Final Wrap Up

As with any road trip I take, I like doing a wrap up with details that might help others in planning for such a trip.  While I had previously planned for a nearly identical trip a year ago, some things were added on the fly (like extending for four more days to provide time to head further west to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks).  Start to finish, I was on the road 10 days . . . leaving after work on Thursday 5/26/16 and returning home on Saturday 6/4/16.

I visited a lot of great US National Park Services locations including:  Knife River Indian Villages NHS, Theodore Roosevelt NP, Badlands NP, Minuteman Missile NHS, Devils Tower NMS, Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP.    Given that 2016 is the Centennial Celebration of our National Parks, I cannot think of a better way to personally celebrate!

And how about these folks!  This is Ingrid and Reinhard, members of an amateur radio operators group who are publicizing this centennial year celebration by visiting US National Parks' sites around the country.  Dozens of their members are out broadcasting from our parks and historic sites to bring awareness to the public.

I spent a little bit of time with Ingrid & Reinhard in Theodore Roosevelt NP and thoroughly enjoyed their story, having started in Phoenix three weeks prior.  They had already been out to the east coast and were making their way back across the Great Lakes and on home to Arizona.

What I would give to be able to have such an adventure . . .  SOME DAY!

Chance encounters with people along the journey is part of the reason that I enjoy it so much.  You never know who you might meet when you are out and about.  On this trip, I mostly stayed to myself, but I did meet some nice people while out among fellow hobbyist photographers.  I met some interesting professional photogs as well, including a group shooting high def format video for an upcoming documentary on the brown/grizzly bears of Yellowstone.

Speaking of the bears, one of the most interesting educational displays I saw on this trip was in Grand Teton NP.  This trailer advertising safe bear protocols was parked in one of the large overlook parking lots.  Good information for the novice traveler who may not know the dangers of hiking in bear country.

I found myself lusting for the retired lifestyle of living on the road, living full-time in an RV.  I have always been intrigued by the concept and as I get older and find more people doing it . . . I really think this will be my final destination . . . well before I'm six feet under, of course.

This was a set up I saw in the campground in Fargo.  I'm leaning more towards a 5th wheel type arrangement with a big pick-em up truck and a nice spacious camper to pull behind it.  Of course, I am still working on David with this whole concept.  "Where will I get my mail" may have finally been resolved last night . . . thank you Suzi & Glen Smith!

Dinner in the Badlands

Making egg salad at Devils Tower

Cookies n Milk

For me, I did almost all of my meals out of my ice type cooler and a box of dry staples.  I raided our pantry from home and did a little shopping for things specific for the trip.   Refrigerated items like hard boiled eggs and cheddar cheese curds made for good snacks and meals.  I also took limited perishables like fresh fruit (oranges & bananas) for the early part of the trip.  Keeping fresh ice in the cooler nightly kept the milk, cheese, eggs, jelly and miracle whip from spoiling.  My dry goods box included cereal (Rice Krispees), bread, canned tuna, peanut butter, pretzel rings and Club crackers made for easy meals and snacks as well. I did eat out for four or five meals during my trip; often to gain access to free WiFi.  I would estimate my food expense for the 10 days to be about $100.

Having a NPS Access Pass saved me over $150 in park admission and camping fees.  For those who have a permanent disability, you can apply for such a pass that provides free admission and 50% discounts in many/most NPS campgrounds.  The same benefits are available to those who have the NPS Senior Pass for those age 62 and over, at a one-time cost of just $10.

No surprise to anyone would be the fact that my largest expense for this adventure was gas.  Our van gets between 21 and 25 MPG, so you can roughly do the math when driving 4,500 miles and spending $450 in gas.  I didn't calculate the average price per gallon, but did note on the receipts that the low price was $2.04 (Sam's Club in Rapid City) and a high of $2.69 (inside Yellowstone NP).   I am guessing that would average out to about $2.25/gallon based on the total spent and average MPG with the van.

Bottom line financially is that my 10 day adventure cost about $750.  For those who drive to one or two locations and stay for longer than two or three days, your costs would be less because you'd be driving fewer miles.

Yellow Bus Tour in Yellowstone NP

For those interested in taking a packaged tour in Yellowstone NP, there are a few options.  Some are provided by their official tour company while others (especially photo-tours) are done by independent people/companies known for their experience photographing wildlife.  Generally, my preference is to go it alone, keeping my options open to do as I feel on any given day.  But for many, that's not within their comfort zone.  The important thing is to know your personal limitations and do what you must to maximize your time and experiences wherever you are.

 

So what are you waiting for?  FindYourPark.com will help you plan for your National Parks Centennial vacation.  Whether for a day, weekend, or lifetime . . . the US National Park Service provides people of all ages an opportunity to expand their horizons . . . from sea to shining sea!

For me, the year's not over yet!  I will be taking in several more NPS locations before the end of the year; some will be first timers while others will be a return to some personal faves, including Alaska's Denali National Park & Preserve.