So assuming I go see Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone Park I should end up near Panguitch, UT on Day 4.
I'd then drive the 300 Miles to The Grand Canyon. Guessing 5-6 hours. I'll get out look over snap a picture or two but that's the last stop of the day.
From there it's on approx another 300 Miles so that I can drive through Vegas 5 hours away. Depending on how under budget/thrifty I've managed to be I may stop for a bite. I really want to eat at a finer restaurant and this seems to be the perfect place. But it all depends on what the budget allows.
From there it's Second star on the right and straight on till morning. Los Angeles. Approx. another 300 miles and another 5 hours. A total of 900 miles over the course of 15-18 hours. I assume a nap will be taken at some point but very minimal.
I expect the gas on this portion to be $130
Expected Gas Cost $550
Estimated Food Cost $80-$115
Estimated Hotel Cost $200
Estimated Total Cost $830-$865
Like with the alternative version some items can be dropped dramatically. The base is gas which is pretty much set in stone. Food could probably cut in half taking it to $50-$60. Hotels can likely be cut out completely if chosen too.
So this is working off the Alternate route theory which sent me straight from St. Louis over the Rockies and in the town of Tuba City, AZ. In this day I'd make it to L.A. with 10ish hours of drive time and about 630 miles. Along the way I'd get to see the Grand Canyon
I'd allow about a half an hour here. I mean it's beautiful but I assume there really isn't all that much to do after you've snapped a few pictures. I'd leave and make my way towards Vegas.
With no stop in Vegas it's onward to Los Angeles. It's about 630 miles and I would expect that to come in just under $100 on this final leg of the trip.
Estimated Gas Cost $360
Estimated Food Cost $80-$95
Estimated Hotel Cost $165
Total Estimated Cost $605 - $620
Now some of these cost can be cut. For instance food could probably be cut in half by packing sandwiches and buying beverages before the trip. Hotels could be cut out completely by sleeping in my car for 3 Nights.
So I'll start the day in Bozeman MT due to the seasonal restrictions causing me not to hit Yellowstone on Day 3.
I'm going to give myself an hour to enjoy around this area I most likely will use less but I'd like to plan the time. I feel like this is another day to push myself driving (most of these numbers mileages are guesstimates so it's possible I'll be doing better than this)
I'll drive from Yellowstone to Panguitch, UT about 700 miles apart and 12 hours.
So it was 1999? (lets say that I feel that was the time period but I don't have the exact date though the more I think about it the longer back I imagine it was). My parents had decided to go on vacation, we often traveled when i was 11-17 usually going at least somewhere every summer. Usually somewhere I didn't want to be Branson, MO (country music retirement mecca of the world) Orlando, FL (it was fun the year we went to Universal after that not so much) Pigeon Forge, TN (to young to enjoy). This particular intense we went to Nowhere Texas, I say nowhere because it wasn't a big city, it was nowhere litterally we drove through desert found a patch of trees and that was where we stayed.
Now on this particular trip we did go to some sights, The Roy Rogers memorial museum in somewhere Oklahoma, and perhaps Six Flags (I've been to Texas twice and don't remember if it was this time or the other) but nothing left the impression on me quite as much as the travelling rodeo we saw.
Hmm apparently you can't find a music video or a lyric video for Garth Brooks "Rodeo"
We had horses the entire time I was growing up, I wouldn't call myself an equestrian but I know enough to not get thrown off. This particular rodeo was famous for a specific type of horse (I can't recall now) and they boasted being world famous.
Pretty sure it was not these
I remember the area great it was a little prarie encompassed with trees and one tree right next to the arena to give shade to the audience. The stables were on the opposite side. Something about the rodeo just bored me it seemed slow or mundane or something so I asked my mom and dad about looking through the stables.
In the stables I ran into this girl and we talked for what felt like hours (I assume it was 10-15 minutes or I hope my parents would have grown more concerned) eventually we did part ways I'd heard the rodeo end. It's hard to remember her now brunette, my height at the time, slightly older than me.We were about to enter the car when an old man (I hope now it was her grandfather) He looked like the guy on Frozen (yes I've seen Frozen) only fatter.
Right there he asked my parents if I could stay, asking if I'd like to travel with them for six months helping out in the stables. I think both my parents were quite shocked I hadn't even had time to tell them about the girl I'd met (though I tended not to tell them much about anything after a rather rude joke from my father at some point in my youth(before or after this I don't recall)) I told them I'd like to do it to which my father just kind of gasped "You don't even do anything with the horses at home". My mother was concerned about the normal things, school, how I'd get home, not knowing these total strangers.
It was a surreal experience, like Danny explaining the summer love in grease (ok actually more like the girl explaining it) a ten minute summer romance.
Well it didn't quite go this far.
It was the best part of Texas. It makes me wonder though can the same types of things happen as adults? Like not a one night stand something more but just as short and meaningful? I doubt it.
Hey look at that a #TBT that's not completely a reverse Lifetime movie like most of the women I post about. Which is a shame considering I don't even remember her name. Me a cowboy. Almost.
So this would assume that I ended up going through Kansas arriving in Goodland and finding a place to shack up. I would then go to Colorado Springs across the mountain.
Wrong Mountain
That's more like it.
This would be another day of pretty much nothing but driving the entire way. I'd get to drive through the Rockies but I'm not sure what those roads are like how that would effect gas mileage etc. For budgeting reasons I'm just going to assume no difference.
It's about a 700 mile drive from Goodland to Tuba which would put this leg at $80.
So for today I'm assuming I do head North, making it to Draper, South Dakota. Now once I hit the road I'll hit Mount Rushmore two hours after leaving it's about 170 miles from Draper. I don't really expect this stop to effect drive time because I won't be in the car the normal amount of time it may actually allow me to drive further. I expect a half hour will be sufficient time for me to enjoy the sight and move on.
They appear to have plenty of room for me to the left of Washington.
Now from Rushmore I head to Yellowstone which has a seasonal restriction on the quickest route, making it the second quickest route and placing Yellowstone just out of my reach. It also sends me up into Montana. Which I kind of like cause it'll make me feel like.
670 Miles from Draper and about 11 hours.
I expect gas to check in on this day around $110 this leg and $200 from previous legs.
So lets assume I opt to go the quicker route heading toward Denver I can get to Goodland, Kansas comfortably in a day and could opt to go a little closer to Denver.
Luckily it's not Tornado season.
This path is pretty straight forward, not only straight forward but there is only two turns the whole way. Really makes not getting lost pretty easy. I'm not sure what their would be to do other than stopping for some delicious
Fortunately since the car has gotten a new transmission I've noticed that the MPG is increasing instead of 20/21 MPG I'm getting closer to 25-28 MPG. This should cut down on Expected costs across the trip.
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