RE: Report on Road Trip 2003 - LONG!

[Kelly]

 
[font=" comic sans ms" ]Just the highlights ? hoping to add campground reviews in the near future ?.
 
 As I mentioned in the original thread (Road Trip 2003) we had a slight problem with the PU in Nebraska.  Apparently the bearings weren?t sufficiently greased when our axle was replaced and they burned up just outside Grand Island ? fortunately we were close to town and only lost 7 hours of drive time.  (They have a very nice water park in Grand Island, too.  Kept the kids very happy!)
 
 Spent a weekend with dh?s brother and his family in the Denver area before heading off to Mesa Verde SP.  Weather was hot, but bearable.  Not too many tourists and the kids had a great time climbing around the mesas ~ mom was a little nervous!  LOL
 
 After that we moved on to Moab UT ~ wonderful place!!  I got up really early one morning and watched the sun come up over Mesa Arch in Canyonlands NP (Thanks, Skipp for the tip!!)  Absolutely mesmerizing.  Spent a day in Canyonlands and a day in Arches NP.  Couple of hidden treasures ~ if you are ever there, be sure to find Sand Dune Arch in Arches NP and hike to the top of Whale Rock in Canyonlands.  We stayed at a private campground here and got lucky ~ they tucked us in next to a camping cabin (empty while we were there!), so we had lots of shade from that half the day and shade from our awning the other half.  First time we?ve actually used the AC on the PU ?
 
 Then on to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon ~ stayed at a beautiful campground in a ponderosa pine forest.  Had to run the furnace both nights! Go figure!  Not many tourists here either ? the whole trip was like that.  Not a lot of company ? very nice.  A little bit of the Grand Canyon went a long way for the kids, but I loved it.  A little nerve wracking watching the little ones by the edge, but we didn?t lose any!  LOL
 
 From here we dipped down into Phoenix to visit another brother.  YUCK!!! [: (][: (] Hotter than Hades there ?. Fortunately we stayed in dh?s brothers house, not the PU.  Can?t even imagine how uncomfortable that would be!  Just spent one night there and off to a wonderful campground just outside of Santa Fe by way of Show Low AZ.  Spent one night in Show Low dry camping (ain?t you proud, ForestCreature?[]) before we headed off to the Santa Fe area.
 
 Stayed at Tetilla Peak Recreation Area and had a great site up on the hill overlooking the lake.  Oh My.  $11.00 a night, flush toilets, showers, electric hookups ?. And a view to die for!  Clear skies and stars like I?ve never seen before.  About 6 other campers there!  A big ole highlight for me []
 
 Left Santa Fe to hook up with CampinCrazy and a couple other families at Lake Murray in Oklahoma ?. major misadventure on the way ? [/font][link=http://www.popuptimes.com/members/tm.asp?m=40915&p=1&mpage=2&tmode=1]read about it here[/link][font=" comic sans ms" ] ? very nice campground and after the other families left we had the loop to ourselves for two nights!  Spent some time in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area and found a great little swimming hole ~ good thing, too.  It was hot there too!!  
 
 After Oklahoma we headed home by way of Topeka KS.  Worst heat of the trip!!  It?s True ?. It isn?t the heat, it?s the humidity!!!  OMG ~ talk about uncomfortable!  Found a good little swimming hole here, too.  
 
 We were gone for 22 days, drove 5800 miles and were towed 30!  All-in-all it was a great trip and I?d do it all again ~ not sure dh or the kids would say the same thing!!
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[ForestCreature]

 Kelly
Kelly YOU dry camped![].........I m so proud of you![]
 Consider it practice. Some day we ll meet up in the UP.
 
 Sounds like it was a great trip!
 Catch ya in the chat...

[CampinCrazy]

 Kelly
Glad to know you are home safe and sound!  Next year let s meet somewhere under 105 degrees!
 ~K

[fivegonefishing]

 Kelly
Great storey, thanks for sharing.

[CampNfan]

 Kelly
Awsum! Loved your stories! Glad no one got injured and all is home safe and sound. Sounds like you all made a bunch of Good Memories.[]

[tlhdoc]

 Kelly
Kelly glad you had a great trip.  It sounds so wonderful.[]

[gsm x2]

 Kelly
Kelly,
 
 You definitely went to some of the great places the west has to offer.  We were traveling west one time on a mission, but were in Moab, so said, " Let s just drive into Arches for an hour before we hit the road."   We hit the road about 6 hours later and would have stayed longer if we weren t on a semi-schedule.
 
 gsm x2

[SactoCampers]

 Kelly
Kelly, sounds like you had a great trip!