1 year planning, 1 Tacoma, Pregnant wife, 8 states:Done!

As the title says, we have been planning our road trip for about a year, and completed it over two weeks 6/8-6/22. We wanted to accomplish going to a family friends wedding in Denver and do the rest as a kick ass vacation. All photography was done by my wife on the Potato IPhone6

I want to thank a lot of you folks who pitched in a lot of great info, and if I fail to mention you, I am sorry! I've posted a few threads and a ton of kick ass info was handed out.

So, let's get to the pics!

First leg of the trip was us driving from DFW straight up to Denver. Left about 1030am and go in right around midnight. We stopped in Lubbock (Wreck em!) to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Orlando's, to get some badass Italian food. You Lubbock folks know what I'm talking bout!

Starting milage:


So not many pics were taken on first leg secondary to the pregnant wife being busy resting/sleeping and me lead footing it through west Texas

So second day of trip was spent just kicking it round Denver. We have been scouting Denver to move to this time next year, so we have been just looking round on our trips there getting an idea where we will wind up. Again, no pics taken...

Third day was the beginning of some kickass stuff! We are huge outdoor people, and hike a lot. So we decided, damn it, let's do a 14er! We chose Mt.Bierstat and hit it hard. My wife was such a damn badass! At the time she was 16 weeks pregnant kicking that mountains ass! It was still in process of snow melt, so the trail was real muddy and still somewhat snowy. We got to the top reeeeeaaaalllly tired lol it was about 6.5hrs round trip for us flat landers.

Panoramic view from top Mt.Bierstat:


We also accomplished our pregnancy announcement while up there too!

We finally made it down, got in the truck and proceeded to head back to Denver. On way back we were starving, and I swear the McDonald's we got on way back tasted like a porterhouse steak lmao!

We get back, take a short nap and finish up plans for dinner. That night we ate at a kick ass Indian place with @tacot0wn and his wonderful lady. We sat there for few hours shooting the shit, drinking, eating and watching he staff give us he side eye because it was well past closing time haha! @tacot0wn and I were talking whiskey and trucks, while the women shook their heads and formed a bond over how much of goobers their men are We exchanged friendly Texas/Colorado care packages and called it an evening.

Over the weekend was the wedding of a family friend, and had one helluva time! It was held about 1hour southwest of Denver at their family ranch in their barn. Plenty of great drinks and good food, with my horrible dancing added in

Got up next morning and headed for Estes park for 2nd part of trip! Stay tuned!

 

So on Sunday we make a short drive up to Estes Park, where we would be spending next few days in a cabin on the river and doing some hiking. My wife had a childhood friend and her family meet up with us who happened to be in town at same time too.

So we get to the cabin get settled in and relax rest of day. That night wife gets out of shower, and smells something in the air. I can't smell at this time secondary to allergies plugging up my nose, and eventually tracks the smell down to the water heater. Took one look and was like WTF? Check out this install job:


Needless to say we got out of that place and into another hotel in the area. Not a fan of sleeping in a room with burn off fumes

Get up and going next day for some good ol fun! We chose to do one of our favorite hikes we've done before, but weren't able to complete all of it in e past due to snow. This year it was melted enough so we were able to do the entire lake loop of Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes.

Dream lake:

Emerald:


While stopped for a snack this little dude gladly accepted on accident a fruit snack:

While my wife's friend was posing for a pic, this old creepy dude tried a creeps tee photobomb. I couldn't help myself, and had to get a pic of the moment

@zacharypaul89 @tacopaulo @Kerleyfries @dwalden2 @ThunderCookies and the rest of the Gym Thread, all gainz were lost after this surprise pic by the wife was taken. The hella good beer and food began flowing


We met up next day with the friends again, and hiked Lily Mountain just right outside Estes park. It was a really nice moderate hike that gave us a really great view at the top.


Came down from that one, made it back to town and enjoyed some Mexican food with some beers, and had some good laughs. Woke up the next day, and headed north for Glacier National Park!

This was outside our hotel room on the drive. Gotta watch out for them "Aggrestive Elk"

 

Woke up early Wednesday, pointed the truck north for Browning,MT and hit the throttle.

Was rolling through Casper,WY and got hungry. Swung into this little joint, and food was pretty damn good!

With my belly full, climbed back in truck and kept on trucking!

Got around dinner time after traveling through a lot of MT, and stopped in Great Falls. Had some pizza at Howard's Pizza, and when I walked outside I noticed their delivery truck. I thought to myself, they beat Dominos and their little Hot pizza car to the punch! Had a big ol propane tank in the bed to power the unit. Was reeeealllly interesting:


Climbed back in the truck to keep on powering through up to Browning. Made it in late that evening and got to sleep quick since we were getting up early.

Woke up next morning to crappy rainy weather, so hiking was a no go, and the Going To The Sun Road was still mostly closed so we ventured on it as much as we could. No pics of Lake McDonald due to cloud cover and 60+mph wind gusts had it real choppy.

This was from second day when winds calmed down some


Lake McDonald "Creek"

The water was so clear and cold. It was amazing seeing this in person. Pics don't doing it justice in any form.

Other view(pardon the selfie with my beautiful wife )


While checking out the "Creek" this couple pulls up in a MiniVan from New York. Keep in mind it's 34' degrees and raining. This dude and his wife gave zero Fs, especially him. I couldn't help myself when I noticed the Glamour Shot photo pose she did and him looking like a monkey trying to work the camera:


Decided it was time to get dry so we headed back out of park and stopped off at Eddies in West Glacier. This place was badass! The food was so daaaammmnnnn good. Decided to try and out run the weather to the other side of the mountain to see if we could get some better scenery. On the way we ran into a little bit of weather but it did pass quick and got some nice scenery.

St.Mary Lake:


Was so stunning! Those pics have zero filter on them. I just could not believe what I was seeing.

After seeing e little bit we could, decided it was time to get out of the mountains due to weather coming across the mountain.

Made it back into town of Browning, and needed few groceries. I guess this is the preferred method of transportation in that town:


Needless to say, I got a good chuckle

Woke up next day to he best news ever! The Going to the sun road had fully opened! Yesssssss! So we packed up everything hoping for a great hike, only to get shut down due to a ton of snow still on the trails.

Thanks @MTgirl for helping keep updated on road status during our planning, and all the info you hooked us up with.

We decided to drive the entire length and eat at eddies again while wondering around West Glacier Lake McDonald area, came across this.


It ain't called Mudflap Montana for no reason!

Spent the rest of the afternoon just slowly cruising the going to the sun road, stopping occasionally seeing things and just generally taking in the gorgeous sites.

Couple of shots from the road:



Called it a night, and prepared to head to Moab the next day!

 

Woke up early, and dropped the hammer for Moab! Got in late, and was ready for the high of 110' degrees over the next few days...noooooooot!

Woke up early, and hit the trials before it got too damn hot, but still didn't matter.

We hit up Canyon Lands on the first day, and saw quite a few spots. Didn't want to do any off-roading on this trip with the wife being Preggo and it being so effing hot. So we became "those" tourist and hit up the hiking trails and did some sight seeing.

This is the Colorado River:

While exploring and climbing around the rocks, saw these interesting folks:


Checked out Shafer Canyon:


Another Overlook:


After seeing CanyonLands, headed back into town for lunch. Hit up Moab Brewery!


Next Day woke up for Arches and Goblin Valley SP. we headed to Golbin valley first since it was so far away.

Had to stop for a pic on way in:


Even the state of Utah knows what's up!


Got to check out the Hoodoos. These formations are so bad ass! Spent as much time as the heat we could bear wondering around them.




Wondered back into Moab to check out Arches!

Checked out Fiery, Balanced, Double and Windows:






Wife was getti little too hot, so we called it a day and headed back into town. Ate at the Broken Spoke, which was damn good! Passed out and dreaded having to return back the next day.

Woke up early next day to head back to Texas. We headed south out of Moab and crossed through the Utah/Arizona/Colorado/New Mexico 4 corners round lunch. Stopped for a quick bite but kept on rolling. Made it into Lubbock that evening for the night.

Saw this little gem at the hotel parking lot:


Had dinner with some friends at a another local Italian joint, Stella's, for the Lubbock people. Went back to hotel to pass out and get ready for the final leg.

Woke up early, and hit the throttle hard to get home. Rolled into the driveway that afternoon with this final milage:



There you have it!

Total miles traveled in exactly 2 weeks: 5,152
Bugs killed: Elevntybillion
Fuel burned: enough to fill up a cargo ship
Money spent: A whoooole lot!

Notes from trip:
forearms still sore from fighting wind in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.
Back was pain free whole trip surprisingly. Seats stayed comfy.
Went through 4K iPod song library all the way almost
Truck did real well, never down on power and enjoyed the 80+ mph speed limits

I have a lot more pics that will be posted later as I get time to go through them

States driven through:
Texas
New Mexico
Colorado
Arizona
Utah
Idaho
Wyoming
Montana

 

Mmmmmmmm, Orlando's. Really missing it now that i'm back home.

 

Mafia queso ain't no joke!

 

@tcBob you are welcome to use any of these pics!

 

Wow! Fantastic pictures! Congrats to you & your wife on the baby news. Nice truck.

 

Great thread with some great pictures. Looks and sounds like you guys had a great trip.

Our plan for next summer is a cross country trip to visit family & friends back home...CA. Then on the way back, hit Utah and Colorado to visit more family & friends. It'll be my 5th cross country road trip. Love doing them.

 

Great pics OP. Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks! We're pretty excited yea, I love my truck big time, and have a wife who supports my truck endeavors We would take pics for us of the sights, and she would be like "you could move your truck over there and get a great shot for TacomaWorld" I was like

We had a helluva time! You sounds like you have a great one planned out too! I loooooove long road trips. I've got a few in mind I want to do, just gotta get the wife on board lol

Thanks! Be looking for more pics soon, I'll post as I go through them!

 

@Iamraiderpower When is the babe due?

 

Thanksgivingish

 

Congrats!

 

Thank ya sir

 

If you ever do this again, let me know. My wife wold love this.

 

Awesome trip and write up! Where was the wedding at the ranch SW of Denver? I only ask because I used to live in that area (Larkspur, CO) and was curious.
Congrats on the baby!

 

Oh it will be done again, especially since we will be moving to Denver area this time next year

It was at their family ranch in Bailey. Thanks dude!

 

Awesome! Nice.

 

It really was awesome I tell ya. Can't wait to go back and explore even more with the knowledge we have now of the places