Vacation plans for this year - status?
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@George-K said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Jolly said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Some of the Class C's have slideouts and are easier to maneuver. Might be fun for two.
Mrs. George's been talking about that for a while. I got pretty good at handling a 37 foot Class A, though.
What's within easy driving distance for y'all?
wrote on 18 May 2020, 12:59 last edited by@Jolly, we never traveled too far from Chicago.
Our trips were to Kentucky Lake, Western Illinois (Galena area), Door County Wisconsin a couple of times, Mackinac Island area. With 3 little kids, we would only try for about 150 miles per day. So when we went to Door County, we camped just north of Milwaukee for a night, and then continued.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:02 last edited by
Want to spend $4K per day?
You can get an RV with a driver who will disappear to a hotel at the destination then drive you to the next destination when you need him.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:09 last edited by George K
Here's a nice 30 foot Class A. Perfect for two.
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Here's a nice 30 foot Class A. Perfect for two.
wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:21 last edited by@George-K said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Here's a nice 30 foot Class A. Perfect for two.
That's very nice. Even has an appropriate name!
One caveat...Keep the missus in mind, and check out the bathroom space and accommodations. Some are a lot easier to use than others.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:26 last edited by
Cool. Comes with a big box of reefer between the stove and the TV.
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@George-K said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Here's a nice 30 foot Class A. Perfect for two.
That's very nice. Even has an appropriate name!
One caveat...Keep the missus in mind, and check out the bathroom space and accommodations. Some are a lot easier to use than others.
wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:26 last edited by -
wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:28 last edited by George K
The one pain-in-the ass thing is that we had to bring our own cookware, dishes, etc. That usually filled up one whole box. But, at the time, we were with 3 kids, so there's that consideration.
Mrs. George and I can spend 10 days living out of a couple of suitcases, so perhaps packing a box might not be a too-bad thing.
ETA: I always preferred the more open style of the Class-A. Didn't like to have to climb down into the cockpit of a Class-C.
Also this guy rents for about $250 a day - and gives you 100 miles per day free. After that, it's 35¢ per mile.
So a round trip from Minneapolis (pulls out calculator) is about 3500 miles, and would take 3 days of driving at 550 miles a day each way.
$1500 in rental
$2900 mileage
$350 in gas (assuming 10 mpg)Amtrak would be about $1400 round trip for two in a sleeper.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:31 last edited by
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:35 last edited by
Blue Ridge? I like the Blue Ridge.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:39 last edited by Larry
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:39 last edited by
@Copper said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Blue Ridge? I like the Blue Ridge.
In his neck of the woods, isn't that the Great Smokey Mountains?
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:40 last edited by
Ah.. beat me by a few seconds.
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@Copper said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Blue Ridge? I like the Blue Ridge.
In his neck of the woods, isn't that the Great Smokey Mountains?
wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:40 last edited by@Improviso said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Copper said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Blue Ridge? I like the Blue Ridge.
In his neck of the woods, isn't that the Great Smokey Mountains?
Yep.
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The one pain-in-the ass thing is that we had to bring our own cookware, dishes, etc. That usually filled up one whole box. But, at the time, we were with 3 kids, so there's that consideration.
Mrs. George and I can spend 10 days living out of a couple of suitcases, so perhaps packing a box might not be a too-bad thing.
ETA: I always preferred the more open style of the Class-A. Didn't like to have to climb down into the cockpit of a Class-C.
Also this guy rents for about $250 a day - and gives you 100 miles per day free. After that, it's 35¢ per mile.
So a round trip from Minneapolis (pulls out calculator) is about 3500 miles, and would take 3 days of driving at 550 miles a day each way.
$1500 in rental
$2900 mileage
$350 in gas (assuming 10 mpg)Amtrak would be about $1400 round trip for two in a sleeper.
wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:49 last edited by@George-K said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
The one pain-in-the ass thing is that we had to bring our own cookware, dishes, etc. That usually filled up one whole box. But, at the time, we were with 3 kids, so there's that consideration.
Mrs. George and I can spend 10 days living out of a couple of suitcases, so perhaps packing a box might not be a too-bad thing.
ETA: I always preferred the more open style of the Class-A. Didn't like to have to climb down into the cockpit of a Class-C.
Also this guy rents for about $250 a day - and gives you 100 miles per day free. After that, it's 35¢ per mile.
So a round trip from Minneapolis (pulls out calculator) is about 3500 miles, and would take 3 days of driving at 550 miles a day each way.
$1500 in rental
$2900 mileage
$350 in gas (assuming 10 mpg)Amtrak would be about $1400 round trip for two in a sleeper.
True, but with the Motor home you control how much you want to drive, where you want to go and most importantly, your level of infection exposure.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 13:56 last edited by Jolly
@Larry said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Copper said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Blue Ridge? I like the Blue Ridge.
Smokies.
My mom and dad loved it up there, from the hills of Nashville, over into Maggie Valley and all points around.
Funny thing...My dad knew so many people, he never went anywhere in the South without bumping into somebody he knew. Dad and I were sitting in a little place in Cherokee, sipping on some coffee, when a guy walks through the door and heads to the counter. Dad stopped him on the way, and asked him, "Hey, Eugene! How's it going?" .
The guy did a double-take, and said, "Dammit, Jolly. Is that you?
So then it was old home week over coffee...
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@Aqua-Letifer said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Friday said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
My mother and I were planning a trip to Japan to see the cherry blossoms in March, and there was a summer trip to Mexico as a graduation gift for my goddaughter. But, like the rest of you, that's all cancelled.
Our Japan trip's on hold also.
Were you going for the Olympics?
wrote on 18 May 2020, 14:20 last edited by@Friday said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Aqua-Letifer said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Friday said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
My mother and I were planning a trip to Japan to see the cherry blossoms in March, and there was a summer trip to Mexico as a graduation gift for my goddaughter. But, like the rest of you, that's all cancelled.
Our Japan trip's on hold also.
Were you going for the Olympics?
That was a vague idea, yeah. Ah well. Couchistan is kind of a cool place to hang out. Lower New Bedroom is quaint and at least it's air-conditioned.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 14:44 last edited by
There is a road that goes from Vonore, TN across a low mountain to Indian Boundary Campgrounds. By low mountain I mean less than a mile high.. this road begins as a paved road, but about 5 or 6 miles in you cross into the National Forest, and about half a mile after that the pavement ends and it becomes a narrow dirt trail with so many deep potholes you cannot go more than 5 miles an hour. For the next ten or twelve miles you go 5 miles an hour, but you don't mind it too much because of the absolutely beautiful mountain stream running along side. You pass several marked campsites along the way, mostly tent camping because the road is too rough to get a camper up it. The trout fishing is great there.
Then you hit the bad road.... ten or fifteen miles of smell your own butt curves, potholes that can break axles, and steep cliffs that if you get too far to the side of the road your car will fall off and you'll fall half a mile or so before you hit the bottom. Narrow one lane bridges that cross over the stream in places that you just know will cave in when you get on them.. but they don't.
I love that road. It takes hours to travel the 30 or so miles, because you cant get over 5 miles an hour, some places even less. But the good part - the sounds of that big mountain stream, the sounds of the wildlife around you, the smell of the clean air, talking to the people you pass by on the road as they get ready to go fish in the stream.. you can have a good conversation with people when youre driving by them at 5 miles an hour.... and then you eventually come to Indian Boundary Lake, and campground. At that poi t you can choose to get on the Cherohala Skyway and come off the mountain into Tellico Plains, or you can take the little hidden road that most people dont know is there, and go into some really rough stuff.
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wrote on 18 May 2020, 15:11 last edited by
@jon-nyc said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Cool. Comes with a big box of reefer between the stove and the TV.
Likely legal, too!
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@Rainman said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Jolly said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Rainman said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Safeway in June, by car.
Adventurous type, eh?
Damn straight. Likely roll down a window, maybe two.
Actually, we hoped to take some road trips, kinda like Mark, just head out in a general direction. Utah monuments would be fantastic, maybe head north towards Glacier Nat'l Park. Who knows, like everyone else we will need to find out how open open is.
Maybe it's the year to rent a RV? Some of the smaller ones are very easy to drive. If you're comfortable driving a larger one, a Class A can be a home in wheels.
wrote on 18 May 2020, 20:32 last edited by@Jolly said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Rainman said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Jolly said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
@Rainman said in Vacation plans for this year - status?:
Safeway in June, by car.
Adventurous type, eh?
Damn straight. Likely roll down a window, maybe two.
Actually, we hoped to take some road trips, kinda like Mark, just head out in a general direction. Utah monuments would be fantastic, maybe head north towards Glacier Nat'l Park. Who knows, like everyone else we will need to find out how open open is.
Maybe it's the year to rent a RV? Some of the smaller ones are very easy to drive. If you're comfortable driving a larger one, a Class A can be a home in wheels.
That is such a great idea. I spoke with a guy I know last week, he lives in Oshkosh WI. Told me that he paid 98-cents/gal for gas. Do the math for what a motorhome would cost for fuel, and it would be something to consider. Yeah, I know. I filled up last week at around $2.50/gal. so big difference across the country for gas/diesel.
What's so frustrating for me, is that anything nowadays is contingent on my stupid back. Drop the keys? Yeah, I can pick them up, very slowly. Ride a motorcycle? Yep. Takes some strategy to get on and off, but once seated I'm in heaven. And on and on.
Realistically, George's train trips spike my interest, a lot. My wife has been lukewarm on the subject, but I think in time a train trip will be at the top of our bucket list.
Stupid back. Stupid back. Stupid back. El Suxor.
