Maine To California

Lane and I are in the early stages of planning this adventure. We expect to be heading west through Vermont and New York into Canada and then down through Washington and Oregon. Hoping to stay in lots of provincial parks. We are looking forward to the mountains and animals we don't see at home. Not having done anything like this in more than 40 years, it's a daunting prospect but exciting to think about.

 

Oh that sounds like a fantastic road trip. When do you see yourself leaving and for how long?

 

Wow, that will be some trip, I am jealous

 

We expect to leave mid-July and return in about four or five weeks. Lane has some west coast friends we will visit, and I look forward to Olympic NP and, if it doesn't make the trip a whole lot longer, perhaps some time in the coastal redwoods. I remember loving Prairie Creek State Park. Time to get out some maps and do some thinking. Some of the places I'd like to see might lengthen the trip too much. Big Sur, for example. Without a map, the geography in my mind's eye is a bit foggy. Still in the dreaming stage.

It's fun thinking about how to pack our little camper efficiently. It will take a certain amount of discipline to avoid drowning in stuff that we do not need. When we ordered the Firefly, we had a lot of discussion about the furnace. I'm glad now that we omitted it.

 

Whatever you do or wherever you go, you won't go wrong. California parks and campgrounds might be problematic. Busy time of year but well worth the effort. Prairie Creek is a wonderful area and the Roosevelt elk are a delight (but very big- not moose size- but big nonetheless). And you made a wise choice RE: furnace. Granted we have only gotten down to 22 degrees at night but we were toasty warm. It's that built-in Wisconsin Warm from the people at CI who designed and built our teardrops. Heaters might be necessary in Maine but inside your trailer at night shouldn't pose a problem. We haven't made it up to Ore. and WA yet, but they're on our radar.
(After-thought: if possible, think about a night at more at Lassen Volcanic National Park. It's a bit east of the CA north coast and east of Redding CA. This is in our opinion the step-child of our national parks. Having said that, keep in mind July and August can be brutally around Redding but Lassen is a treat.)
Enjoy planning and dream on. We envy you your proposed adventure.

 

I loved Lassen all those years ago. Hope we can get there, too. You say it can be brutal around Redding. Are you speaking in terms of the heat or the crowds, or maybe both? I'd enjoy seeing the elk if they will cooperate.

 

Lane and Michael, Where in Belfast do you live? My wife Jackie and I have a 560 also and we live in poland Maine but I grew up in Belfast and my family still lives there. I was amazed to see someone else with a 560 from my home town!
Bruce w. Herbig

 

You must be Erin's family. If you have been following the news in Belfast, you have heard about the fish farm. We will be one that wretched company's extremely unhappy neighbors. But the fiasco thrills former Mayor Mike. I have tried to get the members map to give us a pin in Belfast, but nothing has worked for me. Have you had your camper long? The Camp-Inns remind me of the lovely wooden boat I used to sail the bay. Nice workmanship.

 

Redding CA can be desert-hot. Dead of summer can see 100-108 degrees. But luckily you're not camping there. We were in Lassen in Sept. 2016 and encountered cool temps followed by rain, hail and cold! Snow fell above our campground in Manzanita and closed the pass at the foot of Mt. Lassen. We were snug in Tina (our Tardis) and settled in with books and snacks until things let up. Fixed dinner during the lull in rain activity and ate in the luxurious dining room of our VW Westfalia. That van has been a life saver over the years we've camped in our teardrop. Anyway, Lassen is a treat. So much to see and breath-taking areas to hike. Keep us posted as your plans develop.

 

It's a lot of fun to think about where we might be going and what we will see when we get there.

 

When you get to BC, check out the theatre at Fort Cranbrook - fun and a surprising amount of talent for such a rural area. And hopefully the Hungarian restaurant/hotel in Kimberly is still around. Fixed menu, so if you are a picky eater, too bad. But great food - I only wish there were more such places.

 

Half of the fun is in the planning stages! Hope you post in the forum along the way so the rest of us can live vicariously through it!