Good Times on the Road

Dec 31, 2012 Mon

My Dad once said he wasted a fortune traveling with his family when he was younger. He also said he never regretted a penny and it was money well spent. I agree.

EDIT: 5/28/2014 to add our 4th camper, a Cougar 325SRX Toy Hauler

I have always kept a travel diary and I recently computed some numbers. I purchased an Aerolite camper in June 1998 when the boys were 2 and 4 years old. Our first trip was to Topsail Beach, NC and my brother Greg went with us. Over the years we had many guests. Nephew Cory spent many nights with us along with nieces, sisters, the boy's friends and Mom and Dad. My brother and his wife eventually bought a camper also and we often camped together as well as meeting up out west in Utah and Yellowstone Park. Then my future wife started joining us in her small Tioga motor home.

I thought it would be fun to write a blog post that only includes photos of our three campers in various parts of the country over the years. Bradley did not go with us on the 2012 summer trip so the numbers I am about to list are a little lower for him. Laurie's numbers are lower also as her stats start in earnest with the 2010 trip to Maine. But Tucker, myself (and Bradley except for the summer of 2012) have traveled 118,019 miles on 120 trips and have slept in campers for 481 nights from 1998 to May 2014.

Aerolite travel trailer purchased in June 1998. We logged 24,820 miles, 24 trips and 94 nights
Jun 5, 2000 Mon 1:10:33 PM EDTFuji FinePix 1400 (288)
2000-06 Colorado
Abilene, KS
Bobby Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jun 3, 2001 Sun 4:42:39 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2001-06 Montana
Badlands, SD.
Jun 4, 2001 Mon 4:16:24 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2001-06 Montana
Mount Rushmore, SD. We walked to the visitors center but the fog was so heavy we could not see the monument.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Jun 6, 2001 Wed 5:16:07 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2001-06 Montana
Rest area in NW Montana.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Jun 13, 2001 Wed 9:06:55 AM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2001-06 Montana
At a campground west of Yellowstone Park. We drove on to the park but it was closed and we had to turn around. Tthey eventually received 18 inches of snow, in June.
Jun 14, 2001 Thu 1:16:42 PM MDT Altitude: 10721 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2001-06 Montana
Medicine Bow National Forest, south east Wyoming.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Forest River Wildcat 5th wheel purchased in Nov 2001. We logged 71,499 miles, 83 trips and 310 nights.
Jun 2, 2002 Sun 6:17:38 AM CDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2002-06 Arizona
At 6:00 AM CDT, the temperature was 71 degrees with 97 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Camped just inside Texas on the eastern side on I-10. It is 873 miles to the other side of Texas.
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jun 8, 2002 Sat 3:13:08 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2002-06 Arizona
Northern Arizona. We are about to get into a terrible sand storm.
Jun 10, 2002 Mon 3:04:37 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2002-06 Arizona
Monarch Pass, Colorado
Tucker Riley Daniel
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Dec 30, 2002 Mon 8:58:46 AM ESTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2002-12 NY Sleding
First campground. It was not open so we camped in the parking lot.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Cory Lane
Jun 6, 2003 Fri 2:56:24 PM CDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2003-06 Utah
At 2:00 PM CDT, the temperature was 0 degrees. The conditions were .
Monument Rocks in western Kansas.
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Jun 6, 2003 Fri 4:15:30 PM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2003-06 Utah
Near Monument Rocks in western Kansas.
Jun 10, 2003 Tue 6:38:38 AM MDT Altitude: 3975 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2003-06 Utah
At 6:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 64 degrees with 48 percent humidity. The conditions were partially cloudy.
Portal RV Park in Moab, Utah.
Jun 13, 2003 Fri 11:19:10 AM EDTOlympus C3000Z (938)
2003-06 Utah
Highway 12 in south east Utah.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Cory Lane
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Jun 7, 2004 Mon 8:26:38 PM MDT Altitude: 5250 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2004-06 Wyoming
At 8:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 58 degrees with 37 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
We met brother Greg and his family at Yellowstone CG at the north entrance of Yellowstone in the town of Gardiner, Montana.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Sarah Tkach
Tucker Riley Daniel
Cory Lane
Jun 9, 2004 Wed 10:39:00 AM MDT Altitude: 7273 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2004-06 Wyoming
At 10:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 55 degrees with 54 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Northern Yellowstone Park.
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Jun 10, 2004 Thu 5:20:17 PM MDT Altitude: 3851 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2004-06 Wyoming
At 5:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 60 degrees with 79 percent humidity. The conditions were partially cloudy with a wind speed of 25 MPH.
Near the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. We drove around a huge thunder storm that caused a tornado in Sheridan, WY not far from here. The other half of the sky was clear and sunny.
Cory Lane
William F. (Bill) Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Jun 13, 2004 Sun 7:55:28 AM MDT Altitude: 5420 ftOlympus C3000Z (938)
2004-06 Wyoming
At 7:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 61 degrees with 51 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Campground in the Black Hills of SD.
Jun 20, 2007 Wed 7:57:47 AM MDT Altitude: 3449 ftCanon PowerShot A640 (1678)
2007-06 California
At 7:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 67 degrees with 88 percent humidity. The conditions were partially cloudy.
US 26 on the North Platte River, Nebraska.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jun 20, 2007 Wed 10:20:59 AM MDT Altitude: 3891 ftCanon PowerShot A640 (1678)
2007-06 California
At 10:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 78 degrees with 49 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 10 MPH.
Courthouse and Jail Rocks near the North Platte River, Nebraska. Photo by Tucker Daniel
Jun 21, 2007 Thu 8:12:03 AM MDT Altitude: 10754 ftFuji FinePix S6000fd (742)
2007-06 California
At 8:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 62 degrees with 34 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Snowy Range Pass, south east Wyoming.
Jul 1, 2007 Sun 5:52:26 AM PDT Altitude: 3733 ftFuji FinePix S6000fd (742)
2007-06 California
At 5:00 AM PDT, the temperature was 0 degrees. The conditions were .
Going to Death Valley from Lone Pine, California. It is 5:50 local time. We wanted to get through most of Death Valley before the temperature got so hot.
Jul 1, 2007 Sun 9:38:12 AM PDT Altitude: -93 ftFuji FinePix S6000fd (742)
2007-06 California
At 9:00 AM PDT, the temperature was 0 degrees. The conditions were .
South Death Valley.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Jul 2, 2007 Mon 4:55:11 PM MST Altitude: 4033 ftFuji FinePix S6000fd (742)
2007-06 California
At 4:00 PM MST, the temperature was 102 degrees with 2 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on US 89 in northern Arizona.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jul 2, 2007 Mon 8:25:06 PM MDT Altitude: 4441 ftFuji FinePix S6000fd (742)
2007-06 California
At 8:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 88 degrees with 4 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Cameron, Arizona. We found a real deal on diesel fuel.
Jan 2, 2010 Sat 10:48:39 AM ESTCanon PowerShot SD960 IS (228)
2009-12 New York New Year
The Mann's home on Long Island, New York.
Apr 1, 2010 Thu 6:27:41 PM EDTNikon D90 (4079)
2010-03 Outer Banks
At 6:00 PM EDT, the temperature was 58 degrees with 61 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Ocean Waves Campground, Outer Banks, NC
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jul 10, 2010 Sat 6:31:08 PM EDT Altitude: 59 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2010-07 North East US Summer Trip
At 6:00 PM EDT, the temperature was 65 degrees with 91 percent humidity. The conditions were partially cloudy with a wind speed of 10 MPH.
Lubec, Maine. The farthest east town in the US.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Apr 22, 2011 Fri 3:53:50 PM EDTCanon PowerShot S95 (971)
2011-00 Misc
Last photo of our Wildcat. We traveled 71,499 miles on 83 trips and slept in it 310 nights. My boys grew up in that camper.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Keystone Copper Canyon purchased in April 2011 and sold in Mar 2014. We logged 21,700 miles, 13 trips and 77 nights.
Jun 21, 2011 Tue 12:35:03 PM MDT Altitude: 4547 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 12:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 78 degrees with 27 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Route 66 near I-40 east of Albuquerque, NM
Jun 22, 2011 Wed 1:56:19 PM MDT Altitude: 9006 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 1:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 79 degrees with 16 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
On NM route 4 near Los Alamos, NM. We stopped here for lunch.
Jun 23, 2011 Thu 3:16:22 PM MDT Altitude: 4258 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 3:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 91 degrees with 10 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 11 MPH.
South east Utah on Mexican Hat Rock Road.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jun 23, 2011 Thu 6:24:37 PM MST Altitude: 6028 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 7:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 98 degrees with 6 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
We wanted to get to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on this day so we were driving late in the day but the late day sun made the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument look very nice.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jun 23, 2011 Thu 7:33:12 PM MST Altitude: 5853 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 7:00 PM MST, the temperature was 96 degrees with 6 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 11 MPH and wind gusts of 21 MPH.
We wanted to get to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on this day so we were driving late in the day but the late day sun made the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument look very nice.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jun 26, 2011 Sun 10:07:43 AM PDT Altitude: 2494 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 10:00 AM PDT, the temperature was 84 degrees with 13 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Near Panamint Springs, Death Valley. We drove up a very rough road and hiked to a water fall.
Bradley Taylor Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jun 26, 2011 Sun 1:57:32 PM PDT Altitude: 3738 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 1:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 83 degrees with 11 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
These mountains had no snow when we were here in 2007.
Jun 28, 2011 Tue 9:14:33 AM PDT Altitude: 4916 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 9:00 AM PDT, the temperature was 68 degrees with 35 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 21 MPH and wind gusts of 31 MPH.
Cousin Judy's home in western Nevada.
Jun 30, 2011 Thu 8:53:40 AM PDT Altitude: 5365 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2011-06 Nevada
At 8:00 AM PDT, the temperature was 62 degrees with 49 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 13 MPH.
Great Basin National Park.
Jun 27, 2012 Wed 9:17:24 AM MDT Altitude: 3433 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 9:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 83 degrees with 31 percent humidity. The conditions were rain with a wind speed of 17 MPH and wind gusts of 23 MPH.
I had photos and GPS coordinates of this place from 2007. There are miles of fence posts with boots on top. We returned to the same boot we had photographed in 2007. It looked like it had not aged at all in 5 years.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jun 27, 2012 Wed 4:58:41 PM MDT Altitude: 7910 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 4:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 78 degrees with 29 percent humidity. The conditions were partially cloudy with a wind speed of 16 MPH and wind gusts of 28 MPH.
Small town on I-80 in south east Wyoming.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jun 27, 2012 Wed 5:13:11 PM MDT Altitude: 8054 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 5:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 80 degrees with 24 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 18 MPH and wind gusts of 30 MPH.
Tree rock on I-80 near Laramie, Wyoming. This tree was here in 1867 when the railroad came through and it is said that locomotive firemen often stopped their trains to give the tree some water from their engines. This type of tree can live as long as 2,000 years.
Jun 28, 2012 Thu 9:07:49 AM MDT Altitude: 10855 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 9:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 69 degrees with 26 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Snowy Range west of Laramie Wyoming
Tucker Riley Daniel
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jul 1, 2012 Sun 3:05:23 PM PDT Altitude: 7460 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 3:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 89 degrees with 30 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Lassen Volcanic National Park. A very neat place.
Jul 1, 2012 Sun 3:27:10 PM PDT Altitude: 8240 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 3:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 89 degrees with 30 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Lassen Volcanic National Park. A very neat place.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Bobby Daniel
Jul 1, 2012 Sun 3:38:10 PM PDT Altitude: 8469 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 3:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 89 degrees with 30 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Lassen Volcanic National Park. A very neat place.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jul 3, 2012 Tue 3:24:27 PM PDT Altitude: 153 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 3:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 61 degrees with 69 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 20 MPH and wind gusts of 32 MPH.
Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park near Crescent City, CA.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jul 3, 2012 Tue 2:26:15 PM PDT Altitude: 10 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 2:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 61 degrees with 69 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 17 MPH and wind gusts of 35 MPH.
Beach at Crescent City, California.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Tucker Riley Daniel
Jul 6, 2012 Fri 5:14:07 PM PDT Altitude: 2372 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 5:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 90 degrees with 15 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
US 2 in eastern Washington.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
There is an interesting blog post about this building here. I first saw this building in 1984.
Jul 6, 2012 Fri 5:54:50 PM PDT Altitude: 2522 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 5:00 PM PDT, the temperature was 90 degrees with 14 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
An old school house on US2 in eastern Washington
Jul 10, 2012 Tue 9:54:35 AM MDT Altitude: 6351 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 9:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 60 degrees with 63 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone Park.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jul 11, 2012 Wed 10:06:38 AM MDT Altitude: 3680 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 10:00 AM MDT, the temperature was 83 degrees with 28 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Near Devils Tower in north east Wyoming.
Tucker Riley Daniel
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Jul 11, 2012 Wed 2:40:42 PM MDT Altitude: 2636 ftNikon D90 (4079)
2012-06 Oregon
At 2:00 PM MDT, the temperature was 100 degrees with 17 percent humidity. The conditions were clear with a wind speed of 12 MPH and wind gusts of 23 MPH.
Badlands of South Dakota
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Mar 22, 2014 Sat 10:56:03 AM CDT Altitude: 341 ftiPhone 5s (832)
2014-03 Pickup SRX Toy Hauler
At 10:00 AM CDT, the temperature was 66 degrees with 59 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
Last photo of our Copper Canyon in Meridian, Mississippi.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Bobby Daniel
2014 Cougar 325SRX Toy Hauler purchased in Mar 2014
Mar 22, 2014 Sat 11:03:09 AM CDT Altitude: 261 ftiPhone 5s (832)
2014-03 Pickup SRX Toy Hauler
At 11:00 AM CDT, the temperature was 71 degrees with 44 percent humidity. The conditions were clear.
The new toy. A toy hauler.
Laurie (Mann) Daniel
Bobby Daniel
Special Mexican Treatment
My Brother Cursed Me


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