After our 20,000 mile trip around the US and Canada in 2007 I was all set to set myself up in the West ,collect rocks, fish, and take it easy this 2008 season. Well Eve's Father died and the memorial service is in New Jersey in June. The airfare from California and hotel and rental car would come to about $1,600 so I decided to pull the 5er across one more time.
Aptos Ca to Summit NJ;
via I 80 2,943 miles,
via I 40 3,002 miles,
Via I 70 3,030 miles
Problem is I can close my eyes and see most of the routes. I have been on lots of the back US highways and have seen all the big attractions.
( I may have RV burnout )
How about some suggestions of a few killer places to visit and great back roads to keep me awake?? Like: Joe's Fruit Stand in Kalamazoo, Wampum Casino in Texas or Genes BBQ in Arkansas ?? (not really Genes I still have indigestions from 6 years ago)
We have 3 1/2 months and I will fly Eve into Las Vegas on May 13th
and off we go from there.
Aloha from Kauai
I can't help you with most states but there are three that I am familiar with. I'd take 160 across Colorado, see Mesa Verde, Durango, Pagosa Springs, etc. then into Kansas and hit Dodge City and drop down to Highway 54, lots of small towns in Kansas to explore, many have rest areas and/or city campgrounds to stay at. Then on across Missouri on 54 to the capitol of Jefferson City. We have a beautiful capitol building here with public visits daily. A great place to eat is Madison's Cafe on Madison St. a block south of the Governor's Mansion. At Jefferson City catch Highway 94 and follow it along the Missouri River. Be sure and stop at Hermann, a small town with German heritage known for it's wineries. We enjoy Stone Hill Winery. The wine tasting room is fun. These are all two lane highways but much less traffic and lots of scenery.
2001 Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
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Alpenlite Laramie LS850 truck camper
One wonderful life partner, my wife of 40 years
"I want people to know "why" I look this way.
I've traveled a long way and some of the
roads weren't paved."
I would encourage that you come eastward on I70 into the Kansas City area. Turn and go north on K7 at Bonner Springs. It is about 12 miles in to Leavenworth (Oldest City in Kansas). Stop at Fort Leavenworth. Minor little ID check in order to enter the installation. Need photo ID and no weapons to gain entry. Small little Army Post with lots of Historical information. Buffalo Soldier Monument and a great museum is available. See the new military prison on post and then turn right as you exit post and go one mile and you can see the Federal Prison at Leavenworth. That place will make you think long and hard about the accuracy of your next income tax return. ha
From Leavenworth you can go a couple of different ways. Cross the big blue bridge over the Missouri River on Highway 92 and continue about 3 miles and turn and go north about 3 more miles to the quaint little town of Weston, Missouri. Very neat little town with lots of history and cute little shops and restaurants. Then go back to Highway 92 and turn left (East) and continue about 6 miles to Platte City. Another interesting little town. Interstate 29 goes north and south beside Platte City. If you are looking for a campground there is a very nice one about 5 miles further east of Platte City. Stay on Highway 92 and follow the signs. The campground is called Basswood RV Resort. Nice little campground with all the amenities. You can relax and fish if you like.
Then you would probably want to head down I29 and go on towards Kansas City. Another interesting area from there is by taking I435 about 4 or 5 miles south of Platte City and continue southbound. Continue for approx 8-10 miles until you come to either the Parallel Road exit or the Highway 24-40 exit and turn westbound. At that point you will see the new Kansas Speedway Nascar racetrack. They also have a nice Cabela's Sporting Goods Shop there or Nebraska Furniture Store or a multitude of other shops and restaurants at the new Legends Mall.
Side Note: Cabela's does have plenty of RV parking available and they do allow overnight parking plus they have a nice dump station.
Then you are back within a mile of I70. I would head on east on I70 into Kansas City. The city has lots of assorted things to offer.
While in the downtown area you could go to the Arabian Steamboat Museum or go south on Main or Broadway about 35 blocks to the Crown Center area and the Country Club Plaza. It is a very nice and interesting places to visit. You could easily spend 2 or 3 days in this area. Very quaint and historical area.
While in the Kansas City area you must try the famous BBQ. It is exceptionally delicious.
If you proceed East from Kansas City you will pass by the brand new Bass Pro Shop in Independence. If you want to stop turn and go south on 291 and take the first exit. You will see it from I70 on your right, just before you come to the intersection of 291.
There are lots of things to see and do in Missouri but I would certainly second Windwalker55's recommendation that you stop at Hermann Missouri. I don't recall the highway number but it is about 50 miles west of Saint Louis and south of I70 about 15 miles.
It is a jewel of a quaint little town with lots of historical significance. The wine tasting events are really memorable and lots of fun. The town even has a small little campground that is really quite nice.
Sorry that I have rambled on so long.
Enjoy your trip and be careful.
Larry
05 Fleetwood Discovery, 39J
07 Ford Explorer, Sport Trac, 4 x 4
Blue Ox baseplate, Ready Brute Towbar w/built
in supplemental surge brake system
FMCA, Good Sam's, Golden Age Passport
Pineapple Kid wrote: After our 20,000 mile trip around the US and Canada in 2007 I was all set to set myself up in the West ,collect rocks, fish, and take it easy this 2008 season. Well Eve's Father died and the memorial service is in New Jersey in June. The airfare from California and hotel and rental car would come to about $1,600 so I decided to pull the 5er across one more time.
Aptos Ca to Summit NJ;
via I 80 2,943 miles,
via I 40 3,002 miles,
Via I 70 3,030 miles
Problem is I can close my eyes and see most of the routes. I have been on lots of the back US highways and have seen all the big attractions.
( I may have RV burnout )
How about some suggestions of a few killer places to visit and great back roads to keep me awake?? Like: Joe's Fruit Stand in Kalamazoo, Wampum Casino in Texas or Genes BBQ in Arkansas ?? (not really Genes I still have indigestions from 6 years ago)
We have 3 1/2 months and I will fly Eve into Las Vegas on May 13th
and off we go from there.
Aloha from Kauai
Take 40 from CA to US 191 in AZ, turn north to Moab UT (go easy, the road's rough in places and check out Arches Nat. Park (if you haven't already) then catch I-70 north of Moab to Grand Junction CO, US-50 to Monarch Pass (11,312 feet, but my old Dodge 440 cruised right over it) and down thru the canyons to the Royal Gorge Bridge (World's highest suspension bridge), from there you've got Dodge city KS and points east.
If you have not visited Nashville Tennessee or The great smokey mountains national park I suggest that you take I 40 west through Nashville Tennessee. There you can visit music row, take a dinner cruise on the general Jackson then you can visit opry mills and the grand Old Opry. Continue on west to Knoxville and visit the Great Smokey Mountains National park and pigeon forge and gatlinburg TN. From there it is about 60 miles down I40 to the Vanderbilt mansion in North Carolina. Then you can return to Knoxville and take the Blue ridge parkway up through Virginia and take a jaunt over to Colonial Williamsburg. Jamestown and Yorktown. Then on to D.C. and on to your destination. This will cover some of the most beautiful scenery in this great country.
Happy Trails!
JWB
I think one of the most beautiful places in the Mississippi River Valley is Wyalusing State Park just south of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The best time to be there is during fall bird migration though. Pikes Peak State Park across the river in Iowa is also a good spot.
I can't wait for DW to be able to take that much time off to do Route 66.
05 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT SC DRW 4X4 CTD G56 373's CAI,Edge Juice/Attitude,Jake,Rancho9000x,Torklift tie downs,Superhitch,Stable Loads
04 S&S Avalanche 9' with slide 26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
Pineapple Kid wrote: After our 20,000 mile trip around the US and Canada in 2007 I was all set to set myself up in the West ,collect rocks, fish, and take it easy this 2008 season. Well Eve's Father died and the memorial service is in New Jersey in June. The airfare from California and hotel and rental car would come to about $1,600 so I decided to pull the 5er across one more time.
Aptos Ca to Summit NJ;
via I 80 2,943 miles,
via I 40 3,002 miles,
Via I 70 3,030 miles
Problem is I can close my eyes and see most of the routes. I have been on lots of the back US highways and have seen all the big attractions.
( I may have RV burnout )
How about some suggestions of a few killer places to visit and great back roads to keep me awake?? Like: Joe's Fruit Stand in Kalamazoo, Wampum Casino in Texas or Genes BBQ in Arkansas ?? (not really Genes I still have indigestions from 6 years ago)
We have 3 1/2 months and I will fly Eve into Las Vegas on May 13th
and off we go from there.
Aloha from Kauai
I’ll just name a few roads and areas that should not be missed if they have not already been seen.
Utah;
Rt12 Hogback
Rt128 out of Moab along the Colorado River
Antelope Canyon outside of Page and Lake Powell
I’m assuming you have already been to all the NP’s
Arizona;
Canyon de Chelly
Colorado;
San Juan’s and the Alpine Loop
Lake City, Creede, South Fork
Leadville –Quincy’s for Steak
Maroon Bells
Rt 82 from Aspen to Leadville
Stage Coach SP just south of Steamboat
Rt 6 from I-70 to Golden
South Dakota;
Custer SP
Wyoming;
Rt 20 from Thermopolis to Shoshoni – when you travel this road you will feel like the water is running up hill
Beartooth
Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy.
Rt 36 parallels I-70 in Colorado and Kansas
Once you leave the West it all seems the same to me-- not really -- Upstate NY can be just as drop jaw beautiful as any place we’ve seen. If you have the chance to drive Rt 64 (might just do this in the TV as it is TIGHT) in the North Carolina mountains around Lake Toxaway and Cashiers and catch the Rhododendron in bloom and the Water Falls you will swear you are in Heaven.
That’s the round-a-bout route I would take if I had months to get to the east and back. If it’s just to get there first I-15 I-70 Rt 36 I-70 I-79 I-68 I-70 I-76 is my choice to just get from LV to NJ.
Sounds like you will be rolling to get there but the trip back could be fun.
BOL,
Busskipper
Maryland/Colorado
Travel Supreme 42DS04
MDX-FMCA--M&G Brake
States traveled in this Coach
In the wee hours when all on the Mainland are fast asleep I break out my Rand and other reference books and plot each suggestion to see if it is in the scope of our trip. Lots of good ones so far! We have always found little out of the was places to be great those that get 5,000 visitors a year instead of a day. ( Like if you visit Hawaii get out of Honolulu and visit Kauai )
Aloha
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