Trip West completed

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Thanks JudyH for your input on Escalante region. Also thanks a million to all who replied with the Do & See stuff. We didn't do all we started with, but added some others.
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This is roughly the order of what was covered on Trip West.
Yorktown, VA flight into MI. then shared a van.
From Ludington, MI rode car ferry across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, WI

SD - Corn Palace, Pioneer Auto Show, Wall Drugs, Badlands
Ellsworth AFB Air & Space Museum, Mt Rushmore
Spearfish Canyon

WY - Devil’s Tower, Big Horn Mountains
Cody Dam, Grand Teton NP, a Snake River raft ride
Yellowstone NP

MT - Glacier NP

ID - Northern Idaho & Coeur d’Alene Lake

WA - Spokane to Walla Walla, Columbia Gorge

OR - Oregon City, Mt Hood, Hood River, Cascade Locks
Newport Aquarium and north up Oregon coastline

WA - Mt St Helen, Olympia, Tacoma, Tacoma Narrows Bridge & Gig Harbor, Pacific Beach, Olympic Peninsula & Hoh Rain Forest
ferry Puget Sound from Port Townsend to Whidbey Is.
Deception Pass, Anacortes, Navy Squadron reunion at Skaget
Mt Baker, Vancouver, Boeing tour, Pikes Market, Space Needle
Snoqualmie Falls, Mt Rainier

OR - Astoria, Lighthouses & OR coastline to Florence
Umpqua Falls, Diamond Lake, Crater Lake

CA - Redwoods NP, Napa & Sonoma Valleys
Petaluma, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Yosemite
Death Valley

NE - Vegas, Red Rock State Park, Hoover Dam

AZ - Lake Havasu, Sedona- Grand Canyon, Lake Powell

UT - Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce, Escalante Canyons, Capital Reef

CO - Denver, Colorado Springs, Air Force Academy Chapel,
Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peake

KS - Bull riding show at Topeka,

MO - Joplin Stockyard Auction, Jim's Dam (Branson) countryside tour,
Springfield Bass Pro Super center

TN - Nashville, Knoxville

VA - Blue Ridge Mountains to Roanoke, Richmond, Yorktown

I'm tired! Over 13,000 miles and 63 days.
What a wondrous and varied country.
Don't just dream of it, go see some of it!!!!

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Sounds like a great trip Would like to do something similar one of these years.

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

Sounds great, hope you will post more about your trip. Any pictures to share.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I'd like to see half of those in twice as much time!

You will have to give us some more details when you have rested up after your vacation.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Rob had emailed me a few times prior to posting. I was aware of his trip and he kept complaing that he was tired. After I saw that list of states, I understand why he is pooped , but he should be releaved, Rob you are home now!

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Rob ... kept complaing that he was tired. After I saw that list of states, I understand why he is pooped , but he should be releaved, Rob you are home now!

I was stating facts after long days, not complaining!!!

Now that I'm home, I've REASON to be pooped out.

NOT complaining!!!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

There's more to the trip than has been talked about, I suspect.

When he got back our way, as far as Topeka, he had the option of going to Michigan with his traveling buddy and flying home, or buying a car and driving home.

He did the latter, so he could visit family in Joplin and take a dam drive around the lake the next day, touring Table Rock timeshare resorts. I feel honored that he chose that option.

And his car did not get totalled while he was here, like Rapmarks'.

Jim's Dam (Branson) countryside tour,

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Wasn't Mt Hood Great

I remember going to Mt. Hood about 12 years ago and seeing the Resort there build at Government Camp. Just seeing that building was the most imprssive building I have ever seen and that day I told my wife we could go home now, that made my whole trip. When we were there they were training a new St. Bernard because the older dog had just passed away. The puppy in training was so cute.
Bart

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Robert, what a beautiful trip you made. I am really curious and would like to know what area you found the most beautiful in this country as there are so many beautiful spots. It may not be the area only but also what happened when you were there. I know that you were going to meet some old buddies so this may have been your highlight too of your trip. I am looking forward to read your trip report and to see your photo images too.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

... I am really curious and would like to know what area you found the most beautiful in this country as there are so many beautiful spots. ...

Well, being able to visit with JLB was a treat, but you asked for the most beautiful area.


I really liked Spearfish Canyon, Teton NP, Glacier NP, Columbia Gorge sunset, Puget Sound, Mt Baker, Crater Lake, Big Sur coastline, Death Valley, G. Canyon sunset, Zion NP, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks NM in the snow, etc, etc.

I would have to say the most unbelievable scenery with every turn of the highway, by far ...

......

............

Going to the Sun Road, GLACIER National Park. It may be more amazing when more snow is on the peaks, but I was afraid we'd get snowed out, so I'll settle for the splendor as we seen it.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I can't wait to hear about your trip and see your pics!! shaggy

[vlariano Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vlariano]

Sounds like a wonderful trip. I think Bryce Canyon is beautiful too, and just as awesome as the Grand Canyon.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

For our forum friends outside this country

Here are the most beautiful photographs of our National Parks. After seeing these pictures here, you may just want to come and visit some of these National Parks.

http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/parks.html

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Beautiful devastation

... I think Bryce Canyon is beautiful too, and just as awesome as the Grand Canyon.

Two different examples of beautiful erosion. A third is the Badlands. Seems as though the examples go on and on.

I think it amazing that we can observe the many areas and find such variation in the devastation. The beauty is as varied as the material and the extent of the erosion.

I find it weird to say something is beautiful when there’s such devastation.


Robert

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

There are several postings with regards to Trip West, but I'm doing so here also as a bump up for those of you that have no knowledge of that time element or the postings since. Although Trip West was never written to completion, what has been written and the links and photograph collection included should be an asset to anyone interested in traveling west on the Rocky Mountains.

Click on the links under my signature if interested.