We left Fairbanks on October 9, 2012
October 9 – spent the night in the Westmark Hotel parking lot in Beaver Creek. The hotel was closed for the season. We would have gone farther but we couldn’t get gas until morning and although we filled up in Tok, were at half of a tank and the last gas station in the US and the gas stations in Beaver Creek were closed. Total miles today: 320
October 10 – Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Camped in the Walmart parking lot. Super cheap food! Apples $.38 pound! Filled up water at the RV park south of town – every place else was closed for the season. Total miles today: 279
October 11 – Watson Lake. Camped on an access road in front of the Dragon’s Den. Total miles today: 275
October 12 – Liard Hot Springs. The most beautiful hot springs in the world. $21 to camp but its $15 for a day pass so camping is a good deal. Total miles today 136
Octobet 13 – Fort Nelson. Camped on the side of the access road down by Dan’s Neighborhood Pub where we stopped for mugs of Kokanee and a plate of poutine. Total miles today 239
October 14 – Dawson Creek. We stopped in Fort St. John for a few hours and then stayed in the parking lot next to Safeway where there is a closed department store. Total miles today 283.
October 15 – Quesnel. On the south side of town there is a big shopping complex. We camped in the Walmart parking lot with 3 other campers and walked over Extra Foods and bought some masala and other Canadian things. Total miles today: 318
October 16 – Hope. Camped on the side road next to McDonalds. Can’t beat hot coffee and free wifi in the morning! Miles today: 320
October 17 – Vancouver. We stayed at the Burnaby RV Park for $62 a night. Actually it should have cost $10 more but they misquoted us. This park has tight little spaces but fantastic shrubbery! A heated pool, hot showers, nice deck and close location made this our choice. It does have Tengo internet (2 hours free) and cable – but we don’t have a TV. http://www.bcrvpark.com/ Total miles today: 93 miles
October 18 – Seattle Everett, Wa. Camper axle destroyed and had to be replaced. Spent the night in a Walmart parking lot. Total miles today: 114 miles
October 19 – Portland, Oregon. Camped in Home Depot parking lot, exit 308 off Highway 5 on an island in the Columbia River. Total miles today: 200
October 20 – Portland, OR. Jantzen Beach RV park (right next door it turns out to Home Depot). $30 a night, very friendly, clean and hot showers and best of all, an outdoor heated pool.
October 21 -Portland, OR. Jantzen
I writing this at the heated swimming pool with my kids and there is a person who works here that is squatting next to the dryer vent lighting his boots on fire with a lighter and then spitting on them and watching us swim. He is wearing a kilt, no wait it is a duster over shorts (at least I hope there are shorts) and has a full neckbeard but no other facial hair and he is drinking straight from an almost empty 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew. I would not normally mind such an eclectic person except he yells at us and is not friendly. You can see him in the photo if you zoom in.
October 22 – Deschutes River State Park. $5 without hook ups on a lovely field of pear trees next to the river or $16 for electricity and water. Total miles today: 105
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_37.php
October 23 – Boise. Walmart parking lot. Total miles today: 330 miles today.
October 24 – Snowville, ID at Flying J. We got a free Flying J / Pilot card and now we save $.03 per gallon. You can camp for free at these truck stops and at Love’s truck stops and they are actually quite nice. Total miles today: 234
October 25 – Truck Stop somewhere north of Laramie. Had to pull over due to blizzard. Actually drove too far. Total miles: 478!
October 26 – Cherry Creek Reservoir in Denver. $24 a night includes water, electricity, wifi and nice showers.
October 27 – Cherry Creek Reservoir
October 28 – Cherry Creek Reservoir
October 29 – Walmart parking lot, Aurora, Co
October 30 – Rebecca & Jeremy’s house
October 31 – Rebecca & Jeremy’s house
November 1 – La Junta, Co Walmart
November 2 – La Junta, Co Walmart
November 3 – La Junta, Co Walmart
November 4 – Lamar, Co Walmart
November 5 – Garden City, Kansas Sam’s Club
November 6 – Greensburg. KS. Camped at Kiowa County State Lake but got scared away by the Kansas Creeper so we moved to a truck stop
November 7 – Wichita, KS Walmart
November 8 – Guthrie, Oklahoma tucked into a parking lot behind a Walgreens
November 9 – Council RV Park, Oklahoma City. $35 a night – very very slow and unreliable internet.
November 10 – Marietta, Oklahoma McDonalds / truck stop parking lot
November 11 – Hillsboro, TX Walmart
——————– 6,000 Miles! ——————————————————
November 12 – Austin, TX Lowes
November13 – Austin, TX empty new mall parking lot
November 14 – San Antonio – Walmart / Truck Stop Parking Lot
November 15 – Poteet, TX parking lot
November 16 – McAllen, TX Home Depot Parking lot
November 17 – 21, Port Isabel, Texas
November 22 – Corpus Christie Shopping Center parking lot, Black Friday
November 23 – Winnie, TX McDonalds Truck Stop
November 24 – Eunice, Louisiana Lake View Campground
November 25 – Donaldsonville – Truck stop / Casino
November 26 – Westwego – Walmart
November 27 – Perkinston – The Briar Patch!!
November 28 – Tallahassee, FL Walmart
November 29 – December 12 — Dunedin, FL
December 3 – 4 Mark & Ryan in Miami
December 12 – 19 Hotel La Magdalena, Cartagena, Colombia
December 20 – Arjona, Bolivar, Colombia at a park on the south end of the town
December 21 – La Ye at a parqueadero with a big parking lot, a market and a nice restaurant.
December 22 – 25 Santa Rosa del Osos at an awesome parqueadero with a 24 hour travel center with a quesero, an amazing candy store, a bakery and a cafeteria
December 26 – 27 La Pintada at the hotel with swimming pool
December 28 – La Victoria Texaco Station
December 29 – Popayan Parquedearo
———————- 10,000 miles ——————————————————
December 30 – Chachaguí gas station
December 31- Yacuanquer Bio Gas Station
January 1 – 7 Otavalo, Ecuador
January 8 – Quito Mobil gas station with the dead beetles
January 9 – Latacunga -leaf spring repair stayed at gas station near Ambato
January 10 – Baños – Parador Restaurant
January 11 – Baños – Parador Restaurant
January 12 -Riobamba, Ecuador – oldest church in Ecuador parking lot
January 13 -15 – Cuenca, Ecuador Great gas station just south of town on big cow pasture with water and wifi and nice people!
January 16 – 17 Loja, Ecuador – in the street along the Jipiro park.
January 18 – Catamayo, Ecuador – gas station on hill
January 19 -Las Lomas, Peru – gas station in the middle of town
January 20 -21 – Cabo Blanco / Mancora – gas station / tienda on the desert
January 22 – Lambayeque, Peru – gas station with the big white wall, southern end
January 23 – Chiclayo, Peru -gas station on the southern end. Very nice, close to small town
January 24 – Trujillo, Peru – gas station on the Pan American
January 25 – 29 – Huanchaco Beach near Trujillo
January 30 – parked near sodium cyanide trucks and moved in the middle of the night to gas station
January 31 – lovely desert remote camp. Found quartz crystals
February 1 – 2 Lima, side of the Pan American by mechanic
February 3 – 4 South Lima by the ocean at the PetroPeru with the big gorilla
February 5 – Ica at a gas station by the winery
February 6 – Nasca Grifo Repsol
February 7 – Camped by creek on the road to Cusco – elevation 12,540
February 8 – Camped on the altiplano at 14,858 feet
February 9 – Restaurante El Mirador in Abancay
February 10 – 15 Abancay
February 16 – Cusco
February 17 – Aguas Calientes
February 18 – Puno
March 16 – LEFT Puno. Camped on the Altiplano, cave with crystals, hot springs and bags of antibiotics
March 17 – 18 Moquegua
March 19 – Peruvian / Chilean border
March 20 – Arica
March 21 – Arica
March 22 – Arica
March 23 – Humberstone World Heritage Site
March 24 – Maria Elena, Chile
March 25 – San Pedro de Atacama
March 26 – San Pedro de Atacama
March 27 – San Pedro de Atacama
March 28 -Calama
March 29 – Antofagasto
March 30 – North of Taltal on the coast (end of steep steep downhill)
March 31 – North of Caldera on the coast
April 1 – Copiapo
April 2 – La Serena
April 3 – La Serena
April 4 – Quillota
April 5 – Valparaiso
April 6 – Valparaiso
April 7 – Valparaiso
April 8 – Santiago
April 9 – Santiago
April 10 – Santiago
April 11 – Santiago
April 12 – Santiago
April 13 – Los Angeles
April 14 – Victoria (repairs)
April 15 – Victoria
April 16 – Valdivia
April 17 – Puerto Montt, ferry dock to Chiloe
April 18 – Chiloe ferry dock
April 19 – Kunstmann Brewery, Valdiva
April 20 – Cabrero Truck stop with no water
April 21 – Terpel with a Nescafe machine and internet
April 22 – Santiago – south Copec
April 23 – Santiago (our old Shell Station)
April 24 – Santiago
April 25 – Santiago
April 26 – Maria Pinto
April 27 – Maria Pinto
April 28 – Santiago Airport
April 29 – May 22 – Lima Beach House
April 29 – May 5 (Michelle, Ryan & Jack in La Paz)
May 15 – Yurimaguas
May 16 – Cargo boat
May 17 – Cargo boat
May 18 – Yurimaguas
May 19 – Yurimaguas
May 20 – Lima
May 23 to May 28 – Dallas / LAX
May 29 to May 31 – Las Vegas / LAX
May 31 – June 2 – Las Vegas
June 3 – Walker Lake
June 4 – Carson City
June 5
________________________________________________________________________
2014
Bolivia
Mexico City
Mexico City
________________________________________________________________________
2015
Left Dunedin, Florida FAR too late – October 7th!
10/7 Jennings, Florida Pilot Travel Center
10/8 South of Greenville, NC Pilot Travel Center
10/9 Ashville at Aunt Mary’s house
10/10 Truck stop on the border of West Virginia and Ohio
10/11 Cleveland at grandma’s
10/12 Carnegie Mellon
10/13 Connecticut Turnpike Rest Area
10/14 Stage Fort Park in Massachusetts
10/15 Clambake in Portland, Maine
10/16 Pullout between Bangor and Calais
10/17 Tidal Bore Park in Muncton
10/18 Halifax Walmart
10/19 KOA in Halifax
10/20 on the WestJet overnight flight to Glasgow
10/21 – 11/10 Anne House, Bell’s Wynd, 146 High Street, Edinburgh
11/11 Crosby Beach
11/12 Crosby Beach (in the street due to the gale)
11/13 Crosby Beach (in the street due to the gale)
11/14 Chester (Little Roodee Car Park)
11/15 Chester (Little Roodee Car Park)
11/16 Conwy Marina
11/17 Conwy Marina
11/18 Bron-y-Wendon Holiday Caravan Park
11/19 Conwy Marina
11/20 Beaumaris Castle
11/21 Tesco in Bangor until 4am and then Conwy
11/22 Conwy
11/23 Holyhead
11/24 Bangor
11/25 Bangor (car park — Thanksgiving)
11/26 Bangor
11/27 Harlech
11/28 Cardiff (The Wharf)
11/29 RV Park – Tredegar House
11/30 Cardiff (The Wharf)
12/1 Pembroke
12/2 St David Beach (rocky outcrop place)
12/3 Aberystwyth
12/4 Welshpool
12/5 Shrewsbury (The Red Barn)
12/6 Shrewsbury (Leisure Store camp ground)
12/7 The Tame Otter, Tamworth near Nottingham (canal)
12/8 The Dog & the Duck Mansfield, King’s Clipstone (Christmas lights)
12/9 Doncaster – at the Birds house
12/10 The Fox & the Grapes, Leeds (50% off pub with risk!)
12/11 Filey, RV park south of Scarborough / awesome playground
12/12 York University
12/13 York RV Park
12/14 York RV Park
12/15 Thirsk, rural layby and moved in the middle of the night to James Herriot Car Park
12/16 Pickering (bought yarn)
12/17 Whitby
12/18 Berwick Upon Tweed
12/19 Musselburgh Wallyford
12/20 Musselburgh Wallyford
12/21 Musselburgh Wallyford
12/22 Edinburgh Caravan Park
12/23 Edinburgh Caravan Park
12/24 Edinburgh Caravan Park
12/25 Edinburgh Caravan Park
12/26 Wallford / Musselburgh / Hostel
12/27 Wallford / Musselburgh / Hostel
12/28 Wallyford / Musselburgh
12/29 Wallyford / Musselburgh
12/30 Glasgow, Car Park
12/31 Edinburgh Herniston Tesco / Hostel
1/1 Fort William, Car Park
1/2 Fort William, Car Park
1/3 Perth Asda
1/4 Melrose, Caravan Park
1/5 Durham (Car park with crane Mark helped fix)
1/6 Toby Carvery, York
1/7 Chester
1/8 Bangor
1/9 Rural Layby near Stonehenge
1/10 London Excel
1/11 London Excel
1/12 London Excel
1/13 London Excel
1/14 London Excel (Ryan left)
1/15 London Excel
1/16 London Excel
1/17 London Excel
1/18 London Excel(underneath)
1/19 London Excel (underneath)
1/20 Abbeywood Caravan Park
1/21 Abbeywood Caravan Park
1/22 Abbeywood Caravan Park
1/23 Abbeywood Caravan Park
1/24 The Hoggitt, Hook
1/25 The World’s Inn, Almer, Blandford
1/26 Dorchester
1/27 Dorchester
1/28 Dorchester (Sylvia, Jack & Michelle in London)
1/29 Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
1/30 King Arthur’s Arms,Tintagel, Cornwall
1/31 King Arthur’s Arms,Tintagel, Cornwall
2/1 King Arthur’s Arms,Tintagel, Cornwall
2/2 King Arthur’s Arms,Tintagel, Cornwall
2/3 Barnstaple
2/4 Minehead
2/5 Glastonbury
2/6 London, Kew Gardens, Car Park
2/7 Abbeywood, London
2/8 Truckstop, Brampton
2/9 Manchester, street
2/10 Musselburgh Harbor
2/11 Musselburgh Harbor
2/12 Musselburgh Harbor
2/13 Musselburgh Harbor
2/14 Musselburgh Harbor
2/15 Musselburgh Harbor
2/16 Musselburgh Harbor
2/17 Musselburgh Harbor
2/18 Musselburgh Harbor
2/19 Musselburgh Harbor
2/20 Musselburgh Harbor
2/21 Anstruther, Kingdom of Fife
2/22 Forfar Stadium
2/23 Forfar Caravan Park
2/24 Aberdeen, by the sea
2/25 Dufftown
2/26 Inverness Harbor
2/27 Ferry to Orkney / Shetland Islands
2/28 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
2/29 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
3/1 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
3/2 Ferry to Orkney
3/3 Kirkwall, Orkney
3/4 Inverness
3/5 Isle of Skye / Fort William
3/6 Glasgow
3/7 Ayre
3/8 Ferry to Belfast
3/9 Belfast
3/10 Belfast
3/11 Annaghlong
3/12 Annaghlong
3/13 Howth
3/14 Howth
3/15 Howth
3/16 Howth
3/17 Howth
3/18 Howth
3/19 Howth
3/20 Airport Radisson
3/21 Kilmore Quay
3/22 Dungarvin
3/23 Dungarvin
3/24 Cobh
3/25 Cobh
3/26 Easter Laherne Hill
3/27 Bandon – laundry
3/28 Cashel – lunch at pub
3/29 Hospital Kilkenny
3/30 Airport
3/31 Howth
4/1 Howth / Fairbanks
4/2 Howth / Fairbanks
4/3 Howth / Fairbanks
4/4 Howth / Bethel
4/5 Howth / Bethel
4/6 Howth / Bethel
4/7 Howth / Bethel
4/8 Howth / Bethel
4/9 Howth
4/10 Howth
4/11 Glenngarriff National Park
4/12 Portmagee
4/13 Ross Castle Kilarney National Park
4/14 Dingle
4/15 Galway
4/16 Galway
4/17 Galway
4/18 Old Head
4/19 Sligo
4/20 Blacksod
4/21
4/22 Donegal Town
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26
4/27
4/28
4/29
Mexico City
2017
January 31 – February 6: Dunedin
February 6 – March 6: Mexico City
March 7 Seattle
March 8 – April 14: Musselburgh
2018
February 10 Edinburgh to Newcastle
February 10 Ferry to Amsterdam
February 11 – 13 Amsterdam
February 14 Bruge
February 15 Paris
February 16 Paris
February 17 Chablis
February 18 Beaune
February 19 Nantua
February 20 Chamonix
February 21 Chamonix
February 22 Ivrea, Italy
February 23 San Pietre
February 24 San Pietre
February 25 San Pietre
February 26 Sasso Marconi Hotel Ca’ Vecchia camp ground
February 27 Florence
February 28 Florence
March 1 to March 3 Pisa
March 3 to April 15 Malta (except for Lana Del Rey at the PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy on April 13, 2018)
May 4 San Marino
May 5 San Marino
May 6 San Marino
May 7 Venice
May 8 Venice
May 9 Parma
May 10 Parma
May 11 Milan
May 12 Milan
May 13 Rest stop
May 14 Watten, France canal aire
May 15 Layby north of London
May 16 Drummohr
10 Responses
Kay DeCorso
Wonderful, informative website! So glad you all are safe and sound after one week. Thanks for putting up this amazing travelog. Kids look terrific, scenery amazing. You are all in my prayers each day…. Being nervous Grandma from long time ago. Be safe, happy and careful!! Grandma Kay
Joan Brossia
Hi, I’m Frank’s sister. The trip you are undertaking sounds fantastic! What a great way to spend the winter. I hope each of you has the time of your life.
God bless and keep you on your journey.
Joan and Jerry
Mary White-Jasper
Will you be passing through California? We would love to see you. It should be Summer by the time you reach Argentina. I have a very good friend that just returned from Chili this Summer. All I know is that when it is Winter here, it’s Summer there. I can relate to the nervous Grandma, be safe.
Danny
Hi DeCorso’s family, I am wonderful want to know about Panama to Colombia has not have roads and can’t drive over Panama to Colombia but can Bus or Ferry webs say, ferry cost 1,000 each vehicle and with trailer would 2,000 or more. I looked online about Panama’s map road to end road 75 miles before Colombia’s border. Colombia very dangerous and hate tours by Americans because terrors and drugs war. Please care things to south america. I so hope Great Travels. best you stay so close your familys together!
Danny
The Department of state warns U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural, and border areas. Citizens of the United States and other countries to be the victims of threats, kidnappings and other violence. It is U.S. policy not make concession to, or strike deals with terrorists, so the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnapped U.S. citizens is limited. Colombia also remains extremely dangerous due to the presence of naracoterrorists and Colombian government operations against them. U.S. citizens should not travel by road outside of urban areas at night.
If you not beleive I said about it. you look web at http://travel.state.gov
I not want see you go over colombia to south america that not worth just mexico to Panama are good after go see your grandparents in florida more safety!
if you want go south america, Good Luck with you plans! God bless you.
DANNY
Don
Ummm, state dept propaganda!! The US is no longer the greatest country on earth. Stay out of the wrong parts of town just like you would Chicago, LA, Miami and you will find nicer people, richer views and way better food then the processed cancer shit you get here. Check your facts, I’m guessing you have never been out of the country. Columbia is a beautiful rich country and you are as safe there as you are in Amish country.
Mary White-Jasper
I love your posts. Your children will have stories to tell for a lifetime. We live on 3/4 of an acre and have plenty of room for you to park your RV if you are interested. We live in an old 1950’s ranch style home, nothing fancy. Grandma Alice will be here in December. As you are aware, we are very close to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farms. Fullerton is a historic town full of culture. We are the home of Leo Fender (electric guitar) Museum and California State University. I have very close friends that have driven and flown to Chile often. They have family in Santiago and their family owns cattle ranches in the south of Chile (Punta Puyehue?) I would love to introduce you to them.
Mary White-Jasper
Hello again. My friend, Maria from Chile said although it was safe to drive to Chile several years ago, it is no longer safe. I certainly don’t want to spoil your travel plans, but travel through South America is very dangerous right now. Tourists are considered a target and the weather and terrain can be treacherous. Maria flew to Chile in August to visit with family and said everything is very expensive as well.
Bernard
You all are going to have the experience of a life time. Please do not listen to all the negative nay sayers who have never been anywhere and basically sit on the couch and spread rumors and fear. We have just completed a trip of over 10,000 miles from Georgia USA thru Mexico (Pacific coast and Atlantic coast) and into Central America. Just wanted to wish you all well and I will be watching and wishing I was back out on the road with you all. Safe travels and kind regards, Bernard
Dave Farmer
Mark
Let me know if you are headed back threw Florida on the way home. I live in Naples about 90 min from Miami. Email or get me on Facebook.
I wish you safe travels.