4 week west coast National parks road trip

[Rook]

I made my reservation through
http://www.lakepowell.com
because the website states that Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas is managed by ARAMARK, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I picked up the ticket inside the Wahweap Marina Resort reservation desk.
I did not research the other tour companies. An internet search might reveal some reviews of the other tours. They all seem to be similar and depart from Wahweap Marina.

I posted some photos of my trip to Rainbow Bridge here:
http://www.pbase.com/aw11mr2/rainbow_bridge&page=all

[gracie]

Anybody have any good ways to blog your travels? In my past road trips I would wait tell the trip was over and blog/write about my trip when I got home. The problem was by that time couldn't remember half the trip because we did so much :) Im not a good blogger and am horrible about writing/ putting thoughts to paper but I really want to be able to have a good blog so I can share my expierence with family and friends. Plus its cool to look back after time has passed and remember things that happened that maybe I forgot about. So if anyone has any good tips or what to write about, ect, ect. :) thanks for the help in advanced!

[Midwest Michael]

Well, not to be too obvious, but you're certainly welcome and encouraged to post in the Trip Report section of this forum.

[Southwest Dave]

It's a good idea to keep a diary on such a trip and jot notes down each day as well, even then I have been known to forget bit's and have to go back and make foot notes next day. It's quite often the little things that happen between the big attractions that make a trip truly memorable. [If you don't forget that is ! ] Lol.

[Rook]

RoadTrip America has/had a travel blog site but I cannot find the link on the home page.

The two larger travel blog sites are:

Travelpod and Travelblog

I admire the ability of people that can write stimulating and witty thoughts and experiences as they happen. The Travelpod site had a recent blog of two couples that shipped their motorcycles from Australia (or New Zealand?) to the southern tip of South America and then rode their motorcycles all the way to Alaska. The last blog submittal I read shows them boxing up their motorcycles for shipment back to Australia. Many of the trip reports on this forum have also been very impressive in the amount of information and photos they share.

[gracie]

Ok I have another questions that I am stumped on. On my road trip the route will have us going thru Utah twice. The first is from Salk lake city down to Sedona, Arizona (for a wedding) and the second time is when we are leaving Death Valley, California (thinking of going thru Vegas route) on are way to Colorado. Each time we are in Utah we will have 3-4 days to spend. We dont think 3-4 days is enough time to see all the Utah parks (Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Glen Canyon & Arches) and we have to be at the wedding on Sept 18th so we cant stay longer so since we have to go thru again to get to Colorado we are thinking of spliting the Utah parks. My question is what is the best route or best way to split the parks up? or do you think we could see all the parks in 3-4 days or is it best to 3-4 days in Utah then after arizona & California spend another 3-4 days in Utah? Thanks, this is the one part of the trip we are disagreeing on. My fiance thinks see them all (a little time in each) and then see them all again on the way out. Im thinking spend more time at a few then go to the ones we missed. And if we do go with my idea I really dont know which ones to see on the way down to Arizona and which one when we leave california (hwy 15 to 70) im thinking. Sorry if my questions are all over the place :)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Road Trip America has/had a travel blog site but I cannot find the link on the home page:http://www.roadtripamerica.com/Perso...p-Journals.htm

Just an update here -- Those travel blogs are still live -- but they were provided by a 3rd party partner and RTA is no longer associated with them. RTA is rolling out our own version of travel planning blogs which will replace that service. Likely roll-out date is January, 2011.

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

My fiance thinks see them all (a little time in each) and then see them all again on the way out. Im thinking spend more time at a few then go to the ones we missed.

I'm with you on this one. I don't think its realistic to try to see "all the utah parks" in 3-4 days, and then come back and see them again. You're talking about a half dozen parks that are spread over several hundred miles. Trying to see them all in 3-4 days means you'd be driving non-stop and not be seeing anything either time.

I'd probably split them up east and west, hitting Zion and Bryce one way, and seeing Arches, Canyonlands, and Monument Valley the other. I guess which one I'd do first depends a bit on how the Grand Canyon fits into your plans.

[AMiniAndAMap]

Re: blogging -- I just got back from a 6-week road trip with my boyfriend, and we blogged the whole thing (almost daily). We set up a WordPress blog before heading out, and then used the free WordPress app on our iPhones to blog. We also had a laptop along for posting photos (I'm guessing you will too, since your photographer companion will need to be dumping his pictures somewhere). The app allowed us to blog from the car (whoever was the passenger at the time would take notes or draft sections of that day's events).

We also tried to stay at hotels with free WiFi, and we often found campgrounds with WiFi (e.g., the KOA in West Yellowstone, MT is a great place to camp with many amenities such as laundry with a quarter change machine and free WiFi). If you make it to Durango, Colorado -- a highly recommended stop, although maybe not feasible given your timeframe -- there's an awesome private campgrounds just outside of town called Lightner Creek. They had better WiFi than many of the hotels we stayed in, and the campsite was awesome. We stayed there after driving through the Rio Grande National Forest (a very scenic drive), and before heading through San Juan National Forest and Mesa Verde.

Re: Yellowstone -- you could spend a whole week in Yellowstone. We spent 3 days, and felt it wasn't enough. I'd recommend driving through the Lamar Valley there (they call it the Serengeti of Yellowstone) -- that's where you'll have the best shot at catching herds of buffalo. It's along route 212, the Northeast Entrance Road. My favorite drive in Yellowstone was the stretch of Grand Loop Road that runs between Canyon Village and Tower Falls -- winding mountain roads with lots of panoramic views, recommended by a park ranger we talked to on our first day at the park.

And one final tidbit -- if you stop in Jackson on your way to our from Yellowstone, there are great bagels at Pearl Street Bagels, a couple of blocks off the square, and don't miss the chance to drink a beer sitting on saddle barstool at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, on the west side of the square.

Enjoy!

[gracie]

Thanks, all the advice helps. Keep it coming with any tips or advice! Much appreciated :)