Florida to Grand Tetons, then on to Yellowstone

[mercury7]

I guess everyone is different, I really wanted to see that stuff on the way, the arch was s highlight for the kids and I loved devils tower... They show close encounters at the base of the mountain every night

[Woosch]

500 miles a day is an awful lot. We try and keep it to 300 miles a day. Hope your resers in the Tetons are in Coulter Bay. Full hookups and a nice campground. Another suggestion ...if you are going for Tetons and Yellowstone, you may as well go for Glacier NP. Cheers.

[megandrudy]

We are staying at Coulter Bay in the Grand Tetons and Fishing Bridge at Yellowstone. I am already thinking we will be rushing to get out there...maybe a bit more relaxed coming back....looks like we are going to leave on Friday instead of Saturday. That will give us one extra day.....@ 400 miles a day....to get out there. We don't have much wiggle room.

This Thursday we leave to go to the Keys...a trip, to make a list of things we forgot, that we can put in the AS when we stop by our house to reload.

We are looking forward to this, fly by the seat of our pants, trip!

[mercury7]

Just of note..... When we went I thought it would be no biggie to arrive a day early.... Every single campsite was booked so stick to your reservations to avoid stress

[Phrunes]

Our first trip to Yellowstone from California took us via Salt Lake City. No easy way around the Sierras, but that way. Was supposed to take 17 hours...took us 30. I laugh now, but we drove that 30 hours I'm my beastly lifted Ford all 30 hours straight! We rolled into YS at midnight, sleep deprived and scare of bears...no setup just hit the rack.

[Martin R]

We left South Florida on May 22nd and are slowly meandering our way towards Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (currently in Durango, Co leaving for Ouray in the morning). Have stopped along the way to visit San Antonio, Austin, Big Bend, Davis Mountain State Park, Guadelupe Mtns, Carlsbad Caverns, Elephant Butte Lake NM, Gila National Forest, Albuquerque (Santa Fe looked too smoky and Albuquerque was definitely not a disappointment and the trolley tour which is run by a couple of marketing grads from UNM is outstanding as an introduction to the city). With the exception of the first day when we covered the 600 miles or so from Ft Myers,FL to Fort Pickens, Pensacola we have settled for somewhat less although this haul did not feel too taxing. On I 10 it is a lot easier to comfortably eat up the miles on the decent road surface thru much of Western Texas and most of Florida than it is through Louisiana and Eastern Texas. For me , at least, the distance I feel comfortable covering is very elastic with a strong relationship to the surface and prevailing traffic conditions. 350/400miles a day in fair weather on the Interstates should not be too challenging. We expect to get to Yellowstone on June 16th (we have booked as we are now beginning to have a little more difficulty finding the place we want to stay at then we did a week or two ago as the summer rush has started). Anybody any suggestions for a stop between Park City UT and West Yellowstone for a couple of nights?

[mercury7]

I think we stayed at Palisades state park but that may be parallel from you near i15 .... Utah was on our return trip so we had dropped down from Idaho falls.

There is an rc park In Idaho falls that is a wonderful place to go July4th ..... Spectacular fireworks every year put on by a local billionaire

[rjack]

We are familiar with the Rockies and your route. If you are typical of Airstreamers do not worry re reservations...there will be beautiful spots where one can just pull over for the night...or longer. We did 9750 miles on this circle in the summer recently and reserved only at Yellowstone. RV places in the west will squeeze you in somehow. Our schedule was generally to tow between 9 am and 4 pm, sometimes calling ahead for a spot around noon when we saw where we might want to stop. If time permits, looping down the Oregon coast is spectacular. Trying to make an average of more than 250 miles on moving days detracts from the pleasure of the trip. We suggest you shorten your length of trip to savour the trek. Safe travels.

[megandrudy]

How long are you staying at GT and Yellowstone? We are arriving June 27 at GT and will head to Yellowstone on June 30. We leave Yellowstone on July 5 to head home.

[RTurnConn]

Originally Posted by mercury7

I guess everyone is different, I really wanted to see that stuff on the way, the arch was s highlight for the kids and I loved devils tower... They show close encounters at the base of the mountain every night

In our earlier camping days we visited many of the scenic stops between the midwest and Yellowstone, GT, Grand Canyon, etc. So now our goal is to get to our principle location as quickly as possible, within my limits. I enjoy driving and have no problem being behind the wheel for 8-9 hours or even more. We are retired but unlike some of you, we do not wish to be away from our resort home for 10 to 12 weeks in the summer. 4-5 is fine, so........driving to Yellowstone then Glacier then Banff and doing so at 450 miles per day is our style. Difference between those of you with sail boats and those with stink pots. One meanders, one gets you there.
Different strokes for different folks and both are fine.

[megandrudy]

We are on the final count down...leaving in 6 hours to start our journey to Yellowstone. The AS is hooked up, packed with enough food, clothes, and other essentials for us, our 15 year old daughter and the 2 dogs, to survive for the next three weeks on the road. I cannot sleep...wondering what I have forgotten to put in the AS.

The dogs are too funny. Twice I have gone out to put things into the trailer and the golden is lying on the ground in front of the drivers door and the cockapoo is standing right beside the golden. They look at me like I am forgetting something important....oh, yeah......the leashes! As if we would be leaving them behind.....

[Lily&Me]

Yep, our Lily is oh-so-watchful when we are getting ready to leave on a trip.

The last load out the door and she comes at a dead run, right into the Interstate.

You mention packing everything that will be needed for 3 weeks. You are probably stuffed to the gills, every nook and cranny filled with something, right? Ask me how I know this.

What is it that makes us pack as if we are heading out into the wilderness, rather than into a modern world where there are grocery stores everywhere? I am still working on that!

Have a great trip, and travel safe.

Maggie

[megandrudy]

We stopped at florida caverns for the night after driving almost 400 miles. We pulled in around 2:00 cst. We didn't make either cavern tour, but did take the canoe down the "river", which was very peaceful. Since we left our home earlier then planned, we will stay for the 9:00 tour in the morning and then head out.

My sister said there is bad weather ahead....hope we miss it!

[Dwellstream]

Great Conversation Last Night!

Loved talking to you last night. Enjoy the Space & Rocket Center today! Your big rig looked great going by. Have a great trip!

[megandrudy]

It was great to talk with both of you last night. Love your airstream! Beautiful campground you have here...wish we could stay longer. DH is telling me to hurry up so we can pull out....he wants to be first in line to see the rockets.......

[mandolindave]

Time is a commodity that is different for retirees than it is for workers.
But my plan is to drive longer stretches, where the scenery is similar to what I am used to.

[megandrudy]

Went to space and rocket center bright and early this am. DH is in love with anything space related. Ran thought the attraction...staring longer at the AS they found in 2007 at a fish hatchery which had been used to keep the returning astronauts quarantined from the rest of society until they were declared "germ free." Very interesting how such an important piece of history went missing for over 20 years. Wonder what else is out there under somebody's pole barn.......

Have not seen any AS on the road...saw one in someone's yard. Lots of SOB's on the road though....wondered where the AS are hiding....well wonder no more! We found two at Monte Sano State Park last night. The camp hosts were in a beautiful 2012 International, and another family one road over from us were in their brand new 2013 Bambi. We completed the group by pulling in with our 34 ' 2011. The camp hosts Mr. And Mrs. Wells were lovely people to talk to. If you re in the Huntsville area and want to spend the night or two or three stay at Monte Sano State Park. it is a very pretty area....and the camp hosts are great! ( And I'm not just saying that because they are streamers....)

Do you all mind if I am blabbing about our trip?

[Fly at Night]

Really enjoy these on-the-road threads. It isn't "blabbing!" These first-person accounts are useful and interesting, especially if you can incorporate photos.

Keep 'em coming!

[megandrudy]

I have pictures but I don' know how to post them.....

[Fly at Night]

You have to use a photo-hosting site like Picture Trail or Photo Bucket, then cut and paste the image URL into your AS Forum post. Sounds hard, but it isn't.