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 114 May 2009
From Ypsilanti, state of Michigan, to Utica, state of Illinois, km 510
Departure at 7:30 Ready to leave, each at the assigned position, the RV following me warns me that I've left the step open, my first thought went to my RV left back in Italy: it has the same defect, the step always stays open, the automatic retraction doesn't always work and all this happened to me in America too with an American RV. After several attempts to get it to close, the ever-helpful Renato arrived and with Attilio's help disassembled and disconnected the little motor that was supposed to open and close the step, in all we lost 45 minutes, unfortunately you couldn't travel in that situation, it would have been very dangerous.
Lunch stop and grocery shopping at the supermarket, among the various supplies we bought two pillows, the ones provided with the RV were very low and not being used to them we bought others, moreover we found some fabulous meat, at the last moment on PL's suggestion we found a stool to work around the broken step, I tied it to a rope and before getting out 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, but they immediately warned me of the oversight and I retrieved it. In the afternoon a stop and visit to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (N 41 37 16 W 87 12 30) which runs along the southeastern shore of Lake Erie. Looking at its sparkling waters you get the impression of seeing a snow effect.
It's a not very deep lake, whose inflow is the Detroit River and outflow the Niagara River. The climate is mild and the atmosphere is that of a riverside resort. A few photos and then off we go, this destination was a bit disappointing, nothing special. In Sardinia there are similar spectacles but more beautiful. In Chicago we found a lot of traffic and it slowed the trip down, we'll arrive at the campground at 9 pm, unfortunately due to the repair on my step and the traffic found in Chicago we accumulated this significant delay. Lasalle Peru Koa Campground N 41 23 26 W 89 01 09.
Lasalle Peru Koa Campground
Day 215 May 2009
From Utica, state of Illinois, to Adel, state of Iowa, km. 465
Departure at 8, no one had warned us that in this state you have to change the time, you have to set it back an hour, so at 8 we were ready to leave, but actually it was 7 and like us many others, at 7:30 we decide to leave. The weather is bad, it's pouring rain, after a few kilometers the left windshield wiper gets stuck, I notify no. 1 by radio who stops the line at the first service area, I put myself under a canopy sheltered from the rain, Super Renato and Attilio immediately reach me, who with the equipment the group bought, in half an hour disassemble and reassemble the wiper and get it working better than before. Setting off again still in the rain which gets heavier and heavier, shortly after no.
3 also reports by radio that his windshield wiper has stopped, the RV is the twin of mine, we stop at a service area, the famous "Iowa 80 Truckstop," the biggest superstore of truck equipment, I had seen it on Sky in a documentary and it was my dream to be able to visit it in person and this came true, inside: besides a restaurant, a dentist, places where drivers can clean up and rest, there's the sales warehouse of everything that can transform and beautify trucks, chrome parts, lights of all kinds and various accessories. Meanwhile they proceed to repair no. 3's windshield wiper, it was just a loose nut. After lunch we set off again still in the rain, the monotony of the highway makes you a bit sleepy, no.
1 decides to stop for a nap, after half an hour we set off again and around 5 pm we reach the campground, after settling in, I move and fill up with propane (5 gallons at 2.49 dollars total 13.19 dollars), these days I've often used the night heating and I was running low. At 7 a meeting for tomorrow's program, we'll propose, weather permitting, a visit to the Madison County bridges and the house museum where John Wayne was born, everyone agrees. KOA Des Moines West Campground – N 41 23 33 W 94 04 47.
Lasalle Peru Koa Campground
Day 313 Jun 2009
Conclusion
So much effort and so much fatigue for this trip that gave us emotions hard to describe. Every day was unique, unmissable, extraordinary, thanks also to the commitment and determination of all our adventure companions. What do we remember most? Hard to say. Every place, in its own way, was wonderful. This trip 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 Devils Tower, to the thrilling Old Faithful and all of Yellowstone Park (even though we didn't see Yogi and Boo-Boo Bear), 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 beautiful, the breathtaking Grand Canyon; to the lights, the sounds of Las Vegas; to the scorching Badwater in Death Valley; to the very old and very big General Sherman and the unexpected snowfall in Sequoia National Park; to the wonderful Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline seen from the romantic Sausalito; and finally, to the huge New York, its skyscrapers, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge
, the Statue of Liberty (seen from afar). There would have been so many other things to tell that we didn't include in this text. Others that we could have mentioned but that are found in all 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's really all over. It's time to go home, see friends again, continue our usual life, waiting for another wonderful trip to enjoy together.
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