TS Von's Big SW Road Trip (4/16-5/11)

[Timeshare Von]

I just returned from an epic 12 state, 7,000 mile road trip from Milwaukee to the beautiful American SouthWest! It was a wonderful time, mostly car camping, but with several nights spent with family/friends and a few hotel nights too. For anyone interested, I have posted photos on my Facebook page in an album that is set for public viewing. I will also be blogging about my adventures and the sights seen along the way. I'll share that link once I'm done writing (it will take some time for sure).

Highlights were all of the wonderful US National Parks I visited . . . especially "The Big 5" in Utah (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Zion). Most profound & thought provoking, were the NPS historical sites Brown vs. Board (Kansas) and Sand Creek Massacre (Colorado). Mesa Verde (Colorado) and Fort Larned (Kansas) were in remarkable condition for their history & age. I'm glad I finally made it to Carlsbad Caverns (NM) . . . which was amazing!

I want to give a special shout out to DaveNV, a long time timeshare friend, who I finally got to meet while driving through Nevada. We've known one another from here on TUG for nearly 20 years . . . it was very nice to finally meet him. Thank you Dave for reaching out and suggesting we connect.

 

[DaveNV]

It was great to finally meet the infamous Timeshare Von!! Your trip was epic, and I'm glad we could squeeze in time for a nice visit. Glad you're home safe and sound!

Dave

 

[missyrcrews]

I can't wait to read about all your adventures. Thank you for being willing to share!

 

[moonstone]

Wonderful photos, looks like it was a fantastic trip! Thanks for sharing!

~Diane

 

[AnnaS]

Beautiful pictures!! Thank you for sharing! So awesome you met up with Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Beautiful pictures!! Thank you for sharing! So awesome you met up with Dave

She passed right through my town, less than two miles from my house. What else could I do? I've been following Von's escapades for years!

Dave

 

[Luanne]

Great pictures! You hit some of our favorite places in New Mexico: White Sands (isn't it amazing!), Bandelier, Pecos and Fort Union. I'm sad to say we haven't made it to Carlsbad Caverns.

I've never seen any of the places you posted from Santa Fe. They must be tucked away in out of the way places. Wish I'd known you were coming through our home town.

 

[Patri]

Wait, that’s Dave?! Oh well, he turned out pretty good from his profile picture.

 

[susieq]

What Amazing photos!!! Can't wait to read all about them!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[JudyH]

My favorite trip. I need to go again. Thanksbb

 

[amycurl]

OMG, a current pic of @DaveNV!

A few years ago, my 70something mother took my 9 year old daughter on a 5 week, 7,775 mi car trip out west, hitting many of the same national parks. They had an amazing time, and I’m so glad that you had a great experience, too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Snazzylass]

@Timeshare Von, I'm so impressed with your car camping! I know you've mentioned it before. What exactly are you sleeping on? Over the last few years, I've found my trusty blowup twin mattress to be miserable and that's in the house. I bought a mattress pad for my sleeping bag but I must have bought the wrong kind - it's loud and crinkly.

Anyway, great trip! Congrats!

 

[Timeshare Von]

@Timeshare Von, I'm so impressed with your car camping! I know you've mentioned it before. What exactly are you sleeping on? Over the last few years, I've found my trusty blowup twin mattress to be miserable and that's in the house. I bought a mattress pad for my sleeping bag but I must have bought the wrong kind - it's loud and crinkly.

Anyway, great trip! Congrats!

Glad you enjoyed the photos. The bedroll set up I had for this trip was:

1) Thin (approx. 2" camping air mattress) on the bottom
2) 3" memory foam, covered with king sized sheet, folded on the right hand side of the "bed" when I'm in it . . . the sheet folds over me as the 1st layer of covers (sorta like a "taco" wrap")
3) I have a twin size fleece blanket I use as the 2nd layer, which I add when it is chilly
4) My top layer is my Teton "sub zero" sleep bag, which I unzip and use like a top cover rather than a sleeping bag . . . mainly because the outer covering is so slippery, it is just a headache to try to sleep inside it like a normal sleeping bag. I have also found this keeps me warmer on the cold nights. I had several when the night temps dropped into the mid 30's! On the warm nights (like in Death Valley) I just had the sheet over me, with the sleeping bag folded up on the other side of the tailgate area.

In my 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe, the back row of seats fold down in a 60/40 split so I have my bedroll set up behind the driver's side (60% split) . . . and it fits perfectly. The other 40% side in the back is where I have my duffel bag/clothes and a couple of boxes of grill & food prep items. I travel with a plug in cooler (by Kooltron) which is in the front passenger floorboard . . . and I have a "dry box" of food items like canned goods, cereal, crackers, bread, chips, etc.

Here are a few photos that I hope help you envision my set up.

P.S. Looking at the photo again, I realized my hubby is also using a thick packing blanket to help make the bedroll level. It is basically from about my waist down to my feet underneath the air mattress. The reason for this is because the back of the seat folded down makes quite an incline. I like a little incline, however, so the packing blanket helps to taper it down a little to what for me, is a perfect incline at the "head" of the bed.

 

[DaveNV]

Wait, that’s Dave?! Oh well, he turned out pretty good from his profile picture.

Yeah, I was 19 in my avatar, and I'm nearly 72 now. Amazing what a handful of decades can do to a guy.

As the old saying goes, "It's not the years, it's the mileage."

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

OMG, a current pic of @DaveNV!

Sorry, no autographs, please. LOL!!

Dave

 

[Timeshare Von]

Yeah, I was 19 in my avatar, and I'm nearly 72 now. Amazing what a handful of decades can do to a guy.

As the old saying goes, "It's not the years, it's the mileage."

Dave

Sorta like my 13 year old Santa Fe having 240,500 miles on it.

And Dave you look great for being in your 70's!

 

[Brett]

I just returned from an epic 12 state, 7,000 mile road trip from Milwaukee to the beautiful American SouthWest! It was a wonderful time, mostly car camping, but with several nights spent with family/friends and a few hotel nights too. For anyone interested, I have posted photos on my Facebook page in an album that is set for public viewing. I will also be blogging about my adventures and the sights seen along the way. I'll share that link once I'm done writing (it will take some time for sure).

Highlights were all of the wonderful US National Parks I visited . . . especially "The Big 5" in Utah (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Zion). Most profound & thought provoking, were the NPS historical sites Brown vs. Board (Kansas) and Sand Creek Massacre (Colorado). Mesa Verde (Colorado) and Fort Larned (Kansas) were in remarkable condition for their history & age. I'm glad I finally made it to Carlsbad Caverns (NM) . . . which was amazing!

I want to give a special shout out to DaveNV, a long time timeshare friend, who I finally got to meet while driving through Nevada. We've known one another from here on TUG for nearly 20 years . . . it was very nice to finally meet him. Thank you Dave for reaching out and suggesting we connect.

Nice road trip. We'll be going to some of the "Big 5" National Parks in Utah later this month.
(but won't be "car camping")

 

[Snazzylass]

Glad you enjoyed the photos. The bedroll set up I had for this trip was:

1) Thin (approx. 2" camping air mattress) on the bottom
2) 3" memory foam, covered with king sized sheet, folded on the right hand side of the "bed" when I'm in it . . . the sheet folds over me as the 1st layer of covers (sorta like a "taco" wrap")
3) I have a twin size fleece blanket I use as the 2nd layer, which I add when it is chilly
4) My top layer is my Teton "sub zero" sleep bag, which I unzip and use like a top cover rather than a sleeping bag . . . mainly because the outer covering is so slippery, it is just a headache to try to sleep inside it like a normal sleeping bag. I have also found this keeps me warmer on the cold nights. I had several when the night temps dropped into the mid 30's! On the warm nights (like in Death Valley) I just had the sheet over me, with the sleeping bag folded up on the other side of the tailgate area.

In my 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe, the back row of seats fold down in a 60/40 split so I have my bedroll set up behind the driver's side (60% split) . . . and it fits perfectly. The other 40% side in the back is where I have my duffel bag/clothes and a couple of boxes of grill & food prep items. I travel with a plug in cooler (by Kooltron) which is in the front passenger floorboard . . . and I have a "dry box" of food items like canned goods, cereal, crackers, bread, chips, etc.

Here are a few photos that I hope help you envision my set up.

P.S. Looking at the photo again, I realized my hubby is also using a thick packing blanket to help make the bedroll level. It is basically from about my waist down to my feet underneath the air mattress. The reason for this is because the back of the seat folded down makes quite an incline. I like a little incline, however, so the packing blanket helps to taper it down a little to what for me, is a perfect incline at the "head" of the bed.

View attachment 110495 View attachment 110496 View attachment 110497

awe, thank you! The moving blanket is an especially good tip! I've got plenty of those Nice to know it's not just my bones that are too old for hard surfaces

 

[Timeshare Von]

awe, thank you! The moving blanket is an especially good tip! I've got plenty of those Nice to know it's not just my bones that are too old for hard surfaces

You're welcome! FYI . . . because I'm a "side sleeper" I do find my hips get sore if I don't rotate and change sides throughout the night . . . I generally have to roll over a couple or 3 Xs per night. I could never sleep soundly without the layers of comfort we use to build my bedroll. This particular trip was the best ever, once I figured out the "slippery sleeping bag" issue. This photo was taken my 2nd night out, frustrated trying to figure out how best to use my layers of covers (including the sleeping bag). Once I figured out not sleeping in the sleeping bag was best, I was set for the rest of the trip.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Nice road trip. We'll be going to some of the "Big 5" National Parks in Utah later this month.
(but won't be "car camping")

I'm sure you'll love them all! They are similar and yet so very different too. I'm sure I will return to some of them . . . especially Bryce Canyon & Arches!

 

[TheHolleys87]

We toured the Big 5 a few years ago and were able to include Monument Valley and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in our loop, which I heartily endorse. My family camped in Monument Valley in the early 60s, and it has a spiritual hold on me that I can’t explain, similar to what I think some people feel about Sedona.

 

[WinniWoman]

Love the photos! Sounds like a great trip!

(Except for the car camping part- not for me! Lol!)

 

[Timeshare Von]

Love the photos! Sounds like a great trip!

(Except for the car camping part- not for me! Lol!)

Glad you enjoyed the photos. As for car camping . . . it's not for many . . . including my DH who wants no part of it. Plus there really isn't room in my SUV for more than just me. Even a dog would make it unbearable. I can only hope we will have an RV one day in the near future. (Having done a campervan with my sister a year ago, I also know that is too small for 2 adults.)

 

[DaveNV]

Sorta like my 13 year old Santa Fe having 240,500 miles on it.

And Dave you look great for being in your 70's!

Sshhh! I'm not in my 70s. I'm much too immature to be this age!

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

And Dave you look great for being in your 70's!

Thanks! You should see the portrait of me stored in my attic.

Dave