• Walkabout AUS
agosto 2013

USA Road Trip 2013

Hi there and we welcome you to follow our RV trip across the USA commencing on the 7th August 2013. The trip has been planned for nearly 9 months now as part of our daughter returning to her US University where she studies on her sporting scholarship Leia mais
  • Day 18, Richfield, Utah

    24 de agosto de 2013, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Day 18 - Once we left the Tiger Run RV park we continued on through the mountains past Vail, the ski resort for the rich and famous, toward Las Vegas.

    It didn't take long past Vail to actually be descending again to around 6,500 feet for a lot more of the Rockies. Much of this new area was less rugged mountains and a bit more sedate, although still very different and beautiful.

    We decided to stop along the way at various rest stops and viewing areas as the Utah countryside was just incredible. I will make short note here that it is useful for just about nothing, and it really is just an incredibly staggering sight to see with all the strange rock formations. This area is like being on the moon, I believe I haven't seen anything even close to it anywhere else in the world to date. When all this was occurring millions of years ago this must have been a very geographically violent place to have the rock formations that have formed.

    We figured we would just drive on and find a destination just a few hours short of Vegas so that the next day we would be into Vegas not long after lunch.

    A place that claims to be the capital for southern Utah was a little city called Richfield, around 5,500 feet above sea level, but now very much desert like landscapes with some general grass growing and maybe a little bit of cattle grazing.

    We checked into our first KOA campground and I must say, these are very well maintained and this was a beautiful tree lined park with beautiful gardens and play areas for kids. Even a pool table in the laundry to get that well needed stick practice whilst waiting for the laundry to dry, something different.

    There was next to no TV reception here so I managed to jimmy up a cable to connect to the site provided cable connection, this gave us some viewing for the night.

    Well tomorrow was our second last leg of our journey towards Vegas. Seeing as we had done some extended drive times since leaving Youngstown, which was a day late, we were now actually a day ahead of schedule meaning we would be able to stop two nights in Las Vegas for a good tourist gander.

    Looking for forward to the main part of the Utah driving tomorrow.
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  • Circus Circus, Las Vegas, Nevada

    25 de agosto de 2013, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Day 19 - There was no rush this morning so we took our time and just headed out around 10:00am. Our trip today was going to take us the last 4 hours into Vegas.

    Most of the drive was through the totally barren, but amazingly beautiful Utah. Continuing on from yesterday some of the incredible rock formations and mountain tops were just incredible. To think that people lived in this wilderness for thousands of years before white fellas stepped onto the continent is incredible in itself. The place is so barren, yet apparently has water everywhere if you know where to look, and the landscapes were amazing. I know I seem to be harping a little on the landscapes, but if you ever get a chance to drive through this part of the world it truly is awe inspiring to see. Just when you think you've seen it you turn another corner, go over another rise, and suddenly are just slapped in the face with yet another magnificent view, it changes constantly.

    Talking about change, I have been continuously surprised at how the scenery changes almost instantly when you cross a state border. In many cases you'd think they sat down and drew lines for borders wherever the landscape and flora changed. The geographical differences are so pronounced it is almost like jumping from one planet to another.

    Things started getting a little darker as we got closer to Nevada. The I-15 is the road from Salt Lake City to Las Angeles and passes through Arizona for just a short while before crossing the border again into Nevada.

    The skies were getting darker and the winds were getting stronger. We had to drop speed down a little as some of the cross winds were so severe the vehicle almost changed lanes, so attention and focus here were pretty important. Having experience driving big rigs and B-Doubles meant it wasn't too much of an issue but someone handling one of these large RV's for the first time would have found it pretty scary.

    Soon we saw more and more power lines heading in the same direction and took an educated guess that we were heading in the right direction, to the city of lights.

    We cruised on into Vegas and made our way to the Circus Circus Resort and Casino on the strip which had its own RV park, pretty cool being in the middle of everything.

    Once hooked up we moved on down the strip to check out the sights. As the strip is actually 4.5 miles long we decided to purchase the 24 hour bus pass which you can just hop on and off anywhere for the 24 hours.

    Made our way to the bottom end of the strip to Luxor, the Egyptian themed Pyramid and Sphinx. Inside was of course all in ancient Egyptian décor and made for a very different feel than what we were normally used to.

    We then checked out the Excalibur next door, now when I say next door we must remember that each of these places sits on a land component equal to one or two normal city blocks, so next door was some walk.

    We continued on up the strip checking out casino after casino, along with the required window shopping, you know, that thing the ladies seem to get pleasure out of.

    Dinner time was fast approaching and around 7 we decided we would try out the BBQ style southern hospitality menu at the Harley Davidson Café. Can't say the food impressed me and the serving could have fed four people, not one.

    After dinner we continued our little stroll along the strip until we hit Caesars Palace. This place is incredible, almost replicating an entire ancient roman city, took some shots, check them out. It would probably have to be the largest single complex on the strip, although it has some very close rivals, our Circus Circus was extremely impressive also.

    Now while we were doing all this gazing what we did not realise is that we had almost walked the entire strip back to our RV park, so much for the bus passes, however they were good until 6 tomorrow night and they will be getting used as my feet and ankles are now killing me.

    Finally to the RV after our 15 minute walk through Circus Circus to get out the other side where the RV was parked.

    We were knackered so off to bed at around 11:00, amazing, in Las Vegas and in bed before midnight. Haha.
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  • Day 21, El Monte RV, LA

    27 de agosto de 2013, Estados Unidos ⋅ 16 °C

    Day 20 saw us making our way back to Los Angeles to drop off the RV back at El Monte RV's. I pointed out to them the problem at the back of the van and explained that it was not there before getting the RV steering done ion Youngstown and I noticed it a day or so later.
    They were extremely understanding and didn't even charge me for the incident even though they had a right to as I could not provide any evidence that it was not me. Because I said that I accepted full responsibility, they accepted my honesty, and charged me nothing.
    Fantastic customer service. WE made our way to the hotel for our last night in LA, and then off to the airport tomorrow for our flights home.
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  • Final da viagem
    28 de agosto de 2013