Travelogue

Dinosaur National Monument was an unplanned stop on our drive from Steamboat Springs to Antelope Island. Not only was it unplanned, I didn't even know it existed until Herb smugly pointed out the brown National Park sign along the road. I hate not knowing everything. Maybe I just skipped over it in the planning because I'm really not that into dinosaur bones.

Our first indication that we were close to the monument was a very tacky gift shop, complete with 20-foot-high dinosaur in the parking lot. We just had to pull in and take a touristy photo. The gift shop sold every conceivable type of dinosaur paraphernalia as well as rocks. We managed to get the kids past the nosh, and purchased a classic hat pin of a roaring T-Rex.

Dinosaur RocksAs we entered the monument expecting to see nothing but dinosaur stuff, we were shocked to see a beautiful portion of the Green River complete with rafters happily floating through the incredible countryside. I could read Herb's mind--"What was this and why didn't I know about it?" There is absolutely nothing that Herb loves more than a raft trip and this place looked like one of the best. It turns out that it is one of the premier rafting spots in the country--the Green and Yampa Rivers flowing through the Canyon of Lodore. Oops. I felt a little better after I found out that the only way to raft through the Monument is to either go with a licensed river-running company or obtain a permit to go it on your own. These permits are very hard to get and you have to get them way in advance. Coming here to raft is a destination in itself. Hopefully, some day we'll come back here and do just that.

After watching the rafts with longing for a few more minutes, we continued into the park to see the dinosaur fossils. We took the park shuttle bus to the Dinosaur Quarry, where we saw a rock wall with hundreds of dinosaur bones protruding from it. Thankfully for us non-paleontologist types, there was a very handy display board containing an exact replica of the rock wall, with each bone labeled as to what dinosaur it came from and what body part it was. It really was nicely done.

I don't think they should have named the park Dinosaur National Monument. True, it does have more dinosaur bones than probably anywhere else in the world, but there is, after all, a whole lot more to this park than just dinosaurs.

Description

Dinosaur National Monument, which straddles the northern Utah-Colorado border, is one of the most remote National Monuments in the country. The Monument got its name because it is one of the best places in the world for exhuming dinosaur bones--more than 350 tons of dinosaur bones have been dug up at this site and sent to museums, and many more still remain. The only place to view these fossils is the Dinosaur Quarry on the Utah side of the park, where there are more than 1,600 bones of 11 different dinosaur species covering the rock face of the quarry.

However, viewing Dinosaur bones at the Quarry is not the only thing that Dinosaur National Monument has to offer. The park contains over 300 miles of rugged badlands, 3,000-foot-deep canyons, and some of the best white water rafting in the West along the Green and Yampa Rivers.

The 62-mile roundtrip Harpers Corner Scenic Drive, which begins at the monument headquarters in Colorado, is a great way to see the park's more remote country. The road climbs a series of ridges from which there are great views of the badlands and the canyons of the Green and Yampa Rivers.

To raft through the monument, you must either go with a licensed river-running company or obtain a permit to go it on your own. These permits are often difficult to get and should be obtained well in advance.

Travelogue

Although the kids do love the natural beauty of National Park campgrounds, they occasionally need the recreational opportunities offered by a good commercial campground. Steamboat Springs KOA was one of the best we've been too in terms of entertaining the kids.

Andrew Tubing the YampaWe arrived late afternoon and the kids were frantic to take advantage of everything the KOA had to offer. First, they rented go-carts and pedaled madly around the campground for their allotted hour. Next, they hit the mini-golf course and then it was on to the pool, while Herb and I relaxed in the adult-only hot tub.

It was now approaching 7:00 and time for dinner. Andrew, however, had other plans in mind--tubing down the Yampa River through the campground. Tommy was pretty hungry and tired at this point and wasn't sure if he wanted anything to do with this plan. Not wanting to let Andrew have all the fun, he reluctantly agreed to go along. Fortunately, we had 2 inflatable tubes packed in the outside compartments of the RV. I had started bringing these along, just in case, ever since I was blamed for their missing a tubing opportunity on the Virgin River in Zion back in 1999. They quickly blew up the tubes and ran to the river hoping to get some runs in before dark. Herb and I waited on the bridge with cameras at the ready as they ran up the banks of the river and then floated back down under the bridge. Tommy's tube must have had a slow leak in it because by the time he went under the bridge he was practically underwater, which was, by the way, quite cold. Tired and shivering, Tommy threatened to go back to the RV. Knowing it was not going to be as much fun alone, Andrew traded tubes with him and convinced him to keep going. They kept running up and floating down the river until it was dark. It really did look like a lot of fun.

We ate dinner around 9:30 that night--much too late, but sometimes you just have to seize the moment.

Description

Tubing in the YampaSteamboat Springs, in northernwestern Colorado, is best known as a ski resort, but it also has plenty of outdoor activities in the warmer months, such as hiking, rafting, and fishing. The small town of Steamboat Springs is surrounded by towering mountains and lush river valleys. With an economy based on ranching, it still maintains a feeling of the Old West.

The Steamboat Springs KOA is a 129-site campground right on the Yampa River. Recreational opportunities include a heated pool, mini golf, rental go-carts, and fishing on the river.

Travelogue

One of the best things about traveling in the West is the endless variety and how one day's drive can deliver such an entirely different experience. Just yesterday, we were crossing the Great Plains gazing at seemingly endless miles of farmland, complaining about the oppressive heat. Now here we were, a day later, clad in jeans and sweatshirts gazing at snow-capped mountain peaks, this time complaining about the cold.

Glacier Basin SunriseSince we had camped the previous night in Estes Park right outside the park gates, we were able to get an early start on our exploration of Rocky Mountain--a good idea in a park as popular as this one. At the South Entrance, rather than continuing on the scenic Trail Ridge Road (that was for tomorrow), we turned south on Bear Lake Road, cruised right past the Glacier Basin Campground (where we had reservations for that night), and managed to nab the last RV parking spot at the Bear Lake Trailhead, the starting point for several nice hikes in the park. Then, like practically everyone else in the parking lot, we chose to hike the 3.8-mile out and back Emerald Lake Trail. Although crowded, the scenery really was lovely, especially the reflection of the snow-capped mountain peaks in the three pristine lakes we passed along the way. After a brief snack back in the RV, we ventured out again to hike to Alberta Falls, a perfect second hike for the day--short, easy, and a great scenic end point, the beautiful Alberta Falls.

Family at Emerald LakeAfter the hikes, we headed back to the Glacier Basin Campground to settle in for the day. We love camping in the National Parks because they give you plenty of space and are usually located in some of the most beautiful places. This one certainly was. We were literally in a basin, surrounded by the Rockies. We were lucky enough to get a site on the end where we had an unobstructed view out the back windows of the mountains rising up from the beautiful alpine meadow.

We spent the next few hours truly enjoying the meadow. Herb and I plopped ourselves in beach chairs in the middle of the meadow with good books, and the kids played baseball and Frisbee. A little while later, back in the RV, Herb was using his ham radio to talk to different people around the world. He was feeling pretty good about having brought his family thousands of miles across the country to this spectacular location. Just as he was extolling the joys of traveling and bonding with his kids to a fellow "hammer" in Germany, Tommy nailed Herb in the side of the face with a suction cup dart from his recently purchased blow gun. The motor home became totally silent as Herb mouthed the words, "You're history." I don't think Tommy's defense which consisted of, "But I was trying to hit Andrew," helped his case much. Tommy wisely went back out to play in the meadow. Andrew, who was very much enjoying the trouble Tommy had gotten himself into, went out to join him. When I called them in for dinner about an hour later, Tommy hung back saying, "but I can't go home." Although Herb had already forgotten about the incident, I suggested to Tommy that he apologize rather than just say that he hit the wrong family member. Family harmony resumed and we strolled down to the creek in the campground after dinner to fish.

Boy's at summit of Alpine Ridge TrailThe next morning, the 3 Gaidus men rose early to photograph the sunrise over the mountains from the meadow. Never a morning person, I chose to open the back curtains and watch it from the comfort and warmth of my bed. It truly was spectacular.

That day we drove the 50-mile Trail Ridge Road across the park, one of the most scenic highways in America. The changes in climate and ecosystems along the way were amazing. From grassy meadows, through dense forests, to alpine meadows filled with wildflowers, and then above the treeline to tundra, similar to what you would find in Alaska or Siberia. From the Alpine Visitor Center, we climbed a series of steps along the Alpine Ridge Trail to an excellent viewpoint. What would normally seem like a very easy climb was difficult at this altitude--breathing was harder and we all had slight headaches. We were also freezing and starting to question why we weren't spending our summer vacation on a warm beach somewhere--but it really was beautiful. We continued our drive along the alpine ridge crossing the Continental Divide, and then gradually descended to Grand Lake and the west entrance of the park.

Description

Rocky Mountain National Park in north central Colorado encompasses 415 square miles of towering mountain peaks, alpine glaciers, dense forests, beautiful alpine meadows, and pristine lakes. Within the park there are more than 75 peaks above 12,000 feet, the highest of which is Longs Peak, at 14,255 feet. One-third of the park is above the treeline, where tundra predominates.

Bear LakeThe major activities in the park include hiking and backpacking along the more than 355 miles of trails, mountain climbing the many peaks, and wildlife viewing (mountain goats, elk, deer, bear, and bighorn sheep, which have become the symbol of the park).

Boy's at Emerald LakeAn excellent way to see many of the park's highlights is to drive the scenic 50-mile-long Trail Ridge Road, which rises to over 12,000 feet and crosses the Continental Divide. The road crosses the park from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the southwestern corner of the park winds it way 12,183 feet above sea level into a world similar to the arctic regions of Alaska and Siberia. Along the way there are spectacular views of snow-covered peaks, alpine meadows full of wildflowers, deep forests, and much wildlife. Because of snow, the road usually does not open until Memorial Day and closes again in October.

About halfway along Trail Ridge Road, at a 12,110 elevation, is the Rock Cut parking area, which is the trailhead for the Tundra Nature Trail, an easy ½ mile hike that provides a close-up look at the hardy plants and animals that survive the harsh tundra environment at this elevation. A little further along the road is the Alpine Visitor Center. From here the short Alpine Ridge Trail climbs from the Visitor Center up a series of steps through the tundra to an excellent viewpoint.

Lookout off Trail Ridge RoadThere are many other excellent hiking opportunities in the park, including several along the Bear Lake Road. Most of these hikes offer tremendous views of mountain lakes and waterfalls. The 3.6 mile round trip Emerald Lake Hike starts at Bear Lake and goes past 2 more lakes before its final destination, Emerald Lake. The 1.2 mile round trip Alberta Falls Trail is an easy hike along a creek to the very pretty Alberta Falls.

There are 4 RV campgrounds in the park, only 2 of which take reservations. Campgrounds usually fill up by noon.

Travelogue

With our first views of the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Rockies, we finally felt that we were out West. The road to the east entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park meandered along the Big Thompson River into the resort town of Estes Park. The main street of town was lined with trendy restaurants, cafes, shops and lots of tourists.

It was late afternoon and drizzling, so we continued on to our campground, Spruce Lake RV Park, right outside the gates to the park. It was a highly rated campground, and rightly so. It had a heated pool, mini-golf course, playground, and even a trout stocked lake. Unfortunately, the weather was so cold and damp that we hardly took advantage of the facilities, although the kids did take a swim in the heated pool.

What a difference from the previous day at Lake McConaughy when we were basking in the sun and splashing around in the lake. Now, we were wearing jeans and jackets and thinking about a campfire for warmth. How quickly things can change in the mountains.

Description

Spruce Lake RV Park is a 110-site campground 1 1/2 miles outside of Rocky Mountain National Park . It has a nice heated pool, free mini golf, and fishing on the Big Thompson River.

Travelogue

The problem with living on the East Coast is that a trip to the West involves 2 or 3 days of pretty solid driving before you can even get started. That's just too long to go without some fun, so I usually try to find something good along the way to break up the trip. The National Geographic guides such as Crossing America, Scenic Highways and Byways, and State Parks are really good resources to help find things to do anywhere in the U.S. This time we were traveling west on I80, so we decided to stop and spend a night at Lake McConaughy State Park in Nebraska, right near the Colorado border.

Boys at Lake McConaughyWe were quite excited when we saw the lake. It was totally undeveloped--which we like--with beautiful aquamarine water surrounded by miles of sandy shoreline that you can drive your RV on and camp for the night. It was quite busy with jet skis and powerboats, but there was still plenty of room for everyone to have a good time.

There were some developed campgrounds along the lake where you could park on asphalt and get electric hookup, but we really wanted to primitive camp on the beach. We were, however, a bit nervous about getting stuck in the sand, and the enterprising farmers with their tractors poised on the beach ready to offer their towing services didn't exactly give us a warm and fuzzy about this. However, we were determined, and after some searching, we found an area of hard-packed sand under some pretty cottonwood trees that we were comfortable with. The lake was only about 50 yards outside our back window--quite nice!

We had hardly settled in before the wind picked up and a pretty impressive thunderstorm came through, but we didn't mind. We actually like thunderstorms and they are even more fun to watch out west where you can get a panoramic view of the lightning. It wasn't long before the storm passed and the sun came back out, so we quickly headed down to the lake for a swim. The water was clean and warm and just what we needed.

The next morning while the kids were still sleeping, Herb and I went for a great run around the cove we were camping on and ended it with a refreshing leap into the lake. What a great way to start a day!

Lake McConaughy had definitely been much more than we expected--we were just looking for a nice passing through spot to break up our long driving days, but I can easily see how this could be an end destination in itself. I'm sure we'll be back here again someday when our travels take us west along I80.

Description

Lake McConaughy, nicknamed "Big Mac," is the largest reservoir in Nebraska. It is located just a few miles off Interstate 80 near the Colorado border. The reservoir, which is over 20 miles long and 4 miles wide when at full capacity, was formed on the Platte River by the Kingsley Dam. The lake has over 100 mile of white-sand beaches along its shore line.

To Nebraskans, the main attraction of Lake McConaughy is water activities--swimming, boating, windsurfing, skiing, and world-class fishing. Trophy size catfish, walleye, stripers, bass, and trout have been caught in "Big Mac."

The park has 200 tent and RV sites. However, most people choose to primitive camp right on the beach at the water's edge. Camping is on a first-come first-serve basis.

Travelogue

Being passionate lovers of the great outdoors, we couldn't possibly drive through Nebraska on Route 80 without stopping at Cabela's in Kearney. It was also a very good way to break up a long, monotonous drive.

Like us, the people in Nebraska must take their outdoor recreation seriously because this place was huge, with every type of camping, fishing, or hunting gear you could possible dream of. We had hardly even entered the store before Andrew zeroed in on a singing mounted deer head called "Buddy Buck"--along the same lines as "Billy Bass." The good news was it was on sale for $8; the bad news was, it was big and we were traveling in a small RV for the next 3 weeks. Knowing Herb would disapprove, Andrew decided to buy it and sneak it into the RV, confident that Herb would probably never know and if he did, he would eventually learn to love "Buddy". It probably took Herb about 45 seconds after entering the RV to discover Andrew's find in a large box on their bed above the cab. Andrew was right, Herb did learn to love Buddy Buck. We mounted him in the back of the RV until we got sick of him singing such favorites as "Born to be Wild."

Oh, one more thing. Not wanting to leave the store empty handed, Tommy bought a blow gun that shot suction cup darts out of it. As you'll see later, the usage of this blow gun almost got him ousted from the family when we got to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Description

Cabela's is the world's foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. It began in 1961 when Dick Cabela ran an ad in a Wyoming newspaper trying to sell hand-tied flies, 12 for $1. From those humble beginnings, Cabela's has grown into an organization with 11 retail stores, a huge mail order and internet business, and 7,000 employees. The founders have kept it a family-owned business and still play a very active role in the organization.

Travelogue

Another long day of driving--almost 12 hours. It's not good to string too many of these in a row or trip fatigue sets in. It was almost dinner time when we pulled into Lake Manawa State Park near the Iowa-Nebraska border. The lake was okay we thought, kind of pretty if you squinted and didn't look towards the more industrial end.

It was a warm evening, so the kids easily convinced us to go for a swim. Rather than go all the way to the swimming beach, we just walked from our campsite through some bushes to the shores of the lake. As we were splashing around in the water having a good time, we watched a beautiful red sunset over the smokestacks at the end of the lake. "I think this is going to be a trip highlight," Andrew said in all seriousness. I just wanted to hug him. One thing we really love about both our kids is their ability to seek out the best in everything and to have a good time at whatever they do. Here we were, only 2 days into a 3 ½ week trip and hadn't even reached Nebraska yet, but we had already given them a highlight. This was going to be a good trip.

Description

Lake Manawa State Park is a 1,529-acre park near the Iowa-Nebraska border in the town of Council Bluffs. Its beautiful 660-acre natural lake was formed during a flood in 1881 when the meandering Missouri River cut off a portion of the river channel. The result was an "oxbow" lake which was named Manawa, a Native American word for "peace and comfort."

Today the lake is very popular for swimming, boating, and fishing for crappies, bluegills, catfish, bass and walleye. Facilities include a swimming beach, boat ramps, picnic areas overlooking the lake, and a 73-site campground with 37 electrical hookups.

Travelogue

There's nothing like the feeling you get when you pull out of your driveway and head out on a road trip. All the hard work has been done: the trip has been planned, the RV is stocked with groceries, and everything is packed (hopefully). There is only fun and adventure ahead for the next few weeks. You're packed into tight accommodations with the people you love the most, who now are forced to spend quality time with you whether they like it or not. Excitement and anticipation is high as you head out, unsure of what the next few weeks will bring.

Since most of our trips are to the west, we always start out with some long driving days. Rather than pull into a commercial campground, we usually look for an all night Wal-Mart or a Flying J Travel Plaza. Both allow you to park overnight. I prefer the Flying J's because you feel much more secure in an area designated for overnight RV parking than you do in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Since all we need to do is sleep, these places are perfect. Once you pull the shades in the RV down, you can imagine that you're anywhere. On this particular trip, we were heading west on Route 80, so we drove 9 hours and stopped at a Flying J outside of Toledo, Ohio.

I think some of my happiest moments on an RV trip are these first nights in a truck stop. The whole trip is ahead of us, spirits are high, and we haven't gotten on each other's nerves yet.

Description

Flying J's are Travel Plazas that cater to truckers and RV's. Their numerous services include gas, dump station, propane, fast food restaurant, limited groceries, and even showers and a barber shop. However, the best feature of all is the section for overnight RV parking.

They are conveniently located on most of the interstates (except for the East Coast).

Travelogue

We made the push home from Indiana in one long 13-hour day. The trip had been wonderful, but it was good to be back home. Everything seemed so different. After the long vistas of the desert and plains, everything seemed so small and closed in. The only thing that felt bigger was our house. After living in an RV for 3 1/2 weeks, even our little house appeared spacious.

Description

Our home in Upper Saddle River, a suburb of New York City.