Hey Guys,
This is our first post. We are fulltime RVing. We started in January in Florida and have explored the whole gulf coast and south Texas. We also spent a couple of weeks in New Mexico. We are currently in Tucson and are trying to decide on the best way to go from here. We would like to spend a couple of months exploring AZ and UT. We are planning stops in Sedona, Flagstaff, Vegas. Our must see list includes GC, Zion, Bryce. We are not interested in seeing big cities. We can camp on military bases and have no problem camping with minimal or no hookups.

We're looking for suggestions on best RV friendly routes (avoiding interstates as much as possible) that will let us see as much as we can. Our only fixed time frame is Vegas 5/14-5/18. Suggestions on good places to visit will be greatly appreciated also.

The National Parks/Monuments of AZ and UT are key stops.  

Joe
Do you have plans for the FMCA rally in Redmond?  Just prior might be a good time to spend a week or so on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula.  When you get tired of the southwest, come see the rain forest, lakes and waterfalls.  Spend the day in Victoria British Columbia (passport?) or see miles and miles of beautiful beaches.
Take the high road over Concrete Wa. to Spokane and down to the rally.
Drop us a note if you will be in our area (Port Angeles) and we can hook up for lunch and some info on things to see.

We really enoyed the Grand Canyon Railway trip out of Williams, AZ. There is a nice campground within walking distance from the station and the staff on the train entertain you all the way. It is a day trip with about 4 hrs at the canyon for a nice rim trail hike. You can stay over in a hotel and take the train back next day if you would like more time.

http://www.thetrain.com/

Also the Shidoni Foundry in Santa Fe was fascinating with the varied finished art on display as well as the ability to see the process for making cast bronze artwork. Starts with the making of the mold to the pouring of bronze. Not to be missed.

We endorse all of the canyon land parks. One of our favorite hikes, because it is so unique, is the "Trail Of The Narrows" in Zion park. You will hike in a river bed that is dry in some areas but thigh deep in others.  The narrow gorge view from the bottom is spectacular. Wear old sneakers and bring a walking stick, just beauiful.

Also in Colorado if you are going that way. We enjoyed the Royal Gorge bridge and the train ride down the gorge. That is near Cannon City Colorado. Silverton Durango narrow gauge steam train trip is also fun.

Hard to go wrong in this area of the country, it is so unique.

Regards Ed

Joe,
As a fulltimer for 7 years, my suggestion would be to slow down and enjoy the lifestyle. Remember that fulltiming is a lifestyle, and not a vacation.

You do not need to see everything this year. The southwest will be getting very hot in a few months. So take-in the mountains of Colorado or the northwest coast for the summer, and avoid the heat (the Oregon coast is fantastic in the summer). Then see some more of the southwest next winter or spring when the weather is more enjoyable.

Remember your are not on vacation.

Gerald    

If you like to tour, try this or any part thereof.  North on AZ 77 to Globe. North  on AZ 60 through the Salt River Canyon to Show Low. AZ 61 to US 180 through the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. North on US 191 to Chinle and then Canyon De Chelly Nat'l Monument.  North on US 191 to West on US 160 to South on US 89 to Flagstaff.  You can stay at Luke AFB FamCamp Fort Tuthill and tour the area. East on I-40 to Williams for the train ride to GC, or North on AZ 64 to GC then on to North on US 89 to the North Rim of GC.  Then make your way down to Las Vegas.  After that you can return to Brice and Zion.  Arizona has a lot to see besides sand and cactus.  Enjoy all the sights along the way.

Larry

Though I'm not a fulltimer and have not been to the Southwest, we do have many relatives that live there, and I have to agree with Gerald that you probably don't want to be RVing there midsummer.  Take your time, but be in the Northwest or Canada, central or northern Idaho or western Montana by then.  As he said, the Northwest coast is a very comfortable place in summer, though it can get crowded with vacationers, so reserve campsites ahead as you go.  Take a jet boat ride up the Rogue River out of Gold Beach.  See Lewis and Clark's Fort Clatsop near Astoria.  Check out Washington's Long Beach Penninsula (where my brother lives).

Backtrack a bit, then head north and take up Keith's invite;  the Olympic Penninsula is beautiful, and Vancouver Island/Victoria/Buchart's Gardens via Port Angeles or Anacortes ferries for day trips on foot or by toad, or by ferrying your coach over, makes a real adventure.  Leisurely drive Hood's Canal.  If you don't have them, apply for Passports well in advance of potential border crossing dates - it takes awhile.  Try to avoid I-5 around Seattle, especially at rush hours;  I find the on and off ramps there tricky because they're often practically on top of each other - traffic merging in at the same spot you're trying to get off.  We've been known to travel that area at night to avoid the mess.

Back to the Southwest, check out some of the photos Connie Bradish supplied from last Fall's Grand Circle Beaver Rolling Rally:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bradish.c


Joel and Lee

Gerald,

You hit the nail on the head. We have been rushing to see everthing. Thanks for the advice and we're going to slow down and enjoy the lifestyle.