Can't Wait To Hit the Road!

Hello to all of you wonderful people. I've been road-trippin' for years, but have only just found this website. Where have I been?!

After I graduate from college in a month or so I'm going to put on my driving gloves, hit the road, and head out to explore the great American West (I'm currently in Burlington, VT). I have a whole ton of ants in my pants (aka ramblin' feet) and can't wait to hit the road! My funds are looking pretty good, but I’d like the trip to last as long as possible--maybe even all summer.

There have been some posts about making money while on the road, but I wanted to see if anyone has additional information, personal stories, or suggestions about how to make some quick cash to keep a road trip going. I'm not sure what sort of opportunities exist, if any, but I would be willing to work somewhere for either a day, or a month, as long as I could continue onward with a little extra green.

I’d like to camp as much as possible, and stay with friend when I can, but I would also like to do some more serious backpacking and hiking, hopefully a few overnight trips. Any thoughts or suggestions? Problems that may come up? I’ve done a lot camping and hiking, but don’t have any experience doing it solo--something I find exciting, fascinating, and terrifying. Any advice would be a great help. Thanks!

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There are major problems to finding short-term part-time work on the road. Without an in-demand skill set, you are basically trying to sell yourself out as a day laborer, and one with the stated intention of moving on as soon as you've parted your employer from some of his money. In this market you're competing against locals who know where the local 'market' is and show up there every morning at the break of dawn eager to sell their work for money to put food on the table. They also know who might be hiring and how to sell themselves. That is, after all, their full-time job. I simply don't know how you'd compete with them. Similarly, trying to get seasonal work in outdoor settings or even resort establishments would put you up against people who decided long before you got there that they were going to spend the season in the area and have put their names on waiting lists should an opening occur, even for a day. The one possibility where you might have an advantage is if you had a specific skill set, be it plumber, electrician, computer programmer, nurse, or some other in-demand profession where you had certification and the bulk of job seekers did not. Then you might be able to use any professional societies you may belong to, or contacts you may have made in the field, or even the local help-wanted adds as resources. But really, in today's economy, banking on finding part time work on little to no notice is not a secure way to finance your trip.

AZBuck

It sounds like a great trip. My wife and I were just discussing that the only way we could see taking our time on a cross-country trip would be as college age kids or retirees.

Without knowing your planned destinations I don't have any hiking or camping suggestions, but I do suggest you take a digital camera, an extra memory card or two, and a journal to write in to record your trip. When I took solo trips in the past I also brought a small tripod to take pictures of myself in front of famous places (and a small Gumby to put in photos in place of me). This is a great opportunity in your life to make memories to show a future spouse and kids. I always look at road trips as educational opportunities, and I see your trip as the chance to learn about the geography, geology, history, zoology, linguistics (dialects), etc. of this great nation.

Let us know as you build your itinerary.

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Originally Posted by AZBuck

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There are major problems to finding short-term part-time work on the road. Without an in-demand skill set, you are basically trying to sell yourself out as a day laborer, and one with the stated intention of moving on as soon as you've parted your employer from some of his money. In this market you're competing against locals who know where the local 'market' is and show up there every morning at the break of dawn eager to sell their work for money to put food on the table. They also know who might be hiring and how to sell themselves. That is, after all, their full-time job. I simply don't know how you'd compete with them. Similarly, trying to get seasonal work in outdoor settings or even resort establishments would put you up against people who decided long before you got there that they were going to spend the season in the area and have put their names on waiting lists should an opening occur, even for a day. The one possibility where you might have an advantage is if you had a specific skill set, be it plumber, electrician, computer programmer, nurse, or some other in-demand profession where you had certification and the bulk of job seekers did not. Then you might be able to use any professional societies you may belong to, or contacts you may have made in the field, or even the local help-wanted adds as resources. But really, in today's economy, banking on finding part time work on little to no notice is not a secure way to finance your trip.

AZBuck

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I have to agree. My high school students are now having trouble finding jobs -- and we're not in a part of the country that's been hit hard by the recession. Finding day labor, I suspect, is nigh on to impossible.

I do know someone who works as a traveling nurse. She works in one state for a couple months, then moves on. She likes it, but it has most definitely taken a toll on her two children's educations.

Thank you for the responses. I guess it was a bit naive to think that I could scoop up some work along the way. But that sure isn't gonna stop me.

This is how the trips starting to look: I'm leaving from Long Island, NY, then heading towards to Chicago (never been). After that I'll drive to the Badlands, then Grand Teton/Yellowstone (probably just Teton). I have friends in Portland, Oregon, so I'd like to make it make it out there and stay for about a week. There is a whole lot of space in between Yellowstone and Portland, any thoughts? After Portland I want to head to Utah to see some family in Dutch John (right outside of Flaming Gorge. Cool area). At this point, depending on how the funds are doing I would like to head down to Canyonlands National Park, or maybe Bryce Canyon. On my way back East I'd like to stop and see a friend in Boulder, CO.

It sounds huge, and almost unrealistic when I write it out, but I have plenty of money saved up and a good reliable car (2005 Subaru Outback). I'd like to camp 90% of the time, cook almost all of my own food, and live very simply. I think I should probably purchase a National Parks pass. Is it still $80.00?

None of this is set in stone. And why should it be? There are certaintly plenty of gaps in my plan--time for exploration. I'm not sure how long I would like to stay at each place yet, or even how long the trip will last. I'd like to have a loose plan, but really want to keep things fairly spontanious. Any suggestions?

I'd like to do some backcountry camping along the way. Has anyone done solo backpacking in any of the parks I have mentioned? I gotta say that I'm grateful for finding this site. It rules. Thanks for your help.

I was also wondering what sort of non-perishable food you would suggest. I'm hoping for a trip to Costco with Mom before I leave. I was thinking canned soup, beans, ramen, that sort of things, but I want to keep it pretty healthy. Of course, I'll also have a cooler. Any thoughts?

Out of curiousity, what do you have for a budget in both time and money at this point? When I see plans for a very big trip, but those plans also include things talking about living very cheaply and being spontanious, I wonder if you've really though exactly how elaborate of a trip you're really planning. You certainly don't have to come up with a plan that list out how you are spending every single day, but I'd at least make a rough plan for what you're going to do, so you don't make it halfway across the country and discover you barely have enough funds to make it home.

For food, I'd simply remind you that you don't need to pick up everything before you leave. There are grocery stores everywhere, so if you just stop every day or two you can get food that you feel like eating without worrying about it spoiling or transporting it. You can also find more regional specialty items that you might not find otherwise. Obviously, if you are going to get into some serious hike-in back-pack camping, you'll want to find things that are lightweight and easy to move

The trip I outlined is somewhere around 6,500 miles in total distance. My rough estimate for gas is between $600--$700.

I would like the trip to last about six weeks, keeping in mind that I would spend up to a week in Portland, a few days in Dutch John (UT), and a week or so in Boulder.

I'm having trouble figuring out how much food would cost, but I know that I want to cook my own meals, mooch off the friends and family I stay with (of course I would still have some food expenses), and be dedicated to keeping costs down.

In my last post I wasn't implying that I would try to pack my car with food for the whole trip. I was just looking for suggestions if I got my wonderful mother to pay for a trip to the supermarket before I leave. On the road I would shop at grocery stores and keep a cooler. So let's say I spend $25 a day on food the total cost would be about $1100. It seems high, but I'll probably end up buying cheap beer or wine when I plan on relaxing for a day or two.

And then there's camping, and maybe a hotel or two. Because I'm staying with people, I would camp around 30 days of the 6 weeks. Maybe $15 bucks a night or so (the price varies), plus the cost for backpacking permits--lets say, $50. Oh, and the National Parks pass ($80). Total cost: $680.

Altogether it's about $2,500. I also need to update some camping gear, but I'm hoping that graduation presents will pay for that. These estimates are on the high end, and I think I might be able to do better. Does this seem about right? Did I miss anything?

I wasn't really asking about my budget, but I'm glad I took the time to write down some actual numbers. As I said before, I would really like the trip to last as long as possible. Thanks.

Man...thinking about this trip has become a bit of an obsession the past couple of days. Initially, I wanted to graduate from college, jump in the car and just go. But reading this forum has really made me see the bigger picture -- what's actually possible, how much a long road trip costs, what the stakes are etc.

So here's the deal. I have some money from my Great Grandparents that I was planning on putting towards a new car, or a down payment on a house in the future. But after some serious thought, I would rather put it towards this trip. I have about $4000, but, as I have said, I'd like to really pinch pennies and make every cent count. In other words, I don't want to spend that much.

I'm not sure how helpful this is but I mapped out my plan on Googlemaps. It looks like this: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...26,92.8125&z=4 . But I'd like to keep it loose.


I'd like to spend a few days camping/hiking/backpacking in each park I visit, but I'm young and dumb and wouldn't mind driving for really long periods of time to get the most out of the trip. I go to school in Burlington, VT, and often drive home to Long Island. It's about 6 1/2 hours and never fails to clear my head--it's like therapy. That drive always seems too short and I usually do it without stoping (unless I really gotta go). Not trying to sound cocky, I just really love being on the road.

The last cross country trip I did was with a buddy of mine from Vermont to San Diego--following Route 66 for a good portion--and it was a blast, but I'm really looking foward to doing it solo and seeing some friends and family along the way.

Sorry for posting so much, just trying to figure this thing out. It's pretty clear that you guys are the experts. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Just a few comments:

Gas - I think you need to pad that amount a bit. You will likely drive 20%, maybe even 30% more miles than Google tells you because of drives off the main road to campgrounds, grocery stores, hiking trailheads, etc. And you never know what will catch your eye that will take you a ways off the major route that will be worth exploring. Also, gas prices always go up in the summer and some states charge more for gas than others. You might check out Gas Buddy to get an idea of what the costs are in the various states. And, of course, check it out right before leaving as gas always seems to go when the summer vacation season starts.

Food - Check out this post for some ideas on what to pack. When I'm by myself, I can easily eat out of my cooler for about $10/day but I keep it cheap and simple. Of course, I also splurge on a good restaurant meal once every other day, or every third day, usually at someplace known for some good local cuisine. So I think $25/day is a good budget as it will allow for a few splurges in a restaurant and/or finer dining in camp.

Camping fees - I would budget $20 night. These rates seem to be going up, even in the national/state/county parks. Also, my state is contemplating closing some state parks for budget reasons. (A real bummer!) It's possible this is happening in other states as well. Just be aware of this as it may make finding camping a tad tougher.

I've done some tweaking to part of your map (from Grand Tetons to Dutch John). I really can't believe you're considering skipping Yellowstone when you're so close. Gosh, at least drive through it! I think you'll really enjoy the Lolo Road after Missoula. It's twisty and fun to drive and takes you through incredible scenery. You'll then get down into farm country for most of your trip towards Mt. Rainier. After Mt. Rainier, swing through Mr. St. Helens. The blast zone is still quite incredible. Then, after Portland, do take in at least part of the lovely Oregon Coast.

At least that's how I'd do it. YMMV!

Enjoy!

I'm hoping that my high estimation for food and my low estimation for gas will balence out a little bit. Hopefully, I can do the trip for around $2,500, with maybe an extra $500 for emergencies, souvenirs, gifts, excursions and the such. It's a huge chunk a' change, but I can't think of a better way to spend it.

When I was about 9-years-old my family and I drove from Long Island to Utah in a rickety old RV, and spent a few days in Yellowstone. That was part of my reasoning, but you're right, how could I not at least drive through (I'll probably get plenty distracted). If I'm going to do this trip, I may as well do it right. The same goes for the Oregon coast. Thank you for taking the time to offer some suggestions and tweak my map.

Now I have to force myself to not think about this trip all day long, and actually graduate from college.

Once a trip gets in your mind and under your skin, pushing it aside to take care of business can be tough.

Keep posting while you plan and we'll continue to try to help you get things figured out.

Congrats on the upcoming graduation!

Graduating college right now is an uncomfortable feeling, and this trip is definitely a way for me to avoid the painful job search just a little bit longer. With that in mind, I want my road trip to be productive in some way. I’m hoping it will help me see things more clearly, and that opportunities may come out of my little jaunt around the country. I’ve been thinking about different ways to make the trip take on a new dimension, so that it isn’t just about me driving around and getting my kicks (not on Route 66 this time).

As shirohniichan said, road trips are an incredible opportunity for learning (“geography, geology, history, zoology, linguistics, etc.”) and I whole-heartedly agree. Why not pass on the knowledge? I think that it would be cool to use a road trip as a pedagogical tool and correspond with a group of youngsters from the road. I would let them (their teacher) know approximately where I am and they could send any sort of questions they may have (Are there grizzly bears in Yellowstone? How hot is it in Death Valley?). Those questions are kind of lame, but you get the idea. It seems kind of far-fetched, but this sort of learning experience would open their eyes to how vast our country is, while making them aware of some incredible destinations (national parks, monuments, etc). What do you guys think? Has this sort of thing been done before?

One of our members, laydownthelaw, actually developed a class for this students based on such an idea. It was accepted as a bonafide part of the curiculumn in his local school district.

Mark

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Originally Posted by Ecvoorhis

I think that it would be cool to use a road trip as a pedagogical tool and correspond with a group of youngsters from the road. I would let them (their teacher) know approximately where I am and they could send any sort of questions they may have (Are there grizzly bears in Yellowstone? How hot is it in Death Valley?). Those questions are kind of lame, but you get the idea. It seems kind of far-fetched, but this sort of learning experience would open their eyes to how vast our country is, while making them aware of some incredible destinations (national parks, monuments, etc). What do you guys think? Has this sort of thing been done before?

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Absolutely!

You may have heard of the Flat Stanley project. If you haven't, the short story is Flat Stanley was developed by a Canadian teacher as a way to encourage writing skills in elementary school students; through a pen pal system based on mailing a paper doll (Flat Stanley) around and "hosting him".

My wife and I recieved a Flat Stanley from a friend's son... we took Flat on our European vacation, and I ended up developing a blog of Flat's adventures in Central Europe. I tried to write it for a 2nd grade audience, and tried to focus on a mix of history and things that would be interesting to 8 year olds. I hope it worked.

So yeah, I agree this sort of thing could be a very educational opportunity. I think Flat Stanley is a great tool for this at that level... if you can find a school running one. Our blog and the Flat Stanley model isn't really an interactive (ask a question/get an answer) model.

If you look at my avatar, that's Flat sitting on the dashboard of our car as we go over the Golden Gate Bridge.

For the curious, our blog is at Flat Stanley Goes to Europe

(as with most blogs, the most recent entry is the end of the trip, so if you want to follow along start at the bottom; also, clicking on a photo will open a larger version up in a new window).

Hmm. Interesting. I've been working on the idea here and there since my last post, and I'm excited about it. The big issue, of course, was trying to find a group of kids--and a friendly, open-minded teacher--during the summer.

Eventually, I got into contact with the director of a day-care center at a local State University who loved the idea. We've worked out most of the details and I think it will be a really great experience. They are in first grade, which is younger than I imagined, but it will be fun to try and engage a group of children so young.

I've been trying to think of ways to make the road trip unique and interesting, while trying to benefit others. I'm going to have a blast no matter what!

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Originally Posted by AZBuck

There are major problems to finding short-term part-time work on the road.

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I dont know, it was never a problem for Bill Bixby. :)

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Originally Posted by PNW Judy

When I'm by myself, I can easily eat out of my cooler for about $10/day but I keep it cheap and simple. Of course, I also splurge on a good restaurant meal once every other day, or every third day, usually at someplace known for some good local cuisine. So I think $25/day is a good budget as it will allow for a few splurges in a restaurant and/or finer dining in camp.

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I hit a nice balance on my last outing. I had a small cooler with sandwich fixings and some yogurt and a bag of nuts and some breakfast bars from Trader Joes. I'd snack on the nuts and bar in the morning on the road, find somewhere nice to pull off the road and have a sandwich for lunch and then stop somewhere at a mom-n-pop diner for dinner. That way I didn't get tired of the same thing day after day, but saved a couple of bucks here and there.