Another Road trip: TX-NM-AZ-UT-CO-TX, July 9th to July 22, 2020

[PetitFrereArmada]

Year number 5 of doing a July road trip. I must say it has been a true blessing to be able to have time off work each July for the past years to be able to take this yearly trips that I never knew would be possible. This year even feels like a miracle that I could even have time off from work. With this time off, I did not want to spend it at home so I decided I will hit the road to see how much the world has changed.

Since this is year 5 on the road, I would like to put a link to all my yearly road trips here. So I can easily find them when I want to go back to them.

July 2016; My First Road Trip, July 2016

July 2017; My Second Road Trip, July 2017

July 2018; My Third Road Trip, July 2018

July 2019; My Fourth Road Trip, July 2019

July 2020; My Fifth Road Trip, July 2020

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

July 8, Wednesday - Houston to Carlsbad, NM
Getting off work at 8pm. Hitting the road at 10pm for a 12 hour drive throughout the night

July 9, Thursday - Arrive Carlsbad, NM
Visit Carlsbad Caverns. Must be in line by 7am to guarantee getting a ticket to get in because of the limited 575 visitors a day.
Eat BBQ at Mad Jack BBQ in Cloudscroft
Visit White Sands NP in the evening.
Sleep in Alamogordo, NM

July 10, Friday - Alamogordo, NM to Flagstaff, AZ. 10 hours drive.
Stop at Theodore Roosevelt Lake if it is open to go offroad on the Apache Trail.
May drive through Sedona, if one is still good on time.

July 11, Saturday - Sedona
Visit Sedona for the whole day. I wanted to go to the Grand Canyon but no time. But if I can squeeze this in, will do.

July 12, Sunday - Flagstaff to Moab. 6 hours drive.
Stop at Cameron trading post.
Historic Tanner's Crossing bridge.
Go through Monument Valley.
Stop often for gas.
Stop at road side attractions along this beautiful route through the Navajo land.

July 13, Monday - Visit National Parks in Moab
Arches NP
Canyonlands NP
Dead Horse Pointe State Park
Potash Road
Long Canyon Trail

July 14, Tuesday - Do more trails in Moab
Do more of what was not done yesterday.

July 15, Wednesday - Moab to Ouray.
Do Yankee Girl Mine
Do Idarado Mine
May do Yankee Boy Basin for a small night run

July 16, Thursday - Do trails
Imogene Pass
Tour Telluride
Ophir Pass back to Ouray

July 17, Friday - Whole day of trails
Corkscrew Gulch - Hurricane Pass - California Pass to Animas Forks. To Cinnamon Pass. To Engineer Pass.
Back to Animas Forks. To Silverton to Black Bear Pass to Ouray.

July 18, Saturday - Ouray to Colorado Springs. 8 hours drive.
Ouray to Aspen Independence Pass to Colorado Springs.
Enjoy the climb and decent at Independence Pass.
Get out and smell the roses.

July 19, Sunday - Explore Colorado Springs
Go up Pikes Peak.
Visit Garden of the Gods.
Visit Royal Gorge.

July 20, Monday - Explore some more
Visit Royal Gorge again and other attractions.

July 21, Tuesday - Colorado Springs to Amarillo, TX. 6 hours drive.
Stop at Cadillac Ranch.
Dinner at Big Texan Steak house. Maybe try the 72oz steak challenge at The Big Texan Steak House. No, not really.

July 22 Wednesday - Amarillo, TX to Houston, TX 9 hours drive.
Home!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Just a map of my road trip route.

 

[pkripper]

Personally I would skip the entire Colorado Springs and Independence Pass section and use that for more time in the San Juan's or Moab. All great areas but that is some serious hwy time.

 

[samuraj]

waiting on full report with pics

 

[molanginaeda]

@PetitFrereArmada Nice to see you doing a trip this year. I had a 40 oz ribeye steak at the Big Texan Steakhouse before and it was good.

This year, our family probably get stuck and stay local. I might do a Solo trip out west, but probably not start the trip till the last week of July. I will try to attend an event in CO near Denver.

Still think back when I meet you on your 2nd road trip in Jasper AB.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Personally I would skip the entire Colorado Springs and Independence Pass section and use that for more time in the San Juan's or Moab. All great areas but that is some serious hwy time.

Great suggestion, but I really liked going on Independence Pass last year and would like to do it again. I have a combined total of 6 days to spend in Moab and Ouray. I think that should be some good time spent there, especially as I have been there every year for the past 4 years. As for Colorado Springs, I plan to drive to Royal Gorge and explore it. I have never been there.

You are right that i will be spending a lot of time behind the wheel on the freeways. One of the things I enjoy on my long road trips is actually being behind the wheel and just cruising and watching nature go by. Then one of my favorite things that I often do on my long drives is when I find a long stretch of road that there is nothing in sight but just road, I pullover and stop the car. Get out and just stay quiet as I walk around a bit. I take in nature's pure sound. I can hear the wind blowing by. I can hear the grass muffle. I hear a bird or some other animal calling out. I just listen. It is pure peace of mind and relaxing to me. Then occasionally, a car or a few cars will pass by and you know they always look my way because anybody who sees me out there, their first guess is I may have had a breakdown. Well, nobody slows down or stops since I am not waving or showing a sign of distress. I usually spend about 15 to 20 minutes and then jump back in my car, lower down the windows and crank the car. As I merge unto the highway, I hit all buttons to roll all windows back up. I join the flow of traffic as we all speed down the freeway to my destination of the day. I do this atleast 3 times during my whole road trip.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

waiting on full report with pics

I will deliver, I promise. Since the reason for posting on here is usually to share like others who have some amazing road trip reports on here.

I like to update mine daily as it is something I enjoy doing when winding down at the hotel before bedtime. So feel free to stop by any time for updates, when you have some time out of your busy day.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

@PetitFrereArmada Nice to see you doing a trip this year. I had a 40 oz ribeye steak at the Big Texan Steakhouse before and it was good.

This year, our family probably get stuck and stay local. I might do a Solo trip out west, but probably not start the trip till the last week of July. I will try to attend an event in CO near Denver.

Still think back when I meet you on your 2nd road trip in Jasper AB.

I can't forget that trip that we met each other in Banff in Canada. That was my best road trip ever. And to think I met you and your family there only after talking on the forum. It was really nice. I can't ever forget that as it has a lot of memories.

I have followed a lot of your trips on your website and I lost count. You are truly blessed to be able to be on the road with your family for some amazing adventures and still be able to work. If I had a job where I could work remotely like that, I too would love to be on the road more often. Are you still pulling that trailer?

Wow. You had a 40oz ribeye steak at Big Texan Steakhouse? I bet you didn't finish it. That is a lot of meat. Nice to know it was good though. I see they are open and allowing guests to sit and eat during this period, so I will definitely stop for a ribeye steak also. I am thinking if I should do that 72oz steak challenge or not. Still thinking...

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Odometer at take off. I took off at 9pm

1am. First stop for gas after 4 hours of driving. Love's gas station in Comfort, TX

Cruising night shot with all my led lights on at about 2am.

2:45am. Second gas stop in Sonora, TX. 4 hours left to destination.

4:45am. Fort Stockton, TX. 2 hours 30 minutes to destination. Making good time. Have to slow down now not to get too early at destination.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Welcome to...

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

After a long and tiring night drive, finally in line at Carlsbad Caverns. So many people. They allow 25 peoppe to go through every 15 minutes to respect social distancing.

2 people running out of breath just standing under this very hot sun waiting for 8am for this place to open. Less than half wearing masks.

Got tickets and got in line. A group of 25 people are let into the Cavern every 15 minutes. It was a very long walk going down but it was amazing and it was cold down there. So that helped. So, it was really great. Plus not crowded at all as people truly have each other social distance. This is a place people should definitely visit if they can someday.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

After the caves, it was time for the 3 hours drive to Cloudcroft for some bbq. The place did not disappoint. Very good bbq.

 

[subarubobby]

Looks awesome so far!!! Schnebly Hill Rd in Sedona is very scenic/easy offroading, but very bumpy with rocks sticking out of the dirt. One other place almost on your way would be the Moki Dugway in SE Utah. Enjoy!

 

[samuraj]

pics are ....... good