How We Went from Colorado to NY (and Back) in a Pop-Up Truck Camper!

Join us, the Camillacis, a small, tight-knit unit comprising my wife Charlotte, and myself, Dominic. Our unit on wheels mirrors our compact family—just enough space for us to work….but primarily designed for play as we traverse the country, pausing at various stops along the way! Our mode of travel? A 2011 Toyota Tundra hauling a Hallmark pop-up truck camper. Our expedition embarks from our home in Colorado Springs, the starting point for our journey. An opportunity presents itself for an extended stay at my family home in Rochester, NY, where I spent my formative years. With Rochester serving as our destination, we seize the chance to explore the East Coast and reconnect with family during the Thanksgiving holiday before our journey back to Colorado. 

As the dog days of summer yield to autumn and early winter, Mother Nature guides our approach to optimizing RV travel through varying seasons. While many opt for the southbound escape to warmer climates like Arizona or Florida, our journey from Colorado to New York charts a course through the northern states.

Continue on to discover our pivotal stops, our experiences in each locale, and seasonal tips that shaped our adventure!

Planning:

Preparation is vital, enabling us to maximize enjoyment and make wise, safe choices throughout our journey. We count ourselves fortunate for the various route options available to us along multiple major interstates. Just a few hundred miles to the north or south can significantly alter both the weather and the regional landscape, encompassing mountains, lakes, deserts, plains, and oceans. Opting for the northern route along the Great Lakes for our Summer journey was deliberate. This choice granted us access to pristine beaches and an array of recreational opportunities to relish while the weather remained favorable. Additionally, considering our rig's lack of AC, moderate temperatures prove especially pleasant for a restful night's sleep.

Departure: Colorado to New York. 8/31.

Upon completing our preparations for the next few months, we set our sights on an Eastern route. Typically, we avoid driving for more than 10 to 11 hours in a single day. Covering a 10-hour stretch from Colorado Springs, our journey led us to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where we spent the night at the delightful Harvest Host destination, "Living History Farms." Its convenient location just off I-70 makes it an ideal spot for a brief stopover. Following a swift 6-hour drive from Cedar Rapids, we found ourselves in St. Joseph, Michigan.

St.Josephs/Benton Harbor:

In the southwestern corner of Lake Michigan lies a quaint haven seemingly frozen in the charm of the early 1900s. Eager to savor the last drops of Summer, our first stop was the beach! This area boasts numerous hidden beaches adorned with white sand and impeccably clear water….Life unsalted is truly a gem! 

We divided our time between camping at Harvest Hosts and "Warren Dunes State Park," right along the gorgeous Eastern shores of Lake Michigan. These dunes? Absolutely breathtaking with stunning sunsets and beautiful high grasses! Running down the dunes is something everyone must experience!

One standout accommodation was a Harvest Host destination named "Haymarket Brewing." It offered not only fantastic food, an inviting atmosphere, and great beer but also a camping experience worth cherishing. Nestled behind the establishment, a vast area adorned with old-growth trees welcomed members to drive anywhere on the grass to park their vehicles for camping—a liberating and enjoyable aspect of our stay.

Our journey led us to a final stop before tracing the shores of Lake Erie toward our ultimate destination, Rochester, NY. As you can probably guess? It was another Harvest Host! This time, it was all about the experience at "Capri Drive-In" in Coldwater, Michigan. Picture this: cruising through farms, cornfields, and apple orchards to reach it—almost like living in our own movie! This stop embodied pure Americana! 

The Return: New York  to Colorado 12/1

As Summer in the lower 48  bids farewell to the warmth and blooms of summer, the impending shift to autumn signals the approaching grasp of winter. Mother Nature's last burst of colorful foliage serves as a harbinger of changing tones. Optimism gives way to concerns as temperatures drop, snow forecasts loom, and icy roads become a looming reality.

Winter Planning:

When planning for winter travel, safety takes precedence as we prepare our rig for colder temperatures. Our basic setup requires winterization—draining the water tank and water lines. Checking our gear becomes pivotal; we ensure snow-rated tires, updated windshield wipers, cold weather washer fluid, and verify the condition of our propane and camper furnace. We also travel with a mini backup heater and we love our Big Agnes down blanket to provide additional warmth at night!  While driving we keep our cold weather gear close at hand in the cab, ready for quick access during gas fill-ups or impromptu explorations. 

When planning our return trip to Colorado, we opted for a more southern route. Even within cold weather states, shifting a few hundred miles south can significantly alter weather conditions. Equipped with an emergency kit, we stay vigilant, monitoring weather forecasts and road conditions. Safely navigating winter conditions is crucial to avoid icy roads while being prepared for unforeseen weather changes. Winter travel, though challenging, brings remarkable experiences with adequate preparation and precautions—plus, the best part? No bugs splattered on the windshield!

Travel Should be fun: We always ensure to inject some fun into our journey. Following a visit to family in Erie, PA, and a stopover at a Harvest Host in Indianapolis, our path led us to explore Kansas City. During the colder months, we often lean towards city exploration for its plethora of indoor activities and fewer crowds at popular spots. Our day kicked off at a trendy Hawaiian-themed coffee shop downtown. Next, we drove to the WWI memorial, little did we know, the WWI monument offered a breathtaking vista, perched atop a hill, providing an amazing panoramic view of the city below! Descending, we ventured to Kansas City Union Station to revel in its holiday displays.

Then, a scheduled tour awaited us at J. Rieger and Co., a distillery steeped in Kansas City's history. Once the largest mail-order whiskey company in 1887, they faced downfall during the prohibition in 1919. Fast forward to 2012, the heir to the Reiger family revitalized the brand in the same historic building.

Of course, no trip to KC is complete without indulging in BBQ. After extensive research, we settled on Joe’s Kansas City BBQ for an authentic experience. Renowned for their burnt ends and the iconic Z-man sandwich, this institution operates out of a gas station, adding to the charm of it all!

Following our stop in KC, we embarked on our final day on the road—an eight-hour drive through the plains of Kansas and Eastern Colorado. As we neared Colorado Springs, about an hour outside, the majestic sight of Pikes Peak, one of Colorado's iconic 14ers, emerged seemingly out of nowhere, warmly welcoming us back home at the conclusion of our successful journey