Anyone got any travel planned?

[bob boag]

We just pulled the trigger on a 14 day cruise from San Pedro to Hawaii to Ensenada and back to LA for Christmas. Golden Princess on princess cruises. Christmas during the 4-day cruise over and New Years during the 4-day cruise back. Four ports in Hawaii (Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kawaii). Mini suite for me, dw and 2 kids and interiors for brother's family and sis in law's family. The 7 teens can all go nuts. Best of all dw's parents are springing for it!

 

[Dancer373]

Went on an Alaska cruise in May. Going from Florida to Calif next week to visit family. Oct will be Salt Lake City. April 2011 a 3 week tour of China with my sister. I'm very excited about that one never having been there before !!!

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Just got back from 10 days in Alaska near Ketchikan on remote semi-developed private land. Highs around 75 the first four days, so there were many giant flies (ouch) in addition to the mosquitos (relatively minor). After that it calmed down. Beach and forest hiking, clamming, drinking, relaxing. Counted 58 bites on my left lower arm while waiting in SeaTac between flights.

 

[RunningBum]

Cool, let me know if you do the one in Rehoboth. I live about 30 minutes away. I'll come watch you run past. Even buy you a beer after if you survive.

Harley, it turns out there's a small local marathon I'm going to run in December instead of going up to Rehoboth. Thanks anyway!

 

[califdreamer]

Recently booked special deal on Alaska air. New nonstop service from San Diego to Maui... $237 per person RT! Booked it on same day as special came across internet. Looking forward to swimming with the turtles!

 

[Gardener]

well get to Demming NM and dont miss the Saturday night out house race - Great American Duck Race of Deming, Inc.


I don't know that I will ever be able to go back to Deming. My son was walking by himeself (when he was 13) and fell off a cliff at Rock Hound State Park. He caught a rock and literally dangled for almost 1/2 hour (over a 40' drop) as we ran up the side of the rock (a pile of loose rocks, sand and cactus) and a ranger ran up the backside of the mountain and managed to pull him up. We are very lucky he is such an amazing athelete and was, at that time, obsessed w/ pull-ups and dangling. He had spent every commercial break (when watching TV) doing pull-ups or dangling from our spiral staircase for several years before that.
Gardener

 

[NW-Bound]

Just got back from 10 days in Alaska near Ketchikan on remote semi-developed private land. Highs around 75 the first four days, so there were many giant flies (ouch) in addition to the mosquitos (relatively minor). After that it calmed down. Beach and forest hiking, clamming, drinking, relaxing. Counted 58 bites on my left lower arm while waiting in SeaTac between flights.

So, it is the flies that have been named the Alaskan State Bird and not the mosquitoes.

Note to self: bring a few gallons of Deet to shower with when RV'ing there next year.

 

[BTravlin]

So, it is the flies that have been named the Alaskan State Bird and not the mosquitoes.

Note to self: bring a few gallons of Deet to shower with when RV'ing there next year.

Make sure it's the 100% DEET because they treat the diluted stuff like salad dressing.

 

[harley]

We might be going to Australia next year for a month. That would be the fulfillment of a life long dream for both DW and I. Hope it works out!

 

[Martha]

I have been surfing the Web, looking at RV parks and campgrounds, and scrolling through Google Earth. So many places to go... I need to finish a few things before we can hit the road, perhaps in late August or early September. Man, the summer is almost over...

I start to wonder if it is a good thing to tow the toad for this trip; it may simply become a liability if we do not visit major cities and just want to stay in the "wilderness".

By the way, I want to stop in the LA area and Orange County to visit some relatives and friends. Looking at the map, it looks like there are few RV parks there, other than a few in Anaheim. Even dumping the tanks is a hassle. There are no places other than a few RV storage places, and they want $20 just for dumping. Traveling to those places might be a hassle with the gridlock traffic. I might just forget about this stop.

The Anaheim parks are probably the closest for you. This winter I spent a couple of months at an rv park in Long Beach, of all places. My sister lives in Carson so it was close by. It was on the mouth of the LA river and walking distance to downtown Long Beach. The bike paths were excellent. The spots were tight and the cost was high but I loved the location.

 

[kcowan]

Going to Galiano Island for a few days to visit with friends who are "off-grid" but still have solar power, salt water wood fired hot tub, wireless internet, gas BBQ so that we can rough it!

Then to Victoria the following week to stay with friends in James Bay for our annual visit. They came here in July.

In September, we are off to Italy: Rome, Lucca, Cinque Terra and Bellagio on Lake Como before heading up through Switzerland to Frankfurt.

In November, we fly to our condo in PV. Then at the end of the month we have a motor trip planned around the area when friends arrive to cat sit in our condo.

 

[NW-Bound]

The Anaheim parks are probably the closest for you...

We may have to do that, although my wife said that my aunt did mention that her HOA has an RV storage lot that we might be able to use.

Anyway, it would just be for a 2-night stop before we head up north into the "wilderness". We have been to San Diego and the LA area so many times over the years that there aren't a whole lot left to attract us in these areas.

 

[RonBoyd]

I have been surfing the Web, looking at RV parks and campgrounds, and scrolling through Google Earth. So many places to go... ... Looking at the map, it looks like there are few RV parks there, other than a few in Anaheim.

I missed this when you originally posted so I apologize. I find it had to believe there is a shortage of RV parks anywhere... not just in California.

I have been building a database of RV Parks and converting the data to a file for my Garmin Nuvi. It is taking a lot of time and, to be honest, it is only up-to-date on the States that I have traveled in during the past couple years (about a dozen or so). In any event my database has 1,329 RV Parks located in California. Additionally, a look in the Yellow Book shows listings for "Campground RV Park" in California of around 700 parks. I should mention that I, so far, am concentrating on "Commercial" and Public (State/Federal) Parks. There is in addition a list that I subscribe to called The Day's End Directory -- it has 31 pages of California "Free" parks (Free meaning less than $5 a night before any discounts.)

Here is a screen shot of a California Page of the Day's End Directory:



I have found many sources for RV Park Listings -- not the least of which is The POI Factory. (I have about 11,000 listings so far.)

As an example: I use PageRaptor to extract the listings from the Yellow Book. I, then, Convert that Data (it is in Excel XLS form) to MS Word and then into a Excel csv file in which I submit the "Address, City, State" data to BatchGeo which finds the GPS Coordinates for me. I then take that information add it to the CVS file and then use Extra POI Editor to convert it to a GPX file for my Garmin.

I would be up for explaining this in more depth if anyone is interested... as far as that goes, I wouldn't be opposed to sharing the whole database.

 

[NW-Bound]

Thanks for the links. I'll add that to my bookmarks.

A clarification is in order. The apparent shortage of RV parks I mentioned was only in the urban area near my relatives' homes whom I like to visit. Due to traffic congestion, if I have to park 50 mi from their home, that would easily mean a 2-hr of car exhaust fume breathing for a 1-way trip.

I do not know if the city ordinance there would allow 72-hr RV parking in the streets like where I live, but many subdivision HOAs do not allow RV at all. In fact, many new subdivisions there would tow even cars that park in residential streets for any length of time; visitors must park in designated parking spots like in apartments.

Outside of urban areas, I have found many RV parks and campgrounds, with full hookups as well as dry camping, although I would not mind expanding the list to have more choices.

PS. The RV commercial parks in urban areas also look like parking lots with RVs packed like sardines. If there are no other choices, I guess I will have to live with that.

 

[REWahoo]

As an example: I use PageRaptor to extract the listings from the Yellow Book. I, then, Convert that Data (it is in Excel XLS form) to MS Word and then into a Excel csv file in which I submit the "Address, City, State" data to BatchGeo which finds the GPS Coordinates for me. I then take that information add it to the CVS file and then use Extra POI Editor to convert it to a GPX file for my Garmin.

You mean you don't simultaneously translate the list into French, German, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Swahili and Pig Latin? Slacker.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have been building a database of RV Parks and converting the data to a file for my Garmin Nuvi. It is taking a lot of time...

I believe it. I have an old Garmin handheld GPS with very limited memory, and have bought a little GPS dongle (on USB) and a copy of Microsoft Streets and Trips. The idea is that the laptop will allow a larger map display than a handheld GPS. But I have not had time to do much with that yet.

I still have to finish wiring the inverter into the power distribution box; still waiting for the relays that I ordered to build my own auto power switchover. It will not be instant and transparent as Audrey's fancy Xantrex box, but hey, it will cost me just $20 in parts (I got the cheapo Xantrex box that only has the inverter function). Also still waiting for parts to wire up my toad for towing.

And today, my garage door opener went "kaput". And my pool plumbing leaks!

 

[CoolChange]

I am just finishing up some travel. Does that count?

This is why I haven't been on here for a while: Belgium --> Holland --> Germany --> Ireland --> Scotland (now) --> England (just for a night before flying home).

One month vacationing in Europe with no cell phone and limited Internet access has been very refreshing; but, I am ready to be home for a while. Unfortunately, w*rk travel will commence almost immediately upon my return.

 

[HFWR]

Heading to visit friends in Littleton, CO for a long weekend. Hope to do some hiking, drinking, lounging, and photography. Allegedly will be in the 80s during the day, and 60s at night. Not bad after endless 100+ days in [-]hell[/-] Texas...

 

[flyfishnevada]

My DW and I are going to Myrtle Beach in late October to do a little exploring and meet up with some folks from another forum to smoke cigars (me, not DW ). Never been there or met any of these people except online. Should be fun. We also know a couple we go to Jamaica with that live right outside of Raleigh (were flying there - Southwest Airlines = no SC), so one night we get to meet them for dinner. We can't wait.

 

[cardude]

Two weeks in Nosara, Costa Rica in June. My favorite trip of the year because I get to surf on REAL WAVES. We have some friends there who are really fun to hang around with, and they have kids our age so it works out well.

A week in New Orleans and other places in LA in July visiting DW's family. Why do we keep taking our kids to the French Quarter? We swear this is the last time.

Three nights in Vegas on a grown-ups-only trip with friends. We know not to take the kids to Vegas, because we actually did take them once back when they were little. Fun trip. Lost a little money.

A week in DC for a Kid's educational trip in August (just got back). I'm from South Texas and I didn't realize how hot it was in the summer in DC. We did the turisty museum thing, and walked until our feet were numb.

 

[sweetana3]

Wie are going to Thailand for a month. The tour leader reduced her minimum number of people to 4 and she found another couple who wanted to go. Almost a private tour with a Thai cooking and photography expert. She will be ordering all the food and making sure we learn a lot. Since only 4,we can choose some special out of the way places to add.

All inclusive price best we found.

If you want more info, her terrific website is thaifoodandtravel.com

 

[deserat]

Greece for work and vacation end of August; Mallorca over Labor Day; skiing in Austria over Columbus Day, skiing at another resort in Austria over Thanksgiving - trips to US for work with some vacation interspersed; planning on a trip to Istanbul in May of next year; a Baltic cruise; a Black Sea cruise; South Africa - the last three over the next two years.

 

[freebird5825]

I am headed to Lowell MA on Labor Day weekend to experience my very first Portguese festival. I requested an experience, not a "thing" for my birthday present. I turn 52 on Labor Day itself.
However, I could suffer and grudingly submit to a genuine NE seafood dinner out.

 

[jimnjana]

Just got back from our 12 day Med cruise aboard the Celebrity Century. We also did a 4 day precruise tour of Madrid and Barcelona. Our itinerary included, Rome, Croatia, Venice, Naples, and Nice. One of the Highlights of the trip was our visit to Vatican City. The Vatican was closed to the general public and was opened for the cruise ships only. We were impressed with celebrity overall, the food was excellent. The staff was very attentive and friendly. The entertainment was ok, but the magician Jamie Allen I think was exceptional. Celebrity really surprised us with the overall experience and we are definitely cruising celebrity in the future.

 

[FUEGO]

We took the Celebrity Century for a week in the Caribbean and we had the same experience. Very surprised by the caliber of their operation. Top notch luxury treatment without paying a huge price for it.