With our recently purchased Foretravel we decided to go for a shakedown cruise from Nashville, TN to Wyoming. We have been to the Teton/Yellowstone Parks at least 7-8 times over the years and we always enjoyed the area.

We left Nashville 6:05 am on I-24 west. Always get Diesel in Kentucky at the Flying J in Oak Grove. The price is usually lower than most places along our route ($1.26). Drove 554 miles to Grain Valley, MO on I-70 Exit 24. The interstate highways are generally OK but lots of construction. Some of I-70 in MO is in pretty bad shape but they are working on it.

Stayed at Trailside Campers in Grain Valley. OK for overnight but I wouldn’t stay there for longer than one night I-70 is too close, you hear the trucks all night. Cost $23.00 with water and electric no sewer.

The next day we left Trailside at 6:30 am heading north on I-29 toward Lincoln, NE. The road north of Saint Joseph MO is being worked on. Some of it has been repaved unfortunately they left some unpaved sections over bridges etc. They did a LOUSY job with some of the transition from the old to the new paving. When you hit the BUMP it will give you a shock you will remember.

We take NE 2 across to Lincoln and I-80 from Nebraska City and I-29 Exit 10 in IA. It cuts off a good distance and the road is good. There are no rest areas on this road but close to Lincoln there is a new Wall-Mart so we pulled in for our breakfast.

I-80 has some bad sections but most of it is good. Purchased Diesel in York I-80 Exit 353 at Petro. Never again will I stop there. First the price was the highest in all our travels ($1.44) the pump shuts off at $75,00 had to restart it 2 times. I carry 194 gallons so from now on I make sure that I do not have to get fuel in NE. All the rest stops on I-80 in NE are way too small for trucks and RV’s. Only one is large enough around mile marker 197 to accommodate more than a few rigs.

I make it a point to spend my money in states that take care of the traveling public. With all the empty land in NE I just don’t get it why do they have these small truck areas in the rest stops. 

We drove 556 miles to Sydney, NE I-80 Exit 59. Stayed at Cabela’s RV Park next to the store. Nice campground for overnight stay. The cost is $22.50 with full hookups $15.75 with electric only. Easy off on from I-80 and easy access to the Campground.

We made it to Casper, WY on the third day 278 miles. I-80 and I-25 can be very windy. My experience with our previous motor home was that sometime I had to slow down to 45 with the 40-50 mile cross winds on I-29 north of Cheyenne. With the Foretravel I hardly noticed the wind. The 8 airbags mounted close to the outside makes the coach very stable. I could tell it was windy when a gust came at me but it was no problem going straight and keeping up with the 75 miles speed limit.

Stopped for fuel in Casper. The Flying J is WAY too small for RV’s and trucks. I always stop at the Conoco on the east side of I-29. The price is usually the same as Flying J but since last year they removed the Diesel truck pump and replaced it with pay at the pump car Diesel. It shuts off at $50.00. I had to keep re-starting it also with the small nozzle it takes forever. This station is also off my list.

We stayed outside of Casper for a week on our son’s ranch. We went into Casper every day to shop and to eat. It always amazes me the RV’s I see CAMPING at Wal-Mart. Some stay for days with awnings out, jacks down, antenna up and no one there during the day. I even saw one having a barbecue in the parking lot.

Left Casper heading to the Teton’s. Highway 20 is good until just before Shoshoni for 12 miles it is all gravel and very rough. They are working on it slowly so maybe it will be done in the near future. Wyoming does a pretty good job with their roads but this one was terrible. The rest of highway 26 was good and very scenic especially Togwotee Pass.

Going up the Pass was a pleasure with the 450HP Cummins. The engine temperature never moved the RPM stayed around 1500. Going downhill with the transmission retarder, lower gear and occasional breaking was a breeze. The transmission temperature also stayed in the normal range. Having experience with the exhaust break and the transmission retarder I prefer the 6-position transmission retarder.

Traveled 269 miles in 4.5 hours to Colter Bay Village RV Park. We made reservation on the Internet to make sure we would have room. The RV Park is located next to the village a walking distance from the lake, the marina, restaurants and the store.

Most of the sites are pull-troughs some are a little tight others are not level. All sites come with full hookups. The price including the Tax is $41.34.

The National Park campground is adjacent to the RV Park. Colter Bay Campground with 350 sites with showers, laundry, and dump station full by noon is less expensive with no hookups. There are Five National Park Service campgrounds available on a first-come first-served basis within the park.

Flag Ranch is 2 miles south of the Yellowstone park south entrance with full hookups. Lot to do and see in the Grand Teton NP. There is something for everyone.

Visiting Yellowstone is a must. Everyone living in this country should see it at least once in his or her lifetime. You have to spend 3-5 days just to see most of the sites. If you like to hike, fish or just to hang around try to spend at least a week or more.

Plenty of Campgrounds are available in the Park. During July and August it is very crowded but manageable if that is your time schedule.

All in all it was a very enjoyable trip. We retraced our steps back to Nashville at the end of June. Stayed in the same campgrounds. Fueled up in Cheyenne at the Conoco Truck Stop I-25 Exit 9 ($1.25) I stop here often since it is not that busy and I can fuel up fast in the truck lanes. The Flying J at Exit 7 is VERY busy with trucks, RV’s and cars. I tried to get in had a hard time getting out with all the vehicles waiting for fuel.

I saw at least 6 RV’s on the side road next to Flying J settling in for the night the time was 2:30 in the afternoon. This one is also off my list for future stops. The next Fuel stop was in MO on I-70 Exit 59 at the TA Truck Stop. ($1.35) Just follow the trucks to the back there is no room for RV’s at the car pumps.