7,099 Miles, 16 Days -- Towing an R-Pod 178 from Mississippi to California, and back.

notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
The wife and I borrowed her grandfather's R-Pod 178, and towed it to California. I thought I'd share a few of the photographs I took.

If you intend to tow one, I'd advise you to regear, if your tires are larger than stock tires. I have a 2014 JKUR, automatic transmission, 35" tires, and 4.88 gears. I had a load leveling hitch, and anti-sway bar. Be sure to get a hitch the correct height.


Here is the travel trailer, all ready to go.
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We left Madison, MS, and instead of going up to I-40, we turned southwest at Dallas and went down to I-10. We made our way to Tucson, that way. I didn't take many photos in Texas, but here we are in Pecos

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You guys out west are lucky. This place is great, and the fries are awesome!
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We left Tucson, taking the southern route to take 8 into California. Totally unplanned, I finally got to see Saguaro cacti.
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We stopped for gas, which happened often at an average of 10 mpg, in Gila Bend, AZ. We saw a dog park, where I'm sure my dog wouldn't poop. He'd have to bark at the dinosaurs.
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Going through Yuma,AZ, I found an unexpected delight, just inside California. The Algodones Dunes. We snapped these from a rest stop, that is between the lanes of the highway, oddly.
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We turned up 111 and went by the Salton Sea, which, to my surprise, is 226 feet below sea level. Not many pics, but here's a random shot of date palms growing, about 150 below sea level.
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The drive between Indio an Palm Spring was tough. There is a mountain pass to go through, and the wind was crazy! After staying the night in Banning, I met up with 10frank9 for a chat. It was a pleasure to meet you, Frank.
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We left Banning and travelled up I-5 past Bakersfield, on our way to the KOA at Watsonville/Santa Cruz. I have now seen more plum trees, than most people I know. I had no idea so much agriculture went on in the San Joaquin Valley.

This place in Santa Cruz had an awesome breakfast.
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My wife was excited to see the Pacific. We traveled up the Pacific Coast Highway, to San Francisco. She has relatives in SoCal, but had never seen the Ocean!
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Coming into San Francisco.
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Yes, I towed a travel trailer across the Golden Gate.
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You see she had to buy a hoodie in Santa Cruz. She thought it was cold, on the coast.
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Pics of the Bay and Alcatraz.
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Trying to get back on the PCH, we went through this pretty spot.
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We continued up Hwy 1, until Manchester. The KOA, there, was nice. The weather was cool and fine.
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We left there, heading to Mt. Shasta City, and Garmin took us on one of the most crooked, steep, narrow roads, I've ever been on, that had two way traffic. I think it was 253. Here's a shot, looking over the ocean, before the road got too bad.
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Mt. Shasta. We stayed there, three nights. If I had it to do over, I'd have stayed in Manchester three nights, and skipped Mt. Shasta City. We did get to see Weed, CA, and drive into the Klamath National Forest a little.
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I found Sasquatch in Happy Camp, I think it was.
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The last day there, we drove to Redwood National & State Parks.
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We picnicked amongst giants.
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From there, we headed to Coleville, and a KOA with the nicest bathrooms, ever. On the way, we found the Shoe Tree on the 395, near Doyle, CA, I think.
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From there, on to Carson City, NV, for a little get together. Oh, I WAS invited, by the way.
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Jane looks more amazing, in person, than you can imagine!
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It was our pleasure to get to meet you, Eddie & Cindy!
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This happened, on the way to Yosemite.
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Then, Yosemite. I'd like to spend more time there.
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Saw this jewel.
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We made it down to the valley, and Yosemite Community Church, erected in 1878. It is the oldest structure in Yosemite Valley.
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You can see Yosemite Falls from the church.
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Had a great cup of coffee, at the Sierra Retreat Motel, the next morning. It's located in Walker, just south of our spot at the KOA in Coleville, CA.
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We went to Lake Tahoe, and looked around. It's beautiful, but it was raining when we found a public beach you didn't have to pay to use, and I wasn't paying to snap a few photos, so no pics.

The part with the giant sequoias, in Yosemite, was closed, so we went to see some that were quite a distance, after leaving Tahoe. On the way, again, by accident, we found this.
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Many of you should already know, that the Sutter's Mill gold discovery, started the Gold Rush of 1849. In 1848, James Marshall found gold, while working to increase the size of run below the water powered saw mill of his employer, John Sutter. Sutter had hoped to turn the area into a thriving community, based on lumber exports. Unfortunately for him, when word of the strike spread, his employees all ran off to find gold. Sutter, and Marshall died nearly penniless.
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We never saw Sequoias. It took until 7:00pm, to get to the site, which is way the heck into the Eldorado National Forest, past Loon Lake Campground. It's a 40 minute walk to see the trees. On the way out, Garmin had a short cut. Wrong. We drove for miles, to find out the road was out! We went out the way we came in, and wound up driving well over 100 miles in that park.


This is driving in California. They're working on every road!
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We left Coleville, after three nights, and traveled to Ely, NV, on Nevada Hwy 6, "The Loneliest Road in America." Nevada Hwy 50, holds the official claim to that title, but believe me, 6 is!

Benton Hot Springs, still in California.
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Humbolt National Forest.
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Welcome to Nevada. Keep your California cows out!
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See what I mean by lonely.
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Open range.
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Tonopah, NV
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We left Ely, NV, after one night, heading to Cortez, CO.

At the Nevada, Utah line.
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There's something you don't see every day.
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Spotted Wolf Canyon, Utah, on Hwy 50.
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Zoom in to see the highway.
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Of course, going this way, we went through Moab, and near Arches and Canyonlands Parks. No pics, since it was a long drive with a trailer, and on to Cortez. We've got to go back to Moab.


Cortez, CO. Stayed two nights, and went to Mesa Verde, again. I've been four times, and still found stuff I hadn't seen.
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If you haven't seen Mesa Verde, it's really cool to see, if you are nearby. Had grub here, and it was great.
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Saw this at McDonald's in Cortez.
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From there, we started back. Nothing eventful,except the midpoint of Route 66, in Adrian, TX.

The Midpoint Cafe & Gift Shop. Sadly, it was closed and up for sale because the owner has health problems. It will probably go the way of everything on Route 66.
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And that's it. Trailer weighs 2,600, dry. The Jeep did fine,



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JeepJeep75

New member
Looks like you had a great trip! [emoji106] You made it to some great spots here too. You're right about the in n out burger. There is no other fast food nearly as delicious!


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AZMikeD

New member
The drive up the PCH between LA and San Francisco is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I did a road trip where we made several stops in between Santa Barbara and Monterey when she was pregnant with our first child. I would recommend everyone should try this drive sometime.

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

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Ddays

Hooked
This is awesome! I was hoping you'd do a thread on your trip. This is one of the areas where we want to go when we finally find our trailer. Keep those pics coming
 

notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
So cool! Looks like an awesome trip so far. I love it out west. It's so much more spread out than things here in the South.

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Looks like a fun trip.

Looks like you had a great trip! [emoji106] You made it to some great spots here too. You're right about the in n out burger. There is no other fast food nearly as delicious!


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The drive up the PCH between LA and San Francisco is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I did a road trip where we made several stops in between Santa Barbara and Monterey when she was pregnant with our first child. I would recommend everyone should try this drive sometime.

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

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Great photos Clay! Looks like a great trip.


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This is awesome! I was hoping you'd do a thread on your trip. This is one of the areas where we want to go when we finally find our trailer. Keep those pics coming

Thanks, fellas. I'm still working on the OP. I'm no story teller, like Eddie, but I hope everyone enjoys the photos. My wife enjoyed it so much, she wants a travel trailer! Time for a beer break.


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Wow!!! What a road trip. Man if Id had known you came through town it would have been cool to meet up. I go to the beach everyday right next to that KOA you stayed at. Beach Street Cafe is great. Father and son making killer breakfasts.
 

notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
Wow!!! What a road trip. Man if Id had known you came through town it would have been cool to meet up. I go to the beach everyday right next to that KOA you stayed at. Beach Street Cafe is great. Father and son making killer breakfasts.

That would have been cool. Yes, the Beach Street was great!


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