Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-25-2018, 11:43 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Maiden Voyage (Picture heavy)

Hi All! This is John and Janet (with Patrick and Bodhi, our dogs)
Click image for larger version

Name:	a.jpg
Views:	24
Size:	74.5 KB
ID:	21817
and we want to share our first van road trip!
Days 1-5

We started from Southern CA in our 2007 Ford E350 EB and headed for Potato Patch Campground near Jerome, AZ. Jerome is a great town with lots of dog friendly patios at local restaurants. The famous 89A with its 158 turns taught us that we needed a better place for our large dog to ride - he was sliding all over the place. The next day we added velcro to the bottom of his bed and the floor and we were in business.

On the third day we headed to Scott Reservoir Campground (not the best place we've ever stayed). The puddle in the campground from the storm was deeper than the reservoir!

Then on through Pie Town (we highly recommend a stop here to buy pie) to Sant Fe and a two night hotel stay.

To be continued . . .

Click image for larger version

Name:	a.jpg
Views:	24
Size:	74.5 KB
ID:	21817

Click image for larger version

Name:	b.jpg
Views:	31
Size:	67.0 KB
ID:	21818

Click image for larger version

Name:	d.jpg
Views:	32
Size:	97.1 KB
ID:	21820

Click image for larger version

Name:	e.jpg
Views:	22
Size:	65.5 KB
ID:	21821

Click image for larger version

Name:	g.jpg
Views:	17
Size:	78.3 KB
ID:	21822

Click image for larger version

Name:	e1.jpg
Views:	20
Size:	101.3 KB
ID:	21823

Click image for larger version

Name:	f.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	55.1 KB
ID:	21824

John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 12:37 AM   #2
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Maiden Voyage 2 (still picture heavy)

Days 6-7

From Santa Fe we headed northeast to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge for a quick photo op then on to the Chaco Canyon Cultural Center. Reviews complain about the washboard road into this park, but the van (4wd with lift) handled it with no problem. If you look carefully you can see that we were camped with ancient ruins just a ways away - too cool. The ruins in the canyon are amazing!

Click image for larger version

Name:	h.jpg
Views:	16
Size:	101.9 KB
ID:	21825

Click image for larger version

Name:	i.jpg
Views:	16
Size:	87.4 KB
ID:	21826

Click image for larger version

Name:	j.jpg
Views:	25
Size:	85.8 KB
ID:	21827

Click image for larger version

Name:	k.jpg
Views:	16
Size:	85.6 KB
ID:	21828

Click image for larger version

Name:	l.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	69.7 KB
ID:	21829

Click image for larger version

Name:	m.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	50.6 KB
ID:	21830

The next day we had reason to use the 4wd and lockers as we followed google maps route over the mountain on the dirt Three Turkey Road (Rt. 7) to Canyon de Chelly. It would have been no problem, except for the hail storm and heavy rain. We lost traction several times and I was turning the wheel while sliding in the opposite direction! All part of the adventure. Check out the mud on the van.
Click image for larger version

Name:	n.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	36.8 KB
ID:	21831
Click image for larger version

Name:	o.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	102.9 KB
ID:	21832
Click image for larger version

Name:	p1.jpg
Views:	17
Size:	64.5 KB
ID:	21833
Click image for larger version

Name:	q.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	94.6 KB
ID:	21834
John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 12:54 AM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Maiden Voyage 3 (pics again!)

Days 8-10

The following night we spent at a dispersed camping site along the San Juan River near Mexican Hat.(The goat you see was feeding across the river - it is wearing some sort of collar).

Click image for larger version

Name:	s san juan river.jpg
Views:	22
Size:	77.5 KB
ID:	21835

Click image for larger version

Name:	t mexican hat.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	80.7 KB
ID:	21836

When we left Mexican Hat, we had another drive through incredible scenery in Monument Valley over the San Juan River Bridge and up the Moki Dugway to another dispersed camping site at Mulkey Point, overlooking Moki Dugout.
Click image for larger version

Name:	t1a.jpg
Views:	11
Size:	57.0 KB
ID:	21838
Click image for larger version

Name:	y.jpg
Views:	11
Size:	53.7 KB
ID:	21845
Click image for larger version

Name:	t2 sj.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	58.0 KB
ID:	21839
Click image for larger version

Name:	u.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	50.3 KB
ID:	21840
Click image for larger version

Name:	v.jpg
Views:	11
Size:	101.1 KB
ID:	21841
Click image for larger version

Name:	w.jpg
Views:	18
Size:	72.3 KB
ID:	21842
Click image for larger version

Name:	x.jpg
Views:	11
Size:	56.0 KB
ID:	21843
Attachment 21844
Attached Thumbnails
t1 sj river bridge.jpg  
John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 01:45 AM   #4
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Maiden Voyage 4

Days 9-11

Days 10 & 11

The drive down the Moki Dugway (gravel with pavement at each of the hairpin turns) was as exciting as the ride up, especially since I don't like heights!
Click image for larger version

Name:	x2.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	24.0 KB
ID:	21846

Click image for larger version

Name:	x3.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	46.5 KB
ID:	21847

Click image for larger version

Name:	x4.jpg
Views:	16
Size:	69.2 KB
ID:	21848

Click image for larger version

Name:	v1.jpg
Views:	18
Size:	104.2 KB
ID:	21849

Next we headed over a very rough road (4wd required for the last couple of miles) to Alstrom Point overlooking Lake Powell. (Look at the top of the rock in the second picture and you will see the van).
Click image for larger version

Name:	z.jpg
Views:	17
Size:	86.7 KB
ID:	21850
Click image for larger version

Name:	z1.jpg
Views:	27
Size:	75.7 KB
ID:	21851

It was really, really, hot, so instead of camping there we headed toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and stayed at Jacob Lake. The next day we listened to google maps again and ended up on NF269. According to a local, it is the narrowest road on the mountain. It was barely wide enough for the van (We took bark off of a few trees and stopped to hold up trees and break branches!) We thought there would be body damage, but luckily there was not.
Click image for larger version

Name:	z2.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	104.4 KB
ID:	21852
Click image for larger version

Name:	z2a.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	110.7 KB
ID:	21853
Click image for larger version

Name:	z2e.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	109.8 KB
ID:	21854
Click image for larger version

Name:	z2c.jpg
Views:	34
Size:	90.2 KB
ID:	21855
John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 02:07 AM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Maiden Voyage 5 (almost there - still lots of pictures)

Days 11-13

We continued on (and stopped using google maps and returned to motion X where you can see the difference between a trail and a fire road) to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and camped at the North Rim campground which has trails with beautiful views of the GC. Janet saw a deer on the trail in the morning.
Click image for larger version

Name:	z3.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	32.0 KB
ID:	21856

Click image for larger version

Name:	z3a.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	100.4 KB
ID:	21857

Click image for larger version

Name:	z3b.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	107.6 KB
ID:	21858

Click image for larger version

Name:	z3c.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	90.6 KB
ID:	21859

Click image for larger version

Name:	z3d.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	88.4 KB
ID:	21860

We saw a herd of bison as we drove along the highway and then we went off road again to a primitive campsite at Indian Hollow Campground. Thunder River Trail at the end of the road has great views of the GC.

Click image for larger version

Name:	z3e.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	92.0 KB
ID:	21861
Click image for larger version

Name:	z4.jpg
Views:	19
Size:	103.1 KB
ID:	21862
Click image for larger version

Name:	z4a.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	83.5 KB
ID:	21863

We stopped at Crazy Jugs point for a last look at the GC.
Click image for larger version

Name:	z5.jpg
Views:	35
Size:	104.9 KB
ID:	21864

We headed west toward Las Vegas and stopped for a look a the Valley of Fire in the 120 degree heat on our way back to CA.
Click image for larger version

Name:	z5a.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	65.7 KB
ID:	21865

I hope we didn't get too carried away here, but it was a fantastic trip and we wanted to share!
John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 04:00 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
marret's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: FL and VA
Posts: 1,948
Garage
Awesome trip. Great photos. Thanks for posting.
marret is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 04:15 PM   #7
Site Team
 
daveb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
Garage
Not carried away at all. Great trip report and my favorite part of the forum. Thanks.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures
daveb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 04:44 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Twoxentrix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,350
Garage
looks like you had a fun adventure. Obviously you're excited to share the experience...they only get better!

We all learn from the trips we take the first year. Your photo of the Van in the rain brought back a fond memory from one our first trips. At first, I never really thought we would use ours much, until the first rain encounter that lasted the better part of 3 days - We quickly found the awning to be convenient and very useful.
__________________
TwoXentrix
"AWOL"
Twoxentrix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 06:06 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Good stuff. Thanks for sharing. We took that same picture at Crazy Jug this summer.

86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 08:32 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: La Verne, CA
Posts: 43
Shower curtains and magnets then a tarp and bungees worked in a pinch, but a real awning is definitely on the list!!
John S is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.