody else feel like singing that old Sesame Street tune? [&:])
 
 

One of these things is not like the others,
 One of these things just doesn t belong,
 Can you tell which thing is not like the others
 By the time I finish my song?

[/font]
 

As of my latest and greatest attempt at my itinerary, we should be arriving in your area in the early evening of July 4th. I might be able to gain a day and get there the 3rd. Will keep in touch as the time draws nearer.
 

 Gone-Camping

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  Gone-Camping
 
 

QuoteCarry a flashlight when walking through the campground at night. Poisonous copperheads and rattlesnakes are common.
 

 I was really interested in the Mamoth Caves camping info until I saw that! Uggghhh, I hate snakes! [: (]
 

I ve been to the caves twice and never seen snakes, but I have never stayed in the CG at the caves.

 tlhdoc

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  tlhdoc
 
 Chas have a great time!  I wish you were going to the rally in VA, but you are going to have a great time.  Give us a report when you get back.
 

I will be at the get together in PA the end of July. That will be the FIRST time using the camperthis year!!!

 birol

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  birol
 
 Chasd60,
 
 Are we going to see some pictures of this exciting adventure ? And what happened to your website ?  I can t find your nature pictures anymore ......
 

Hi Birol,
 I will have tons of pics when we get back. The pictures on my web page were never linked. They are here
 http://userpages.prexar.com/chasd/camden.html
 http://userpages.prexar.com/chasd/camden2.html
 
 And the pics I took when I went to Manhattan to volunteer on 9/11/01
 http://userpages.prexar.com/chasd/manhattan.htm
 
 That is the same tent I am taking on this trip!!

 chasd60
I am going to steal that  Camden one with your permission. What kind of a camera do you have ? The panoramic pics are fantastic looking ! My digital camera allows it but I need a stand , otherwise things get tilted and it shows ...

 birol

 

QuoteORIGINAL:  birol
 
 I am going to steal that  Camden one with your permission. What kind of a camera do you have ? The panoramic pics are fantastic looking ! My digital camera allows it but I need a stand , otherwise things get tilted and it shows ...
 

I have an Olympus D450Z, the software I am using (which I can t recall what it is at the moment) allows you to take several pictures and stitch them together for a panoramic photo. Should have a few panoramic photos when I get back also.

 chasd60
thank goodnes for KOA Kampin  Kabins...it was too cold to tent camp in New Mexico (the altitude and wind were wild), so we spend 3 nights in a Kabin.

 chasd60
That sounds like a WONDERFUL trip!!!   A little hint from a LONG time tent camper...a twin size egg crate pad over a thermarest or air mattress makes sleeping wonderful!  I know that hip ache you talk about!  ;>    Enjoy!!!

 chasd60

QuoteORIGINAL:  chasd60
 We are tenting instead of taking the camper due to the short nature of the trip, the combined distance and quick setup and takedowns, especially if it is raining and we have to get a cabin[:D].

 Are you sure???  When we took our long trip, we originally planned on tenting (we had been tenters for 15+ years), but bought a pop-up because of it s faster setup and takedown.  We got to where we could do it (either direction) in 20 minutes.
 
 Doing the same tenting is not impossible, but rolling sleeping bags (not neccessary w/pop-up), setting up (or taking down) cots, and of course pulling all the needed stuff out of the truck and putting it all back again can kill you time wise.  Stuff gets left in the pop-up and so doesn t need to be repacked.
 
 Austin
 

 chasd60
Chasd, I hope you have a super time--you ve got a marvelous itinerary lined up; some of my favorite places.  We did 4,00 mi one summer going west from Michigan to Alberta and Wyoming and Montana for 4 weeks in a tent with 2 kids and 2 Yorkshire terriers.  I look back and am not exactly sure how we did it, but we had  marvelous time our kids still talk and joke about and I hope  you and your kids will feel the same--although I cant help but think you will need a lot of rest when you get back! [:D]