San Diego to Raystown Lake PA

Hello,

We are finalizing our plans for our 17 day cross country trip in mid July.  We have a 27L Outback Travel Trailer and a 2001 Ford Expedition.  We were originally going to travel the 15 - 40 - 44 - 70 etc.  However my brother thinks that getting into Flagstaff is going to be very tough on my transmission.  He also said he thought going through the panhandle of Texas was rough.  He suggest we go the 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 etc.  We plan on getting out there as quick as we can by tandem driving and hopefully driving most of the dessert in the night.  We have a family Reunion at the Lake where my brother will have his 26ft boat moored at our campsite (so excited to see my family).  We will also be bringing my husbands Harley and I hope that he can get out and ride through some of the states (or maybe the entire way if I want to kill him LOL)  .  We plan on taking our time on the way back and hitting some spots (still looking into what we want to see).  We will be traveling with two large dogs who love to ride and camp as well as our 5 year old.  Our son is so excited to go to Texas because that is where Sandy (Squirrel on Spongebob) is from. 

Not sure if this matters but it is my brothers biggest worry.  We plan on get a new transmission while we are out there.  My brother has it lined up so I can drop my car while we are camping at the lake.  He wants me to put in a new heavy duty transmission.  The transmission tech looked up my transmission that I have now by the vin number and he said the one I have in there is the heavier duty tow package ones which made my brother feel better.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions on must sees as well as best route.

We have one more shakedown trip planned for 4th of July and then we will be heading out a couple of weeks after.

It will be hot either way in July.  Hopefully your Ford has a transmission cooler.

I don't see a problem with either route.  I don't recall problems with Flagstaff.  The Interstate grades are usually not as bad as the non interstate.  Don't try to maintain the speed limit up hill and save your tranny if you think you have a problem.

I don't have a map in front of me but if you take the RT 70 you can pick up the PA turnpike at New Stanton PA.  Just before you get off 70 onto the turnpike there is a Flying J on the left on 70.  The Pa turnpike goes past Raystown.
If you choose texas then at knoxville pick up I 81 North.  I 81 is a nice ride up through the Shenado (sp) valley and lots of civil war history.  I don't recall where you would get off I 81 for Raystown. 
You are not to far from York PA where you husbands HD was made, they provide nice tours.  After the tour you can jump on I 83 North to the PA turnpike West to New Stanton and pick up 70.  If you use I 70 make sure you take the by pass around Wheeling WV as it gets crowded in town.
Raystown has a nice paddle wheel boat ride around the lake which is very nice.  The carp are thick enough to walk on at the boat landing and your son will enjoy feeding them.  I'm in Alaska and will head to Monterey then Camp Pendleton so I have the same decision to make soon.  I tend to like the upper route as it seems to have more greener.  There probably is very little difference in miles.
Either way you have a lot to see and enjoy, unfortunately you don't have much time to smell the roses.  You mentioned taking the HD but not how you plan to carry it.  I can't think of anything for a 5 yr old along the way.  there is a MC museum on 70 near Zanesville, ohio.  Ok i just looked at a map.  It appears the 70 route to Pa turnpike 76 would be easier to get to Raystown.  We went to Raystown a few years ago from York and it was a hassle getting in and around some of those back roads.  Enjoy your trip
Russ/Betsy  Airville Pa

Raystown Lake is very rural and therefore very scenic but other than lake activities not much else close by.  About 30-40 mins away is Del Grosso Amusement park with a water park....very nice and the youngster will like.  About 2hrs away is Hershey (chocolate) Amusement Park which is also very nice and a tour of the chocolate factory is a must.  Penn State is about 40 min away and provides the "college" life atmosphere with clubs, beer and the typical drunks...also many nice restaurants.  Get ice cream from the world famous "Penn Sate Creamery" and get your picture with "Joe Pa" at Beaver stadium. 

The little towns close by have many antique shops and general stores if you like that sort of thing.

Have fun in Central PA.

Thank you so much for the info.  I never thought to stop at HD what a great little side stop.  Our trailer actually has a garage in the back under the 2nd story.    It is not really a toy hauler as the garage is separate from the living space and our furniture does not fold up so our motorcycle can come in.  It is a separate little area they call the garage.  I love Hershey Park and have fond memories of going in the summer when I would visit my dad.  We took my son there two years ago when we flew back.  Thanks for the paddle boat idea I saw they had that now (don't remember it from when i was younger) and think my son would love it.  Wow we are getting so excited but I am really nervous as well.  I guess the good thing is if we have a problem we do have a house that travels with us.  Enjoy Camp Pendelton we are having amazing weather.  Camp Del Mar is amazing the last time I stayed there (I miss my military dependant card getting older stinks  ;D).  I  remember when I was younger going to a civil war town that they did reenactments.  I will have to look through photos and see where it was in that area.  My son might like that.  I wish we could take three months but we unfortunately have to cram it into 17 days.  Thanks again I am really excited. 

If you decide to take in Hershey, HD and others in the area you can also see Gettysburg.  There is ample parking at the new Gettysburg visitor center.  Not to far from the visitor center is a minature horse farm that your son would enjoy, it is just off RT 30 West of Gettysburg.  From Gettysburg it is an easy ride over Rt 30 to the Harley museum and tour.  From HD you can head up to Hershey, your son will enjoy Hersheys tour on the little boat.  You can take 422 East to I 81 and head south to Knoxville, going home a different way.

Our son has sponsored us on the beach at Pendleton and we would watch his AmTracks go by as they headed up the beach.

Russ

Well me made our 1st cross country trip and we had a blast.  We seemed to have hit a heat advisory the entire way cross country.  We did the southern route the 10 on the way out.  It was rough with the cools being in the low nineties.  We did not have plans either way except for our lake destination in Pennsylvania.  We had figured we would sleep in Rest Areas, Truck Stops for our 3 day aggressive trip East.  It was very hot and we ended up sleeping in the cab of the truck for a few hours after about 12 hours.  We ran into some fulltimers at a Pilot pump who told us about Los Cruses KOA.  We ended up pulling in for four hours hooking up to water and a/c and taking a nap.  We had an amazing time on the lake with my family and then we started our trip back.  We ended up following the route 66.  We stopped every night at a KOA.  I found them to be so convenient with the late check in.  It was a little pricey but we were able to use the a/c and shower. 

What we learned from this trip  ;D?  We are already looking at Class A.  I loved going across country but to be able to wing it like we need to have a rig that will give us comfort.  We want to be able to sightsee a little but with the two large 80lb dogs we want them out of the elements.  So I already found a couple we want to look at the Damon Outlaw and Gulf Stream Outlander.  One of my coworkers who is about 10 years my senior who has a TT says we are to young for a Class A.  LOL we don't feel that way at all.  I am ready to go buy one now and plan out our next cross country trip. 

On a side note we had purchased the Exit Now book from Camping World before we left and we used the heck out of it.