2017 Road Trip – Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Napa
1) In January, 2017, we decided to KYLE (Keep Our Life Exciting), by taking an epic road trip across America. From Texas to California and back, via the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Falls, Napa Valley, Pacific Coast Highway, Palm Springs, Tombstone and El Paso. We were going to enjoy some of our favorite things, hiking, drinking wine and sightseeing.
Since we were going to visit some very popular attractions and areas, we started booking early. We wanted to travel over Memorial Day (May 29) weekend (to maximize our vacation time and minimize our vacation days’ taken-SECRET).
2) The first MAJOR stop would be the Grand Canyon – South Rim (www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm) . Uncle Mike was there last year with your cousin Eric, when he got out of the Marine Corps, so we know a lot about the area. Stay in the park, if at all possible! – SECRET. The lodging is a little bit pricey, but it is worth the convenience. The park is open 24/7 but the lines can be long to get in. Also, you want to see the majestic sunrise and sunsets, over the canyon, and you are already there. However, if you are price conscious, you SAVE about $100 per night by staying less than 1 mile from the park entrance – SECRET. Plus food and drink will be considerably less expensive.
Unfortunately, there are only a couple of places to stay, in the park, and they book up way in advance, because the park is a national and international destination. The El Tovar (www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/el-tovar/) is, by far, the most elegant of all and the most expensive. It is situated right on the canyon edge. All of the views are breathtaking. The restaurant has white linen tablecloth service and lounge has a view that will take your breath away. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend the Maswik Lodge (www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/maswik-lodge/). Located a short 5 minute walk from the canyon rim, it is nestled in a thick forest with elk and deer walking rampantly throughout the property. The Maswik Lodge is less expensive than the El Tovar and it provides more of a luxurious wilderness experience – SECRET.
Just outside of the park entrance (in Tusayan, Arizona), there are numerous chain and local hotels. They are all approximately 1 mile from the park entrance. The chain hotels (Holiday Inn and Best Western) offer comfortable and familiar surroundings. They are part of the chain and are exactly like the same hotel, located anywhere in the country. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend the Red Feather Lodge (www.redfeatherlodge.com). The Red Feather Lodge offers all of the expected modern conveniences, yet makes you feel like you are back in a simpler time – SECRET.
3) The 2nd MAJOR stop would be Yosemite Falls, California (www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm). Again, another popular national and international vacation destination, accommodations are limited, so book early – SECRET. Not only are accommodations limited inside the park, but accommodations outside the park are VERY limited. Plus, the drive from the park entrance to the falls and lodging is a 35-mile treacherous drive that takes 45-60 minutes each way. Stay inside the park to maximize your sightseeing time – SECRET.
Lodging in the park is limited and diverse and pricey, but spectacular! The Majestic Yosemite Hotel (www.yosemite.com/lodging/hotels/the-majestic-yosemite-hotel/) is truly majestic! It requires a 15-minute walk or 5-minute “free” bus ride to the falls, but the hotel is exquisite. A “AAA” 4-diamond hotel with every amenity you could ask for. The Majestic Yosemite offers outstanding lodging, restaurant, spa, lounge and views. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend the Yosemite Valley Lodge (www.yosemite.com/lodging/hotels/yosemite-valley-lodge/). The Yosemite Valley Lodge offers views of the Yosemite Falls from the parking lot and it is adjacent to the trailhead to the falls. The lodge is centrally located and offers the best proximity to all of the major sites – SECRET.
4) The 3rd MAJOR stop will be Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley is generically referred to as the largest and primary wine producing area in the United States. However, there are many adjacent regions (Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, etc.) that are included in the basic reference to Napa Valley, that all have a different personality, wine attributes and feel. Within each region there are different towns, again, each with a different personality and vibe. Napa Valley includes the towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, St. Helena, and Calistoga. It can be very overwhelming to decide where to go. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend Napa Valley and St. Helena – SECRET. St. Helena and Napa Valley are both centrally located and provide easy access to the entire area. The El Bonita Motel (www.elbonita.com) is our recommendation, in the heart of Napa Valley.
5) We now have our 3 MAJOR stops booked and it’s time to fill in the holes.
Friday May 26 open – leave and drive as far as possible, probably Albuquerque, NW
Saturday May 27 arrive at Grand Canyon
Sunday May 28 hike the Grand Canyon
Monday May 29 arrive at Yosemite Falls
Tuesday May 30 hike Yosemite Falls
Wednesday May 31 arrive at Napa Valley
Thursday June 1 tour Napa Valley
Friday June 2 open – drive south thru San Francesco, Big Sur and Santa Monica
Saturday June 3 open – drive east thru Tombstone and El Paso
Sunday June 4 open – continue east and return home
Trying to plan a trip to three of the most visited attractions in the United States, with less than 6 months of lead time is providing a challenge. Add the fact that it is over the Memorial Day weekend, increased the challenge, due to limited availability on lodging. Book these destinations, as far in advance as possible – SECRET.
Grand Canyon was completely booked, inside the park. We will be staying at the Red Feather Lodge (www.redfeatherlodge.com).
Yosemite Park was completely booked, inside the park. We will be staying at the Sierra Sky Ranch (www.sierraskyranch.com).
Napa Valley was overwhelming with options. We will be staying at the El Bonita hotel in St. Helena (www.elbonita.com).
Filling in the holes — Houston to Albuquerque – approximately 875 miles
This will be our longest day driving, but the best day because we are starting our Epic Road Trip. We want to break the drive up with interesting sights. We plan on heading north to Dallas for 250 miles to stop at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (www.jfk.org) to visit the Kennedy assassination sight. Then, drive another 400 miles to have lunch in Amarillo, Texas at the Big Texan Steak Ranch (www.bigtexan.com). After lunch, we will drive a short 25 miles to the Cadillac Ranch (wwwroadsideamerica.com/story/2220). Finally, dive the last 200 miles to Albuquerque, NM.
Filling in the holes — Albuquerque to Grand Canyon – approximately 550 miles
From Albuquerque, NW it is 125 miles to the Continental Divide (www.contidivi.wiki). The Continental Divide is the geographical location / line, where water flows either west to the Pacific Ocean or east to the Atlantic Ocean. Another 150 miles gets us to Winslow, Arizona. Winslow was made famous by the Eagles song…”Take it Easy”…”Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see” (www.standinonthecorner.com) . Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti will be standing on that corner! After standing on the corner, we head another 150 miles to the Red Feather Lodge and the Grand Canyon South Rim.
Filling in the holes — Grand Canyon to Yosemite Falls – approximately 675 miles
This will be the second most difficult day of driving. We will be driving through mountains, desert and Southern California WITHOUT a lot of attractions to see, other than the scenery.
Filling in the holes — Yosemite Falls to Napa Valley – approximately 185 miles
This will be the easiest day of driving and we will get to enjoy Napa Valley wine in the afternoon.
Filling in the holes — Napa Valley South – approximately 700 miles
Another LONG day but LOTS of sights along the way. Probably the most scenic and iconic part of the entire road trip! A short 50-mile drive through California wine country to the coast and Bodega Bay. Bodega Bay is the location of the Alfred Hitchcock classic, “The Birds”. Another quick 60 miles gets us to San Francisco and takes us across the Golden Gate Bridge. From San Francisco, we will get on the Pacific Coast Highway and go thru the Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach, Carmel and Big Sur. Driving further south will take us through Santa Barbara and to the Santa Monica pier. After going through downtown LA, we will look for a hotel on the way to Palm Springs.
Filling in the holes — South to East – approximately 700 miles
From Palm Springs we will continue east to Tucson and Tombstone, Arizona. Tombstone is the sight of the OK Corral and the famous western gunfight. From Tombstone, we will hug the United States and Mexico border on the way to El Paso, Texas. The plan would be to stop for the night, somewhere east of El Paso.
Filling in the holes — East to Houston – approximately 700 miles
There is nothing special to see or do, on this leg of the trip. We have already driven over 3,500 miles and it’s time to get home. When we get to San Antonio, everything will start to look familiar, before the final push to Houston.
Additional SECRETS
• Buy a National Park pass
The entry fee for all National Parks is $30.00 per vehicle per week and they are specific to the individual park. Therefore, when we spend 2 days at the Grand Canyon National Park, it will only cost $30. However, when we go to Yosemite National Park for 2 days, it will cost an additional $30. Therefore, we will be spending $60 on park entrance fees. The National Park Service offers an annual pass for $80. The annual pass is good for 1 year at any National Park in the United States. There are also special entrance lanes for pass holders and returning guests. In order to bypass the entrance lines on a Holiday weekend and to get 1 year of usage, we purchased an Annual Pass – SECRET.
• Buy hiking/trekking poles
We do not own hiking poles. They can be expensive ($50 per set and up) and the usefulness is unclear. The research conducted by us, concluded that people either like hiking poles or they hate then. They can be made out of metal or composites. They can have shocks or no shocks. Their usefulness and helpfulness can be very questionable. However, since we were going to be hiking two of the most difficult trails in the United States, both rated as “extremely difficult and strenuous”, Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti decided to purchase hiking pole. We went to REI Co-Op (www.rei.com) and purchased Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trekking Poles for Uncle Mike and Black Diamond Trail Women’s Trekking Poles for Aunt Patti. These were both mid-priced at $100 and $80, respectfully. We will evaluate their usefulness and helpfulness, during our hikes in Grand Canyon and Yosemite Falls, as well as, relatively easy hikes throughout the Houston area.-SECRET.
• Buy hiking/day packs with hydration
The most important requirement in any activity is to keep hydrated. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE! There are numerous liquids, gels and goo’s, but nothing beats water! The only problem is that you need a lot of water to stay hydrated and bottles are not very conducive to hiking. Solutions, since you need to carry a day pack or backpack, get one with a hydration system! Camelback is the inventor of the backpack hydration system and they make hundreds of models. You need to decide your pack size needs and your water amount needs, first. Too large of a pack allows you to take too many items and therefore, unnecessary weight. Too large of a water supply causes the same issue. Water weighs over 2 pound per quart; therefore, an extra unneeded gallon of water adds over 10 pounds of weight. Uncle Mike recommends the Camelback Fourteener 20 Hydration pack – SECRET. It provides enough storage for a strenuous day or overnight hike and it holds up to 3 quarts of water. Aunt Patti recommends the Camelback Women’s L.U.X.E. Hydration Pack – SECRET. While primarily designed for women cyclists, it is perfect size for day or overnight hikes and holds the same 3 quarts of water.
• Buy hiking food
Hiking is an endurance sport. Especially, when hiking 6 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation change over 5 hours! That’s over 12% grade. Therefore, you need to keep hydrated and fueled up with food. We have already addressed hydration with the recommendation and purchase of our Camelback hydration packs. Now, we need to add the food. Sure, ALWAYS carry trial mix, beef jerky and fruit (oranges and bananas), but there is a great source of instant energy that is also available. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend Cliff Bars (pick your favorite flavor) and Energybar Gel Drops (any flavor)-SECRET. Both of these items are small and light weight, but they can get you to the next rest stop or over the next hill.
• Buying Sirius radio
Travelling across the country in your car can be extremely boring and depressing without the proper music in your vehicle. If you are travelling multiple hours and multiple days, you need a varied musical selection, or else you are listening to the same thing over and over. CD’s and thumb drives take up your limited space in the vehicle and you are still limited on the selection. Audio books work too, but have the same drawbacks. Listening to the radio is difficult, if not impossible, due to traveling long distances and loosing signals. The solution is to purchase Sirius Satellite Radio (ww.sirius.com)-SECRET. For approximately $20 per month, you will receive over 100 different stations. Stations include all genres and you will never lose signal.
• Clothing on the trail
Know the weather and dress in layers. When we hike the Grand Canyon, the rim temperature at 7:00am will be around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When we reach the bottom at 10:00 am the temperature will be around 90 degree Fahrenheit. Then back at the rim at 2:00pm will be 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking into account sweating, carrying supplies, the wind and the adrenaline rush…clothing is an issue. Plus, you want something easy to put on or remove and something that is comfortable and easy to move around in. Also, you will need to pack the clothes before, during and/or after your hike in your daypack. Due to the extreme nature of our Grand Canyon and Yosemite Falls hikes, Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend hiking boots/shoes, moisture wicking clothing and fleece outer garments or wind resistant outer garments-SECRET. The selection of hiking footwear, whether boots or shoes, is a personal choice. Uncle Mike prefers Danner 8 inch boot (ww.danner.com) in the same style used by the USMC-SECRET. They provide excellent ankle support, are waterproof and have a Vibram sole that protects against rock bruises. Aunt Patti prefers Columbia xxxxxx-SECRET. She likes the flexibility of being able to move her ankles, the inner sole support and the bruise saving exterior soles. Shoes are also lighter weight than boots. Don’t forget headgear, sunglasses, sunscreen and bug spray!-SECRET. Whether it’s a baseball hat, visor or scarf…headgear is a must. It stops the sun and rain, and it will keep the sweat out of your eyes. Uncle Mike recommends the Tilley Men’s LTM6 Airflow (www.tilley.com). It’s expensive at about $85, but well worth the price. It will pack anywhere, yet retain its shape and it comes with a 100% replacement, if lost, guarantee-SECRET. You are going to be outside and probably in the sun. You need eye protection. When you squint your eyes, it adds to fatigue. Wind and dust can limit visibility. Polarized glasses are a must because they eliminate glare. If you are in the sun and hiking all day, you are probably not thinking about sunburn. You will be sweating, so Aunt Patti recommends sweat-proof sunscreen with a minimum of 30 UV protection-SECRET. Lastly, bug spray…don’t forget it! Without proper bug spray, your hike can become miserable very quickly.
• Get the car ready ….wax, RainX, car wash….snacks
Getting the car ready for a road trip may involve more than you would initially think. If you are planning a long trip of 1,000 to 4,000 miles, you need to make sure than the vehicle is ready. Obviously, get a fresh oil change and have the vehicle inspected by a certified technician. Check the tire condition, because the last thing that you want to do is to purchase tires on vacation and away from home. Small items that will mean a lot on a long road trip include upgrading to whiter/brighter headlights, new wiper blades, waxing the car and using RainX on the windshield-SECRET. Brighter/whiter headlights can be installed by DIY for less than $50. Night driving will be easier, less tiring and less stressful with brighter/whiter headlights. No one ever thinks about replacing their windshield wipers until it’s too late, so replace them before you take your road trip. Not being able to see clearly in the rain, in an unknown location, should not be on the to-do list for the road trip. Wax your car and put RainX on the windshield (and headlights) before your trip. It is inevitable that you will collect bugs on the front of the car and windshield. Waxing and using RainX will make it unbelievably easier to remove them during your fill-ups at the gas station. To bring snack or not to bring snacks…that is the question. Gas station snacks and drinks are expensive! But they are so convenient to purchase and it gets you out of the vehicle to walk around and stretch your legs. Uncle Mike and Aunt Patti recommend taking your favorite snacks and drinks-SECRET. This will save a lot on money that you can spend on FUN things! You still need to walk around at the gas station and stretch your legs, but save your money on snacks and drinks.