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RE: Long Trip

Started by , Jul 21, 2003, 02:06 AM

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pcmom

 Hello all,
 
 Well, I m leaving in a few days to drive to Salt Lake City to visit family and then on to Yellowstone.  I ll be driving by myself with the kids to Salt Lake - pulling the trailer, then hubby will fly out a week later to go to Yellowstone with us.
 
 What is I-80 from Reno to SLC like?  Is there very much wind?
 
 At this point, my plan is to drive at least to Winnemucca and if I m not too tired then I will continue on to SLC - it would be nice to make it in one day but will make it two days if needed.
 
 I m bringing a TV w/movies and the Nintendo Gamecube so the boys have something to do on the drive.  I m also trying to come up with other " quiet"  activities they can do in the van.
 
 We re planning on going to Dinosaur Park, Hill Aerospace Museum, etc. in SLC.  
 
 In Yellowstone, we are staying at Grant Village.
 
 Does anyone have any tips, suggestions, etc. for the trip? Any " must see or do"  things in SLC or Yellowstone?

 pcmomHill is pretty cool.  I would suggest Timpanogos cave which is just south of SLC.  Very cool and great fun.  You hike a bit but if it is hot, you stay cool under ground.
 http://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm is the Park service site.  Take the virtual tour.
 
 Do the LDS Temple and Tabenacle.  Down by the arena and  around the DoubleTree, there is an area that thas been " reclaimed"  and some very nice restaurants.  There is also a pizza joint down by the UofU campus that is locked in a time loop, late 60 s early 70 s folk music is played to acoustic guitar.  The pizza is good too (and reasonably priced).
 
 If you want to freak your kids, tell them to go dive in the Great Salt Lake....the salt content is so high that you really have to work to get under water.
 
 From Redding I take it you are going to cut over to 395 then down to Reno.  If you make, Reno by noon,  I would bet you could make Wendover.  I ve done Ukiah to SLC and Sac to SLC both times in the winter and solo.  Just make sure you fill up in Wendover before going across Utah. Gas gets pretty scarce.  
 
 Campinggeek
 AKA Jon
 
 

pcmom

 Guest
 
QuoteHill is pretty cool.  I would suggest Timpanogos cave which is just south of SLC.  Very cool and great fun.  You hike a bit but if it is hot, you stay cool under ground.
 http://www.nps.gov/tica/index.htm is the Park service site.  Take the virtual tour.
 
 From Redding I take it you are going to cut over to 395 then down to Reno.  If you make, Reno by noon,  I would bet you could make Wendover.  I ve done Ukiah to SLC and Sac to SLC both times in the winter and solo.  Just make sure you fill up in Wendover before going across Utah. Gas gets pretty scarce.  
 

 Hello Jon (Campinggeek),
 
 We discovered that there is an SR71 Blackbird plane at Hill and the boys can t wait to see it in person.  Their cousin has a model of one and I just happen to find a folder (for school) with one on it today!  We may make it to Timpanogos cave but have to see if we have time to get down that way.
 
 As for the drive, yes I will drive via Susanville to 395 into Reno then across 80 into Salt Lake.  I m planning on leaving around 7 am - want to be well rested since I will be the only one driving.  I ve heard that it is around a 12 hour drive but that s in a car going 70 - 80 mph!  Since I m pulling the trailer, I m guessing it will be closer to 14 or more????  It also depends on how often I have to stop for the kids to have bathroom breaks, food etc.  On the up side though I can pull on the side of the road or a rest area and can avoid the fast food places!  Do all their business in the trailer and even eat healthier too!
 
 I hear the Salt Flats area can get pretty windy - is this true?  The wind is the only thing that is really bothering me about the trip[:(]

 pcmomYour WDH should handle the sway and once you hit the flats I would duck in behind a trucker that is going the speed you are comfortable and let them cut the wind for you.  Do you have a CB in your TV?  Talk to the truckers along the way and see what the wind is like.
 The weather channel web site has a highway driving forecast ( http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/interstate/cities?ix=80®=wc&dir=we&day=1 ) that will give you and idea of the wind along the route.
 
 Also, if your water tank is behind your axle, you may want to fill it once uou get to Reno or Elko.  That may put more weight behind the axle and put a little more on your front axle of the TV.
 
 Campinggeek
 AKA Jon
 
 

SactoCampers

 pcmom
QuoteORIGINAL:  pcmom
 
 Hello all,
 
 Well, I m leaving in a few days to drive to Salt Lake City to visit family and then on to Yellowstone.  I ll be driving by myself with the kids to Salt Lake - pulling the trailer, then hubby will fly out a week later to go to Yellowstone with us.
 
 What is I-80 from Reno to SLC like?  Is there very much wind?
 
 At this point, my plan is to drive at least to Winnemucca and if I m not too tired then I will continue on to SLC - it would be nice to make it in one day but will make it two days if needed.
 
 I m bringing a TV w/movies and the Nintendo Gamecube so the boys have something to do on the drive.  I m also trying to come up with other " quiet"  activities they can do in the van.
 
 We re planning on going to Dinosaur Park, Hill Aerospace Museum, etc. in SLC.  
 
 In Yellowstone, we are staying at Grant Village.
 
 Does anyone have any tips, suggestions, etc. for the trip? Any " must see or do"  things in SLC or Yellowstone?
 

 A few years back for our honeymoon we did a similar trip. We went from the Bay Area to Yellowstone. We didn t go to Salt Lake but instead headed north on 93 outside Wells. We were towing a big 5th wheel and drove from Reno to Wells, which was actually a very short trip. I don t recall any wind but there are some surprisingly long steep grades on I-80. You should have a lot of fun in Yellowstone. Give us an update when you return!

calstate360

 pcmom
QuoteORIGINAL:  pcmom
 
 Hello all,
 
 Well, I m leaving in a few days to drive to Salt Lake City to visit family and then on to Yellowstone.  I ll be driving by myself with the kids to Salt Lake - pulling the trailer, then hubby will fly out a week later to go to Yellowstone with us.
 
 What is I-80 from Reno to SLC like?  Is there very much wind?
 
 At this point, my plan is to drive at least to Winnemucca and if I m not too tired then I will continue on to SLC - it would be nice to make it in one day but will make it two days if needed.
 
 I m bringing a TV w/movies and the Nintendo Gamecube so the boys have something to do on the drive.  I m also trying to come up with other " quiet"  activities they can do in the van.
 
 We re planning on going to Dinosaur Park, Hill Aerospace Museum, etc. in SLC.  
 
 In Yellowstone, we are staying at Grant Village.
 
 Does anyone have any tips, suggestions, etc. for the trip? Any " must see or do"  things in SLC or Yellowstone?
 

 We just did this last July only in reverse. Wind? There is always wind but it was not bad untill we hit a famous Nevada storm out in the boonies. This was when the trailer was new and we had not got the WDH or sway control yet. I had no problems driving, except for slowing to 30mph in the storm.
 
 As far as the distance I would do it in 2 days and relax. It was just the 2 of
 us, no kids, and we spent the night in Boomtown s parking lot. Did the last stretch in the morning when we were rested. Although this was a 3 week trip for us, also we had an accident on the way there and I was just about fed up with driving.
 Sal

griffsmom

 pcmomHeu Michelle!
 
 Wow, what a great mom (and brave woman) you are!!!  I would like to think I d be brave enough to drive that far towing the camper, but heck, I  ve never even drove the car while towing the camper!!![:o][;)]
 
 I can t add much to what everyone has already said about your drive, but I used to go skiing a lot in SLC and I did want to share a great place to eat there.  It s a brew pub called Squatters--they make their own micro beers (very tasty, btw), but it s also a wonderful restaurant with great food.  The atmosphere is perfect for kids--casual, relaxed and not so quiet you can hear a pin drop.  Above all else, be sure to save room for the bread pudding!!!  To show you how nice the place is, after the first time I had their bread pudding, I came home but couldn t get it out of my mind.  So I called them and asked if the chef would be willing to share his recipe, and sure enough he gave it to me right over the phone! I ve been making it ever since!![:D]
 
 Have a great and safe trip! [:)]

 griffsmomDo share...PLEEEEAASSSEE
 
 CampingGeek
 AKA Jon

griffsmom

 GuestHi Jon,
 
 Not sure I understood your post--did you want the bread pudding recipe or pcmom to share details of her trip? [:)]

 griffsmomThe recipe
 
 Campinggeek
 AKA Jon

griffsmom

 pcmomok, I m with you now. [;)]  
 
 I ll try to look it up tonight and post it.  I ll include the butter rum sauce recipe they serve with it too!  Yum!!![:D]

 griffsmomI ll be looking.....
 
 There a diner on the corner of hwy 152 and bus 101 that has a pumpkin bread pudding to die for.  
 
 Maybe we can enlist Ab Diver into getting that recipe???
 
 
 Campinggeek
 AKA Jon

griffsmom

 Guest
 
QuoteORIGINAL:  Guest
 
 I ll be looking.....
 
 There a diner on the corner of hwy 152 and bus 101 that has a pumpkin bread pudding to die for.  
 
 Maybe we can enlist Ab Diver into getting that recipe???
 
 
 Campinggeek
 AKA Jon
 

 Judging by his activity in posting lately, he s obviously got nuthin  but time on his hands...[;)]