Well...here s the situation.
I m letting the x-dw take over the sub shop. I ve put in $10000 the last couple months or so because everything has been breaking (walkin cooler...etc). On last Friday, the a/c broke. The fan got replaced (245$). Came to work this morning, a/c dead again. Now the compressor bit the dust. My friend works in the a/c business and can put a new Trane in for $1345 (a bargain). So....pretty much everything that can break........has. Alittle behind on rent, taxes, etc. X-dw will give me some $$ when she gets a loan, which will help. You guys will understand this next part about " pride" .
I called my Dad, explained the situation and the $$ probs. Talked about all the options, and he just said........" been there done that" , and told me not to worry.
So, bottom line is......I don t think I m going to have to work for 2 months or so. I ll still have income from my Air Force retirement and some from the sub shop. I already have a camping trip planned for the end of July, but......where to go from there?
Key West, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, .............??????????
I guess it s time for a vacation to see some of the United States. (look out Ian, my sis lives in Missouri) Go West young man?...........
So much to see........so some points of interest, what would you do in my situation, what would you like to see.....etc would be nice. Personal opinions only please.
Cheers all
Doug
GiffsterMy personal choice would be Yellowstone. It is a park that I believe every person in the country should see at least once. The beauty of the mountains, gysers, lakes, wildlife and other things are something that should not be missed. I have been there several times and it is one place that I just can t get enough of. To put it simply, probably the most wonderful park I have ever been in.[:)]
Also, should you decide to go to Yellowstone you can always circle down toward the Gran Canyon on your way back.
Starcraft DadYellowstone - 1
Everywhere else - 0
Thanks for the input Mr. Harold or Ms. Debbie
GiffsterI surely would see the Grand Canyon ! And the Hoover Dam ! And that place with the faces of presidents (sorry forgot the name, and don t want to risk guessing)
birolhmm.......good idea mr. birol
Mt Rushmore is added to the list.
Thanks
GiffsterAcadia NP in Maine. The ocean (the same one as Florida, but a lot different).
GiffsterA can t miss is the Grand Ole Opry. (just kidding). I would do the West trip, too, and spend time in Colorado.
GiffsterYellowstone, without a doubt! Hit Rushmore on the way to Yellowstone and then after Yellowstone head to Colorado and do Rocky Mountain National Park. Three fabulous places and a loop back around toward going back home.
GiffsterIf I had no other obligations, right now I would be standing on deck of my Catamaran (mythical one), with my crew, taking tourist to see humpbacked whales off the coast of Maui.
Have fun...
GiffsterI have not been to Yellowstone, so I can t compare it to what I m about to say. California... Pacific Coast Highway... Start at San Luis Obispo and head North until you run out of time. I ve seen ALOT in the United States and I have seen nothing more beautiful or awesome than Big Sur. If you have two months, you have the time.
GiffsterWe just saw the Grand Canyon. We didn t camp, but it is a sight that everyone must see!
Larry
Giffster1.) Yellowstone: As Starcraft Dad said, everybody must go there at least once in their lifetime. Nowhere else can you explore as much geological activity and wildlife in one place.
2.) Oregon/California Coast: If you have time, take a week or so and leisurely cruise the coast. If you re fortunate to get a few sunny days it s extremely therapeutic to drive Highway 1 from Leggett, CA all the way down the coast. In Leggett you start off in the Redwoods then the Pacific Ocean bursts onto the scene and takes your breath away all the way down the coast.
3.) Yosemite: Tends to be crowded but the valley floor is definitely awe-inspiring.
Is my Western bias obvious? [;)]
I would also say Grand Canyon, though I ve never been, and I m not really interested in going to Arizona in the middle of the summer! [:o]. I also can t get the vision of Bobby and Cindy Brady getting lost at the bottom. Don t want that to happen to me.
Have a great time and I must say I m quite envious. Regrets for your circumstances, though.
GiffsterIt isn t what would we do, but what did we do.
In the summer of 2001, PJay and I took eight weeks off work and we took the kids on one heck of a trip. More about that later.
Opportunities like yours do not come along very often. Take careful advantage of it.
First, I would eliminate anything and everything that is close enough to easily visit in a one- or two-week vacation. You can visit them any time. I would guess that for you that would eliminate anything in Florida and much of the Deep South.
Next, get yourself a map of the US, and start sticking pins in it. Put a pin in every time you hear of a place you d like to visit. If they start to cluster, then you know where to go. You may also want to take careful note of things along the way, and of course you have time to make sure you return by a different route than you traveled out.
On our trip, we visited:
* The Jefferson and National Expansion Memorial (St. Louis Arch), MO
* Crater of Diamonds SP, AK
* Lake Colorado City SP, TX (big mistake in hot summer)
* Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM
* International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, NM
* White Sands NMon, NM
* Painted Desert/Petrified Forest NP
* Meteor Crater (a.k.a. Beringer Crater), AZ
* Grand Canyon NP, AZ (South Rim)
* Grand Canyon NP, AZ (North Rim) - worth the 250+ mile drive (one way), IMHO
* Bryce Canyon NP, UT
* Zion NP, UT - We only drove through. That was a mistake. Plan on at least a full day.
* Las Vegas, NV
* Death Valley NP, CA - DO NOT camp here in summer. Temps hit 124F, which will utterly overwhelm your A/C. We re still glad we were camping elsewhere.
* Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum in Victorville, CA - This may have closed since our visit. Very few people remember Roy and Dale any more and so there are very few visitors.
* Joshua Tree NP, CA
* Disney s California Adventure in Anaheim, CA
* Sequoia NP and King s Canyon NP, CA
* Fisherman s Warf and other sights in San Francisco, CA
* Yosemite NP, CA
* Redwood NP and SP, CA
* Crater Lake NP, OR
* Newberry National Volcanic Monument, OR
* Farewell Bend SP, OR
* Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Flagstaff Hill, OR
* Antelope Island SP in Great Salt Lake, UT
* Yellowstone NP, WY
* Grand Teton NP, WY (Going to Yellowstone without visiting Grand Teton should be a felony)
* Little Bighorn Battlefield NMon, MT
* Wind Cave NP, SD
* Custer SP, SD
* Mt. Rushmore NMon, SD
* Wall Drug in Wall, SD
* Badlands NP, SD
* Rocky Mountain NP, CO
* Indiana Dunes SP & NL, IN
* I am sure I ve forgotten a few...
In order to pull off a schedule like that, you have to be willing to put some serious time behind the wheel. We typically had one day of driving out of three, and those one-day drives were often up to ten hours in length. In all, we towed about 10,400 miles, with another 3,100 miles in side trips. We stayed in 29 campgrounds in 17 states, changed the oil three times, changed the transmission fluid once (as soon as we were done with the mountains), and adjusted the trailer brakes three times. We have no idea how many campfire meals were cooked or how many restaurants we visited. Temperatures ranged from a low of 31F at Flagg Ranch, WY (between Yellowstone and Grand Teton) to a high of 124F in Death Valley. We had at least 15 days over 100F, including ten in a row.
The five of us are unanimous in our favorite...none of us can choose between Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, or Grand Canyon. Crater Lake runs a close second.
I have said before that every American should visit the Grand Canyon. Currently, somewhere near 6 million people visit the Canyon every year. At that rate, it would take about 45 years for everyone in the US to visit the canyon. Unfortunately, only about half to two thirds of the visitors are Americans!
That can be said about many other parks, though. Yosemite has a waterfall that is nearly a half-mile high and the spectacular Sierra. Yellowstone has remarkable waterfalls and more than half of the world s geysers. Grand Teton has one of the strongest contrasts between a flat plain and 12,000+ foot mountains - with no foothills in between. Of the over 70 species of animals & birds we identified, nearly half were seen in Grand Teton. Crater Lake is the deepest freshwater lake in the U.S. and bluest lake you will ever see. Even so, the bottom of the lake is over 4,000 above sea level. The color contrasts in Painted Desert are stunning. The size of Carlsbad Caverns is breathtaking. I could go on and on.
Those who have spent any serious time in any of these parks will tell you that the few days we spent in each were only scratching the surface. Believe them, because it is true. I have been to Acadia NP in Maine at least six times since my early teens. Acadia is one of the smaller parks, but each time, it is a different park.
If you come to the Northeast, don t miss Acadia. It s smaller than most, but on this one island there are so many habitats it has as much as 5-6 larger parks. From open ocean to tidal pools, ocean cliffs and sea caves, to old, dense conifer forests to deciduous woods to bald mountain peaks to quiet woodland ponds to bridal trails on horseback, bicycle, or rented carriage. All against a backdrop of small, quaint fishing towns filled with antique shops and world-class restaurants.
Some other places to visit in the Northeast:
* Cape Cod National Seashore, MA
* Niagara Falls, NY (and Canada)
* Lechworth SP, NY
* Gettysburg National Battlefield, PA
* Washington, DC
* Franconia Notch, NH
* Olde Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT
* Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, MA
Some other things to consider that are a bit closer to home:
* Mammoth Cave NP in Kentucky
* Great Smoky Mountain NP in Tennessee and North Carolina
* Stone Mt. in Georgia
The most important advice I can give is to take in all that you can see. You have an opportunity to see much more in two months than most Americans will see in their entire lives. Only about 1.5% of Americans visit the Grand Canyon every year. Most other parks have even lower attendance.
When we go back over the big map we used to plan our trip, we end up aching for the places we were forced to decide not to see. Places like Mesa Verde NMon, Arches NP, Capitol Reef NP, Pike s Peak, Lassen National Volcanic Monument, Glacier NP, Theodore Roosevelt NP, Big Bend NP. There is far more to see than most people will see in a lifetime. Beyond the National Parks, there are other attractions. Mall of America in Minneapolis, The Space Needle in Seattle, places too numerous to mention in Chicago. We live in a grand and beautiful country. Most of that beauty was given as a gift from God. I haven t even mentioned Alaska, Hawaii, or Canada. (If you bring your pop-up to Hawaii, we all want to know how!)
Some of us have set about to see some of it. Most of us on this board are miles ahead of those stuck in front of their TV sets (or um, uh, their ah, their computers), afraid, unwilling, too lazy, or too unimaginative to go see anything not fed to them electronically. By making the most you possibly can of the two months you have, you could find yourself, like we do, dividing your life in three parts. There is " Before the Trip," " On the Trip," and " After the Trip" .
Austin
Giffster[font=" comic sans ms" ]Places I ve been ~[ul]
- Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (MT) ~ especially Going to the Sun Road. (Also the Flathead Lake region in MT ... aw heck ~ all of the northwestern part of the state!)
- Rocky Mountain NP (CO)
- You can t miss Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills and the Badlands (SD)
- Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) ~ gotta drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Yellowstone is something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.
- Northern CA along the coast
- White Mountain National Forest (ME/NH)
[/ul]
Places I d like to see ~ [ul]
- Grand Canyon
- Arches NP (UT)
- Canyonlands NP (UT)
- Mesa Verde NP (UT)
- The coast of Maine ~ including Acadia NP[/ul]
Sounds like a great opportunity, Doug. Wherever you decide to go ~ I hope you have an awesome trip![/font]
GiffsterWow! Wish I could take off for a couple months an not be sick or recovering from something.....I would do some hiking on the Appalachian Trail, To get away from it all! Heck Doug, I will meet you on the trail next spring if you like! I plan on doing some backpacking then if my health stays good? I am working hard to make it happen.
GiffsterKey West.
We just spent 10 days there and it was great. Stayed at a fairly inexpensive condo that was right near downtown and never needed a car for 10 days. Spent lots of time in bars and being a tourist. Most relaxing vacation ever. No campfires, no mosquitos.
Go to the Schooner Wharf Bar. Best bar in the Florida keys.
AustinBostonDid you take a pet? I have to double check alot of places to make sure pets are allowed. I m sure I ll have to skip some places (sight seeing) because of the pup, but she d get really mad if I didn t take her with me.
Cheers
GiffsterHey Doug good to hear from you. Back in 1984 my kid brother and I took off on our dream trip across the US, I was 30 he was 19. I was living in Jersey at the time and he lived in Miami, he flew into Jersey and we were on the road the same day. We drove thru to Chicago and stayed at a hotel for three days(checking out the sites and museums) and then headed west across I-90, from there on we were tent camping or just catching some ZZ s at a State rest stop. We did all the standard sites Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Grand Tetons, Little Bighorn, Yellowstone, Manmouth hot springs you get the picture every scenic overlook we could stop at we would. One of the most impressive sites was comming into Yellowstone. Surrounding Yellowstone is the Shosone National Forest probably one of the most beautiful places I ve ever been to, it left a lasting impression on me and my brother. We continued West stopping to rest and camped for 1-3 days along the route wherever we felt like it, thru to Oregon and Crater Lake National Park (fantastic). Started our southern trek along Californias coast. California is an adventure by itself saw my first live bear up close in the wild. I m glad he was more frightened by me, because he ran the other way faster than I ever thought it could move. We headed to San Francisco, we got to a welcomed motel room and stayed 4 days. San Francisco is probably the most beautiful city I ve seen in any country I ve been to. Headed East to Kings Canyon Sequoia and South to Vegas, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam,Grand Canyon, Painted Desert on across
I-40 to I-55 to New Orleans (great food) and on to I-10 across your neck of the woods on down to Miami, dropped my Brother off and headed back to Jersey alone.
We were gone 27 days, spent most of our time driving, put 11,786 miles on my new Chevy S-10 pickup, we spent approx. $3,300.00 gas, food, hotels and any BS we brought along the way (not bad). The adventure is the trip, we had a blast and it brought my brother and I closer than ever (today he is my business partner and my best friend next to my DW and kids) I hope you just pack up and go, and enjoy your adventure. Our country is the most beautiful place on earth, I often think back on our trip and Thank God for letting me have the experience. AB s advice is right on the money
Happy Camping
GiffsterWow Doug! What an adventure you re going to have!!!! Of course you should camp in MO! Everyone needs to go up the Arch and we could dog sit for you while you re up there!
Yellowstone is beautiful and worth seeing! I went there and alot of it was in and out of the car as far as driving around to see everything so if you had to leave your dog in the car, it would be for short hauls.
Jackson Hole, WY was sooooooo beautiful, I d love to go back there, in fact anywhere in WY!!!!
Mount Rushmore is pretty impressive but I didn t get to see Crazy Horse. I saw the Mitchell Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. That was pretty cool.
GiffsterAB s itinerary is great, but surprised Trailerboy didn t weigh in on this -- you must carve out lots of time just for the entire state of Texas alone. From sandy beaches to mountains to plains -- it s too awesome for words.
Bob, we ve been to that bar in KeyWest. Friends of ours have kids who work in KeyWest and told us it s a real local place. So it was our first stop off the cruise ship!
Send us your postcards, Doug! Happy Trails (I fondly remember Roy and Dale).
iwantapopupHi Linda,
We also stopped by the Mitchell Corn Palace, quite a unique place to say the least. Thats one of the cool things you get from a cross country trip all the strange or weird places you get to see or maybe even taste[:D]
GiffsterGreat suggestions so far all. Thanks. So far my possible route looks to be: From PA across to South Dakota, then up to Glacier NP in MT. Then either head south Yellowstone or across to Washington/Oregon. I did invest in a National Park Pass (50$). Gives me free entry into all the parks. Maybe I can talk my Dad into going. He can get a Golden Age Passport and get 1/2 off camping.
BTW........the a/c in the shop is finally working.
Cheers
PapasoI ve always wanted to see the Star Trek Casino (and not for the gambling..but for the experience) in Vegas, so that would be a stop. My dad use to be a trail guide in Yellowstone the first couple of years after he retired...and he loved it..so would say there also. And if you re coming this way..we ve got a slab of ribs to throw on the grill with your name on it Doug. And hey..there s always Branson on father s day weekend. [;)]
PapasoI want to add one more thing: If you d like to visit a few things that are off the beaten path, get a copy of [link=http://www.roadsideamerica.com/]Roadside America[/link]. This book (and the website) feature strange and unusual sites that are open to the public. Like the Stonehenge reproduction (made from old Cadilacs) or the Troll Under the Bridge. There is an entire chapter on atomic and radioactive sites to see. The current sight of the week is the Hippie Memorial in Arcola, Illinois.
I just discovered one of their features is five minutes down the road from me...the shovel museum at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. I drive by the college at least once a week, and never knew the museum was there. Of course, people are just busting down the gates to see a shovel museum...
Austin
PapasoWell I have a suggestion.... TAKE ME! [:D]
Papasohow come nobody mentioned Alaska???? (get the Mile Post).
Doug, if you can swing it, try and not have a " Return by" date. Not sure how much you can afford, but I know someone who started out at $1,500 a month on his expenses list, but has since found cheaper places (ie COE or BLM primitive places).
I know that on my last solo trip to N Carolina (in 1999 or 2000), I estimated it cost me $50 a day. $20/day gas, average $20/night CG, and that left $10 a day for food and sightseeing (some days were more some less, so it balanced out).
if your dad can t last that long (or if you can t stand each other for that long) you could always arrange for him to fly home if he/you ve had enough.
Get William Least Heat Moon s Blue Highways also.
There s a guy called Barry something who wrote a lovely narrative (with pix) on how he d never had a camper, bought a jeep and an A-frame and went to Alaska solo. do a search on the A-liner/Chalet club...it s there.
another option you might want to consider is if you have to return home to take care of business, leave your PU at a CG and the truck at the airport s park n save and fly home. you can return after a week or so and continue the trip. ooops...nix that...you ll have the doggie with you and I believe she s too big for carry on.
another idea is to check out the Lewis & Clark activities - it s the centennial (?) this year and I believe there are some caravans.
if you take too much stuff or finish reading some of the books, you can always ship em home (i know you have a roommate now) via UPS.
I find that I do enjoy watching a movie in the evening, so a portable TV/VCR is a very nice addition. many CGs rent out videos and the KOA in Santa Fe (NM) loaned them out for free. you might be able to trade/loan videos with other.
campers.
GiffsterHappy trails to you! I too remember Roy and Dale, and don t forget Trigger. Their place in CA is closing, may already be closed.........Moving to Branson, MO.
Always a fun thing to do is camp at Pismo Beach, CA and then head up to Yosemite for another week. Northern coast of California is beautiful, then head up the Oregon coasst and into Washington. Pugent Sound has a lot of islands, some with campgrounds, quite an experience.
Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Rocky MOuntain NP are the most breathtaking to date for me and I have been camping since before I could walk.
My dad was the ultimate Boy Scout ( did the administrator thing, and built and run their campgrounds too) and we camped more than anything else as a family, and been at it over 40 years now.
Rocky Mountain SueHey Sue, I have a question for you. I see you have about the same pu as me. Seeing that you live in Colorado, do you have brakes on your pu?
PapasoNo brakes on the PU. I don t know if I am just crazy, or the Good Lord watches out for children and fools, LOL! So far all has gone well, I just take it slow and easy.
PapasoI ve seen it on here, and you ve said you were going that way, but I ll say it again - you cannot miss the Black Hills of South Dakota. I spent my young childhood in that area and my older childhood in Wyoming and Colorado, and I am most excited that I m going to show my family the Black Hills when we take our road trip in a couple of weeks. Apparently, when I was about four, I truly believed that the guys on Mount Rushmore were " my people" . We d drive by fairly regularly and I always had my head hanging out the window yelling, " MY PEOPLE! MY PEOPLE!" My sister lives in Idaho, close to Jackson and Yellowstone, and she told me (just tonight, in fact) that Yellowstone just isn t what it used to be. Doesn t change the fact that I want to see it (I grew up in Southeastern Wyoming), but she s talked me into going somewhere else on our road trip. The bottom line is, I have truly wonderful memories of the Black Hills. There are so many incredible things to see and do - such rich history!
Have a great trip and keep us posted!
ShirleyTHmm.....I could use a designated driver.
The RobinsonsThat s a definate on seeing that area. I ll be driving right by it on the way to Glacier NP.
rednekrubbrduckThe Missouri/Kansas area are is my on the " way back" trip. My sis lives there, and I gotta see da Arch!
GiffsterGot a couple steps closer today. X got approved on her loan! I also invested in a KOA value card, a National Park Pass (free entry in all NP s), and ordered the Woodalls Camping Guide.
Giffster[font=" comic sans ms" ]You go, Doug! [;)][/font]
GiffsterWell, I haven t worked since last Wed. Kinda nice. Just updating this post.
I spent over $700 in the last 2 days and it was fun. I got enough toiletries to last me 2 years! (gotta like Sams Club). Biggest expense so far was a topper for the back of my truck. A used Leer for $350. It s gonna make my trip a ton easier. Also bought a KOA card and the National Park card, hoping they ll save me alittle $$$. Here s more stuff: a 24pk of AA batteries, 6 - 24 exposure film, a set of 130 plastic knives/forks/spoons, 54 Ziplock bags, a used mountain bike (20$), a small microwave, and a 18 gal rubbermaid tote. Ordered 2 things online.....a map of the U.S. to put on the PU and a 10 gal grey water tote thing from Camping World.
And I thought I was done buying stuff for the PU and camping! Oh well, it s " gotta have" stuff.
I have changed my route abit after the week in PA. Decided to hit the Gateway arch on the way west rather than on the way back home. So far I m up to about 7800 miles (just getting to the places). Hopefully I ll be heading out in mid July.
Cheers
Oh...forgot to put what I still " need" . Probably will get a Prodigy brake controller since my pu does have electric brakes. And 2 new tires for the pu. Then food, beverages...etc before I leave. Sigh*, the money.
Cheers (part 2)
PapasoShould we leave the front porch light on and put out the welcome mat for you here?
Papaso
Giff, just GO DO IT!!!! All we ask is that you give us a travel report when you return and that you have a wonderful time!!!
I agree with those who say Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (especially Jenny Lake) (When you see the Tetons--a French word--you will understand the English translation)
PapasoGiff, don t know your exact route, but we ll be camping in SW Ohio in July (10,11,12,&13). There may be several other PU s from Ohio joining us.
If you can make it, we d be happy to meet with you. If your plans bring you thru at a different time, let us know, we are always looking for someone to meet up with.
Have a safe trip. May post your route and you could at least have lunch or dinner with someone along the way and they could update us on your progress.
On the old board, there was a thread about cyber traveling around the country. Seem to be interesting to everyone. This would be a first hand experience from someone who is new to the area and could really give honest opinions.
NightOwlMy Dad already explained it to me!
rednekrubbrduckWell, with my route change, it seems I ll be heading very close to you guys. I m hitting the Gateway Arch on the way west instead of the way back. Then I-70 to I-29 North. Not real sure on the date/time I ll be near ya ll. Guess we ll figure out that stuff before I hit the road.
Cheers
angelsmom10I don t plan on leaving Florida until mid July. After PA (Aug 2 or 3rd), I will be heading through Ohio (Columbus). I might goto Cincy to see a friend, but that s still up in the air.
I am still trying to find someone with an old laptop computer. I d be nice to have on the trip.
GiffsterIf you go to Columbus, Wojo lives just south of Columbus.
If you get to visit your friend let us know. Do they camp?
GiffsterUpdate for those interested: I have got everything I need to go on the trip, except my new bearings. Had to order them from Dexter directly. Got the new tires mounted (E rated), and they re pretty heavy duty looking. I ve decided not to get a brake controller. I ll just take it easy on the big hills.
I ll probably be heading out on the 23rd of July, stay in GA for a day or two, then head up to PA for a week. I did put one of those state maps on my pu. Won t add a state unless I stay overnight. These are the states I ll be passing through or stopping: FL, AL, GA, SC, NC, VA, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, IA, SD, MT, WY, UT, AZ, NV, NM, TX, OK, AR, TN, and LA. Should be interesting. Mainly sticking to interstates just to make decent time/miles.
Cheers
GiffsterGood Luck -- if you get internet access, keep us posted.
If you know where you may be going thru, post before you leave and maybe you can contact people along the way.