The Ultimate Road Trip: By the Numbers

When friends comment that we must have seen a lot on this trip I always answer that if we had seen even one tenth of one percent of all there was to see, it would be a lot. There were always museums that were closed, park signs we drove past too fast to stop, towns we whizzed by when we opted for the interstate, days we were too tired – or too comfortable – to get back in the van, laundry that needed to be done, dozens of options and only one choice to be made, home sickness. When asked what some of our favorite places were it was impossible to choose. While visiting the national parks had been our initial goal, we found there was just as much majesty and beauty (and fewer crowds) in those places in between and outside of them. Also, meeting people from around the country (and beyond!) was always a treat, especially Walt and Kathy from Wisconsin, Emily and Bill from Utah, Pierre from Canada, Paul and Barbara from upstate New York and Dennis and Cathy, fellow NYC residents. And, last but not least, visiting with old friends and family in new settings was a true pleasure that added so much to our trip.

So we’ll let this blog speak for itself, and we’ll continue to revisit those places and relive some of those experiences in our memories for years to come. Meanwhile, we thought we’d summarize it all by the numbers – as much as our spotty notes and aging brains allow.

Places we explored; some for overnight camping, some day trips

• National Parks, Monuments and Historic Sites: 27
• National Forests: 18
• National Seashores: 5
• National Recreation Areas: 8
• Bureau of Land Management and Conservation areas: 7
• Wildlife Refuges and Sanctuaries: 17
• State Parks: 45
• City/County Parks: 16

Boondocking and other dry camping

• Walmart: 5
• Cracker Barrel: 4
• Rest Areas/Picnic Areas: 4
• Casinos: 4
• Various stealth sites: 3
• Harvest Hosts:
  • Wineries: 6
  • Breweries/Distilleries: 2
  • Farms: 1
  • Other: 1

Respites from the road

• Nights with Friends
  • Virginia: 4 (at Lake Serene with Don and Dolly, of course)
  • Florida: 16
  • Alabama: 3
  • Louisiana: 3
  • Arizona: 25 (thank you, Doug!)
  • California: 7
  • Colorado: 4
  • Nevada: 12 (technically at LG II’s place(s) without him!)
• Hotels/Motels: 20
• Air BnB: 2
• KOA/Other private campgrounds: 8

Attractions

• Museums/Galleries: 25+
• Theaters: 4
• Train rides: 3
• Boat rides: 5
• Bus/trolley/tram rides: 8
• Rodeos, races and horse shows: 3

Wildlife

• Birds (featuring the wrens, cranes and vermillion flycatchers): 217
• Mammals (especially the manatees, pronghorns and big horned sheep): 19
• Reptiles/Amphibians (mostly lizards, but also rattlers and alligators): 9

Memorable meals

• Turquoise Room at La Posada, Winslow AZ
• Vincent’s Café in Phoenix, AZ
• Americana outside of Las Vegas, NV
• El Patio in Presidio, TX
• Sarabeth’s in Key West, FL
• El Tavor in the Grand Canyon NP, AZ
• Outside Inn near Sierra Vista, AZ
• 29 Palms Inn at the north entrance to Joshua Tree NP, Twentynine Palms, CA
• Café Raku in Bisbee, AZ
• Luminaria at the Inn & Spa at Loretto, Santa Fe, NM
• Primo at the JW Marriott, Tucson, AZ
• The Gathering Place in Pie Town, NM
• The Shed near Ocean Springs, MS