Mesa - Kingston April 2013

Can You Spot What I Forgot to Do?

Five days on the road, and I'm going to get home tonight. Departed Mesa on April 1 (solo), and arrived home around 7 pm, April 5. Here was the route I took, almost 2,400 miles, and just about the shortest way there is to get home from Mesa.

Camped all four nights, weather ranged from hot in Las Cruces (about 85F), to absolutely freezing the next night in Amarillo. Woke up on Tuesday morning to an ice storm.

Spring motor travel is all about dodging weather fronts. The I-10 and I-20 corridors were not an option this time due to weather. Cold fronts merging with warm fronts, tornadoes, hail, heavy rain, the whole bit. Best to avoid it. This time it was take the I-40 route, and for the most part it was pretty good, with the leg between Amarillo and Oklahoma City the most challenging with ice storms and then torrential rains most of the day.

Last gas I purchased before crossing at Detroit on April 5 was $3.81 US gallon. First fueling at Woodstock, ON, was $4.90 US gallon (converted from $1.35 litre). The entire trip at Canadian gas prices would have been about $150 more expensive.

Fuel costs for the trip home came to $700. The Coach averaged about 14.5 mpg US gallon (17.5 Cdn gallon).

Camping fees for four night came to $110, which compares with hotel bills of $426 (five nights) on the way to AZ in the fall.

Ready For The Road - April 1

Bottom line: if you drove a more fuel efficient vehicle, what you spend on gas will easily cover your lodging and meals, but then you miss out on the camping adventure. You don't Roadtrek to save money.

The last leg of this trip (670 miles) was definitely the most challenging for this trip due to the distance, and the major cities you pass through (Detroit and Toronto). Fortunately, the weather was good. Cold, but clear and sunny.

The Roadtrek is a truck, so you do feel the road. Roughest roads were between St. Louis and Indianapolis, and then between Napanee, Ontario and home. City with the most traffic and congestion was definitely Toronto.

Answer to the quiz above: lower the antenna. Fortunately, I noticed it. The 5th Wheel lives in AZ, and after I leave someone else has the pleasure of bringing it to covered storage for the summer.

Elk City Camp Hampton

Looking East - View From Our Hampton Suite

No travel coupons tonight, but did manage a little rate manipulation, so we're in a rather classy campground, which happens to be directly beside a Wal-Mart. Judy wasted no time in heading over for much needed supplies.

Noooo, staying in the Roadtrek on the Wal-Mart lot was not a consideration.

Low tonight 29 F. This area is under a breeze and freeze warning. When temperatures drop this low, we prefer being inside brick and mortar.

This day was totally up to expectations. We left Little Rock in rain, it cleared quickly enough, and then it was about the wind behind the front, which was pushing from the NE. That should have helped, probably did, but it made for some nice jolts from time-to-time when gusts hit. We shared the driving.

Beyond Oklahoma City there was slight less truck traffic. Only slightly less. This is America, and there are trucks on the Interstate. Millions of trucks.

We're now out of the mountains and onto the plains. Tornado Alley.

Oklahoma where the wind come rolling down the plains. Windy today, but NO tornadoes.

Tomorrow morning, we off to Amarillo, TX. It won't take long to make Amarillo, and we'll make some decisions then based on wind and weather as to where we head. We've got close to 2,000 miles behind us now, we're on the downwind slope. With luck, Mesa, AZ by Sunday. Here is our expected route.

Okay, it is about the journey. So here's a little bit about Elk City from Wikpedia, which we consult constantly as we travel: Elk City's history dates back to the days immediately following the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in western Oklahoma Territory on April 19, 1892, when the first white settlers made their appearance. Prior to this time, many early ranchers had driven cattle over the Great Western Cattle Trail from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas, the present town-site of Elk City being in the direct path of that famous trail.

We're humbled thinking of what those early pioneers went through in their travels, over these exact same trails. We think of them constantly.

Camp Fairfield, Knoxville TN

This has been a richly rewarding day for both of us. Anytime you can weave your way through several million trucks, maintain highway speeds, and make virtually every comfort stop without a mishap, you've had a richly rewarding day.

We're currently at Camp Fairfield, on Cracker Barrel Lane, so you know where we'll be dining tonight.

Judy is currently watching golf, I'm updating the blog and bringing my fluid level back into balance.

The Coach ran like a deer. The photo shows Judy giving it a loving hug. We're approaching 80,000 miles on this rig, so hugging is a good idea. Thank you Chevy for a great ride. Thank you Roadtrek.

Fuel today came to something under $100. Current price $3.15 in TN. We refueled at $3.38 before leaving VI. This was a miscalculation. Travel Tip: refuel in TN.

Mileage today about 450 miles. Judy drove more than her fair share as a penalty for saying yesterday that I was not calling on her enough. Tomorrow may well be different.

Speed limit here for trucks is 55 mph in TN. This is apparently just as guideline.

Good things about today worth noting: Verizon. No need to ever be disconnected.

Started the day in jeans, finished in shorts waiting for things to cool down, and game one of the World Series.

PS. Roast Beef dinner at CB, $20. No dishes, excellent dinner.

Downwind Day One

Lakeside in Chambersburg, PA at Camp LaQUINTA.

Reflections of The Coach in Lac LaQuinta

Found other campers in same park, haven't met them so far.

Did notice other campers at Walmart on the parking lot, but didn't meet them either, and decided this really wasn't where we wanted to be tonight. Looked for dinner in Walmart, but Judy didn't like the idea of macaroni and cheese with hot chicken wings.

Travel Tip: No booze at Walmart in PA.

Currently enjoying refreshing drink before heading out for camper's dinner.

For those who follow in our footsteps. Leave Kingston around 6:30 am. Turn right at Thousand Island Bridge crossing. Follow I-81 to Chambersburg PA (exit 16). This should take about nine hours. Arrived in time to search out fine wine and vodka source, and then settled in. No maps or GPS necessary, watch the highway signs, do not leave Hwy 81.

Weather was warm and wet.

Judy is getting the hang of camping on the road in the Roadtrek. She is currently looking forward to our campfire at the Long Horn. This changed when Long Horn was not open for business. Fuddruckers was the next best thing.

Gas today:  about $100 ($3.74 a gal). Here's the route.

Room: $69 with a coupon.

Travel Tip: Always check at rest stops for discount books. This LaQUINTA is a new hotel, it's beautiful and worth every penny.

The guy behind me without the coupon paid $89. Save where you can campers (lesson for today).

Final Update: Steak House was not open for the public yet. So, we went to Fuddruckers. This was a good choice, since campers always look for way to keep costs low. Dinner was excellent, walked home to campsite. Cost of dinner $20.

Note: when we returned from dinner out and campfire, hotel was full.  Travel Tip: Don't wait too long to settle in for the night.