By Steve Forand
Greetings!
I thought I would share some observations about our recent 60-day cross country adventure that Claire and I completed this October. This was not a motorcycle adventure, but a camping trip that saw us traveling through twenty-two states, camping in fourteen of them, visiting twenty National or State Parks, and enjoying countless hikes through those parks. Additionally, we visited ten museums and attractions from the Baseball Hall of Fame to the Hoover Dam, from the Ghost Town at Terlingua Texasto Graceland. It was an epic journey!
What we re-discovered, is not only how large and stunning our country is, but also how kind, welcoming and beautiful are our fellow Americans.
The reason for this trip was twofold. First, it was to explore areas of our nation that we either had not visited or visited so long ago that we needed refreshing. Second, to attend a rally. Not unlike motorcycle rallies, this was a camper rally for owners of Bigfoot Campers (a brand name). The five-day rally was held in St George, Utah beginning on September 12. So, with that date as our pivot, how do we get there, and what can we see and do enroute? Likewise, when we leave the rally, where do we visit as we make our way east.
Our country is huge with an efficient interstate highway system. As time is always limited, when covering a cross-country trip, the major highway networks are the first choice. With time, secondary roads are always more interesting with many sights and towns to explore.
Traveling out of the Northeast one can breathe easier as the highways are overall less crowded with roads mostly in better shape and exits offering a variety of services as you travel. This is especially true when towing a travel trailer. There is more catering to travelers who just want to get fuel and a bite to eat. If you want to establish a baseline for comparing various state funded facilities, stop in at the Rhode Island Visitor Center in Richmond when you are heading north on 95. The RI welcome center is anything but welcoming, in fact when compared to most states we traveled, it is a dump. Makes you ponder RI state tourism priorities.
When we can, we like to travel and stay in less visited places or even remote places, off the beaten path. You realize that most of these small towns have a charm and a history as well as a vibrant community. These less visited places all contribute to some measure of success to their state and in turn our nation. We sometimes may think of them as past their prime, but they remain home for many people, and the memories of home for many more.
One such place we stopped and spent three nights was Vernal, Utah. Our plan was to visit Dinosaur National Monument which straddles the Colorado/Utah line. Vernal is a town of about 10,000 about 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. Its main source of revenue is from mineral extraction and supports the oil/gas industry, mining, and tourism. In addition to being near Dinosaur National Monument, it is a short drive to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and the Uinta Mountains which offer a vast array of recreation opportunities. It is a hiker and mountain biker paradise! After some research, we selected a campground in the middle of town. In fact, although they had a large sign, finding the entrance proved interesting as it was between two buildings! Once through the bottleneck entrance it opened into a park like setting with trees providing a canopy that covered the entire park! When checking in, the elderly owner told us to pick an empty site, and he would later write down the number. A nice laid-back vibe! Much different from the corporate run campgrounds we sometimes stay in.
When staying near a town or city, we love to visit the local museums. Claire believes that every town has a claim to fame, you just must look around to find it. A remarkably good museum in Vernal is the Utah Field House of Natural History. Huge fossil displays, interactive exhibits, and a fun outdoor dinosaur garden for children. A fascinating exhibit and history on how finding the dinosaur fossils all came about!
As I desperately needed a haircut (beginning to look a bit shaggy), I found a small barbershop and walking in, found it full of locals! Everyone stopped talking when I walked in, then the owner welcomed me, and I was quickly a part of the conversation. When I told them I was visiting from Rhode Island they were impressed, except for one former Navy guy who was stationed in Newport back in the 60’s. Small world. With the haircut completed, on our way to the next adventure!
