Great American Roadtrip 2015 (1 Viewer)

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Papalud

Papalud

Joined
Mar 24, 2011
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Jackson, MS
Planning a 3 week road trip to the Pacific Northwest in July. Going across the southwest, up through California, Oregon and Washington, then possibly into Victoria before heading back through Montana. I've done this trip before in college, but this will be the first time doing this route with the whole fam. We've outgrown the 100 for this length of trip, so I just bought my wife a 4x4 suburban that we'll be taking.

Going to be figuring out the camping configuration- dual RTT on top vs. pop-up camper vs. my 416 with RTT and one on top. Bringing the fridge or cooler, best spots to camp, off road trails that can be done in a suburban, etc. If I bring the 416 trailer, I might get into putting on a lid and other slight mods.

Any tips, ideas, suggestions are welcome.
 
No asuggestions, but you get the badass dad of the year award!
 
RTT gets here on Friday. Biggest one out there. 8'x6' sleeping area plus the annex. Will post pics when it's up. Hoping it will hold us all. Shopping fridges now and pretty much settled on the Indel-B 50qt. Going through the camp kitchen next to see whats missing. Here's the map of the first leg of the trip if anyone is interested. Includes stops in Santa Fe, El Malpais, North Rim GC, Yosemite, San Francisco, Napa, Redwoods, and Crater Lake, OR. Trying to spend the bulk of our time in the Pacific Northwest since it's the farthest away. Reading the Jarbidge thread makes me want to do a different version of this trip in the near future. Thinking a winter trip back to SW Texas and New Mexico.


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Badass.

Looking forward to the updates. I'd love to do something like this with the whole family one day.
 
Yeah. The NorCal National Parks are at the top of my list. I damn sure don't want to drive to them though.

I'm assuming you have done South Rim and Zion. North rim can't compare and little compares to Zion. It's top 5.

Gotta visit Mudrak when in Napa. He's the coolest dude and always has awesome cruisers on hand.
 
Yeah- I've done south and north rim- and north rim is the way to go in July. South rim is like Disney world. Zion is incredible, but not going to try the Narrows with a 3 year old. Hiked it last time with the older boys so will save a return when the younger 2 can hike it. Haven't been to Yosimite since high school, so looking forward to spending a little time there. And Northern California is worth the drive. I hate flying and plane tickets x6 are out of control.
 
Agree on the plane tickets. Just kills travel these days.

I figured you had this locked up. I love the South Rim. Assholes galore but unreal. I'm waiting to do The Subway with Will when he gets a bit older in Zion.
 
I am jealous of a 3 week road trip. We never did those type trips when I was a kid nor now that I have s*** heads.
 
Man, I'm super jealous! That whole San Fransisco - Washington corridor is incredible.

Me and my then future-wife did a month long trip very similar to yours back in the day. We kinda followed your route (but stayed on I-40) went up to Washington and then hit Yellowstone and Colorado before coming home. I'd love to do that again.

My only suggestion is to try and work in Sequoia & Kings Canyon N.P, to compare with the coastal redwoods. Sequoia has the absolute biggest trees. I haven't been to that one (have done the coast), but want to go bad.

Also, 395, from Lake Tahoe to Death Valley is the hands-down most badass highway in this country. Beautiful.

Somewhere in there is a town called Bishop. In this town is a bowling alley. Go there and have a burger and a Sierra Nevada on tap. You will not regret this, no matter how far out of the way it is.

Also, if you take Nevada to 395 to Tioga Pass to Yosemite is freakin' epic.

We (family) are thinking of flying to either Reno or Sacremento next summer and doing a Tahoe, south via 395, to Tioga Pass, to Yosemite Valley, to Sequoia, to Redwoods on the coast, and then back to the airport trip.

-Subscribed!
 
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Btw, IMO, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, the CA-OR Coast, really any of these places, are totally worth driving through even if you are stuck in a traffic jam and can't get out of the truck.

I'd still get out when you can, but even a drive-by is worth the trip.
 
Sorry to keep butting in, but from the Grand Canyon you can hit Lake Mead/Hoover Dam (must see, especially at its sad, historically low levels) then Las Vegas, through Death Valley, to 395, to Bishop (Bowling Alley/Burger/Sierra Nevada), to Tioga Pass into Yosemite ( Yosemite Valley is where all the Ansel Adams panoramas are), and then either south to see the General Sherman Sequoia or west to San Fransisco to pick up Highway 1.
 
Cam-thanks for the input on the 395 stretch-it's been a long time. I'm torn on Sequoia--it's been over 20 years since I've been but it was incredible and such a powerful thing to see, especially for the kids. Problem is it's about 6 hours (round trip) off route. I'm trying to hit as much good stuff on the way, but really want to maximize the time in Oregon/Washington since it's the farthest away. We might just make a call when we get to Yosemite. Last time I went through Death Valley was 1997 in my FJ62 on my way back to Oxford from Seattle. It was late July and I was seriously worried about the 62 keeping up with the heat. Intense.

I'm planning on hitting the Hoover Dam. Water was really low when we went in 2012--I can't even image how low it is now.

Biggest stress right now is trying to get clients to pay their bills so I can pay all my bills before we leave. I need a sponsor...
 
I'm hoping to do One of these but I'm like wct, I have s***heads.
It's a good time for a road trip. Gas is relatively cheap and flying with kids is spensive
And a pain in ass.
 
Plan for some brisket in TX!
Rudy's and Lockhart's in DFW are are both good.

If you happen to go a little further south through Austin area, the options really get good.

Happy trails!
 
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