For our first trip across the country, we planned on 4 days of driving, and it was long but worked out well. We only stopped for gas, bathroom and sleep.
Eastbound, August 2020
Day 1: Oceanside CA to Grand Junction CO (CA, AZ, NV, UT, CO)
We trekked from Oceanside CA to the Saddlehorn Campground at Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction CO the first day! Quite a long haul, about 12.5 hours. We were in 5 states - California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado! Top temp we noticed was 116, After we got out of the coastal region it never dipped below 100.
We arrived past 10pm, so setting up the Tepui tent for the first time, in the dark, was a bit of a challenge. We had forgotten key info about how to configure the ladder, but eventually got it all set. It was breezy and comfortable that night, and the next morning we were able to take in the stunning views from inside the tent! We chose Colorado National Monument because I remembered it fondly from the cross country trip I took with my Mom in the early 90’s when I moved to California.
Day 2: Grand Junction CO to Sylvan Grove KS (CO, KS)
We also arrived after 10 at our second night’s stop, Wilson State Park in central Kansas. We tried to stop at a KOA just after sunset, but they considered us an RV so would not let us take an open tent spot as the RV spots were full! Lesson learned, future trips we opted for reservations instead of assuming we would be able to pop in when we decided to stop driving. There are no spots - you just grab empty space in a field, so it was a bit difficult in the dark. People were still up and partying around campfires and did not wear masks at all, which caused us to be very careful at the restrooms.
Day 3: Sylvan Grove KS to Marshall IL (KS, MO, IL)
Night 3 we were able to find an open gorgeous woodsy spot at Lincoln Trail State Park. We had an entire section, including the bathroom, to ourselves as it was Sunday and had rained that day which cleared everyone out.
Day 4: Marshall Il to Phoenixville PA (IL, IN, OH, WV, PA)
The next day we drove all the way to Mom’s!
