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Topic: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed? (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Yahoo Message Number: 128800
We are planning a trip to NE Arizona in late April, early May. We live in Oregon and have a RB 1995 LD. We have gone on short trips to the coast so this will be our first big adventure. We want to visit Naitonal Parks, Grand Canyon, Canyon DeChelly, Petrified Forest, maybe zion and Brice.  We think we will have about 10-14 days. My question is can we travel those areas without a toad? We would like to boondock most of the time. Also, would it be wiser to take our 2 dogs with us or leave them home. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions.
Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128801
Hi MJzelnar You will probably get opinions all over the place on this. We have made that same trip from Washington. It would be nice it you had a little longer but is doable in the alloted time. You don't need a toad for this trip. Bring the dogs only if  you can be sure not to leave them inside the coach if it will get hot inside. If you go on hikes in the NP the dogs must be left behind. If you park in the shade, and you leave the vents open and FF running, and the dogs have water, they should be ok in April but May may be too hot. Of course if you do not boondock you can leave the AC on and the dogs will be happy. Leaving the dogs tied outside the rig is frowned upon. We do it anyway sometimes, but she is a nonbarker  and usually sleeps the whole time we are gone.

You might want to cut out one or more of those destinations such as Petrified forest.

Tom
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128807
Hi, I would suggest first that you take your toad.  I have visited all of the places you mentioned.
As for your dogs, we have traveled with 3 in the LD and they loved sniffing and checking things out.  But then it depends on if your "kids" like to travel.  I think that is a choice only you could make.
 Just being able to park the LD and then going off for the day is a real pleasure to come home and be comfy.

Betty Jean
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128809
You know, of course, that you cannot boondock within any of the national parks...and you'll be on an Indian Reservation when you visit Canyon DeChelly, so I'd ask permission if you could stay anywhere other than Cottonwood Campground (which is free dry camping...or it was free the last time we visited a few years ago).
 There is Forest Service camping south of the south entrance to the Grand Canyon...still not boondocking since you'll be in a USFS campground.  There is a dry camping NPS-run campground in Grand Canyon, Mather, which would be my choice.  Mather is a close walk to the busses that run, so you won't need to drive your LD (or toad) within the park other than to just get there.
 Canyon DeChelly has a couple of paved tour routes that an LD can drive on...to get into the canyon itself will take a Native American tour guide.
 Petrified Forest is principally a drive on paved roads from US-180 to I-40 (or vice versa), which would be OK for the LD.  There used to be a small free campground at the Rainbow Forest Museum (and the business across the street) near the junction of US-180 and the Petrified Forest Road.  I don't know if these spaces are still available or, if they are, if they're still free.
 During the summer in Zion, you will not be able to drive *any* vehicle on the park road past a certain point...all touring is done via shuttle busses and you can get off at any point to do some hiking and catch the next bus to the next stop or back to your vehicle.  I would recommend staying in one of the campgrounds inside the park...they're within walking distance to the shuttle busses and you may find it hard to find a place to park your vehicle if you stay outside the park and drive in to catch the shuttle bus.
 There is a campground near Bryce, Red Canyon, that is located on UT-12 east of US-89.  There are also a couple of campgrounds in the park, although since we've never stayed at either of them, I can't comment on them.
 10-14 days isn't much time to cover all that area, particularly if that *includes* driving time to and from Oregon.  You might want to skip the Petrified Forest and Canyon DeChelly on this trip and concentrate, instead on the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce.  If you have some time left over, visit Capitol Reef National Park.  You'll be able to travel *some* of the roads within Capitol Reef with the LD, but others require a toad...and many require a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  But, next to Zion, it's one of our favorite Utah national parks!

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128810
For canyon de chelly you can walk in from a trail on south west canyon rather than go in the Navajo jeep ferry. You will need to drive there, but it is a beautiful walk down to White houses. About a 800 foot drop or so  along canyon.
 It is a special place for Navajos as it is where Kit Carson massacred women and children.

Greg Matthews LD wannabe
Re: Trip to NE Arizona: Toad needed?
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128812
I'll second Tom's suggestion: scale back your itinerary, take your time and enjoy yourselves.
 If it were me, I'd pick just two of those destinations and spend several days in each. I'd leave some slack in my plans, so that if an unexpected opportunity presented itself--a local bluegrass festival, an obscure but fascinating museum, or just a lovely sunset--I could take advantage of it without feeling that "I don't have time to stop here... it'll put me behind schedule!"
 In short, don't run yourselves ragged trying to see everything in the southwest in ten days (including travel time from Oregon!). It'll still be there next year when you return. :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128814
We have done these locations several times over the past few years. We prefer the toad - although Grand Canyon (south rim), Bryce, and Zion have great transportation options without a toad; and we would not bring the dogs as they tie you down, some areas (NP) do not permit dogs on the trails, and there are restrictions on leaving the animals unattended in an RV.

Our current rig is a 30 but we also visited these areas in our 26 both with a toad.

Bob in Florida

__ From: reenannez MJZELNAR@...>
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 12:42 AM
 Subject: [LD] Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?

We are planning a trip to NE Arizona in late April, early May. We live in Oregon and have a RB 1995 LD. We have gone on short trips to the coast so this will be our first big adventure. We want to visit Naitonal Parks, Grand Canyon, Canyon DeChelly, Petrified Forest, maybe zion and Brice.  We think we will have about 10-14 days. My question is can we travel those areas without a toad? We would like to boondock most of the time. Also, would it be wiser to take our 2 dogs with us or leave them home. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128818
I agree with Florida Bob that a toad would be most useful in those areas. I don't know if you know that right outside of Canyon de Chelly Monument there is a sizeable FREE very clean campground on Indian land run by the Pueblo Indians with fresh water and clean  toilets. However there is no power available. There is no way to make reservations here. However every time we have been there the campground was maybe only 10- 15% filled up. Also there are many places to boondock in the Kaibab National Forest on the North rim of the GCNP.  Free water was obtained from the lodge and restaurant at Jacob Lake. We dumped and showered for a fee at a small local RV park. Enjoy .... Lutz
   To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128825
In my experience there are three kinds of road trip, all good.
 The first, which we did a lot of when still working, is what I call drive-by touring. Travel almost every day, covering as much territory as possible in the limited time you have, seeing the sights along the way as you move from camp to camp. No need for a toad and one would actually be a pain, limiting where you can pull off the road and park for awhile and making overnight parking and camping more complicated.
 The second is what I call a camping trip. In which the goal is to go to just a few spots, set up camp and relax for a few days at each, generally not leaving camp while there, other than for a hike or fishing or something within walking, or maybe bicycling, distance of camp. When traveling between camps take in a few sights, purchase provisions etc. But the purpose isn't really sightseeing, it's about camping. No real need for a toad in this situation either, but some might like one.
 The third is what I call exploration travel. This is best done with more time available. In this case one moves regularly between camps, but with more time in each, say 3-5 days, and the goal is to use each camp as a base for exploring the surrounding area in great detail. Here is where a toad becomes almost essential. And in the west the ideal toad for this sort of thing is a high clearance 4WD vehicle, like our Jeep Wrangler. Perfectly useful in urban areas but also able to explore, say, the back country of Capitol Reef NP.
 I'm think your spring trip is going to be MOL drive-by touring. And the big destinations you cite, Grand Canyon, Zion, etc. really don't want you driving around in your car in their more crowded areas, and have good "public transit" and trail systems. And you could easily do something like the rim drives in Grand Canyon in the LD, perhaps on your way into or out of the park.
 As to the dogs, I wish more people would just leave them at home. From my experience they just create a dilemma for (responsible) owners. If you do the right thing and keep your dog with you to be sure it behaves properly and isn't put at risk, then your ability to enjoy the places you visit becomes limited.
 And if you do the wrong thing and just leave the dog in camp or in some parking lot or tied outside the store, then you are imposing on others who may have to put up with its bad behavior or may feel a need to rescue it from some unforeseen problem. And i've seen lots of "good" dogs behave badly when their owners are absent.
 Here is an example. You're camped in Zion. You want to take the shuttle up the canyon, getting off here and there to do some hiking, the whole point of visiting Zion. You can't take the dog, but you shouldn't leave it unattended in camp either. What do you do?
 So my vote: no toad, no dogs. But you'll have a great time whatever you do.

Terry

2003 26.5'RB
Gardnerville, NV

Quote
 
 We are planning a trip to NE Arizona in late April, early May. We live in Oregon and have a RB 1995 LD. We have gone on short trips to the coast so this will be our first big adventure. We want to visit Naitonal Parks, Grand Canyon, Canyon DeChelly, Petrified Forest, maybe zion and Brice.  We think we will have about 10-14 days. My question is can we travel those areas without a toad? We would like to boondock most of the time. Also, would it be wiser to take our 2 dogs with us or leave them home. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions.
Terry
2003 26.5'RB
Gardnerville, NV
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128828
Being fulltimers for 12+ years, we had no choice but to take our dog with us.  And, yes, we left him behind most of the time in our RV when we went out exploring.  There's not much choice other than taking him with us and then leaving him in a hot car while we're hiking...NOT!  Being a Basenji, he didn't bark, but even now, with two dogs, one of which is another Basenji, they don't bark when left behind.  If we're at all concerned, we just pull the blinds so that the little one who can bark, can't see out, so doesn't.
 They are NEVER, NEVER left tied up outside unattended...they are left IN the RV.  The only time dogs are a problem left behind is if they spend the entire time barking...we've parked next to a few of those.

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128833
Thank you, Linda! for the voice of reason.
I purchased my LD partly for the fact I loved to take my dogs with me travelling. It is more fun to hike , run on the beach and just to sit with them.  Irresponsible owners who tie their pets outside while camped & leave them make it more difficult for those of us who are responsible.  I leave my dogs in the RV, wait outside to make certain they are not being a problem and have NEVER had a complaint.  Even when someone left 6 dogs in a kennel outside their RV about 9 hours and were barking.
The owners of the RV park now require a cell phone number and instruct everyone to not leave their pets outside.  Not only for the noise & nuisnance factor but for the pets safetly & comfort. I NEVER NEVER LEAVE MY PETS OUTSIDE.
Just my two cents.

Betty Jean
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128851
We did Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Petrified Forrest and a few other sites last year. No problems touring without toad. We took our dog, all was fine except for hiking - dogs not allowed on most all trails. So temperature is important if leaving dog in your rig. We had temps in the 80's so left the generator on to run the A/C when we'd be gone more than an hour.
Bill
 
Re: Trip to NE Arizona :Toad needed?
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 128862
Thank you for all your response ! Taking a little advice from all of you. Firstly, cutting back on destinations. Still undecided about taking our dogs, but hoping to do so. Need to investigate more. Thanks again. Maureen