TheSamba.com :: View topic - What the Road Tells Me

Tue Jun 28, 2016 1:52 am

Hi everyone,

As posted in my bus thread last week, I am going on an indefinite road trip this summer. I will be making my way from San Diego, to the PNW, across the Northern USA, and then into the North East and out in time for winter. (phew!)

My trip preparations, schedule, musings, non-Volkswagen photographs, and more will be shown on my blog:

http://theroadtells.com

The Volkswagen part of the trip will be posted in this thread entirely. Follow along if you'd like; a few people have expressed their positive and negative feelings about this style of travel on here before.

I will not be building nine engines. No fancy YouTube videos. No girls in bikinis holding my pistons and cylinders. :lol: I will be paying for health insurance, NOT be receiving unemployment checks, and DEFINITELY not be starting a Kickstarter campaign! 8) Now that we have that out of the way, I'm sure we can avoid nine pages of political banter, right guys?? (All that being said, if you have actual Volkswagen/yard/house work that you need help with, feel free to solicit my help. I will need to eat eventually…)

I hope to meet some of you out on the road. And if you have any recommendations for waypoints to point me to on the way, please feel free to shoot me PM, post here, or acquire my phone number and text/chat. Nordhoff knows I'll have a lot of free time now without my day job paying me to answer all your Volkswagen questions here……… :P

See you on the road!
Robbie

Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:50 am

Robbie, your route may be set and time may be limited, but if you are going all the way up to Washington, why not do the PNW justice and really go for it?

If it was my trip I'd be sure to head up past Mt. St. Helens from Portland, Oregon, circle Mt. Rainier counterclockwise after a visit to Paradise and Sunrise in the park. Circle the top of Rainier NP and head west to the coast and circle around the Olympic Penninsula being sure not to miss Sol Duc Hot Springs, Crescent Lake (great hike on the north shore), and Hurricane Ridge. Ferry to Victoria, visit Butchart Gardens, then to Vancouver (great campsite right in downtown!) and head up to Jasper on the super highway - still amazing scenery en-route. Head south from Jasper through Banff using 1A from Lake Louise. If you want to stay at a very special unique place try a 1920's cabin at Storm Mountain Lodge on the continental divide, just minutes from Lake Louise (call ahead for reservations). Head to Banff and take a back route from the Banff/Canmore area down to Waterton Park in lower Alberta. From there head up and over the Road To the Sun in Montana's Glacier Nt. Park and down the EAST side of Flathead Lake into central Montana then hook up with your original eastbound route.

I can see that time might be limited, but the above suggestion ads only 10 days or so if you move fairly steadily, but it gets you into some of the most amazing and mindblowing scenery the west has to offer. Also, you avoid some uncomfortably hot and barren/boring parts of SE Washington and Idaho.

If you want to camp en-route there will be plenty of state parks, national forests and unsupervised rustic camp sites called "rec sites" in BC, all of which you can utilize for little or no money.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:45 am

I know your outline doesn't include my area,
but if you're in the Central part of Upstate NY (Fingerlakes, Great lake, Adirondacks) drop me/us a line. food/VWs/garage available. it's great up till halloween out here, then snow.

safe travels, and enjoy where the road takes you.
Dan from SYRacuse

Tue Jun 28, 2016 6:06 am

When you make it to Ohio, let me know. Food/garage/help here for you.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 6:28 am

asiab3 wrote:

No girls in bikinis holding my pistons and cylinders. :lol:

:?

You lost me right there.. I'm out...!

J/k- I'm looking forward to your updates on this thread Robbie. Are you going to be able to meet up w/Colin on your journey? It looks like your travel path should intersect Colin along the way.

Drive safe!

Tue Jun 28, 2016 6:36 am

Why skip the most scenic parts of the PNW? Why not take 101 to Olympia then I5 to Seattle to I90?

Tue Jun 28, 2016 6:37 am

X2 on the PNW suggestion. Definitely worth hitting the penisula. I'd join you for that!!

Tue Jun 28, 2016 6:38 am

Best of luck Robbie, I'm sure you'll have a blast! I know you're not coming my way but if I can help in any way just ask, I'm sure everyone in thesamba community feels that way. Don't bite all your nails off just yet, July 8th will be here in no time.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:11 am

Friggen Millennials. Get back to work and pay my social security checks.

Garage shower driveway tools all at your disposal in upstate NY. Dump your car here for a bit, take train to the Big Apple for a few days.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:28 am

I have spent most of my adult life putting off adventures until "tomorrow" or "next year" so I admire your initiative... enjoy!

Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:49 am

I'm up in Santa Cruz.

If you need a pit stop, shower, or spare parts - hit me up!

Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:28 am

Abscate wrote: Friggen Millennials. Get back to work and pay my social security checks.

Well so far, looks like your able to take about 3 showers!
Safe travels man, look forward to your very detailed and fun photos and stories!

FWIW, there are a lot of bus folks in Missouri and northern Arkansas, if for whatever reason you found yourself driving south during more winter months.
Sam

Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:40 am

And they say hippies are smelly and dirty. Way to change the stereotype man. :lol:

Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:50 am

Looks like a great route! I did lots of work-travel vagabonding in my day (much easier than beg-travel...never got why anyone would resort to that). Future storytelling eagerly awaited.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:54 am

:popcorn:

Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:19 am

Take the coastal highways in Oregon up to Cannon Beach area then go West to Portland. If I'm around when you are in the area, you know you've got a shower and a room at my place if needed. I'll put you in Stu's room :wink: Plus I always have some bus work to supplement your income. Safe travels.

Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:44 am

Go into a Pilot or Flying J truck stop and buy the $7 small book that lists EVERY truck stop in the US and Canada . Even the smaller ones on state highways .
WHY ?
There is nothing more unnerving to me than seeing the gas guage nearing empty and not knowing how far the next gas is ...this also lets you know how far you can plan on driving to get to a safe place to sleep .
AND
Sleeping in the front 1/2 of the truck stop is an option ; Showers are available for $8 , hotdogs are 2 for $5 :lol: ; Pilot , Flying J and Loves have patrols to keep you safe AND keep the hookers from banging on your vehicle to see if you want to " party " :twisted:
PLEASE DO NOT park in the back between the big rigs ; I saw a van get crushed when a big rig backed over it late one night in New Jersey .
If it gets too cold and you go home the southern ( Florida ) route let me know . :D
I am building a Type 6 so that I can do what you are doing when I retire :)

Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:26 am

Check out Pilot Flying J. Some have RV hook ups and if you can get in a truck lane they have IA (idle air). A removable window adapter, that connects to your window and provides, heating, cooling, standard electric inside and outside their cabs, Satellite TV, Internet.
https://www.idleair.com/

Coming up I5 or 101?

Safe Travels
Tcash

Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:48 am

Take the 101, stop in Santa Rosa for some pliny

Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:48 pm

I'd love to grab a beer and help with any repairs/maintainance you have when you get to Detroit! Do you have a timeline of when you will be where, or are you just winging it?

Also, a shower if you need it and can convince my wife that you're not crazy. lol