cross country trip.. new plan

[puff5655]

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.