Western Colorado to the South Carolina coast

abbyarts · 08-02-2013, 01:39 AM

We're planning our bucket list trip to drive our PW Lexor from our home in Western Colorado across to the South Carolina coast, then on down the coastline to Titusville and then across to my dad's in Tampa.
We'll have about a month, leaving early October and would like to be in Charleston area by the 21st and continue on down. I'd actually like to start the coast in North Carolina but am thinking I'll run short on time that far north. I'm looking at various routes and would like all your suggestions on what to see, avoid, spend time on, etc. Thanks all!

markopolo · 08-03-2013, 01:45 PM

Welcome to the forum abbyarts

I had planned to travel some of the route you mentioned earlier this year but had to cancel that trip. Hopefully you'll get some suggestions. I'll be interesting in reading them.

Mike · 08-03-2013, 05:24 PM

If you're traveling I-70 east to Kansas, it's a long drive with not much to see except farmland. I found it quite desolate, but relaxing, at the same time. Just don't get too relaxed. IMO, the best part of I-70 is the Glenwood Canyon stretch between Grand Junction and Denver, but that's another thread.

Our trips for the last 3 years have included the State Capitols along our route, as part of our "must see" list. We've found them to be interesting and widely varied in size, and architectural design. All of them, with few exceptions, have been worth the time spent getting there and just wandering through them or on their grounds. They all have something to offer, either historically, or in a cultural demographic sense. Check their daily access schedules before visiting them on weekends, as some aren't open to the public then, although you'd think that would be when they would be most accessible. Also, empty your pockets before you enter, as most have fairly strict rules (similar to airlines?) of what they will allow you to bring in. Some even required picture id to enter. A few have metal detectors/scanners.

teachergal · 08-03-2013, 09:50 PM

I just drove from Fruita, CO (Grand Junction) to Northern Virginia (near DC), mostly across I-70 until I picked up I-64 in St. Louis. I actually liked Kansas, it was Eastern CO that was a big let down! I mean how can you top Glenwood Canyon, Vail Pass & the rest of the road between Grand Junction on Denver! Also, Illinois is just one giant corn field - no fun.

Anyway, there's a nice State Park - Wilson Lake - near Russell, Kansas (a few miles west of Silada, KS) - it's about 5 miles off the highway but they have a really nice campground and a lake to swim, kayak, whatever...the road is nice for biking too. The St. Louis Arch is pretty neat. There's a great campground at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY - you have to go up I-75 for a mile or so, but it's a really nice campground. You cann then take I-75 south to get to the Carolinas - or keep going on 64 across WV - you get back in the mountains pretty quick after Lexington, KY - until you hit I-95 then go south.

Now, I will say that I-95 is miserable - at least in DC - don't come further north than Richmond VA!
There's a great state park in GA - Crooked River - it's right on the FL/GA line - you can get to Cumberland Island National Seashore there. It's pretty close to Jacksonville, FL.

Have a great trip!

Rok · 08-03-2013, 11:15 PM

Hi Teachergal (or anyone else who can answer my question),

Was there parking for RV's near the St. Louis Arch? I was only there one time when I had a 4 hour layover on a flight. I got on the transit train and rode to the Arch from the airport. Got there in time to go up the arch, but there was a wait line of 4 hours to go up. So I hitailed it back to the airport. I've always wanted to go back and go up the arch to see what it was like inside.

.........Rocky

teachergal · 08-03-2013, 11:43 PM

Yes! There's plenty of RV parking! Of course it helps that we have vans! I got off i-64 at exit 40 - last exit before the bridge, there are signs, and followed the signs to The Arch. I went past the NPS parking garage and then under a train bridge, that looked scary low because of the hill, and found myself driving between The Arch and The Mississippi River! The RV parking was south of The Arch under the interstate bridge. There were big signs that said "Bus and RV parking Only" and there were several RVs. It's parallel parking but there's tons of space. I can't parallel park in a car let alone in my van and I managed just fine! I pulled in and walked right up! It was cloudy the day I was there and there was no waiting! It was 11:29 and they were still selling tickets for the 11:30 tram!

Davydd · 08-03-2013, 11:52 PM

My 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon fame is I worked with a guy whose father designed the vertical transportation system in the Arch.

It was quite an engineering feat at the time.

abbyarts · 08-04-2013, 01:44 AM

I'd like to head more diagonally toward Charleston from CO, maybe southern Kansas or northern Ok, then continue southeasterly. Mostly stay on 2 lane roads. So, suggestions for that idea?

Mike · 08-04-2013, 04:41 AM

Set your GPS unit to avoid highways, then tell it where you want to end up. Set somewhere along the SC coast (Myrtle Beach?) as a via point, and Titusville as another via point, to keep it from heading directly to Tampa.
Stop wherever you see something interesting.
Should work.
Enjoy.

Rok · 08-04-2013, 09:56 PM

They don't actually go vertically, do they? I would expect something more on the lines of the elevators at the Luxor in Las Vegas. I rode in the Luxor elevators once right after it was built and thought that they were a bit shakey. I've never liked the Luxor as a hotel, so I've never stayed there.

..........Rocky

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davydd

My 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon fame is I worked with a guy whose father designed the vertical transportation system in the Arch.

It was quite an engineering feat at the time.

Rok · 08-04-2013, 10:06 PM

Thanks for the info., TeacherGal. St. Louis will definitely be on our agenda, with the Arch as one of our stops. I don't know if our own Space Needle has any RV parking near it. I would imagine somewhere there would be. We've planned a fairly extensive trip next summer to Boston, and we're trying to work St. Louis in either on the way there or on the way back.

I guess I should starte my own thread rather than hijacking this one.

.........Rocky

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