Western Trip

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by linux3

Trip Report: We just returned and learned a lot.
1) We never made it any further than Topeka KS. High winds, tornado warnings and snow in CO told us it was time to work our way home.
2) We set much too much of an aggressive schedule. Too much driving too little stopping. By the time we reached KS I was burned out and my wife doesn't drive when pulling.
3) Google maps just plain sucks! Little back road "short cuts" aren't. I ended up buying a Garman for RVs.
4) We took twice as long on the return and had a great time. We spent more time camping and less time driving. Some travel days were only 1.5 hours.
5) US roads are better than Interstates. Sure it's a little slower but I don't want to drive pulling at 70 MPH. Plus you see more stuff. We stopped at a bunch of interesting small attractions and had a blast.
6) Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds are some of the best and cheapest. Most have electric and water and large easy to park sites.
7) We joined Good Sam. Worth the price.

Next road trip, and we are planning it now, will be a lot less structured with fewer goals.

Sounds like it was great learning experience.

When we travel for a "road trip" I figure on about 5 hrs. a day so we can stop and look. As you found, sometimes that's too aggressive and you have to make changes as we do. If I have a set destination, like FL, that we go to every year, then I don't worry about lolly gagging because we've been that route so many times. I pre plan stops and we just go. The interstate can be handy but you just zip through places. As you found, the regular US highways go through far more interesting places, you see stuff up close and can stop. I've lost count of the times we've just pulled over at roadside stands in MS, GA, AL, etc. to buy boiled peanuts, sweet potatoes or whatever else they're selling. You can't do that, won't even see them, from an interstate.

It's a shame your trip was curtailed but it seemed like a stretch - that was a long trip with lots to see/do in between. Maybe you can plan another one and sort of bypass (go through) the places you've already been and set your sights on places further W. Keep in mind that if you're going to the mountainous regions (CO/UT), there is still snow. I've been to some passes in CO that were still closed the last week of June (off road). Good luck on your next trip.