Back at home and back to work after an amazing 3.5 week trek. It was, no doubt, our best trip to date. For example, the only small hitch was one dropped cell phone, mine, requiring a $90 repair in Bend, done by Steve Jobs Jr. in about 10 minutes. I was amazed. It was almost worth paying that price just to see someone do that job so quickly.
Anyway, I am sorting pics and will work up a trip report soon, but since we aren't even traveling in an SMB or even a van these days I'm going to post in on Expo and just link it here. I believe the forum should stay focused on vans with a few minor exceptions, and that's too much of an exception even for me.
I'll give some fun numbers:
Days out: 24
Miles covered: 7500
Nights spent in camper: 20
Nights with family out of the rig: 3
Rest stop overnights: 4, all were actually quiet and nice and we slept well
Miles hiked: 60+, only biked once @ about 30 miles
Hikes ended or rerouted due to snow: 4, so bad that we couldn't get passed the snow drifts and carry on even following a GPS.
Waterfalls ogled over: 40 or more, I'll add it up from her notes.
Problems with rig: 0
Speeding/parking tickets: 0
Times we nearly got it stuck in snow, mud or off camber driving it like an SMB: 3, stories to come.
Miles per gallon overall: 10, 2 tanks well over 11 and 2 less than 9.
55 gallon tanks of fuel purchased (almost all full tanks): 18
Most paid for fuel: $2.79 in central Washington
Least paid for fuel: $1.97 in Tn leaving and returning.
Bears spotted: 6?
Wolves spotted: 1
Moose spotted: 5 or so
Antelope spotted: countless
Foxes, marmots, mule deer, bison, doe with fawn, Moose with calf: 1 of each, exactly
Mosquitoes endured: less than anywhere I've been on any trip I've been on. Go figure.
injuries: 0
Breweries visited/toured: 5
Nights in an RV park, or with a hook up at all: 0, yes, 0!!!!
Nights in which air condition was desired: 1, just when we were almost home, in Nebraska or Missouri or some flat, hot hell of a state.
Campfires: only about 4
Campfires attempted and wouldn't start due to damp wood and my choice to travel in the wettest parts of the universe: at least 2
Smiles/memories: countless
Forum member meetups/meals/hangouts: 6, and many thanks to all of you. My apologies to those who helped and offered and we didn't get to connect. Larrie, Glider and Nrobert10 come to mind. Hopefully next time fellas......