In less than a month I’ll be on my way to Wisconsin to pick up my charming little teardrop trailer! I’m giddy with excitement for both the trip, and to meet my trailer for the first time! This will be our first adventure together and I’m confident it will be a memorable one.
There’s just one problem. I have absolutely no idea what I’m up against! Driving across the country for the first time, in winter, towing a trailer and camping in sub-zero temperatures. I suppose that’s more like 4 problems.
When I started planning this trip I had a grand idea! I’d drive to Wisconsin as quickly as possible, collect my mobile dwelling, and then slowly make my way back through the northernmost boundary of America. I’d cruise through stunning national parks, drift alongside remarkable grasslands and climb magnificent mountains, all while leisurely making my way home.
Can you picture it?
Following unbroken stallions across the wilds of Wyoming and Montana.
Being shadowed by the jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons.
Admiring the reflection of the blue skies in the emerald lakes of Glacier National Park.
Staring in wonder at the magnificent, and oddly out of place, faces of Mt Rushmore.
Just the light frosting of snow to indicate the seasonal change.
As a California girl I loosely wondered to myself “what’s the worst weather I could encounter, a few snow flurries? Perfect snow angel and sledding weather, right? It will be just like driving through a winter wonderland.”
With whimsical snowflakes dancing through my imagination, I took to Facebook. I wanted to share my magnificent plan with other teardrop trailer lovers and get validation that this was, in fact, the most amazing trip ever planned.
Unfortunately, those whimsical flurries rapidly turned into jagged shards of ice flying at supersonic speeds. Apparently, what I had in mind was about as responsible as what the Donner Party planned when they took that shortcut through the mountains.
According to those with far more knowledge of the region than me, I could expect November to range anywhere from black-ice covered mountain roads lined by death defying winter ravines, to stunning red and orange sunsets mirrored by the matching colors of seasonally changing trees.
Basically, this particular region of America is the bipolar relative of America’s West Coast. Where California’s weather is pretty predicable and consistent, the weather of the northern mid-west could switch on a dime from beautifully mild fall, to manically threatening winter.
Those original pictures of dazzling seasonal colors on a backdrop of fluffy clouds and grand mountain peaks had been rapidly replaced with a powerful scene from a made-for-TV drama.
The scene opens with a white car and white trailer being driven down the deceptively precarious mountain road in whiteout conditions by a white knuckled white girl. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an adorable bunny hops into the road. Not seeing the delightfully innocent creature until the last minute, the driver swerves. The car, trailer and occupants go fishtailing off the mountain passage into the white snowy abyss below. The scene closes with the cheerful little bunny, oblivious to its own mortality, hopping quietly off the road.
Granted, as all made-for-TV movies are, this is clearly over dramatized, but the threat of danger is real. While I’ve given my dog Dingo permission to eat me for survival should a scene like the one above play out, I’d like to avoid putting her in that grisly position.
Because I’d like to keep that original scene of enchanting fall colors, distant mountain silhouettes and well-maintained roads in my mind, this epic trip will now need to be rerouted. Thankfully I approached my Facebook community early enough that I have a few weeks to iron out the new details. I still want to drive and pick my trailer up rather than having it shipped, but I think I’ll need to veer much further south.
This is where you, my faithful readers, get to chime in.
Do you have any recommendations on things to see on the way back? Perhaps a recommended route?
Most likely I’ll be going south through Nebraska, Colorado and Utah. Send your recommendations my way, whether via this blog, Facebook or in a direct message! I’d love to hear what you think.
It looks like there is much more to see along Hwy 90 than Hwy 80. There are really cool fun places like Wall Drug store, a once in a lifetime experience to Custer’s last stand and Buffalo WY. Then I would drop south to Hwy 80 around Utah and see Salt Lake and drive 80 home.
Highway 50 in the middle of Nevada is desolate, long and not worth it, but Highway 80 and 90 have allot going for it.
Highway 70 has allot to see but that would take you down to the southern route home. You might not want to repeat some of what you have already seen.
This is a good website: https://maps.roadtrippers.com/trips/14543191
It also says to be aware of weather in the winter – but is November winter?