Itinerary

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Itinerary for our Great American Road Trip

Date Route & Miles Where we stay

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Sat May 31st '08 About 160 miles down I 81 past Radford to Claytor Lake State Park VA

Sun June 1st & Mon June 2nd
Cumberland National Historic Park (about 200 miles). Have lunch, hike. Drive up Rt 25 to London & over on 80/Cumberland parkway (about 140 miles) to Mammoth Cave National Park, KY


Tuesday June 3rd Relaxed morning. Pack up & drive up I 65 (about 80 miles) to Louisville. Stay in Louisville KY with Melissa E.

Wed Jun 4th Amelia -work during the day/or evening. Boys & Rollie go around Louisville some.

Thurs June 5th Take I-64 or some more scenic route (maybe 62 to 66 and follow river) across Indiana (about 160 miles) and Illinois (about 130 miles) and through St. Louis MO (stop & see something & get dinner?) to Graham Cave St Park in Missouri - about 40 miles west of St Louis.

Fri June 6th Drive toward Kansas City (about 253 miles). Stop in Columbia MO to see Greg F? Go on to Baldwin City and spend night with Andy & Juda & boys.

Sat June 7th Spend part of day and late afternoon head up to Ozawkie (northeast of Topeka) and spend afternoon w J. To Topeka for dinner.

Sunday June 8th Drive to Topeka to M & V. Amelia works some over the course of the day/night). Spend night, see some Topeka sights or just visit.

Monday June 9th Drive old Rte 50. Start on 335 toward Emporia and turn onto Rte 56 (old 50)Through Council Grove and Great Bend past Pawnee Rock to Fort Larned (which is open on Sundays)(110 miles). Have lunch, tour fort. Go on through Dodge City ( 45 miles), tour some, to Garden City -Stay in a motel.
Tues June 10th
Wiggle room Finney Wildlife Area & Bison Refuge is south of Garden City

Wed June 11th
Thurs June 12
Fri June 13th
Through rest of Kansas (about 1 ½ hrs) into Colorado & through La Junta (another 100 miles). Then through Walsenburg to Great Sand Dunes NP. Dunes campground is 1st Come 1st served. Temps in 70s-80s day/elevation is 8,200. Evenings cool. Sand surface temp very hot in day (140) - walk dunes AMs and evening.

Sat June 14th
Sun June 15th
Monday June 16th
Drive towards Taos on Rte 522. Good place to eat in Questa. Keep going using the “High Road to Taos” drive to see pueblos and old churches, quaint towns, lovely scenery. End up in Santa Fe. Stay in studio casita. (Two Casitas. Booked Artist B).

Tuesday June 17th
Drive early to Chaco Canyon. Plan to camp there 1 night - or stay in Farmington if can’t get a 1st come 1st served site. Elev 6,200 ft. summer temps 80’s to 90’s. Chaco’s Gallo campground 1st come 1st serve sites only. Might want a tarp/umbrella/awning as there is no shade.

Wednesday June 18th
Thurs June 19th
Fri June 20th

Drive through Durango to Mesa Verde (about 126 miles) & spend 3 nights camping. Set aside 3 hours 1 afternoon to take Balcony House half day tour which leaves at 1 from visitors center.

Sat June 21st
Drive via 4 Corners Monument & down to Chinle Arizona (3 hrs - about 150 miles) to Canyon de Chelly (about 150 miles). Hike, look, have lunch. Drive on via Hubbell Trading post National Historic Site (make a brief stop) to Petrified Forest National Park (about 90 miles) (and Painted Desert National Monument - is just across road). Set aside a couple of hours to take steep 1-mile Blue Mesa loop trail. Drive to west a short ways to Holbrook. Holbrook on I-40. Find a motel. Hope for WiFi.

Sun June 22nd
Monday June 23rd
Drive on to Meteor Crater (about 50 miles) and on to Walnut Canyon National Monument (another 40 miles), tour & have lunch. Then head on to visit Vincent near Sedona. Follow his directions thru Flagstaff to Oak Creek canyon on 89A South. Spend night. Head out next day for day hikes where he recommends. Spend a second night?

Tuesday June 24th
Wiggle room. Possible day trip to Taliesin West or book the evening tour of the site.

Wed June 25th Drive roughly 133 miles to South Rim. Go via Sunset Crater Volcano/Wupatki. Do a hike maybe and arrive late afternoon/early evening & check in. Have Yavapai Lodge reservations.

Thursday June 26th
Grand Canyon South Rim - stay 2 nights. Take an evening hike? Maybe Bright Angel Trail part way. Hike @ south rim next morning early, before sunrise then use busses to look at rim trail overlooks. Nap at mid day.

Fri June 27th
Fill up on gas, water and provisions. Head through Monument Valley to Navajo National Monument. This is basically a drive and look day. About 162 miles to Kayenta. Have lunch. Go about 137 miles to entrance to Canyonlands. Camp in Squaw Flats or Newspaper Rock. Canyonlands NP Squaw Flat campground is 1st come 1st served or just outside @ Newspaper Rock or Windwhistle (Canyon Rims Nat Rec Area).

Saturday June 28th
Sunday June 29th

Head to Manti La Salle NF - Warner lake campground. Spend 2 nights. Drive down to Arches NP in AMs and evenings to hike - return to campsite (or head to Moab for WiFi) mid day.

Monday June 30th @ sunrise? drive thru Goblin Valley on Rte 12 to Kodachrome SP. Make day trip drive thru to Bryce NP & stop at all overlooks.

Tuesday July 1st Wednesday July 2nd
Thursday July 3rd
Explore Kodachrome in AM - of Bryce if there’s more we want to do. Then drive to Zion NP - camp. Spend 3 nights. Watchman campground.

Friday July 4th Saturday July 5th
Sunday July 6
Drive to North Rim of Grand Canyon & camp for 3 nights.

Monday July 7
Head up through Colorado City Az & St George (Snow Canyon is supposed to be cool) Utah (120 miles) to I-15 and south to Las Vegas (about 120 miles). Las Vegas - Stratosphere hotel.

Tuesday July 8
Go on Rt 180 to Pahrump and left on 178 to Shoshone. (about 60 miles) Drive through Death Valley Nat Park, stopping to take 1 or 2 trail hikes. About 110 miles (say 4 hours, have lunch) and over to Rte 395, head up to just outside Yosemite (about 100 miles). June Lake Area Inyo National Forest Service campground @ Silver Lake - reserved.

Wednesday July 9
Thursday July 10th
Friday July 11
Saturday July 12th Drive on up Rte 395 to Yosemite. Spend 4 nights. Lower Pines campground reserved.

Sunday July 13
Drive to Coloma - starting point for the rafting trip. Go out west entrance of park on 120, right to Sonora, north to Placerville & up 193 to Coloma (about 120 miles along scenic route). Motel or B&B in Placerville or Coloma - Do laundry.

Monday July 14 - July 17 kayaking/rafting trip. South fork of the American River, and some time in Marshall Gold Discovery St. Prk. 4 days.

Fri July 18
Sat July 19
Sun July 20 Thru Sacramento to San Francisco. Drive to Rollie’s sister’s place in Tiburon. Explore San Francisco. 3 nights SF Bay area. See Tall Todd.

Monday July 21st
Tuesday July 22nd Up coast on Rte 1 (stop at Point Reyes Nat Seashore). Hidden highway? Head up to Humbolt Redwoods State Prk (about 100 miles) stay 2 nights. Best uncut stand of Redwoods in US. Albee campground reserved

Wed July 23rd Keep on going north to Eureka (about 50 miles) & cut over to Redding (about 120 miles). Stay somewhere in or near Redding CA.

Thursday July 24th
Fri July 25th
Sat July 26th From Redding to Lassen Volcanic National Park (about 70 miles). Camp in the park - 3 nights, see volcanic activity. not reserved.

Sun July 27th
Mon July 28th Follow 89 thru town of Mt. Shasta up to Weed (100 miles) and turn onto Rte 97 to Klamath Falls (57 miles) have lunch, then about 60 miles to Crater Lake). . Crater Lake Nat Park camping 2 nights not reserved.

Tues July 29th Crater Lake to Bend (about 130 miles) - get lunch. Bend to Prineville (about 40 miles) and on to Clyde Holiday SP near Mt. Vernon (80 miles), Clyde Holiday SP, Mount Vernon. See John Day fossil beds on way.

Wednesday July 30th
Mount Vernon to Baker City (scenic route ~ 70 miles). Down on I-84 to Caldwell (80 miles) and thru Boise & on to Blackfoot ID (~ 250 miles). Stay with Uncle Mike overnight.

Thurs July 31st Wiggle room

Fri Aug 1st
Sat Aug 2nd
Sun Aug 3rd
Mon Aug 4th
Tues Aug 5th Head 80 miles east to Idaho Falls and on turnpike to Rexburg & on to west entrance to Yellowstone - about 100 miles. Camp 5 nights in Yellowstone NP. Canyon Village campground reserved.

Wed August 6th
Thurs August 7th Head south east through Cody to Thermopolis, WY. Hot springs, dino museum, head down to park. Max and I do dig on 7th. Stay in Boysen St Park. Rollie & Miles might see Legend Rock, hike Wind River Canyon).

Aug 8th Drive onward on I-95. Once on I-95, 1 hour to Buffalo, another 1 ½ (120 miles) to Spearfish.. and then + 30 miles to Roubaix Lake in Black Hills NF. (Or can try to call & see if open sites at to Bear Butte SP South Dakota. 16 sites 1st come only - or if full, 1 hr to Rapid City - cheap motel.)

Sat August 9th Make our way on I 90 east, to Mississippi River. Great River Bluffs SP. Drive thru Badlands NP, Drive thru to Sioux Falls (Rapid City to Sioux = 348 miles (4 hrs at 70 mph), & across Minnesota (Sioux Falls to Rochester = 236 miles(~ 3 hrs @ 70 mph) & another 50 miles or so to Great River Bluffs SP.

Sun August 10th. Spend AM hiking and looking around at Great Bluffs. Then drive across Wisconsin to Manitowoc (about 200 miles, ½ on the Interstate) & spend night in a motel. Summer ferry departures are at 1:15 PM and 12:30 AM so stay in Manitowoc overnight, take ferry next day.

Monday August 11th Take ferry at 1:15 PM this day. Drive to Midland MI (Rollie's home town). Stay overnight in a motel or campground in Midland.

Tuesday Aug 12th Afternoon: Midland to Toledo - about 140 miles; Toledo to Akron - about 140 miles. Arrive Crown Point Ohio.Stay visiting with Heather & Mr. Tom one or 2 nights.

Thurs Aug 14th Drive home (Akron to Charleston WV on I77 about 200 miles,
Charleston to home on I 64 ~160 miles). Home, sweet home.

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