Novel Fly/Drive Vacation Ideas...

When I was a kid, my dad would take 3 weeks off every summer, and we
would go on long, meandering road trips around the American West and
Southwest. These make up some of my best childhood memories.

We'd like to do that with our kids, but always run up against the
inevitable time constraints. There is just no way to get away from the
hotel for that long, but we're running out of time with out kid (my
son turns 17 this summer) -- so we're brainstorming some novel
vacation ideas.

For example, we would like to show the kids Yellowstone, Estes Park,
Colorado, and all of the beautiful scenery in the mountains. The best
way to do this is by car (or motorcycle), but we just don't have
time.

One possible solution: Fly Atlas to Denver, CO, and pick up a big ol'
rental RV. It seems you can rent one for around $600 per week (not
counting gas), and that would give us the "feeling" of a road trip
without the zillion hours spent getting there.

Anyone ever rented an RV? Are they a pain to drive? (I've driven
trucks, but never a motor home.) Anyone ever tried combining a flying
vacation with a road trip?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article . com,
Jay Honeck wrote:

One possible solution: Fly Atlas to Denver, CO, and pick up a big ol'
rental RV. It seems you can rent one for around $600 per week (not
counting gas), and that would give us the "feeling" of a road trip
without the zillion hours spent getting there.

Anyone ever rented an RV? Are they a pain to drive? (I've driven
trucks, but never a motor home.) Anyone ever tried combining a flying
vacation with a road trip?

You do not want to rent an RV and drive/camp the national parks out west.
Maneuverability on the winding, narrow, sometimes windy mountain roads
will give you pucker factor like you have never experienced in IMC.

(An old EAA'er in my chapter once commented, "You don't need seatbelts,
a 1-inch ball hitch will keep you in your seat.")

With respect, that's nonsense. I live "out west." The roads in season
are full of RV's driven by old retired folks and by foreigners, who rent
them in California. They are a real pain in the a** for the rest of us,
but they manage to get around just fine. Their survival on the roads is
evidenced by the vast numbers of them who have managed to fill the camp
grounds and then return home alive.

john smith wrote:


You do not want to rent an RV and drive/camp the national parks out west.
Maneuverability on the winding, narrow, sometimes windy mountain roads
will give you pucker factor like you have never experienced in IMC.

"RomeoMike" wrote in message
news
With respect, that's nonsense. I live "out west." The roads in season are
full of RV's driven by old retired folks and by foreigners, who rent them
in California. They are a real pain in the a** for the rest of us, but
they manage to get around just fine. Their survival on the roads is
evidenced by the vast numbers of them who have managed to fill the camp
grounds and then return home alive.

Yup....two days to drive to Colorado, then six weeks to drive 100 miles.

john smith wrote:



You do not want to rent an RV and drive/camp the national parks out west.
Maneuverability on the winding, narrow, sometimes windy mountain roads
will give you pucker factor like you have never experienced in IMC.


Ah, baloney. I've driven them recently pulling a 26 foot 5th wheel.
Glacier has a portion of the Going to the Sun Road that they don't allow
vehicles over a certtain length. Other than that you won't have a
problem. Somebody may be looking down a several thousand foot drop but
that's about it.

"Newps" wrote in message
...


john smith wrote:



You do not want to rent an RV and drive/camp the national parks out west.
Maneuverability on the winding, narrow, sometimes windy mountain roads
will give you pucker factor like you have never experienced in IMC.


Ah, baloney. I've driven them recently pulling a 26 foot 5th wheel.
Glacier has a portion of the Going to the Sun Road that they don't allow
vehicles over a certtain length. Other than that you won't have a
problem. Somebody may be looking down a several thousand foot drop but
that's about it.

Yeah, but you and I are used to it. For "Prairie Chickens" it's a different
story.

--
Matt Barrow
Performace Homes, LLC.
Cheyenne, WY

"Jay Honeck" wrote

Anyone ever rented an RV? Are they a pain to drive? (I've driven
trucks, but never a motor home.) Anyone ever tried combining a flying
vacation with a road trip?

No problem learning to drive one. Drive with your mirrors, a lot.

I know of three people that have rented, and all three had MAJOR breakdowns.
Two of the three got quick repairs, and one nearly had their trip destroyed.

Make sure you get a vehicle only one year old, at best.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote


Anyone ever rented an RV? Are they a pain to drive? (I've driven
trucks, but never a motor home.) Anyone ever tried combining a flying
vacation with a road trip?


No problem learning to drive one. Drive with your mirrors, a lot.

I know of three people that have rented, and all three had MAJOR breakdowns.
Two of the three got quick repairs, and one nearly had their trip destroyed.

Make sure you get a vehicle only one year old, at best.

12 of us rented a 35' RV one summer and took it from north Texas to NW
Arkansas. It was no problem to drive. I did have to get use to driving
past 18 wheelers - the air pressure between the two as they passed.
Worst part was the 10 drunks while 2 of us stayed sober to drive. We
went to the Buffalo River area in Arkansas and the driving was not bad
in the mountains (yes, there are not the Rockies, but I have seen lots
of big RV (motor coaches) up there in Colorado)).

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Forget Yellowstone, Glacier and the Tetons in the Summer. Those parks
are absolutely wrecked in June, July and August. I have already made it
quite clear to my relatives in Minnesota that should they ever decide to
come out here we would not ever consider joining them in going to those
parks. If you're going to go, go in September or October. By far the
best months.




Jay Honeck wrote:

When I was a kid, my dad would take 3 weeks off every summer, and we
would go on long, meandering road trips around the American West and
Southwest. These make up some of my best childhood memories.

We'd like to do that with our kids, but always run up against the
inevitable time constraints. There is just no way to get away from the
hotel for that long, but we're running out of time with out kid (my
son turns 17 this summer) -- so we're brainstorming some novel
vacation ideas.

For example, we would like to show the kids Yellowstone, Estes Park,
Colorado, and all of the beautiful scenery in the mountains. The best
way to do this is by car (or motorcycle), but we just don't have
time.

One possible solution: Fly Atlas to Denver, CO, and pick up a big ol'
rental RV. It seems you can rent one for around $600 per week (not
counting gas), and that would give us the "feeling" of a road trip
without the zillion hours spent getting there.

Anyone ever rented an RV? Are they a pain to drive? (I've driven
trucks, but never a motor home.) Anyone ever tried combining a flying
vacation with a road trip?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Forget Yellowstone, Glacier and the Tetons in the Summer.

Agreed, but the school schedule rules our lives for another few
years...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"