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Currently Traveling Across The Us In My 87 Escaper Large Pics


Odyssey 4x4

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My girlfriend and I are currently traveling across the states in our 87 Toyota Escaper. We left Tampa, FL about a month ago and I am sitting in a Walmart parking lot somewhere in New Mexico as I type this. Everything has been going well and a damn good time. The truck has been running great with minimal incidents.

We travel with everything we need on board the Toyota including our motorcycle for further exploration. We cook all of our food in the Toyota as well as shower and perform all other daily life functions.

We traveled through Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, spent a few weeks in Austin TX, and made it to New Mexico today. We sleep mainly in Walmart parking lots but have also stayed at truck stops and random free camp sites. The iPhone App known as RVOvernight is great for finding free overnight sleeping spots closest to your location and I have used it nearly every night.

We are ultimately going to end up in California, Alaska would be great to get to as well.

Follow my blog at http://www.daysofexploration.wordpress.com

Enjoy some pics!

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Thanks for the update, happy trails. Love New Mexico.

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Love to read about the trips of others. I will be heading in same direction in November. Going from NC to Tx for a 6 week job in November. After job who knows where either further west or into Mexico. I will be traveling on a serious budget, so glad to hear about others who are going the Walmart/gas station route for accommodations. Nice photos, seems like some peaceful places.

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http://freecampgrounds.com/index.aspx

http://freecampsites.net

I have learned that you can't trust all accounts 100%. Some not even 1%. But 9 out of 10 times these sites have steered me in the right direction, and many other times I've just found my own free parking, most of it way more pleasant than the parking lot of a box store or truck stop.

I did stay one night in a Denny's parking lot. But with the dog, it's kind of lame. We're used to walking on great trails, off-leash. So to be stuck in the camper all day when we drive, then just get a quick walk on a sidewalk or little patch of grass, on-leash, just doesn't do it. I mean it'll do in a pinch, but it doesn't really work for us.

If I were covering more distance each day and traveling without a dog, it would be different, and the walmart/sams club/truck stop thing would work just fine.

But I'm on the road long-term and so this is life...so I use those sites to sometimes find more rural camping and be able to spread out and walk around and let the dog roam. Don't want my life for the next year to be box store parking lot bedrooms :)

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The Walmart and truck parking lots are great for when you're trying to get to your next location and driving throughout the day, the camp sites I prefer when I feel like relaxing for a few days. We just spent the last 4 days in New Mexico. We checked out Carlsbad Caverns (awesome!), and then camped out in Pine Springs in the Guadalupe Mountains. Between hiking about 4 miles through the caverns, and then a 6 mile hike in the mountains, we are BEAT. I drove throughout the day today and am currently right outside of Albuquerque.

Driving through the desert I got a nice surprise when my exhaust came apart where the header connects to the pipe that goes to the cat. It was the most horrible sound I have heard and I was quite certain that the motor had blown. I popped the hood waiting to see everything coated in oil and eventually saw where the exhaust had come apart from age/rust. Luckily I was about 10 minutes from a muffler shop in Rosewell, NM.

I pulled in and met a bunch of really nice guys working there. Within an hour they had the Escaper on a lift and within another 2 hours a complete new exhaust system installed from the header back. It was about time considering the old muffler had rust holes all over it and a beer can I rigged up in Austin sealing a few holes that were quite annoying.

Pic updates...

Camping in the Guadalupe Mountains...

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Carlsbad Caverns...

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60 mile ride across the desert on the Yamaha with a weeks worth of groceries!

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Dead exhaust...

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New Exhaust!

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Nice. I decided to skip Carlsbad and went to Chaco instead. Carlsbad would have been better.

One thing that has taken getting used to for me: the signs on the side of the roads leading into southern Arizona mountains ranges like this. I didn't see those in New Mexico but maybe you did?

Nothing but wind lately in AZ...

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Super windy in Sante Fe as well. The walmart I'm at right now is like a small rv park of all kinds of cool rvs. 4x4 Toyota van, VW Vanagon sporting a huge solar panel, old Chevy rv, and a few semis.

I haven't seen any of those signs but I have passed a few while passing prisons reading something like, "do not pick up hitch hikers, state penitentiary ahead". I've never seen a sign like that!

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Sounds like Flagstaff. There's a huge shared parking lot plaza with a grocery store and Walmart and other stores. Not the typical wide open Walmart style lot, but with lots of little islands with trees and stuff. Campers all over. Lots have the look of being the people's home. And not in the "retired old folks" kind of way. More in the wanderer sort of way.

I was going to try the Sams Club in Sante Fe, but ended up staying at an RV park instead. I was there for a few days and wanted laundry, showers, water, and a place for the dog to stretch his legs.

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How much are you paying for typical RV parks? I try to save my money for camping in parks and the "scenic" places.

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Typically around $25.

I agree with you. I stay in RV parks when I'm sick of being stinky, need water, and need to do laundry, and am in a town where I want to check out downtown, go to a restaurant or brewery.

So basically when a bunch of things all come together, I stay at an RV park. But if I can get away with just showering and filling my water for cheap, and there's free camping close to town, I'll just do that.

That's what I'm doing in Flagstaff. Staying down a forest service road just about 8 miles out of town, but found a local RV park that let me fill my water and take a shower. $5 each. KOA wanted $15 for each, and seemed annoyed at the question.

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I haven't paid for water since I left florida over a month ago. I usually lurk around the area I'm in and find a quiet open water faucet. I don't drink the water I get but I do shower with it. I do laundry in coin mats, I've been to a few sketchy ones. It's insane how much some of these rv parks charge that have the Rvs about 6 feet apart and nothing special going on.

If you have an iPhone, search "rv overnight" and download the first app the comes up. It brings up all the places close to you with free camping whether it be walmart, truck stops, or legit camping places in the wild. It's all I've used since I left and works awesome and has helped me find beautiful free places to stay.

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Thanks.

Yeah I've been using those free campsite links I posted and they work great. Or I ask at the local brewery when I stop for a beer :)

Usually I don't need the RV camping. I just need water, shower, laundry. But yeah, laundry I can do at any laundry mat (and they're usually cheaper than the ones in rv parks), water I can sometimes find a free place to fill (I need both drinking water and water for my tank), but the shower is the kicker. If I need a shower in addition to the other things, it's usually time for an RV park.

I think I've stayed in 5 in the 2 1/2 months I've been traveling.

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Currently sitting in Denver, Colorado. I tried driving up pikes peak in the Toyota yesterday. I made it a few miles up and when I reached a tight turn I lost all my speed and momentum. I had it in low and the pedal to the floor as I watched my speedo drop from 15 to 10 to 5 until I had stopped moving. I made a quick decision to do what felt like a 19 point u-turn. It was raining/hailing and there were 6 cars stopped behind me watching me. It was pretty scary backing up hoping my front tires wouldn't start sliding. I pulled the e-brake when I was backing up each time and was just barely able to make the turn around. There was a point that my rear of the truck was hanging over the edge of a cliff with no guard rail.

Call me stupid, call me young and dumb, call me what you will :)

After making it down a ways I stopped at a gift shop to calm down. Yeah I probably shouldn't have attempted Pikes Peak in the Toyota with 400 pounds hanging off of my bumper (motorcycle and hitch hauler). But hey, it was a good time. On the way down it was hailing like a son of a.

It's safe to say I had a beer that night before bed.

But I got this sweet photo!

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Lucky!

I've been afraid of that a couple times...but so far no issues.

I did almost burn my clutch out in San Francisco yesterday...the hills wouldn't be so bad, if there weren't stoplights on them...

Climbing them is one thing, but having to repeatedly stop right on the steepest part, and get moving again, was killing me!

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Lucky!

I've been afraid of that a couple times...but so far no issues.

I did almost burn my clutch out in San Francisco yesterday...the hills wouldn't be so bad, if there weren't stoplights on them...

Climbing them is one thing, but having to repeatedly stop right on the steepest part, and get moving again, was killing me!

Same thing going on with me. I can climb the hills without problems. I just turn my ac off and put the pedal to the floor and smile at everyone going around me. The only thing that can help with this if possible is if you see the red light coming up start stopping early and give yourself plenty of room to the next vehicle and try to keep your rig rolling to keep the momentum up.

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We live in S F and only own automatics, in the Toy it's no problem with the V6, just have to use first gear on the hills. On level ground the Toy can keep up with traffic if I want to , but I don't drive it that hard, it does not stop like my other rides, not in a hurry anyway.

John & Mary

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Thanks.

Yeah I've been using those free campsite links I posted and they work great. Or I ask at the local brewery when I stop for a beer :)

Usually I don't need the RV camping. I just need water, shower, laundry. But yeah, laundry I can do at any laundry mat (and they're usually cheaper than the ones in rv parks), water I can sometimes find a free place to fill (I need both drinking water and water for my tank), but the shower is the kicker. If I need a shower in addition to the other things, it's usually time for an RV park.

I think I've stayed in 5 in the 2 1/2 months I've been traveling.

If you travel to Seattle the Green Lake municipal recreation center has free showers. Most likely because the lake has the swimmers itch bugs in it so they made it free to shower at that recreation center to help keep people healthy. It is a beautiful city park with a lake in the middle and miles of walking, cycling and jogging paths around the lake. If you drive a couple of miles south and go East on N. Northlake Way there are some overnight parking places along that road where you can stay in an RV. Seattle ordinances only let the 80 inch wide RVs park on the streets overnight in the industrial zoned areas. That north edge of Lake Union is zoned for industry. But it is actually a beautiful area with a big park, Gas Works, as well as lots of places to eat, some museums to visit, boats to rent, kayaking, canoes, little sail boats, etc. The industry there is related to ship building and repair so it is generally relatively quiet at night time. It is also right on an extensive, paved, bike path system that was built on the former railroad right of way. Lots of nearby buses into downtown Seattle. The Seattle Houseboat community will be your neighbors. Definitely the best legal boon docking in Seattle, 72 hour limit in one spot. But you can move a few blocks and stay another 72. When I drove down that road the other day I counted 9 boon-docking vehicles, some vans, two big buses, also some small motorhomes. No Toyhomes on that day.

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Great, thanks!

Depending on where I am, I've been able to find showers easier, but I still mostly end up paying for them. But there are some campgrounds with coin operated showers, and if you just walk in, instead of driving, you can go right into the campground and into a bathroom and get a shower.

I'm guessing that with the pay showers, they aren't so worried about people who aren't camping there using them, since you aren't using a "free" service which is part of the camping fee.

Now that I'm in northern California and there's more water, getting a bath in a creek is much easier, too :)

Sounds like my brother and his family will be in Seattle around the 4th of July, so it might work out that I'm there at the same time. So it's good to know I can find some of that stuff around there.

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Great, thanks!

Depending on where I am, I've been able to find showers easier, but I still mostly end up paying for them. But there are some campgrounds with coin operated showers, and if you just walk in, instead of driving, you can go right into the campground and into a bathroom and get a shower.

I'm guessing that with the pay showers, they aren't so worried about people who aren't camping there using them, since you aren't using a "free" service which is part of the camping fee.

Now that I'm in northern California and there's more water, getting a bath in a creek is much easier, too :)

Sounds like my brother and his family will be in Seattle around the 4th of July, so it might work out that I'm there at the same time. So it's good to know I can find some of that stuff around there.

Boon docking on N. Northlake in Seattle just before, on and after July 4th is not going to be very likely. That is the best viewing spot for the fireworks on the 4th on Lake Union. Seattle's only big display of fireworks. Even if you did get a spot if you drove off to run an errand it would be gone when you get back. You will want to head west to Ballard for boon docking during that time period. While you are here be sure to visit this place. http://www.dustystrings.com/

One of my housemates from long ago is teaching there now, enjoy the tunes on the link, he is world class. http://www.orvillejohnson.com/

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Thanks again!

Only redeeming quality about places like that is that I can't afford a thing in them...so I'm safe!

Yeah I'd say he's pretty good. I'll have to listen again with something more than just my computer's speaker.

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Karen,

I've been to Dusty Strings many times. Its a dangerous place to go if you have money in your pocket! I heard my brother in law, Jack Lawrence, play there years ago. He was Doc Watson's partner for many years and is one incredible guitar player.

When I worked on the Schooner Zodiac, we often made it to The Center For Wooden Boats for the 4th of July and enjoyed the fireworks from the deck of the ship. Zach, if you get into Seattle early enough, you'll be able to boondock on Terry St, or in the parking lot adjacent. But you'd have to get there and be planted by late on the 2nd of July. The place is within walking distance of pubs and other stores and, of course, The Center For Wooden Boats, a place you shouldn't miss.

John

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Nice. Thanks. It will depend on where my brother and his family are staying. They've got two boys under 10 and will definitely be in a hotel. Probably a hotel which doesn't allow dogs...so I probably won't stay with them. But I've slept in hotel parking lots before and it's not so bad...

So where I stay will probably depend on them. If they're nowhere near that area, I won't be, either, at least not at first. They're there from the 4th-11th, so there's not necessarily a reason for me to get there before or even by the 4th. I'd be just as happy to show up on the 8th or something.

I've got a good friend in Portland who I'm about to visit, and depending on how long I hang out there, and what I find along the way from there to Seattle, I'll either get there earlier or later. I love not caring.

I've been trying to get my playing cleaned up and back in practice in case I run into more people to play with, but sometimes it's hard! The dog likes to howl when I play and when I'm camped near other people I try not to subject them to both banjo and a howling dog...

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I will have to check and see if Terry Ave is still suitable for boon docking next time I am over in that neighborhood. That whole section of town is undergoing a major transformation. They are tearing out all the industrial stuff and turning it into taller buildings with stores below and apartments above. That is part of the master plan for redevelopment. Paul Allen bought up almost all the land south of Lake Union. I know that Terry Ave has been taken over and most of the old tenants are gone, the buildings are being torn down and new stuff is going up. It has all been rezoned.

Here is the article about it. http://www.seattle.gov/DPD/cityplanning/completeprojectslist/southlakeunion/whatwhy/

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Zach, too bad we haven't run into each other. I have my guitar with me and miss playing with a banjo let alone another instrument.

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