Among the many trips a camper dreams of, there is crossing the United States coast to coast: the Camper Club Italia organised it and we joined in. We had been talking about it for a long time with friends — some had been there with other organisations or on their own, but always on very limited routes: California, Nevada and Utah — nobody we knew had done the “coast to coast”. Looking at the programme, we noticed it was very extensive but crammed into little time; in short, we would have to rush, but it could be done. After two meetings in Bologna, the club’s headquarters, and one in Bergamo, where we got all the information and the final costs, we decided to go. The cost, everything included (which unfortunately would not turn out to be the case), was set at € 12,500.
Twenty days before departure there was supposed to be an adjustment, up or down, based on the dollar/euro exchange rate, and this never happened — about € 400 in our favour. It was decided to charge everyone the same price for the campers even though they were different sizes, because not everyone could have a small one, so they were drawn by lot. The maximum number of participants was to be 20 campers with two leaders, split into two groups; unfortunately one of the two leaders had to pull out for health reasons, we were asked whether we wanted to set off with just one leader and we all agreed, but the cost of the second person had already been counted and was not refunded to the participants. Many asked for a refund, but there was no reply.
So that I could add more photos and make it quicker to read, I decided to present this trip divided by state; for each group, besides the relevant photos, there will be the diary of the days linked to that state.
Day 113 May 2009
From Grand Island, state of New York, to Ypsilanti, state of Michigan, km. 445
Departure at 7:00 For the third time we go through US/Canada customs and take a highway that, running along the border, will bring us back into the United States in Michigan; a beautiful road and a magnificent panorama. At customs for re-entry into the United States, the lead group lines up behind the trucks and will lose a lot of time for customs procedures for the vehicles ahead of them; the line, having noticed the mistake, merges into the right lane and in a short time is in the USA. We proceed toward the campsite and here we wait for the others to arrive. Detroit Greenfield Koa Campsite N 42 11 48 W 83 33 45.
Ypsilanti - Detroit Greenfield Koa Campground
Day 214 May 2009
From Ypsilanti, state of Michigan, to Utica, state of Illinois, km 510
Departure at 7.30. Ready to leave, everyone at the appointed position, the camper following me warns me that my step has remained open, my first thought went to my camper left in Italy: it has the same defect, the step always stays open, the retract mechanism doesn't always work and all this has happened to me even in America with an American camper. After several attempts to make it close, Renato came to the rescue and with Attilio's help removed and disconnected the motor that was supposed to open and close the step, in all we lost 45 minutes, unfortunately we couldn't travel in that situation, it would have been very dangerous.
Lunch stop and shopping at the supermarket, among the various supplies we bought two pillows, the ones provided with the camper were very flat and not being used to them we bought others, moreover we found some fabulous meat, at the last moment on PL's tip we found a stool to make up for the broken step, I tied it to a rope and before getting down I lowered it to the ground like a step and before leaving I pulled it back up like a drawbridge, afterwards many times I forgot to pull it back in and dragged it along, but they immediately warned me of the oversight and I retrieved it. In the afternoon stop and visit to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (N 41 37 16 W 87 12 30) which skirts the south-eastern shore of Lake Erie. Looking at its sparkling waters you get the impression of seeing a snow effect.
It is a not very deep lake, whose tributary is the Detroit River and whose outflow is the Niagara River. The climate is mild and the atmosphere is that of a seaside resort. A few photos and then off we go, this destination was a bit disappointing, nothing special. In Sardinia there are similar sights but more beautiful. In Chicago we found a lot of traffic and it slowed the journey down, we will arrive at the campsite at 21, unfortunately because of the repair to my step and the traffic found in Chicago it made us accumulate this significant delay. Lasalle Peru Koa Campsite N 41 23 26 W 89 01 09.
Michigan
Day 313 Jun 2009
Conclusion
So much effort and so much fatigue for this journey that gave us emotions difficult to describe. Every day was unique, unmissable, extraordinary, thanks also to the commitment and the will of all our adventure companions. What do we remember most? Hard to say. Every place, in its own way, was wonderful. This journey will be memorable.
Our thoughts go, in order, to the impetuous charm of Niagara Falls; to the badlands of the Badlands; to the faces of the Presidents carved into the mountain; to the magnificent Devil's Tower, to the exciting Old Faithful and to the whole of Yellowstone Park (even though we didn't see Yogi Bear and Boo Boo), to Monument Valley, and its delicate arches and its spires; to the light filtered through Antelope Canyon; to the legendary Lake Powell with the Glen Canyon Dam; to the superb, the great, the most beautiful, the breathtaking Grand Canyon; to the lights, the sounds of Las Vegas; to the very hot Badwater in Death Valley; to the very old and very big General Sherman and the unexpected snowfall at Sequoia National Park; to the wonderful Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline seen from romantic Sausalito; and finally, to the immense New York, its skyscrapers, Central Park, the Bro
oklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (seen from afar). There would have been so many other things to tell that we haven't included in this text. Others that we could have mentioned but that are found in all the tourist guides. Still others, like the most intimate feelings and emotions....that can never be described but that will remain prisoners forever within us. Now it really is all over. It's time to return home, see friends again, continue our usual life, waiting for another wonderful journey to enjoy together.
0 reader comments