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12-02-2016, 12:47 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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More Tumbleweed travels
Tumbleweed went to Utah & Wyoming again from late Aug to mid-Oct, after stopping at ETI for a solar panel & inverter.
I'll start posting some pics & observations in dribs & drabs over the next while -- not as much as last year which, according to some feedback, was TMI!
Highly recommend Washington Hwy 20, Cascades Hwy -- very scenic, with lots of opportunities for getting our unused-to-hiking legs back into some sort of shape!
First overnight was in North Cascades NP. All the regular campsites were already full by 2PM on a Thursday. We lucked into finding an official but largely undocumented campsite, within the park -- Gorge Lake Campground, a small (tiny?) spot, six free unserviced sites suitable mostly for tenters, but no problems, or objections, to small RV's. There's also a boat launch there, and as the afternoon & evening wore on, even around the boat launch area filled up with overflow campers.
Met a felllow there who was on his way bicycling from Anchorage back home to San Diego.
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Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-02-2016, 01:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Sacramento area, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21
Posts: 525
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Good input - thanks for sharing!
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12-02-2016, 01:18 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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There is that gorgeous water color similar to what I saw in much of Canada.
I like that name for your Escape.
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Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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12-03-2016, 08:50 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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I love maps, and I love secondary roads, back roads, back trails . . .
I'm trying to learn how to make maps of my travels.
Here's the start of Tumbleweed's 2016 trip (first three days), for anyone who wants to "follow" the route (I plan on updating as I relive the trip):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FE...xY&usp=sharing
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Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-03-2016, 09:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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Did a few short walks in the Cascades just to limber up our legs, and made our way leisurely to Dry Falls State Park in WA (Aug 25). Spectacular spot, but WAY too hot (36C/97F) for any activity except standing under the sprinklers the Parks had set up to keep the grass green & wet!
I'm putting Dry Falls back on the bucket list for some hikes at a cooler time.
Tried to camp at Hell's Gate SP on Snake River (Clarkston WA) but was full (in retrospect, not surprising, on a Friday afternoon, but I'm still naive about finding campsites on short notice!). Carried on and lucked out to find a virtually-deserted Winchester Lake SP just down the road in Idaho. A few bicyclists and motorcyclists, and us -- but lots of fishermen on the lake, though not apparently staying in the Park.
Attended a ranger evening presentation about the Wolf Education Research Centre, operated by the Nez Perce Nation in the adjacent town of Winchester. Too bad the Centre happened to be closed, else I would have visited it in the morning before travelling on. Apparently, the Centre was instrumental in the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone.
Aargh. Something going wrong with my photo postings!? Photos coming as soon as I can figure out what's not working.
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Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-03-2016, 09:24 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Using Google Maps for Trip Planning
Quote:
Originally Posted by maurerl
I love maps, and I love secondary roads, back roads, back trails . . .
I'm trying to learn how to make maps of my travels.
Here's the start of Tumbleweed's 2016 trip (first three days), for anyone who wants to "follow" the route (I plan on updating as I relive the trip):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FE...xY&usp=sharing
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I too use Google Maps for trip planning. I use place marks for potential stops of interest as well as campgrounds. Links and other information can be placed in each placemark as you find points of interest/campgrounds exploring the web.
I use the directions feature to calculate distances between stops. Definitely a very useful tool.
Here is a link to the map for my upcoming trip.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e5...Xg&usp=sharing
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12-03-2016, 10:23 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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That's a lot of miles, Dave! And TMF (too much freeway!) for my liking! If (when) I go to Texas, I'll need at least three months or more. One of our cardinal rules travelling is "no freeways unless absolutely unavoidable". And unless Wendy's with me, I'd even stick to dirt roads.
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Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-03-2016, 10:33 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Freeways? not so much
Quote:
Originally Posted by maurerl
That's a lot of miles, Dave! And TMF (too much freeway!) for my liking! If (when) I go to Texas, I'll need at least three months or more. One of our cardinal rules travelling is "no freeways unless absolutely unavoidable". And unless Wendy's with me, I'd even stick to dirt roads.
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When you leave British Columbia in February, taking the I-5 South is the safest and fastest way to get to warmer camping areas in California and beyond. My plan is to use the freeway for the first week of the 3 month trip. Some freeway driving later in the trip but not much.
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12-03-2016, 11:01 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Houston, Texas
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19 aka "Bon Temps"
Posts: 267
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Google Maps Trip
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Whiting
I too use Google Maps for trip planning. I use place marks for potential stops of interest as well as campgrounds. Links and other information can be placed in each placemark as you find points of interest/campgrounds exploring the web.
I use the directions feature to calculate distances between stops. Definitely a very useful tool.
Here is a link to the map for my upcoming trip.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e5...Xg&usp=sharing
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I like the trip you have set up. I will be driving up to Chilliwack to pick up my trailer in June 2017 and would like to "borrow" your map to use as a guide and customize it to fit my needs, with your permission of course. Looks like you put quite a bit of work into it.
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12-03-2016, 11:19 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike & Donna
I like the trip you have set up. I will be driving up to Chilliwack to pick up my trailer in June 2017 and would like to "borrow" your map to use as a guide and customize it to fit my needs, with your permission of course. Looks like you put quite a bit of work into it.
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By all means Mike and Donna, feel free to "borrow" my map. Some of the elements of our trip that are reflected in the map are: we like to only travel around 200 miles a day. In Feb, it is best to travel continuously for a week to get to warm weather. We like to stay at destinations for around 4 days if possible. We make reservations depending on time of year and destination. We are birders and seek out good birding destinations in national and state parks. We usually avoid private rv resorts (this can't be avoided within the lower rio grande where birding is great)
In addition to the map, I also have a companion excel spreadsheet that lists the campsites and wether we have reservations or not. I often depart from the itinerary when reservations are not an issue.
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12-04-2016, 07:38 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Houston, Texas
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19 aka "Bon Temps"
Posts: 267
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Thanks, it will be a good starting point for me when I plan our trip. I am not a birder myself but my wife enjoys it so having some of the birding destinations on the list will come in handy. I did see the movie "A Big Year" (Steve Martin and Owen Wilson) detailing their competition to see the most birds in a year and found it entertaining. Of course like any Hollywood movie it may or may not have much basis in reality.
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12-04-2016, 07:40 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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I just read a review about the Durango/Silverton RR trips and campgrounds along the rail right of way. Something I'd like to pursue. http://rvlife.com/a-unqiue-adventure-in-durango/
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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12-04-2016, 08:33 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
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re: Here is a link to the map for my upcoming trip.
Dave I'm stunned. You're driving north to south through New Mexico and the upcoming trip map does not include a stop for birds at the Bosque del Apache down off I-25 near Socorro?
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Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
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12-05-2016, 08:52 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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A few pics, now that I have sorted out my home networking problems. And I have updated the map linked in an earlier post, and will keep adding to it.
Early Winters peak in WA Cascades, & Winchester Lake SP Idaho
__________________
Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-05-2016, 09:27 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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After leaving Winchester Lake SP, I wanted to drive Idaho Route 12 (Lolo Pass) north-east to Missoula, but Wendy nixed that as it involved a "backtrack" -- so, I add another drive to the bucket list!
Instead drove semi-backroads south through Idaho, and eventually some (aargh! freeway!) I84, to Three Island Crossing SP. We'd stayed there last year, pleasant campsite and almost deserted on August 28.
On last year's trip, we spent a few days exploring this area on the homeward leg of the trip. At Grandview, in the Snake River area in SW Idaho, we saw the Simplot Corp feedlot operation -- 150,000 head of cattle flank-to-flank-to-flank in 750 acres of fenced feedlot! Feed silos as large and numerous as I've seen at Vancouver harbour for grain loading for overseas-bound ships. We have family ranching in northern Alberta, but I've never seen a cattle operation of this scale! Talk about industrial-scale agriculture. Of course, when we got home I had to read up about Simplot -- started in the 1920's by a 19-yr-old, has grown to the 59th-largest private company in the world (according to Forbes), and supplier of over 50% of McDonalds' world-wide french fries. We encountered another Simplot operation later on in this year's trip -- more later.
Also in this area worthy of note/visit: for the birders in the group, the Morley Nelson Birds of Prey Snake River Conservation area offers amazing raptor viewing opportunities; and for campers looking for some nice campsites, several to choose from around here: some free or inexpensive camping courtesy of the power utility around the C J Strike Reservoir and adjacent sections of the Snake River (though many with several kilometers of pretty rough access), and the lovely BLM Cove campsite on the reservoir.
As is typical for me on my travels, almost everywhere I go I find more areas I want to go back to for more exploration -- around here, I'd be interested in seeing, and travelling in, more of the Bruneau-Jarbidge area, and the whole Owyhee area in SW Idaho & SE Oregon.
__________________
Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-05-2016, 09:58 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2012 Escape 17B, 2011 Ranger FX4
Posts: 184
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After Three Island Crossing, we (reluctantly) did a freeway day, we just haven't found an efficient (or even inefficient but interesting!) route from north of SLC to south of SLC other than the freeway (options and recommendations welcome!). Yes, we have travelled east of the Uinta-Wastach, Mirror Lake Byway & the Provo River routes, last year -- spectacular!).
I find that stretch of I15 a real white-knuckle drive, too many lanes of travel (and all full of traffic! where do they all come from -- there's only around a half-million folks total living all the way from Logan to Provo!), extraordinarily high speed limits (85 MPH?!). And to top it all off (pun intended), large parts of it are concrete, not asphalt, and the expansion joints in the surface are murder on my vehicle and my sanity).
But we got through it all OK, and finally made it to Yuba State Park for a quiet overnight stop. I was surprised to find we were one of only three campers at Yuba, on a Friday night in August. I think I had a wrong date in the last post -- we were at Three Island Aug 25, not 28. The scarcity of campers at Yuba may have been because the water level in the lake was SO low, it was hundreds of meters - er, yards? - of muck to the actual water! Apparently Utah has had it's share of drought, too?
Not much to keep us at Yuba, the following AM we again headed south, this time keeping to side roads as much as possible.
Interesting note about Google Maps -- because by default Google wants to route travellers "efficiently", I have to use a huge number of waypoints to make Google actually plot my real route. As an example (for the real map-junkies out there!), from Scipio to Holden, Utah, we actually travelled on roads paralleling and adjacent to I15. Not very efficient, but WAY more relaxing and pleasant.
Nearing our destination (Bryce Canyon!!!) at the end of the day, we followed UT143 from Parowan to Panguich -- a truly beautiful scenic byway.
"Tomorrow": Red Canyon & Bryce.
__________________
Lotar & Wendy
"Sit loosely in the saddle of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson)
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12-05-2016, 10:03 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 2018 5.0TA / 2018 GMC Canyon/Duramax
Posts: 561
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Jim, I have been on both of those trains and worth every minute.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
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12-05-2016, 10:12 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Bosque del Apache
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL
re: Here is a link to the map for my upcoming trip.
Dave I'm stunned. You're driving north to south through New Mexico and the upcoming trip map does not include a stop for birds at the Bosque del Apache down off I-25 near Socorro?
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Good point Myron. We have been to Bosque del Apache on a previous trip so I know how it is a great birding hotspot. I've just checked eBird and mid April, when we are planning to be in the area, is a great time to visit Bosque del Apache.
I think I will re-think this!
Dave
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12-06-2016, 09:14 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
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That route 285 drive off I-40 from Clines Corners to Vaughn, to Roswell and east to Lovington (...or south to Carlsbad) is lonely- must admit I know absolutely nothing about the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge east of Roswell, if that was a point of interest. I do remember how much work it was later, cleaning off two tons of dead bugs from the front of the truck. Of course, Roswell has its aliens.
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Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
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