Our yearly trip to The County has become part of our DNA. It is a destination we just have to get into the camping schedule, and without a visit, I’m sure we’d feel as if the summer was not complete.
2019: the summer camping begins
We found that once we got back from the big trip, our summer camping plans have become very loosey goosey. Previously, and mostly through necessity, by mid winter, our summer was planned and all booked out. We do have some trips planned, but for the most part, we will be winging it.
2019 SouthWest: Observations and wrap-up
After ten years of Alto camping, we had a pretty good idea of how an extended road trip might play out, and for the most part, that was the case. What we found intriguing though, was when some of those past experiences did not play out as we assumed. We thought a little wrap up might be appropriate.
A few simple stats of our journey to start:
- 78 days on the road
- 74 nights in the Alto
- 16 states
- 36 different overnight locations
- 15,305 Klms (9,510 M)
- 2687 litres of gas (710 gallons)
- Average 17.6 Ltr/per 100 klms (13.4 mpg)
We covered a lot of ground.
We wanted to explore and learn as much as could about the SouthWest, but about half way through the trip we found that we were not staying long enough at our destinations. In fairness, that was sort of the plan, but next time out will certainly be different, and slower. We could have easily stayed a week in Santa Fe and Savannah, so even a few extra days here and there will be a good thing in the future.
We did a lot of hiking...sort of.
As much as we intended to spend a ton of time on the trails, we did far more “hiking” around the cities and towns we visited. This is by no means a surprise, we just thought our focus would change somewhat because of the amazing landscapes we were in. We think the combination of the shorter stays, and our love of exploring the urban landscape, put our hiking plans a bit on the back burner.
We were surprised about food and meals.
We love camp cooking. Planning what to cook and eat is a huge part of the enjoyment of our weekends away. Not the only part by any means, but still a big part. This trip...not so much. I know for a fact we pulled the Q out twice, and the little Coleman stove, the only purpose it served on this trip was to annoy us with its constant tinny rattling while we drove.
Oh, we tried to cook for sure, but ended up wasting a bunch of our first grocery order. What caused this shift...we figure it was our short stays. By the time we got back to camp from our exploring, the last thing we wanted to do was haul out the gear, prep the food, and cook up a meal. So easy eating became our style, and we still ate relatively healthy. What helped was the quality and variety of offerings found in the grocery stores. From the creative in-house kitchens to the vast selection of products, we had more than enough options available for quick, simple evening meals. We did not solely rely on this and made our breakfasts, like our new favourite, avocado toast with tomato, topped with balsamic glaze...Yummm
We thought we would boondock more.
Our plan was to boondock where and when we could, but that soon changed, mostly due to the unseasonably cool, actually, cold weather. Faced with cold evenings, having power was a much desired service. Some nights we ran our two electric space heaters all the time, just to keep the cold at bay. We could have managed with the propane furnace, but the question was, why bother? The state parks we camped in were all very nice, well run, and the sites generally came with electrical hook-ups. They were also a tremendous value compared to what we are used to paying. Pretty much a no brainer given the weather situation.
We did though, boondock at Quartzite, and it was a neat experience. We were well past the crazy times of the big RV show in January, so we almost had the place to ourselves. That experience gave us a little taste, and it is something we will do more of in the future.
We are not fans of the Interstate.
We already knew this, and the trip only solidified this for us. One does not get a good view of a state while hurtling down an interstate crammed with transport trucks and drivers with dubious skill sets. You need to get onto the secondary highways to really see both the landscape, and the people that live in it. As an added bonus, it is a far less stressful journey...there is a lot to be said for being able to mosey along, driving through towns and cities, soaking it all in.
The key take-away is to slow down.
We will spend more time in each location, exploring and just relaxing. This has been expressed by many others, we just had to figure this out as well. Many spots deserved far more time than we allowed before hitching up again, and that will change.
We learned a lot on this trip, not only about the SouthWest, but also about how WE travel for extended periods. All this will help make our next big adventure even better, and we already can't wait.
A few simple stats of our journey to start:
- 78 days on the road
- 74 nights in the Alto
- 16 states
- 36 different overnight locations
- 15,305 Klms (9,510 M)
- 2687 litres of gas (710 gallons)
- Average 17.6 Ltr/per 100 klms (13.4 mpg)
We covered a lot of ground.
We wanted to explore and learn as much as could about the SouthWest, but about half way through the trip we found that we were not staying long enough at our destinations. In fairness, that was sort of the plan, but next time out will certainly be different, and slower. We could have easily stayed a week in Santa Fe and Savannah, so even a few extra days here and there will be a good thing in the future.
We did a lot of hiking...sort of.
As much as we intended to spend a ton of time on the trails, we did far more “hiking” around the cities and towns we visited. This is by no means a surprise, we just thought our focus would change somewhat because of the amazing landscapes we were in. We think the combination of the shorter stays, and our love of exploring the urban landscape, put our hiking plans a bit on the back burner.
We were surprised about food and meals.
We love camp cooking. Planning what to cook and eat is a huge part of the enjoyment of our weekends away. Not the only part by any means, but still a big part. This trip...not so much. I know for a fact we pulled the Q out twice, and the little Coleman stove, the only purpose it served on this trip was to annoy us with its constant tinny rattling while we drove.
Oh, we tried to cook for sure, but ended up wasting a bunch of our first grocery order. What caused this shift...we figure it was our short stays. By the time we got back to camp from our exploring, the last thing we wanted to do was haul out the gear, prep the food, and cook up a meal. So easy eating became our style, and we still ate relatively healthy. What helped was the quality and variety of offerings found in the grocery stores. From the creative in-house kitchens to the vast selection of products, we had more than enough options available for quick, simple evening meals. We did not solely rely on this and made our breakfasts, like our new favourite, avocado toast with tomato, topped with balsamic glaze...Yummm
We thought we would boondock more.
Our plan was to boondock where and when we could, but that soon changed, mostly due to the unseasonably cool, actually, cold weather. Faced with cold evenings, having power was a much desired service. Some nights we ran our two electric space heaters all the time, just to keep the cold at bay. We could have managed with the propane furnace, but the question was, why bother? The state parks we camped in were all very nice, well run, and the sites generally came with electrical hook-ups. They were also a tremendous value compared to what we are used to paying. Pretty much a no brainer given the weather situation.
We did though, boondock at Quartzite, and it was a neat experience. We were well past the crazy times of the big RV show in January, so we almost had the place to ourselves. That experience gave us a little taste, and it is something we will do more of in the future.
We are not fans of the Interstate.
We already knew this, and the trip only solidified this for us. One does not get a good view of a state while hurtling down an interstate crammed with transport trucks and drivers with dubious skill sets. You need to get onto the secondary highways to really see both the landscape, and the people that live in it. As an added bonus, it is a far less stressful journey...there is a lot to be said for being able to mosey along, driving through towns and cities, soaking it all in.
The key take-away is to slow down.
We will spend more time in each location, exploring and just relaxing. This has been expressed by many others, we just had to figure this out as well. Many spots deserved far more time than we allowed before hitching up again, and that will change.
We learned a lot on this trip, not only about the SouthWest, but also about how WE travel for extended periods. All this will help make our next big adventure even better, and we already can't wait.
2019 SouthWest: the last stretch...Savannah to home
Continuing our quest to travel only secondary highways on the way home, we made our way northwards to Lee State Park, near Bishopville SC. We are on our way to Durham NC, to have a quick visit with Dale’s girlfriend Debbie. This park will get us about half the way there.
2019 SouthWest: Savannah and the beach...awesome!
On our Hwy 84 drive back east, we looked at the map and realized that the 84 continues all the way to the east coast at Savannah Georgia, and by just adding a day to our drive, we could dip our toes in the Atlantic, and see what we have heard to be a beautiful historic city.
2019 SouthWest: Hwy 84 all the way to the coast
Our journey on the 84 took us all the way from Texas to Georgia. We were able to chunk up the distance and stay at state parks all the way...North Toledo Bend LA, Lake Lincoln MS, Frank Jackson AL, and Reed Bingham GA.
2019 SouthWest: Waco...worth a visit
Before heading to Waco, we scoured our maps for a route to get us a little further south, and into some warmer weather. We have had a fair amount of cool evenings on this trip, in fact, we have used the duvet and electric heaters far more than we have not. The other priority was to avoid, as much as possible, travel on the Interstates.
2019 SouthWest: Texas Big Sky
Continuing our eastern path, we drove from Santa Fe to Amarillo, down to the I-40 along Hwy 285. The drive along 285 was a steady descent through scrubby ranch land, punctuated by rich looking red soil and rocks. The stretch of I-40 to Amarillo was a good drive, nice and smooth, with surprisingly little traffic, I think perhaps we lucked out a bit. Just outside Amarillo we took the opportunity to stop at Cadillac Ranch.
2019 SouthWest: the lure of O'Keefe
The lure of Georgia O’Keeffe is strong. Being admirers of her life and art for many years, to visit her home and studio, to be in the area which inspired her so much, was definitely a huge bucket list item for both of us.
2019 SouthWest: Santa Fe...we finally made it.
