As many readers may know "Travels with Charley" is a fantastic, Nobel Prize winning book, written by John Steinbeck about his rediscovery of his home, the USA, with his pet poodle, Charley. If you have never read it, stop... left click on that X at the top right corner of your screen, get in your car and drive immediately to closest book store and purchase a copy.
For those of you that have read it... I'm sure you all remember that unbelievable desire to get in your vehicle and hit the road, after finishing that book. My girlfriend and I have decided that 2008 is going to be the start of our rediscovery, of our home, the USA. With a literary nod to "Rocinante" we have outfitted our little Tacoma for road tripping and donned her "Shadowfax." Albeit, our trip will be more quixotic than valiant, nevertheless, our intention is to see the country we call “home” now before it melts away, erodes, burns up, and gets plowed under and paved over. Granted we are a little behind but after backpacking Europe and island hopping the Caribbean, so many of the people we met, couldn’t stop talking about the “wonders” of America’s National Parks. It was then we realized, instead of tackling another continent we needed to stay “home.” OK, so the exchange rate, foreign political climates, and current global view of the US helped our decision too… but I refuse to travel as a “Canadian”…despite the cost of fuel.
(I apologize to any actual Canadians that took offense to that last sentence. It wasn’t a jab at you, but one at my own countrymen. “God keep (your) land glorious and free.”)
So come mid-August we will be on the road, living in our truck, westward from our home here on the eastern seaboard, spending quality time in as many national parks as we can stand. I’m opening this forum up for discussion with fellow road trippers. Mainly, I’d like tips on “what not to miss” or “lesser know gems” you experienced while in our national parks west of the Mississippi. Also, I’d love tips like: “here’s the best website to buy dehydrated eggs from”, “make sure you try the chili at _____ diner”, and “I’ve found the best (fill in your favorite GPS unit, stove, power inverter, club membership, etc.) for an extended road trip to be…”
We are not unprepared or inexperienced travelers; we know where we are going and when we’d like to be there. We’d just like to hear about when you were there, what helped you get there, and why you’d like to be there now. Looking forward to it…
-Pura vida, CFP
