Big Trip 2014-2015

• 20 December 2015 – 31 May 2016: Back in the Tucson house.
• 18-19 December 2015: Circus Circus Casino Campground, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 16-17 December 2015: Red Rock Canyon Campground, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 10-15 December 2015: Furnace Creek Campground, Death Valley National Park, California
• 9 December 2015: Walmart, Ridgecrest, California
• 6-8 December 2015: Helen’s house, Davis, California
• 2-5 December 2015: Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Lagunitas, California
• 30 November – 1 December 2015: Jedidiah Smith State Park, Crescent City, California
• 25-29 November 2015: Harris Beach State Recreation Area, Brookings, Oregon
• 22-24 November 2015: Cape Blanco State Park, Port Orford, Oregon
• 21 November 2015: Bullards Beach State Park, Bandon, Oregon
• 19-20 November 2015: Honeyman State Park, Florence, Oregon
• 15-18 November 2015: Armitage Park Campground, Eugene, Oregon
• 12-14 November 2015: Carl Washburne State Park, Yachats, Oregon
• 7-11 November 2015: South Beach State Park, Newport, Oregon
• 3-6 November 2015: Cape Lookout State Park, Tillamook, Oregon
• 1-2 November 2015: Silver Falls State Park, Silverton, Oregon
• 29-31 October 2015: Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Wasco, Oregon
• 24-28 October 2015: Battle Ground Lake State Park, Battle Ground, Washington
• 22-23 October 2015: Seacrest State Park, Castle Rock, Washington
• 19-21 October 2015: Sahara Creek Horse Camp, Ashford, Washington
• 15-18 October 2015: Fay Bainbridge Park, Bainbridge Island, Washington
• 11-14 October 2015: Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, Washington
• 7-10 October 2015: Dungeness Recreation Area, Sequim, Washington
• 4-6 October 2015: Salt Creek Recreation Area, Port Angeles, Washington
• 1-3 October 2015: Sol Duc Campground, Olympic National Park, Washington
• 25-30 September 2015: Kalaloch Campground, Olympic National Park, Washington
• 21-24 September 2015: Larrabee State Park, Bellingham, Washington
• 17-20 September 2015: Colonial Creek Campground, North Cascades National Park, Washington
• 15-16 September 2015: Spring Canyon Campground, Grand Coulee, Washington
• 14 September 2015: Walmart, Missoula, Montana
• 13 September 2015: Beaver Creek Campground, Cameron, Montana
• 9-12 September 2015: Whiskey Grove Campground, Pinedale, Wyoming
• 8 September 2015: Walmart, Rock Springs, Wyoming
• 2-7 September 2015: Timber Creek Campground, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
• 30 August – 1 September 2015: Denver Creek Campground, Granby, Colorado
• 27-29 August 2015: Tunnel Campground, Larimer County, Colorado
• 23-26 August 2015: Kelly Flats Campground, Cache La Poudre Canyon, Colorado
• 22 August 2015: Brush Memorial Park Campground, Brush!, Colorado
• 21 August 2015: Walmart, Atlantic, Iowa
• 20 August 2015: Walmart, Elkhart, Indiana
• 18-19 August 2015: Four Mile Creek State Park, Youngstown, New York
• 17 August 2015: Mclaren Campground, Ingleside, Ontario, Canada
• 15-16 August 2015: Camping Chutes Fraser, La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada
• 12-14 August 2015: Camping Paradis Marin, Les Bergeronnes, Quebec, Canada
• 10-11 August 2015: Walmart, Baie Comeau, Quebec, Canada
• 8-9 August 2015: Where our tire blew 54 km north of Baie Comeau, Quebec, Canada
• 7 August 2015: Pullout north of Lac Manicouagan, Labrador, Canada
• 6 August 2015: Pullout west of Happy Valley & Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada
• 5 August 2015: Pinware River Provincial Park, Pinware, Labrador, Canada
• 4 August 2015: Oceanside RV Park, Port aux Choix, Newfoundland, Canada
• 31 July – 3 August 2015: Green Point Campground, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada
• 27-30 July 2015: Pistolet Bay Provincial Park, Raleigh, Newfoundland, Canada
• 26 July 2015: Parson’s Pond, Newfoundland, Canada
• 22-25 July 2015: Pippy Park Campground, Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
• 18-21 July 2015: Elliston Municipal Campground, Elliston, Newfoundland, Canada
• 17 July 2015: Walmart, Gander, Newfoundland, Canada
• 15-16 July 2015: Brimstone Head Campground, Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada
• 11-14 July 2015: Dildo Run Provincial Park, Newfoundland, Canada
• 7-10 July 2015: King’s Point RV Park, King’s Point, Newfoundland, Canada
• 6 July 2015: Walmart, Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada
• 5 July 2015: Walmart, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
• 4 July 2015: Walmart, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
• 26 June – 3 July 2015: Anchorage Provincial Park, Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, Canada
• 22-25 June 2015: Cobscook Bay State Park, Whiting, Maine
• 15-21 June 2015: Blackwoods Campground, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
• 12-14 June 2015: Winslow Memorial Park, Freeport, Maine
• 7-11 June 2015: Moose Brook State Park, Gorham, New Hampshire
• 31 May – 6 June 2015: Grand Isle State Park, Grand Isle, Vermont
• 28-30 May 2015: October Mountain State Forest, Lee, Massachusetts
• 18-27 May 2015: Granny’s, Stamford, Connecticut
• 15-17 May 2015: Lisa & Dave’s, Glen Rock, New Jersey
• 14 May 2015: Marika & Jon’s, Wilmington, Delaware
• 11-13 May 2015: Meadow View K Farm, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
• 8-10 May 2015: Tom & Jens, Owings Mill, Maryland
• 1-7 May 2015: Pohick Bay Regional Park Campground, Lorton, Virginia
• 26-30 April 2015: Big Meadows Campground, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
• 24-25 April 2015: Oregon Inlet Campground, Nags Head, North Carolina
• 18-23 April 2015: Ocracoke Campground, Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.
• 17 April 2015: Cedar Island ferry parking lot, North Carolina
• 12-16 April 2015: Hunting Island SP, Beaufort, South Carolina
• 9-11 April 2015: Mistletoe State Park, Augusta, Georgia
• 7-8 April 2015: the Best place, Hiawassee, Georgia
• 31 March to 6 April 2015: Jim Miller Park, Marietta, Georgia
• 24-30 March 2015: St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle (second visit)
• 16-23 March 2015: Road trip in Jetta to NYC for a bar mitzvah.
• 9-15 March 2015: St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida Panhandle
• 1-8 March 2015: St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach, Florida
• 27-28 February 2015: Alexander Springs Recreation Area, Ocala National Forest, Florida
• 26 February 2015: Monument Lake Campground, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
• 24-25 February 2015: Long Key State Park, Florida Keys
• 22-23 February 2015: Curry Hammock State Park, Florida Keys
• 8-21 February 2015: Long Key State Park, Florida Keys
• 3-7 February 2015: Long Pine Key Campground, Everglades National Park, Florida
• 1-2 February 2015: Monument Lake Campground, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
• 28-31 January 2015: Midway Campground, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
• 24-27 January 2015: Highlands Hammock State Park, Florida
• 18-23 January 2015: Manatee Hammock Campground, Titusville, Florida
• 9-17 January 2015: Myakka River State Park, Sarasota, Florida
• 4-8 January 2015: Blue Spring State Park, Orange, Florida
• 28 December 2014 – 3 January 2015: Ochlockonee River State Park, Sopchoppy, Florida
• 23-27 December 2014: St. George Island State Park, Apalachicola, Florida
• 17-22 December 2014: Grayton Beach State Park, Grayton Beach, Florida
• 15-16 December 2014: Davis Bayou Campground, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Ocean Springs, Mississippi
• 12-14 December 2014: Bayou Segnette State Park, New Orleans, Louisiana
• 8-11 December 2014: Lake Fausse Pointe State Park, Lafayette, Louisiana
• 4-7 December 2014: McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, Texas
• 1-3 December 2014: Guadalupe River State Park, north of San Antonio, Texas
• 25-30 November 2014: Malaquite Campground, Padre Island National Seashore, Texas
• 24 November 2014: Walmart, Uvalde, Texas
• 19-23 November 2014: Rio Grande Village Campground, Big Bend National Park, Texas
• 18 November 2014: Walmart, Horizon (outside El Paso), Texas
• 16-17 November 2014: Leasburg Dam State Park, Las Cruces, New Mexico
• 15 November 2014: Walmart, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
• 11-14 November 2014: Enchanted Trails RV Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• 10 November 2014: Walmart, Bernalillo, New Mexico
• 6-9 November 2014: Squaw Flat Campground, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
• 4-5 November 2014: Goose Island Campground, Moab, Utah
• 30 October – 3 November 2014: Arches National Park, Moab , Utah
• 23-29 October 2014: Horsethief Campground, outside Moab, Utah
• 22  October 2014: Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
• 18-21 October 2014: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
• 12-17 October 2014: Cherry Creek State Park, Aurora, Colorado
• 11 October 2014: Sierra Trading Post, Cheyenne, Wyoming
• 10 October 2014: Walmart, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
• 3-9 October 2014: Game Lodge Campground, Custer State Park, South Dakota
• 30 September – October 2 2014: Cedar Pass Campground, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
• 29 September 2014: Cottonwood Campground, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
• 26-28 September 2014: Juniper Campground, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
• 23-25 September 2014: Downstream Campground, Fort Peck Dam & Lake, Montana
• 21-22 September 2014: Frenchman Valley Campground, Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan CA
• 16-20 September 2014: The Hoodoo RV Resort and Campground, Drumheller, Alberta CA
• 15 September 2014: Walmart, Leduc, Alberta CA
• 14 September 2014: IKEA, Edmonton, Alberta CA
• 13 September 2014: Walmart, Whitecourt, Alberta CA
• 11-12 September 2014: Mile 0 RV Park and Campground, Dawson Creek, British Columbia CA.
• 9-10 September 2014: Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, Alaska Highway, British Columbia CA.
• 8 September 2014: Bluebell Inn RV park, Fort Nelson, Alaska Highway, British Columbia CA.
• 7 September 2014: Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, Alaska Highway, British Columbia CA.
• 6 September 2014: Teslin Lake Campground, Alaska Highway, Yukon Territory CA.
• 4-5 September 2014: Yukon River Campground, Dawson City, Yukon Territory CA.
• 3 September 2014: Eagle Plains Lodge, Arctic Circle, Dempster Highway, Yukon Territory CA (in Toad; RV left behind in Dawson City)
• 31 August – 2 September 2014: Yukon River Campground, Dawson City, Yukon Territory CA
• 30 August 2014: West Fork Campground, Taylor Highway AK
• 29 August 2014: Pioneer Park parking lot, Fairbanks AK
• 28 August 2014: Walmart, Fairbanks AK
• 25-27 August 2014: Chena Hot Springs Resort, AK
• 16-24 August 2014: Chena Wayside Campground & Pioneer Park parking lot, Fairbanks AK
• 15 August 2014: Walmart, Fairbanks AK
• 8-14 August 2014: Teklanika Campground, Denali National Park AK
• 4-7 August 2014: Riley Creek Campground, Denali National Park AK
• 31 July – 3 August 2014: Talkeetna AK
• 30 July 2014: Eagle River Campground, Eagle River AK (suburb of Anchorage)
• 23-29 July 2014: Fishing Hole Campground, Homer AK
• 16-22 July 2014: Resurrection Campground, Seward AK
• 13-15 July 2014: Williwaw Campground, Portage Valley AK
• 10-12 July 2014: Eagle River Campground, Eagle River AK
• 9 July 2014: Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site, AK
• 8 July 2014: Snag Junction Campground, Yukon, CA
• 5-7 July 2014: Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area, Haines  AK
• 2-4 July 2014: Dyea Campground, Klondike Gold Rush National Park, Skagway AK.
• 25 June – 1 July 2014: Wolf Creek Campground, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, CA.
• 24 June 2014: Teslin Lake Campground, Yukon Territory, CA.
• 22-23 June 2014: Boya Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, CA.
• 20-21 June 2014: Meziadin Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, CA.
• 18-19 June 2014: Tyhee Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, CA.
• 17 June 2014: Prince George, British Columbia, CA.
• 15-16 June 2014: Banff National Park, Alberta, CA.
• 12-14 June 2014: Many Glacier Campground, Glacier National Park
• 11 June 2014: St. Mary Campground, Glacier National Park
• 6-10 June 2014: Bakers Hole Campground, just outside west entrance of Yellowstone National Park
• 5 June 2014: Walmart in Idaho Falls, Idaho
• 2-4 June 2014: Bryce Canyon National Park
• 1 June 2014: boondocked near Sunset Crater

After 568 days on the road, we are living in a house again. I am sad to leave the RV, after living in it for so long, but I am happy to be back in our house. We have all changed a lot on the trip. When we left, Little Kid was in diapers. Now, he is learning to read. When we left, I couldn’t find Arizona on a map. Now, I could probably find every state. We have also changed a lot physically. Here is Little Kid and I at the beginning and end of the trip.

Here are the stats:

Time on the road: 568 days
Miles driven: 28,959
U.S. states visited: 35
Canadian provinces visited: 9
Campgrounds stayed at:  174
Ferry crossings: 15
International border crossings: 18
Most border crossings in one day: 4
Time zones:  7
Walmarts camped at: 21
Costcos visited: 31
Flat tires: two
Tired purchased: 12
Gallons of gas consumed: lots!
Mosquito bites: hundreds
Photos taken: thousands

Living in the house is a lot different then living in the RV, where space was super tight. We have made a list of things that we said all the time in the RV, but  we won’t be saying anymore:

“Will you get some bread out of the microwave?” “No, there’s none left, check the shower”
“How were the showers?”
“Are the showers free?”
“Did you dot us?”
“Where’s my I pad?” “It’s in the shower charging”
“Will you change the bed into a table?”
“Get your sleeping bag from the bathroom”
“I’m going outside to get pasta from the Thule”
“Tomorrow is a driving day”
“What day is it?”
“Will you write it on the fridge?”
“Where are we?”
“We’re going to toad up!”
“Can I get my drum out of the bathroom?”
“Will you turn Honey on?”

Now you probably don’t know what any of this means, but these were common sentences in the RV.

Our traveling days may be over for now, but we know this won’t be the last adventure for the billygoats.

We all had a lot of fun in Vegas … but that is all I will say … because, afterall, ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ ….

We spent four days in the hottest place in the world: Death Valley. We explored the salt flats at Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, at 285 feet below sea level. When we pulled up, Little Kid looked outside and said “snow!” The salt really did look like snow!

We spent one day hiking through Mosaic Canyon, a beautiful canyon with marble sides. We had to do a little rock scrambling to get over some dry waterfalls. It would have been easy if the rock hadn’t been super slick. On the way back, we had lots of fun sliding down the rock slides.

We also hiked through Desolation Canyon, which was well named. The only land animal we saw was a spider. There weren’t many plants either. It was just a whole lot of nothing. The hike started out great, except for one part where we lost the trail and ended up climbing through rocky side canyons. Our hike took a strange turn when the trail ended on the road. We walked down the road, thinking that the trail would pick up again. But there was no trail, so we decided to just hike back to the car on the road. It was quite a long hike, and towards the end, Ma ran ahead to get the car. We were all very tired from our six mile hike.

One day, we took a break from hiking to go swimming in the swimming pool at a nearby hotel. Ma and Pa thought it was too cold to swim, but Little Kid and I had an awesome time.

Our last hike in Death Valley was Golden Canyon. It was a short hike, but pretty. I spent a lot of time exploring small side canyons and scrambling up onto ridges.

We drove to Davis, CA to stay for a few days with my California Grandma, Helen, who we hadn’t seen in awhile. It was very nice to see her again. Little Kid and I had a great time with Helen’s giant collection of flutes.

We also celebrated the first few nights of Chanukah at Grandma Helen’s house. Pa made lots of super delicious latkes.

One day, Grandma Helen gave us a tour of Sacramento. We saw the capitol of California, as well as the Moon Tree, a tree that, as a seedling, had been brought to the moon and exposed to its elements before being planted in a redwood grove beside the capitol.