Coach journeys

This blog is being set up for our planned trip from FL to Alaska, with many stops going West to the Pacific Ocean and up the coast via CA, OR, WA, BC.
We will leave from home in Deltona, FL the week of April 5,2005.

What are some of our guidelines when traveling?

We avoid large cities with the motorhome
(37 foot Cross Country Class A),
as much as possible, taking the toad (Honda CRV)
for local visits.

The car is equipped with an inside wheelchair lift,
for Jerry's Pride Jet 3 power wheelchair, we need to visit
accessible, level, firm places.

We do walks, hikes and attractions with firm surfaces for
the power wheel chair.

We need large parking lots with turnaround for the MH
when we plan to leave the car hooked up
(we can not back up when the car is hooked on).

What do we use to plan?

Anything and everything we can find!

Order and study AAA maps and tour books.

Brainstorm, google for the planned area, and following up items of interest.

RV Caravan itineraries - there are so many. This gives an idea of how long we may
want to be at a place. Use the caravan companies and also Camping World, Good Sam,
most major RV manufacturers have tours, SMART (Military).
It also gives an "idea" of price (hopefully on the high side
HA!HA!HA!).

Other Travel tour itineraries (like Trafalgar Tours, AAA tours).

Travellogs and personal websites, especially RVers.

The national park website.
National Parks

Making files.

Make an online folder of Favorites for the trip, with a sub folder for each major
area or attraction. Further break down as needed.

Make a box with pendaflex folders, that can go with us, similiar to the online
folders. Put all printouts from online searches and brochures that we gather.

Study routes on mapping programs and paper maps. Find points of interest,
cities, parks, and distances.

Study Camping directories, look at possible boondock and non boondock
sites. (Trailer Life, Passport America, Military Campgrounds.)