Steve & Deb's 2017 Cross-Country Wandering

[Steve]

We will again be heading in the general direction of Seattle for our third cross-country meandering. We leave northern Ohio Saturday, July 22, 2017.

This year we are leaving much earlier than the previous two trips, as our daughter needs to be back at college early, so I'm sure we will run into crowds and heat. This trip we will be taking two vehicles, as our daughter is taking her car to Seattle. I'm sure we'll have shorter days, and avoid larger cities during rush hour. But heading west across the midwest, you just can't miss Chicago, so Deb will likely be driving the other car there.

Current plans are west to Badlands National Park, Custer, Wind Cave, Needles Highway. Then north to Theodore Rosevelt National Park, and west through Glacier National Park. And then west on Rt 2 to where we stay in Bothell, or jounce north and go through North Cascades National Park again.

After dropping her off at Seattle Pacific University, we will begin our aimless wandering, getting home late August. Of course, all of this is subject to change.

If we're passing near you, let us know! We'd love to meet some Overland Bound members!

For those of you using Tap-a-Talk of the OB app and you can't see the links in my sig, here are the social media accounts I'll be posting on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExploringTheUSA
Instagram: https://instagram.com/explore_the_usa/

(Please do not reference or link to anything that might identify me or my location closer than northern Ohio. Thanks!)

 

[Daniel Etter]

You'll be passing through my neck of the woods on your way from the Badlands to Custer! Let me know if you guys need anything!

 

[Steve]

We're getting things ready, and anything I was going to do to the 4Runner is either done or not getting done until we return. Really, the only thing on the list was installing the front camera and the module to make it work with the backup camera. That's not critical.

The fridge has been running on AC for two days, and is mostly loaded. I'm eager to find out, and a little trepidatious as to how well the starter battery will hold up. The solar panel is mounted, and I have the wiring and charge controller under the seat if needed. All I'd have to do is pick up a deep cycle battery, and use that during the night.

Our goal for the first day (tomorrow!) is to make it at least past Chicago, and possibly as far as Davenport, Iowa. Our daughter has never driven more than three hours at a time before, and never in major cities, so we will be playing it by ear.

For the most reliable way to keep up to date and contact us along the way, hit us up on Instagram: https://instagram.com/explore_the_usa/

I even had some cards made to hand out to curious folks along the way! Vistaprint makes this stuff too easy! :)

 

[The other Sean]

Crud, just hitting the southern border of MN.... missing Minneapolis all together.

 

[Steve]

Crud, just hitting the southern border of MN.... missing Minneapolis all together.

There's always the return trip! We've talked about going up through Duluth and across the top of Lake Superior for a trip. And we'll have our passports. Ya never know!

 

[Daniel Etter]

Good luck on your trip and let me know if you want to meet up for a coffee/drink!

 

[CampWithChin]

There's always the return trip! We've talked about going up through Duluth and across the top of Lake Superior for a trip. And we'll have our passports. Ya never know!

It's beautiful up that area. If you have the time, do the loop. I found many MN visitor on this area. The driving is pretty challenging. Many steep uphill & downhill with sharp corner.


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[Steve]

let me know if you want to meet up for a coffee/drink!

Absolutely!

 

[Daniel Etter]

Absolutely!

I'll pm my contact info so we can figure something out!

 

[Steve]

Day 4, and we are in Rapid City, South Dakota. We are meeting up with @Daniel Etter this evening, then exploring Custer State Park, Iron Mountain and Needles Highways tomorrow. And maybe Wind Cave National Park.

Here's a public link to our current daily location (assuming we have wifi.) https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hqI3zWee9IjW0yNisOmiaDyI6mE&usp=sharing

 

[ASNOBODY]

I wish there was a teleportation portal that began in north west Indiana and ended in mid Illinois to avoid that whole area south of Chicago hahah… #traffic

Have a great trip @Steve ;)

 

[Steve]

We are in Spokane, Washington, and will head to Seattle tomorrow! Here's a link to our progress map:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hqI3zWee9IjW0yNisOmiaDyI6mE&usp=sharing

 

[Steve]

We stopped for the afternoon/evening to visit @jdunk and the gang at the Overland Bound PNW Trail Run 2017 event. We finally met Michael and Corrie in person and had a great time!

 

[Steve]

We're home! 25 days, 6059 miles(at an average of 16.7 MPG according to both Fuelly andthe 4Runner's computer), 14 states, 6-8 national parks and monuments, and umpteen interesting and beautiful places. We met some cool people along the way, and had (too much) great food and drink. A fine time was had, and I can't wait until the next trip!

Photos to come as I go through them. I didn't take as many things trip. Lots of haze with the various forest fires.

According to the Withings digital scales, I gained 2.2 pounds while we were on the road. Not too bad!

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Looks like a great trip! I need to get up to Glacier one of these days.