# Update For 8000 Mile Trip



## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

To all that will be near feel free to pm me and we will try to get together.

The trip starts with TOPSAIL. leaving on 6/13 and arriving on 6/21.

Next stop trailer village at the grand Canyon, not sure on our stops inbetween but we really have to make some miles. We are leaning to mill creek ranch for two nights 6/21-6/23.

After G.C. then on to toulemne meadow in Yosemite. 7/1-7/7.

Then someplace local and then Sequoia from 7/9-7/15

Then big sur campground from 7/15-7/17.

Rv park resort in San Fran from 7/17-7/20.

koa westport 7/20-7/21

bullards beach state park in or. 7/21-7/23

Gifford pinocet with OregonJim 7/23-7/26

then trying to get together with ridgeway rangers at crater lake,

then West Glacier Koa 7/29-8/2

Then yellowston 8/2-8/8

then slow ride home and back to work on 8/18. We may do the badlands and Mt. Rushmore but we are just winging that as we may be sick of each other by then. lol. Hope to see alot of u on the road.

mike


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

All I can say is wow!!!

We won't be anywhere close, but have a great time!


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

thanks nathan, this is the longest trip we have taken. We have done about 8000 miles each year but not at once


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## chillaxin (Mar 1, 2009)

Dang, that's some trip! Hope you guys have a blast! Would love to take a month long road trip! I'm jealous.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Be Safe, Have a Great Time, and take lots of pictures!!


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## shelty (Jun 26, 2008)

Wow! Have a great time, you'll sure see some great sites. Several years ago (before our OB) we saw some of the sights your visiting. On your return trip, if you do go to Mount Rushmore and stay near Rapid City SD, check out "Evan's Plunge." It's a neat indoor natural spring water park. Our gang really enjoyed it.


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

Mike, if you would be so kind as to write a blog for this trip. James


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## JerseyGirl86 (Mar 30, 2009)

To those of you that say the economy is keeping us home this summer... I say HA! And have a great trip Mike!


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

With all the gadgets i have bought for this trip, i feel like i am supporting the economy. lol


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

Have a great trip Mike. As I have found out, expect the unexpected and when something unexpected comes along, just roll with the punches. 
Our trip will be unforgetable and I'm sure yours will be too.


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Great looking itinerary. Safe travels.


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

follow up on our trip, we started with an overnight stay in tenn which was uneventful except that my 4 y.o. fell off the swing set and scraped her forehead. 
We then were at topsail, great time. We then had plans for driving to canton and a 2 hour back up prevented us from making canton until today. We did however get to eat at prejeans (jambalyas reccomendation), it was incredible. We also stayed at frog city campground which is a nice place for a stopover. Nice small pool and excellant campground hosts. While on the road today, we had our first mishap with a rock chipping the windshield. Good thing I got that blackberry thing and had the wife google windshield repair in Shreveport. We found billy's windshield repair. He was a character, I must have told him three times we are from Chicago not New york. He asked how we found him and showed him our blackberry. He then asked about the tire pressure monitor by way of saying "what are them things on ur tires" He then called a friend to come and see them. We are not safe and sound with the windshield repaired for thirty five dollars at mill creek rv resort. We pulled in around five and it has been a great find. The staff are overly friendly, The ponds are stocked with catch and release fish which my 4 y.o. loved. The pools have waterfalls and the store is very well stocked. We got in and went for a swim, a neighbor offered me a cold adult beverage which was welcomed. I then took mary fishing and she had a ball.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mike...sounds like a great trip so far.

I was talking with Brian (Ridgeway Ranger) at Rafter J-Bar in South Dakota, and we might toss you a curve ball.

What about skipping the trip up here and we all met at Crater Lake instead?


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

So far another home run campground- oasis campground in Amarillo at only 15 dollars with full hookup and excellant pads. Nice pool. the only thing is no landscaping except rocks and wind. Heading to the big texan tonight, free shuttle service.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

mike said:


> So far another home run campground- oasis campground in Amarillo at only 15 dollars with full hookup and excellant pads. Nice pool. the only thing is no landscaping except rocks and wind. Heading to the big texan tonight, free shuttle service.


Pictures man...pictures!!


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Awesome itinerary!! Travel safe and keep us posted......im sure you will!!


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

have fun and keep it safe.

swanny from Topsail


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Oregon_Camper said:


> So far another home run campground- oasis campground in Amarillo at only 15 dollars with full hookup and excellant pads. Nice pool. the only thing is no landscaping except rocks and wind. Heading to the big texan tonight, free shuttle service.


Pictures man...pictures!!









[/quote]

We stayed there on our trip to Colorado a couple of years ago! If I remember correctly, the shuttle is actually an extended cadillac with the big horns on the grill. When we were there we swam in the pool, but they had nothing else around it. They were expanding. The DW loved the look of the center of campground which had all the old west type items.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mike.....what about Crater Lake with Ridgeway Ranger?


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

The grand canyon was excellant. Upon getting there three tires were losing air and I was beat. I woke up to two flats on the tt and one on the burb, After aaa checked for leaks at the shop, I spoke with ridgeway rangers and we came up with the tpms sensors must have gotten loose and let the air out. Everything turned out except that when moving things for the tires, i tweaked my back, it is still a little sore. After we stayed at xanterra in the G.C. we made a change of plans and are looking at the pacific ocean from Malibu rv resort. It is a little pricey but for the view and location, it is great. The management is nice. It was a long haul from the G.C. but we will be here till wed. and then on to Yosemite. Hope all is well with everyone.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

Mike check them every morning. Somebody posted that they lost one and other were very loose. I started checking mine and found them a little loose each time.

swanny


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

mike said:


> The grand canyon was excellant. Upon getting there three tires were losing air and I was beat. I woke up to two flats on the tt and one on the burb, After aaa checked for leaks at the shop, I spoke with ridgeway rangers and we came up with the tpms sensors must have gotten loose and let the air out. Everything turned out except that when moving things for the tires, i tweaked my back, it is still a little sore. After we stayed at xanterra in the G.C. we made a change of plans and are looking at the pacific ocean from Malibu rv resort. It is a little pricey but for the view and location, it is great. The management is nice. It was a long haul from the G.C. but we will be here till wed. and then on to Yosemite. Hope all is well with everyone.


Mike,
Glad you're enjoying Malibu. Hope the rest of your trip goes well. 
Please give an update of Tuoloume Meadows when you get there... We have never stayed there, but hope to next year.

-Greg


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

well we left malibu and headed to yosemite, during our trip through fresno temps 105 the a.c. quit. We were trying to push through it but u know how the dw and kids could be. Anyway i said if i see a hotel and a gm dealer we are stopping. Found one in Selma and what a great dealer I will post another thread on him when we get back. Anyway there was a bunch of people ahead of me, he said i understand u are on a long trip. So I drop it off at 7 a.m. and at 1100 a.m. he calls me and said he replace the compressor and clutch its done. WoW.

Then toulmene. What a place. It was incredible. The only thing is that u need to make sure u have ENOUGH truck to pull up 8000 feet in yosemite. But it is amazing. We visited the valley but Toulmne in yosemite is the place to be. The new gen worked great. It was in the upper twenties to low thirties in the early morning and warmed up to upper seventies. That was enough to soak a little in the snow melt streams. Anyone going to yosemite do urself a favor and go to toulmne. No hookups but well worth it. The family had enough of dry camping after five days so we are outside the park at a full hookup with laundry. Needed to get that done anyway.

Also saw a couple of bears, dear and various wildlife. I also did one of the most amazing things i have ever done. The dw thinks it might have been one of the craziest. I did the half dome hike up to the top. It is worth googling as it provided some of the most amazing views i have ever experienced. Even though i occasionly go into burning bulidings, The climb was very challanging and some might say frightning. Anyway I hope everyone is doing well. Next stop Sequoia national.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Sounds like you're having a simply wonderful adventure out there on the road. GOOD FOR YOU!!! When do we get to see some photos????? Hmmmm???? Some of us







live vicariously through YOU, yanno - and we simply MUST have photos


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

wolfwood said:


> Sounds like you're having a simply wonderful adventure out there on the road. GOOD FOR YOU!!! When do we get to see some photos????? Hmmmm???? Some of us
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We will be camping with Mike from the 23rd to the 26th....so I will post some pictures.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

Sure is great when a plan comes together. Good to hear your still on track. keep plugging away and good luck.

Swanny


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## jcat67 (Aug 8, 2008)

Mike,

It sounds like you and the family are having a great time. Wish we all could be there with you....prolly a bit tight in the Outback at that point though.









Keep us up to date. Yosemite pictures would be great.


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Well its been awile since i posted so after yosemite, we went to Sequoia. We stayed in lodgepole, What an excellant place, it was incredible. The trees were amazing. It was nice to have pay showers and laundry as opposed to toulmne which has none. We then went to stay at riverside campground in Big sur. We did the hearst Castle which was a hit with the girls. They have a bus that takes u from the visitor center to the castle for the tour and the bus hit a fence causing my 4 y.o. to bump her head on the hard seat rail in front of her. The paramedics had to check her out but she was fine. We then stopped at an amazing beach Phifer state beach. It was hard to find but definately worth it if u are in the area. We left there and traveled route 1, stopping when I saw some whales while driving. That was amazing. While at big sur we also went to an elephant seal sancutuary which was alot of fun for the everyone. We are not at Malibu Beach resort. Went to downtown San Fran yesterday. It was great for everyone but I could do with a little less people and the dw suggested that i take the day off. So she took the train into downtown with the kids to see some other stuff. Tommorow we are heading north to Westport, Ca for the night and then to bullards beach in oregon for two nights. Then meeting Oregan Jim at gifford pinocet national forest. It seems like a long time ago when we started this trip. I hope everyone is doing well.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Looking forward to meeting you and your family this Thursday.


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## Juan (Mar 31, 2009)

I'll be in Yellowstone between 07/26 and 08/01. Maybe next time.....


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