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CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 1: OLD FRONTIERSDay 1Shenandoah ValleyGrindstoneNat. RecE/W05/08/14ThuDriving note: The first trip leg is mighty familiar.Days 2-3Park Stay: Mt. RogersGrindstoneNat. Rec.E/W05/09-05/10Fri-SatPark stay days: Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally, with programs.Day 4Wilderness RoadCumb. MtnTN St. PkDry1st come05/11/14SunMidday option: Cumberland Gap NHP. May have to forego this stop – may not have time for church AND park.Church service: First Assembly of God, Abingdon, VA (note – it’s Mothers Day)Day 5ShilohPickwickTN St. PkDry1st come05/12/14MonEvent of the day: Visit Shiloh NMP about 2:00 pm (i.e. we will blow right through Nashville). The campground is close to the battlefield (15 mi or so).Day 6Mississippi RiverBlanchardNat. RecDry05/13/14TueItinerary: Leaving the Shiloh area we will drive through Corinth, MS on the way to Memphis, where we can celebrate Lindsay’s birthday belatedly at Neely’s BBQ. Then we cross the river and drive on to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, where we camp at Blanchard Springs Caverns, a very Grindstone-like place.Day 7Mountain to PrairieOsage Pr.PrivateE/W05/14/14WedItinerary: Once we leave the mountains in the AM, we will pass by Branson, MO (a kind of Vegas-like place) and by Springfield, MO (where the AG is headquartered. Neither place merits anything more than a lunch stop. We will complete the day at a private campground in the Osage country just south of Kansas City.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 2:PIONEER TRAILS / COLORADODay 8Tallgrass PrairieSpringlakePrivateE/W05/15/14ThuMidday stop: Nature trail at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve; this is a pretty unique site ecosystem-wise. We easterners haven’t seen prairie biomes like this before. Evening destination, a private campground in Halstead, KS.Day 9Fort LarnedHigh PlainsPrivateE/W05/16/14FriMidday stop: Fort Larned NHP, a frontier cavalry fort with “live” staffing. This was a key US cavalry station guarding the old Santa Fe Trail, probably the best preserved one in the West. Evening destination, a privatecampground along I-70 in Oakley, KS.Day 10High PlainsJackson Lk.CO St. Pk.E/W05/17/14SatItinerary: On this day we will pass through “Centennial” country on the plains of northeastern Colorado. James Michener lived here, and we are all familiar with the region from the book and miniseries.Day 11Front RangeMoraine Pk.NPSDry05/18/14SunChurch service: Assembly of God, Greeley, COResupply stop: As we roll out after church. It’s only about 90 miles to Rocky Mountain NP and we will have time to get the RV replenished. It will be our first real view of the Rockies. Day 12Park Stay: Rocky Mtn.Moraine Pk.NPSDry05/19/14MonPark day activity: Day hiking at Bear Lake area. Good for the whole family.Day 13Great DivideBCGNPNPSDry05/20/14TueItinerary: Our first crossing of the Continental Divide. Road elevations may approach 11,000’. Snow possible, but these roads are well-plowed. Included on the route: Eisenhower Tunnel, Fremont and Monarch passes; towns of Leadville and Salida. We will end the day at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP.Day 14San Juan SkywayMorefieldNPSDry05/20/14WedMidday options: Lunch in Telluride, CO. This will be a day of world-class spectacular mountain driving, really only to be rivaled by the later trip along CA Hwy. 1. Evening destination: Mesa Verde NP.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 3: SOUTHWESTERN DESERTDay 15Park Stay: Mesa VerdeMorefieldNPSDry05/22/14ThuPark day activity: Ranger led tour of pueblo cliff houses, which should be pretty Mom-accessible. Some ladders but no big deal.Day 16Four CornersMatherNPSE/W05/23/14FriMidday stop: Four Corners monument. This area is the heart of the Navajo Nation. We will continue onward to the South Rim campground.Days 17-19Park Stay: Grand CanyonMatherNPSE/W05/24-05/26Sat-MonBackpacking trip 1: Bright Angel Trail 9.5 miles to overnight campground at Colorado River level. Return hike in the AM with probable rest during midday heat. Mom to act as base camp up in the cool on the rim.Day 20Vermilion CliffsWatchmanNPSDry05/27/14TueWe backtrack through the Glen Canyon area to get to Utah. Evening destination: Zion NP.Day 21Park Stay: ZionWatchmanNPSDry05/28/14WedPark day activity: Riverside Trail walk. Mom and Phoebe accessible.Day 22Hoover DamLake MeadNat. RecE/W05/29/14ThuAfternoon activity: Tour of Hoover Dam facility interior (and new bypass bridge), then camp nearby at the NRA.We skip right by Vegas.Day 23Southern CA DesertOrange Gr.PrivateE/W05/30/14FriResupply stop: Barstow, CA area. This is just a blaze on thru the CA desert day. Evening RV stop is a campground in an orange grove. We pass Edwards AFB along the way, and ignore the LA basin.Day 24Sierra Nev. FoothillsLodgepoleNPSDry05/31/14SatA relatively short drive north back to the mountains. Evening destination: Sequoia NP.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 4:SIERRA NEVADA / CALIFORNIADay 25Park Stay: SequoiaLodgepoleNPSDry06/01/14SunPark day activity: See the big trees; will involve a short day hike. Should be appropriate for Mom.Church service: At the campground perhaps?Day 26Tunnel ViewWawonaNPSE/W06/02/14MonItinerary: On this day we finally approach Yosemite, and we will pass through the Wawona entrance tunnel with its dramatic view. We may resupply again on this day prior to reaching the park, since we will be at Yosemite for awhile.Days 27-31Park Stay: YosemitePinesNPSE/W06/03-06/07Tue-SatBackpacking trip 2: Ascent of Half Dome, which requires an 8 mile hike to the bottom of the cable run. To facilitate, we will camp overnight in the Little Yosemite Valley backcountry. After the dawn ascent, we will return on the downhill route. Total hiking 17 miles, with 4,500 feet of elevation gain. No way Rocco and Lindsay survive this one, and we do not have enough eyes to eyeball them while trying to keep ourselves on 2000 foot cliffs. Whether Evelyn and I succeed (or have the nerve) to gain the summit will have to be a matter of good judgment; but laymen can and do complete this adventure regularly. Permit required 1 year in advance.Day 32Golden GateGualala Riv.PrivateE/W06/08/14SunChurch service: Might have to skip it; does not look like many AG nearby and it will be a very busy day.Resupply stop: Briefly in the Bay Area; we will need groceries prior to heading north. We will have to pass directly through downtown San Francisco, but the bridge transit may make it worthwhile. Due to the city, perhaps the most arduous single day of driving. The reward is an evening at a coastal redwoodcampground; it’s about 50-60 miles north of San Francisco on Highway 1, the famous Shoreline Highway.Day 33Redwood EmpireJedediahNPSDry06/09/14MonItinerary: More world-class driving, the famous CA Hwy. 1 along the coastal cliffs. Once Route 1 ends, US 101takes us right through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, staggering in its own right. Destination: Redwoods NP.Day 34Park Stay: RedwoodsJedediahNPSDry06/10/14TuePark day activity: See the big trees. Many short to medium hikes available. Mom can participate.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 5:PACIFIC NORTHWESTDay 35Crater LakeDiamond Lk.PrivateE/W06/11/14WedMidday options: A visit to the crater rim. Most park roads will be closed d/t deep snow. If snowshoe paths are available we can try that! Snow in mid-June may still be 20 feet deep here.Day 36Oregon CascadesTrillium Lk.Nat. For.E/W06/12/14Thu Afternoon activity: Trillium Lake campground is fantastically scenic and a great place to kayak. Expansive views of Mount Hood. Possible resupply stop: Bend, OR area.Day 37Multnomah FallsCougar RockNPSDry06/13/14FriMorning stop: Probably the most accessible of the large Western waterfalls. Easy walking for everyone. The Columbia Gorge was the route of Lewis and Clark. We will also pass near Mt. St. Helens in the afternoon. Evening destination: The Paradise area at Mt. Rainier. A rather kaleidoscopic day.Day 38Park Stay: Mount RainierCougar RockNPSDry06/14/14SatPark day activity: Day hike on one of the meadow trails. This is wildflower season at Paradise, and the botany earned this valley its name. Hikes can involve some mileage and vertical climb, or be Mom-accessible.Day 39Puget Sound / OlympicHeart O HillsNPSDry06/15/14SunChurch service and resupply: Olympia, WA area. Last stop prior to the Olympic wilderness.Days 40-44Park Stay: OlympicHeart O HillsNPSDry06/16-06/20Mon-FriBackpacking trip 3: Through the Hoh rain forest and thence to the bottom of the Mt. Olympus glacier approach routes. We do not have the technical skill to climb Mt. Olympus, so we will then hike over the lower divide and across the Seven Lakes basin to return via the Sol Duc river canyon. If the weather is good, this hike will include two overnight camps. This should be a good adventure for all three kids, and includes a mix of climates and biomes practically unique in the world. Total hike length about 27 miles, which is enough to qualify for the LOWEST of the Rangers advanced hiking badges. Abundant water along the way, and emergency contacts available in the back country at the Olympus ranger station. Mom to drop us at Hoh visitor center, then pick us up in a couple of days when we reach the hotel at Sol Duc Hot Springs. Many other park activities available.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 5:PACIFIC NORTHWEST (page 2)Day 45North CascadesNewhalemNPSE/W06/21/14SatMorning event: Transit of Puget Sound on the Port Townsend to Keystone ferry. Yes, RVs are OK on this ship. A 45-minute sea journey.Afternoon: Climb the Cascade front once again, this time via WA Rt. 20 through the North Cascades NP. We camp at theDay 46Okanogan Forest25mi CreekWash St.E/W06/22/14SunItinerary: Now down the drier eastern side of the range (i.e. Methow area) to Lake Chelan. Church along the way if possible. These are pretty small towns though.Day 47Boat Trip: Stehekin Valley25mi CreekWash St.E/W06/23/14MonPark day activity: Boat trip 50 miles up Lake Chelan to the isolated town of Stehekin, a place with clear Shangri-La overtones. There is no way in and no way out of Stehekin, except by boat or floatplane – unless you attempt a 25-mile traverse of Cascade Pass on foot. RV to stay at Lake Chelan campground. Phoebe is welcome on the Lady of the Lake ferryboat and in Stehekin town, which lies back west up in rain and conifer territory. A tour trip to Rainbow Falls (300 ft) also likely during the layover . There is also a North Cascades visitor center in Stehekin. A very unique trip segment.Day 48Columbia DrylandsFt. SpokaneNat. Rec.E/W06/24/14TueLunchtime activity: We may visit Grand Coulee dam if we wish. In any case, the road route will force us to drive over it. That may mean RV inspection. A transition day, with probable resupply inSpokane, WA.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 6: MONTANA / WYOMINGDay 49Northern IdahoApgarNPSDryEvents: It’s Rocco’s birthday as we arrive at Glacier NP. If an extension to Alberta were considered, we would do it here (i.e. Banff and Jasper). That would add about four days to the trip.Days 50-52Park Stay: GlacierApgarNPSDryTwo park days: Evelyn requests some back country hiking here, but Mom needs something to do also.Day 53Bitterroot RangeLake ComoNat. For.E/WMidday options: Grant-Kuhrs Ranch NHP, an authentic cowboy restoration run by the NPS. Recommended by the Georgesons.Day 54Western MontanaCanyonXanterraE/WResupply stop: Bozeman, MT area. Approaching Yellowstone via the north gate.Days 55-59Park Stay: YellowstoneCanyonXanterraE/WBackpacking trip 4: Ascent of Mt. Sheridan via the Heart Lake trail. A 23-mile trip which we may be able to do in one overnight if we are all in good shape. Rocco and Lindsay to be included. Summit point over 10,000 feet with maybe 3,000 feet of climb. But the trail is nontechnical and should be very doable given our other adventures on this trip. Chief dangers probably wild animals and thermal features.Day 60Cloud Peak SkywayMeadowlarkNat. For.DryDriving note: Yet another 10,000-foot range crossing. This will be our last real taste of highmountain forests. Bighorn National Forest.Day 61Devils TowerKOAPrivateE/WDay 62Mount RushmoreBadlandsNPSDryMidday activity: See the presidents! The drive is short and there’s plenty of time.Day 63Park Stay: BadlandsBadlandsNPSDryPark day activity: Some kind of day hike. For the moment, back to a waterless desert environment.CampgroundTypeHookups?Res.Date?CostSEGMENT 7:ON THE PRAIRIEDay 64Silver LakeIngallsPrivateE/WDay 65Plum CreekPioneerPrivateE/WDay 66Big WoodsHidden Val.PrivateE/WDay 67Chicagon/an/an/aDay 68The BrickyardRodriguezHouse DryEPILOGUE:LAUREL HIGHLANDSDay 69Lincoln HighwayLaurel HillPA St. Pk.E/WDay 70Homecoming ................
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