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

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. 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!

  5. 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

    • 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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.

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