cross country trip.. new plan

We were planning to drive around the country a few years ago (while in college), but didn't have the funds! This year we finally have REAL jobs, so we can afford to save up however much we need for next Spring.

We plan to leave in mid-May, and get back.. whenever (I'm thinking about a month). We are starting out in Buffalo, NY, heading over to the start of route 66, and taking route 66 all the way down to LA. From there we want to go up the coast all the way to Washington, and then back towards Buffalo, stopping at Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, and the Field of Dreams on the way.

There are 4 of us, the trip is about 6000 miles, and I'm figuring gas will be around $5.00/gallon by then so I'm planning on at least $1500 in gas.

We want to drive on average about 4 hours/day (some days 8 hours, some days none), camp about 3/4 of the nights, and splurge on a nice hotel about every 4 days. We'll be preparing food ourselves most of the time, and again, splurging on a nice restaurant (by nice, I mean Fridays or Applebees) maybe once/week.

We'll need to factor in admission fees to parks, but besides that, we probably won't be spending much on souvenirs or activities. We'll mostly be just spending our time doing camping stuff, hanging out, playing cards (simple stuff), and of course taking lots and lots of pictures.

Does $5,000 and a month sound reasonable if we want to really take the time to enjoy everything?

Sarah

Think about this. Once you take out $1500 for gas (and that's not budgeting too much) you're left with $3500 for 4 people to live on for 30 days, or about $850/month/person. Now, do you think that you could live on an annual budget of about $10,000? And traveling is more expensive than day-to-day living. Now there are certainly ways to travel cheaply, but I think you're going to be hard pressed to have a pleasurable journey on your current budget. Try going through this post to see where you need to put your money and how much. Also sit down with your friends and take this "test" to make sure you all are on the same page as to what you want out of this trip. You can certainly make this trip and have fun, but you greatly increase your chances of a successful outcome if you start out with your eyes wide open to the difficulties you'll face.

AZBuck

Microsoft Trips & Streets says your proposed route will be about 6577 miles and you'll be driving 97 hours /48 minutes -- of course, this doesn't include any around-town driving, nor does it include any getting-lost time. This means you'll be averaging 219 miles per day, or about four hours driving time per day.

I don't know what kind of car you're driving, but I made the assumption that you're getting about 20 mpg (a car big enough to carry camping gear for four people probably won't get better than that), which means you'll be spending about 1644.49 in gas (using your proposed $5/gallon, which, of course, is anyone's guess).

That leaves you just under $3500 for four people. That's about $29 per person per day to eat, sleep, wash clothes, and see things. One thing I'd "up" is the idea of eating out only once a week; eating from the cooler, while economical, gets old in a hurry -- it's more realistic to say that you'll eat out every other day at the least.

One more question: One year out of college, do you have enough vacation to do a one-month trip?

I'll throw out a round number here.....$2500/person, which is $625/week. Let's break it down per week:

$125 for gas
$150 for hotels and camping
$150 for food
$100 for admissions, etc.
$100 for anything else

I've been researching a trip that included LA (now off our list in favor of Monterey) and San Francisco (still on the itinerary), and I gotta tell you-camping is the way to go to save money in these areas, but I had real trouble finding anything that was convenient to the cities themselves. We've ended up with hotels that were more than we had originally budgeted for. I imagine that your group will want to spend some time in LA, San Fran, Seattle, and maybe some other places en route. Remember that your hotel costs are going to be significantly higher in these areas, and will bring your lodging costs up significantly.

Plus, there's always that really lousy thought of car repairs. I guess that's what credit cards are for.....but I'd still be budgeting at least $2500 each for a full month on the road.

Good luck and enjoy the planning!

That sounds like a LOT. I guess I'll have to try and budget everything out more accurately and get back to you!

We aren't really concerned with seeing any of the big cities, besides L.A. I have a cousin in San Diego we could stay with (I know it's a few hours away) We're more focused on just finding really great camping spots, hiking trails, and (natural) sights. While in San Francisco we'll be staying with my aunt.

And it sounds like MS Trips and Streets is a necessity. Is it worth buying that now, or should I just wait until right before we go, so that we have the latest edition?

Mrs. Pete, the two of us who are out of college (and who will be paying for most of this) have jobs that aren't year round. We're off from mid-May to mid-August. The other two don't have the "real jobs" yet.. they're doing work-study at college, which ends mid-May as well.

Car repairs.. that's something I don't even want to think about! But of course, we have to prepare for it. We'll definitely have it checked out before we go, and there will be a guy with us who knows a lot about cars. Of course, he can't fix everything, but at least we know we won't get ripped off.

Like I said though, I'll budget everything out and run this by everyone again.

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That sounds like a LOT. I guess I'll have to try and budget everything out more accurately and get back to you!

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It might sound like a lot, and it might be more than you need, but you also need to remember you're talking about living expenses for 4 people. However, since you'll be able to pool some of your costs, you will be able to save some.

Here's what I would see as a rough breakdown of expenses based on what you've laid out:

Gas: I think you're shooting way too low at a $1500 estimate. 6,000 miles point to point doesn't factor in the extra driving you'll do while you look for places to see, stay, etc. I'd say 10k miles is much more likely when all is said and done. If you get a reasonable 20 mpg, you're actually looking at $2500 for fuel alone.

Food: If you really keep to your plan of only eating out once a week, you can probably get your food expenses down to $20 per person per day. That's another $2400.

Lodging: 23 Days of Camping and 7 nights at a budget motel, that's going to be about $900 dollars.

You're already at $6000 for this trip using some pretty conservative estimates, and that's before you factor in any misc spending for admission fees, entertainment, and other activities. I'd factor another $10 per day per person, which adds another $1000 to your trip.

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And it sounds like MS Trips and Streets is a necessity. Is it worth buying that now, or should I just wait until right before we go, so that we have the latest edition?

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I've never purchases S&T before, and I've certainly never thought of it as a requirement. I've been quite happy just using a good atlas and the various free online mapping programs. However, it does have some nice features that you could very well find helpful. If you do decide to get it, I would assume you'd want to use it to help plan your trip, which would mean getting it sooner rather than later.

I've budgeted everything out a little more in depth now.. and it seems like $6700 is a good number..

Here's our trip mapped out (of course I'm sure it will change during the year):


Day 1: Buffalo, NY to St. Louis: 12 hours (driving), stay in a hotel

Day 2: to Amarillo: 12 hours, stay in a hotel, see the Cadillac Ranch on the morning of Day 3

Day 3-4: to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, AZ: 8 hours, camp 2 nights

Day 5-6: to Winslow, AZ: 1 hour, and then to the Grand Canyon: 2.5 hours, camp 2 nights

Day 7: to Las Vegas: 4.5 hours, stay the night- hotel

Day 8-9: to Death Valley National Park: 3.5 hours, camp 2 nights

Day 10-12: to Yosemite: 5 hours, camp 3 nights

Day 13-14: to San Francisco: 4 hours, stay 2 nights in hotel (or with relatives)

Day 15-16: to Patrick's Point State Park: 5 hours, camp 2 nights

Day 17-19: to Colombia Gorge: 8 hours (maybe stopping a night halfway in between) -staying in hotel 3 nights

Day 20-23: to Yellowstone: 12 hours (maybe stopping a night halfway in between) -hotel 1 night, camping other 3

Day 24-27: to Grand Teton: 2 hours, camping 4 nights

Day 28: to Mount Rushmore: 8 hours, hotel 1 night

Day 29: back home to Buffalo (after seeing Rushmore in the morning): 21 hours (obviously stopping 1-2 nights on our way) -hotels for these 1-2 stops



I included $2500 in gas as you suggested (who knows what gas will be by then), $1000 for 10 nights in hotels (1/3 of the trip), $500 in camping costs for 20 nights (averaging $25/night), $300 in entry fees (I know it averages out to about $2.50/person/day, but some days we won't be spending anything- for example, if we're staying in the park for several days, and I imagine the camping fee includes entry fees in many places.

For food, you said I might be able to get those costs down to $20/person/day if we eat out once/week. I used those estimates, but I still feel like they are high. $20 a day is enough to eat out for every meal- a $5 breakfast, $5 lunch, and $10 dinner. (we always split our restaurant meals, anyway). The last time we went camping we spent $25 on food, and that was enough to last all 4 of us the full 3 days (and we had lots leftover). When we're camping, we'll basically be eating hot dogs, cereal, beans, hamburgers, apples and bananas. And for drinks, we usually just get a few gallons of 69cent water. Whatever is leftover from food money, though, we can put towards activities.

Thanks everyone for all your help, please let me know if there's something I'm still not taking into consideration. Like I said though, we're more into just hanging out and appreciating (and photographing) the beautiful landscapes, than we are into doing "activities" like guided tours, boat rides, shopping, etc..

Sarah

The current plan adds up to over 6000 miles- from Buffalo to Grand Canyon, up the Pacific Coast to the Columbia Gorge, and back home. We're traveling for a month, staying in hotels 1/3 of the time (mostly after very long drives)

Anyways, I wonder if anyone here who's taken a LONG road trip like this has any advice on not getting really sick of driving, and of each other! And is there a way to avoid sore butts from sitting so long? (hehe)

Thanks!
Sarah

PS: We've looked at the compatibility test on this site already- we're all on the same page when it comes to what we want to do/see

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Originally Posted by puff5655

And is there a way to avoid sore butts from sitting so long?

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There are some tips here, but one of the best things you can do is MOVE -- When you stop for fuel or food do the "Chicken Dance or the YMCA dance" Get the body parts moving.

Mark

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The current plan adds up to over 6000 miles- from Buffalo to Grand Canyon, up the Pacific Coast to the Columbia Gorge, and back home. We're traveling for a month, staying in hotels 1/3 of the time (mostly after very long drives)

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This is probably just from point-to-point. Once you add in driving to-from campgrounds, sights you're exploring, and just pulling over for food/fuel, you'll need to significantly pad that number to get a true picture. I usually add 30%. Sometimes this is more cushion than I need but then the excess fuel money can go toward something else. I'd rather be over than under.

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Anyways, I wonder if anyone here who's taken a LONG road trip like this has any advice on not getting really sick of driving, and of each other!

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I see you have scheduled days when you're staying put and not driving. That's great. That should keep you from getting tired of driving. If you do get tired on the driving days you're doing, then you just need to get into the roadtrip mentality. Then the driving is fun. Particularly when spaced out as you have scheduled things.

Don't do all your activities together. Allow for people going off on their own now and then. It's OK to hike for awhile alone. Or stay behind and read a book. Whatever. You don't have to be joined at the hip.

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for example, if we're staying in the park for several days, and I imagine the camping fee includes entry fees in many places.

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Not in national parks. You will need to either pay an entry fee at each park or get a national parks pass.

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For food, you said I might be able to get those costs down to $20/person/day if we eat out once/week. I used those estimates, but I still feel like they are high. $20 a day is enough to eat out for every meal- a $5 breakfast, $5 lunch, and $10 dinner.

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Ever hear of "Supercize Me"? Seriously, this is fastfood for every meal. Maybe you're young enough to handle it but I feel like crap if I eat this way very often and it sure doesn't give you the energy you need for hiking and other activities that require some exertion. And it doesn't really lend itself well to long driving days either. If you want to keep healthy and fit on your trip, this isn't hte way to go.

Few people are as thrifty as I am when it comes to food budgets, both at home and on the road. We generally only eat out ever 2-3 days when traveling but, when we do, we like to eat something that reflects local cuisine. It's part of the experience of being on the road and it would be nice to budget some money for doing this.

Heck, even ice to keep things cold could be $2-4 a day. Where you're going, even enough water to stay hydrated will add up. I wouldn't be surprised if you're drinking more than a case a day in places like Death Valley. I agree that $20 a day might be a bit high if you're eating is simple and mostly prepared yourself from your cooler. But I think your expectation of $25 for all of you to last up to 3-4 days is really low. With careful shopping, you'll might be somewhere around $20/day for all of you. But don't be surprised if it goes higher sometimes either. Don't seriously under-budget here.

I hope you have your campsites reserved in popular places like Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone.

We finally have a budget for our cross-America in 30 days road trip this summer. $6,000.

This was our original route:

Day 1: Buffalo, NY to St. Louis: 12 hours (driving), stay in a hotel
Day 2: to Amarillo: 12 hours, stay in a hotel, see the Cadillac Ranch on the morning of Day 3
Day 3-4: to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, AZ: 8 hours, camp 2 nights
Day 5-6: to Winslow, AZ: 1 hour, and then to the Grand Canyon: 2.5 hours, camp 2 nights
Day 7: to Las Vegas: 4.5 hours, stay the night- hotel
Day 8-9: to Death Valley National Park: 3.5 hours, camp 2 nights
Day 10-12: to Yosemite: 5 hours, camp 3 nights
Day 13-14: to San Francisco: 4 hours, stay 2 nights in hotel (or with relatives)
Day 15-16: to Patrick's Point State Park: 5 hours, camp 2 nights
Day 17-19: to Colombia Gorge: 8 hours (maybe stopping a night halfway in between) -staying in hotel 3 nights
Day 20-23: to Yellowstone: 12 hours (maybe stopping a night halfway in between) -hotel 1 night, camping other 3
Day 24-27: to Grand Teton: 2 hours, camping 4 nights
Day 28: to Mount Rushmore: 8 hours, hotel 1 night
Day 29: back home to Buffalo (after seeing Rushmore in the morning): 21 hours (obviously stopping 1-2 nights on our way) -hotels for these 1-2 stops

Forum users estimated a cost of $10,000.

So I need to cheapen it up!

Any suggestions on what to cut out/where to spend less time? I imagine gas will be less than my predicted $5/gallon, so that should cut some of the cost right there.

It also may end up being 3 people, instead of 4.

The Cadillac Ranch, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, the Redwoods, and the Grand Canyon are the only 4 that absolutely need to stay in there.

We aren't looking for touristy things to do. The main point is finding good camping with beautiful scenery. We're big photography buffs so beautiful and interesting locations are important. Great hikes would be a big bonus.

Route 66 can be cut out, if there's a faster route. Vegas can be cut out. Death Valley can be cut out.

The obvious and simple way to trim your costs is to get rid of so many of your motel stops, especially on days where you are going to be staying in the same location for 2 to 3 days at a time. That alone could save you hundreds of dollars on this trip.

I would also suggest rethinking some of your marathon driving days. While google might tell you that you can drive 750 miles in 12 hours, reality says it ends up being a pretty brutal 13-14 hours, and those kind of drives can really wear you down. If you drive a more reasonable 500-600 miles, you can not only have a more enjoyable time on the road, you'd have time to set up camp at the end of the day.

The other thing that could be done simply is to cut down the time you spend at place, and thus the overall length of your trip. Almost every place you've listed you're planning to spend 2-3 days. Instead of spending 2-3 days, spend a day or two. For example, between Death Valley and Yosemite, you're planning to spend 5 days here. Trim that down to 3 days, and you'll save 2 days of lodging, food, and other expenses. Same with Yellowstone and the Tetons, you're planning to spend a full week here, which is great, but if you need to make cuts, it seems like a pretty obvious choice.

There is a lot of fat that you can trim from this trip, you just need to decide where your priorities are.

I'll look it all over tonight and see what we can change.

Thanks for the tips.

I feel like we'll need some motel/hotel stops along the way, when we're too exhausted to set up camp and need a good night of sleep.

I just don't want to feel like we're rushing through and not seeing anything.

3 Girls. 14 Days. 5000 Miles.

June 19: Buffalo, NY to st louis, 12 hours driving, hotel

June 20: to Amarillo: 10 hours, hotel

June 21: see cadillac ranch in the morning, drive to Painted Desert AZ, 8 hours, hotel

June 22: camp (Painted Desert), 0 hours

June 23: drive to Winslow AZ, 1 hour, then Grand Canyon, 2.5 hours, camp

June 24: to Zion National Park, 5 hours, camp

June 25: to Salt Lake City, UT, 5 hours, hotel

June 26: to Grand Tetons: 7 hours, hotel

June 27: Camp (grand tetons) 0 hours

June 28: to Yellowstone: 1.5 hours, camp

June 29: to Mount Rushmore, 9.5 hours hotel

June 30: Omaha, Nebraska, 8 hours driving, hotel

July 1: stop fort wayne indiana, 10 hours driving, hotel

July 2: back home, 8 hours

Gas: $2000
Misc (car repairs): $300
Food: $1100
Entrtnmt/Admissions: $1300
Hotels and camping: $1300

Total: $6000

Budget sound right?

Besides those last 4 days that will be pretty painful, everything else looks good to me now. We cut out California in order to add 3 more days of staying put. I'll have to start exploring each area now more in depth. man this is a lot of planning.

If your goal is to drastically cut the cost of your trip, then I think you've succeeded.

However, I will say, I find it a little strange you've been planning this trip since last summer, but in the space of one day you've gone from a month long trip where you are spending several days to nearly a week at each location to a two week trip where you aren't even spending a full day at places like the Grand Canyon, Zion, or the Black Hills. Instead of finding ways to trim your trip to fit your budget, you've just hacked off huge chunks.

Its your trip, and if you feel this is better for you, that's great, but when such a drastic change is made so quickly, I wonder if you've really thought through your changes.

Well this weekend we finally got down to talking about when to take the trip, realistically. It had been on the backburner for awhile. We discovered that we only had a 2 week window. I wish we had longer, but unless I want to miss my sister's wedding, or my friend wants to lose her job, this is all the time we have.

Sounds like you're saying this trip and the budget are doable, though.

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Originally Posted by puff5655

It also may end up being 3 people, instead of 4.

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The quickest way to shore up your budget is to recruit a 4th "for sure" person.

Four people on a road trip is a picture of efficiency. The car takes the same amount of gas regardless of whether 3 or 4 people ride in it. The hotel costs the same regardless of whether 3 or 4 people share it. The fourth driver cuts down your share of the driving. Assuming, of course, that everyone's paying an equal share of the trip, a fourth person will slash your per-person cost.


Personally, I'd reconsider the Cadillac Ranch. Figure your mileage, and see how many miles you're putting in to see this place. It's more miles than I would be willing to "spend" on this attraction.

Also, you said you could cut Vegas. You might reconsider that. Since it's such a big town, you can get hotels there CHEAP -- competition, you know! For example, we're staying at the Plaza Hotel (nothing fancy, rather dated, but in a good location) on the night we fly into Vegas. The cost (via Priceline) is $35/night. Consider keeping Vegas, and using it as a "hub". From there you can do a number of day trips: the Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, Vallley of Fire. And there's more -- give it a consideration! STAYING in Vegas is cheap; it's gambling, eating well, and seeing shows that costs a fortune!

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Originally Posted by puff5655

Well this weekend we finally got down to talking about when to take the trip, realistically. It had been on the backburner for awhile. We discovered that we only had a 2 week window. I wish we had longer, but unless I want to miss my sister's wedding, or my friend wants to lose her job, this is all the time we have.

Sounds like you're saying this trip and the budget are doable, though.

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Sounds like real life interferred. The same thing happened to us: We had a wonderful five-week trip planned, and we had the money saved . . . but now with the economy's downturn, a number of people have been laid off at my husband's office, and he's afraid that if he's gone for five weeks, they may decide they can do without him forever. He HAS months and months of vacation coming to him, but in the real world he'd better not take advantage of it (at least not all at once).

I looked at cutting out the Cadillac Ranch, but it really only adds 50 miles to the trip.

From home-Grand Canyon 2150 miles
From home-Cadillac Ranch-Grand Canyon 2200 miles

So that can stay.

We will reconsider Vegas. I was thinking the opposite- that it would be very expensive to stay there. Good tip.

and yes, real life can stink sometimes.

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Originally Posted by puff5655

I looked at cutting out the Cadillac Ranch, but it really only adds 50 miles to the trip.

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Ah, I would've thought more. Pretty much any site is worth 50 miles -- that is, when you're already putting in 2000.

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Originally Posted by puff5655

We will reconsider Vegas. I was thinking the opposite- that it would be very expensive to stay there. Good tip.

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Big cities are like raising children: Within reason, they can be done as expensively or as inexpensively as you choose; and the majority of the experience won't vary a tremendous amount regardless of which you choose. Small towns, on the other hand, can charge you whatever they like because there's no competition! For example, I could not manage to find a hotel in Keystone, SD for a reasonable price -- not with Priceline, not the state park. Nothing. Denver, CO -- $25/night in a good area too! Piddly little Cortez, CO -- closer to $150. (Of course, I have enough free nights everywhere to not pay in the expensive areas, but that's not the point.)

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Originally Posted by puff5655

and yes, real life can stink sometimes.

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Well, there is a silver lining to my story. He feels badly about making me pare down our road trip from the original five weeks -- especially since I've been saving money like a madwoman (well, saving is my natural tendency anyway, but I've really stepped it up for this trip). So he says I can book a cruise for our 20th wedding anniversary NEXT summer. Road trip in 2009, cruise in 2010. Things COULD be worse. The benefit, of course, to a cruise is that IF he should be laid off (a possibility), it's 100% refundable up 'til 60 days before the trip.

We have finalized our schedule and have begun making reservations. This makes it REAL!!

Thanks everyone for all your help through our YEARS of planning this trip!

We decided to leave out Vegas.. just no desire to go there, and worried about safety (especially for the car!). Mrs. Pete, that sounds like it works out! Nothing wrong with cruises :)

I sure hope you will pop by and let us know how your trip turns out with a report.

Dave.

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Originally Posted by puff5655

We decided to leave out Vegas.. just no desire to go there, and worried about safety (especially for the car!). Mrs. Pete, that sounds like it works out! Nothing wrong with cruises :)

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Nothing wrong with a husband remaining profitably employed in today's economy either! He was heartbroken to cut the trip back to a measley two weeks, but I completely understood his fears about being away from work so long. If I weren't a teacher, I'd probably be in the same boat.

Heres our ridiculously long list of what we need for our 2 week trip. We'll be camping and hiking a lot. There's 3 of us.

Anything we left out? (Hope this list might be a bit helpful too!)

sleeping gear (pillow, bag, blanket)
clothes, pj's, regular toiletries (shampoo, etc..)
swimsuit, beach towel
nalgene bottle
sneakers, flips, chacos
purses, wallets, backpack
sunglasses
camera, phone, ipod, chargers
brush
hair straightener
sunscreen
bug spray
first aid kit, tylenol, etc..
swiss army knife

Camping Stuff
tent
mallet (for stakes)
flashlights
cooler
piemakers, foil, trashbags, grill-cooking utensils, paper plates, can opener

Stuff to Do
dvds
travel journal
books
cards, games
notebook, sketchpad, pencils and pens

Other Stuff
a laptop
noise canceling headphones
flash drive (to save pictures)
car kit (tire pressure gauge, flares, emerg. blanket, etc..)
TomTom GPS
fans


And will this all fit in a little Ford Focus?

We'll be camping and doing some light hiking in Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yellowstone. 2-3 hour treks on easy-moderate trails.

I've been told hiking boots are necessary in snake country, but it seems like they would be really hot and bulky. In the Northeast, I've always just worn my Chacos sandals or my LLBean Summer sneakers (thin and waterproof) when hiking.

Would those be okay or would I be taking a huge risk with snakes/scorpions/spiders??

Thanks!

Sarah

I've hiked in a variety of footwear in the southwest -- but as personal preference I would strongly suggest you invest in a pair of light-weight hiking boots. You don't really need them for the places you are going -- but you don't really need a sprained or broken ankle either.

Mark

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Originally Posted by puff5655

We'll be camping and doing some light hiking in Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yellowstone. 2-3 hour treks on easy-moderate trails.

I've been told hiking boots are necessary in snake country, but it seems like they would be really hot and bulky. In the Northeast, I've always just worn my Chacos sandals or my LLBean Summer sneakers (thin and waterproof) when hiking.

Would those be okay or would I be taking a huge risk with snakes/scorpions/spiders??

Thanks!

Sarah

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Yes, you need boots. I've come too close to snakes many times, and my husband had a scorpion in the foot of his bed once at camp -- that was scary. Critters aside, don't forget the extra protection for your ankles. Let your foot slip on a rock, twist your ankle, and the next few days of your trip are shot!

Though my normal summer footwear alternates between Keds/no socks and Teva flip-flops, I love-love-love my lightweight hiking boots. They are by far the most comfortable shoes I own, and they don't feel hot while I'm walking -- I would not enjoy wearing them around the house, of course. The boots' protection factor is enormously better than that of sandals or sneakers.

They don't have to cost a fortune. My current pair was $2 at a yard sale; they're Vasque name-brand and they're perfect for me. It's spring break right now, and we've been going through closets to see what still fits / what should go to Goodwill, and I just discovered that BOTH of my daughters have outgrown their boots. No good kids, always growing, never thinking of my wallet. They're both taller than I am already! I've just bid on two pair of Merrell boots (lightweight, partially ripstop nylon, better than full leather for the casual hiker) on eBay for them. One pair is currently going for $6, while the other is at the top of my personal price range of $10. Please don't bid against me! I need those boots!

Sounds like they are a must! Thanks for your advice!

I'll have to check out ebay! :)

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Originally Posted by puff5655

Sounds like they are a must! Thanks for your advice!

I'll have to check out ebay! :)

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I now have two pair of "new to us" hiking boots for my daughters. Both were purchased on ebay, both look all but new, both were less than $10. They had a chance to try them out last weekend on a day hike at a state park, and they both declared them perfect. Equipment doesn't have to cost a fortune.

This will be the last stretch of our trip, basically the "going home" part.

We haven't thought at all about worthy stops along this route, we'll be traveling it over 3-5 days.

Wondering what highway would be the most scenic, and if you have any suggestions on places to stop and explore/view. We'd like to go through Omaha.

Thanks,

Sarah