All Across the US (Michigan to S Francisco)

*Gruoso* · 07-16-2008, 07:56 AM

Hi All.

Mr and Mrs gruoso have to move from Michigan to S Francisco in a few weeks (13-28th August). We are thinking in going through the Bad Hills-Grand Teton National Park-Yellowstone-Oregon-Redwoods-Pacific coast. On paper this sounds amazing but we dont know which parts of these areas are better/nicer to visit. As you can see we dont have all the time of the world to see such an amount of amazing places. Any advice about places to visit (pictures of the places would be amazing), things to consider (lodging, food-bears combos...), photographic tips or any sort of tip will be very wellcome.

Thanks a lot

*Mallee Boy* · 07-17-2008, 04:12 PM

This is from one who has only been a visitor to your beautiful country.

Do NOT bypass Yellowstone and give yourself at least a week there. Drive the Chief Joseph Hwy, stay in Cody and visit the Bill Cody Musueum. We stayed at Grant Village and Old Faithful.

Experience of a lifetime which was way too short.

Cheers.

Lowell Goudge · 07-17-2008, 05:59 PM

youv'e got 2 weeks to do 2500 miles, considering driving at 60mph average speed,
(I know that sounds slow, but
- a) you will get 20% better gas mileage than if you try to run 70-75, and
- b) it is really tough when you consider stopping for gas, food etc to average 60

you have to consider that is 5 days driving for 8 hours per day

you have lot's of time for diversions.

*Gruoso* · 07-18-2008, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Mallee Boy

This is from one who has only been a visitor to your beautiful country.

Do NOT bypass Yellowstone and give yourself at least a week there. Drive the Chief Joseph Hwy, stay in Cody and visit the Bill Cody Musueum. We stayed at Grant Village and Old Faithful.

Experience of a lifetime which was way too short.

Cheers.

Thanks for the tip. We were thinking in give us a week in tetons-yellowstone. Hopefully we will be able to see some interesting parts of the parks. I will take a look to the places you refer. I am not US native and I am affraid I dont know who is Bill Cody

Thanks again

*Gruoso* · 07-18-2008, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

youv'e got 2 weeks to do 2500 miles, considering driving at 60mph average speed,
(I know that sounds slow, but
- a) you will get 20% better gas mileage than if you try to run 70-75, and
- b) it is really tough when you consider stopping for gas, food etc to average 60

you have to consider that is 5 days driving for 8 hours per day

you have lot's of time for diversions.

Thanks for the advice. We were thinking to get ASAP to blackhills-badlands area and then slow down to expend most of the time on the tetons-yellowstone part. The Oregon-Pacific-Redwoods is something that we can visit from SFO easier in another ocassion if cant see it well now, but the Yellowstone area we dont know when we will be able to come back.

*Mallee Boy* · 07-18-2008, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gruoso

Thanks for the tip. We were thinking in give us a week in tetons-yellowstone. Hopefully we will be able to see some interesting parts of the parks. I will take a look to the places you refer. I am not US native and I am affraid I dont know who is Bill Cody

Thanks again

Wild Bill Cody is one of the legendary characters from the American west. The town of Cody is named after him and has a huge, and very informative museum (smithsonian..? I think its called over there) that is a must see if you are in that part of the world. Allow at least one day, it is that good.

*Gruoso* · 07-18-2008, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by Mallee Boy

Wild Bill Cody is one of the legendary characters from the American west. The town of Cody is named after him and has a huge, and very informative museum (smithsonian..? I think its called over there) that is a must see if you are in that part of the world. Allow at least one day, it is that good.

Thanks a lot for the info. The name Bill Cody sounded familiar to me but I didnt know if he was Will Bill, Buffalo Bill or Billy the Kid. I guess that in those times they should have a little bit more creative with names.

.

CycloneBandDad · 07-23-2008, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mallee Boy

Wild Bill Cody is one of the legendary characters from the American west. The town of Cody is named after him and has a huge, and very informative museum (smithsonian..? I think its called over there) that is a must see if you are in that part of the world. Allow at least one day, it is that good.

http://www.bbhc.org/ is the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody, Wyoming.

There's also the "Charles J. Belden Museum of Western Photography" in Meeteetse, WY (about 25 miles south of Cody)

Since you're coming from Michigan, I will add a suggestion for my own part of the country. If you come west on Interstate 80, get off the big road in central Nebraska (town of Grand Island) and take NE Hwy 2 across western Nebraska, passing thru the Sand Hills into Wyoming. The Sand Hills are the western hemisphere's largest field of stabilized (vegetation-covered and not moving) sand dunes, dating back to the last Ice Age. Some beautiful wide-open countryside you won't see from the freeway. Then Hwy 2 will take you into the town of Alliance, where you can stop off at Carhenge (The official website for Carhenge) for some photographic fun...

Jim

*Gruoso* · 07-23-2008, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by CycloneBandDad

http://www.bbhc.org/ is the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody, Wyoming.

There's also the "Charles J. Belden Museum of Western Photography" in Meeteetse, WY (about 25 miles south of Cody)

Since you're coming from Michigan, I will add a suggestion for my own part of the country. If you come west on Interstate 80, get off the big road in central Nebraska (town of Grand Island) and take NE Hwy 2 across western Nebraska, passing thru the Sand Hills into Wyoming. The Sand Hills are the western hemisphere's largest field of stabilized (vegetation-covered and not moving) sand dunes, dating back to the last Ice Age. Some beautiful wide-open countryside you won't see from the freeway. Then Hwy 2 will take you into the town of Alliance, where you can stop off at Carhenge (The official website for Carhenge) for some photographic fun...

Jim

Thanks Jim. Great advice. We were thinking in doing the trip in the hard way (taking the I-90 to see badlands-black hills and yellowstone). At any case I will take a look at the map to see your suggestion cos it sounds great.

Thanks again

CycloneBandDad · 07-23-2008, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by Gruoso

Thanks Jim. Great advice. We were thinking in doing the trip in the hard way (taking the I-90 to see badlands-black hills and yellowstone). At any case I will take a look at the map to see your suggestion cos it sounds great.

Thanks again

Alternate suggestion, then: Come across on I-80 thru Omaha and central Nebraska, then head north on US 83 at the town of North Platte. That will take you through the Sand Hills as well, and when you get up nearly to South Dakota you can head west on US 20 and hit the Badlands from the south, or continue up to I-90 and hit Badlands from the north side. Then on to the Black Hills etc.

It should be a fun trip (aside from the hassles of moving, that is...), and you'll get a real experience driving across the continent!

Jim

*Gruoso* · 08-07-2008, 09:29 AM

Thanks all for the great advices. I still having a few more days to recieve more advices

. I have also seen quite a bit of good places to visit in Oregon area on another thread though I am sure I wont have time in this trip for watching them all.

At any case, this was a thanks post so thank you again.