Anybody planning a Spring or Summer fun trip yet?

[Blackhorse]

Spring Break? Summer Vacation? My wife and two adult kids are going on a Great Road Trip. They’re doing a road trip to and through Yellowstone. They even have reservations to stay in a couple historic lodges in the Park. She made the reservations months ago and barely got in cause they were already booked near full. They have done road trips together before and have always had an epic adventure. I think the statute of limitations has kicked in most places they’ve been in the past so they should be good to go.

Probably cheaper to lease a private chopper than buy the gas to drive it right now…Portland Oregon to Yellowstone and back. Ah well, go when you can. Let’s see…figure 816 miles each way…total of 1632…rounded to 1700 miles. Factor in 30 miles per gallon. So 56 gallons minimum. And at, let’s guess $4.75 per gallon…so $266 total. I guess that’s not so bad. Probably spend more on chips, jerky & sodas. LOL.

 

[Ranger107]

Wouldn't really call it a trip, but next month our Legion Riders group is doing an overnighter to eastern AZ to ride US HWY 666, also known as the Devils Hiway. 460 curves in 125 miles of road. A bikers dream. Depending on circumstances at the time, wife and I may fly to FL to visit my sister in late April or May.

 

[ftrplt]

We're working on it!!!! FTRPLT

 

[Blackhorse]

Ranger…that sounds festive. Ride On!

 

[Ranger107]

Ranger…that sounds festive. Ride On!

Haven't done it for several years but it is a fun and somewhat challenging ride. Also beautiful country, through the piney woods.

 

[Natch]

Spring Break? Summer Vacation? My wife and two adult kids are going on a Great Road Trip. They’re doing a road trip to and through Yellowstone. They even have reservations to stay in a couple historic lodges in the Park. She made the reservations months ago and barely got in cause they were already booked near full. They have done road trips together before and have always had an epic adventure. I think the statute of limitations has kicked in most places they’ve been in the past so they should be good to go.

Probably cheaper to lease a private chopper than buy the gas to drive it right now…Portland Oregon to Yellowstone and back. Ah well, go when you can. Let’s see…figure 816 miles each way…total of 1632…rounded to 1700 miles. Factor in 30 miles per gallon. So 56 gallons minimum. And at, let’s guess $4.75 per gallon…so $266 total. I guess that’s not so bad. Probably spend more on chips, jerky & sodas. LOL.

View attachment 4337View attachment 4338

You should love Yellowstone. I worked out there years ago and fell in love with the place. Not the "grand" landscape views of Glacier of Olympics, but the wildlife and geologic features are outstanding. If you happen to be there under a low moon phase, make it out to the Middle Geyser Bason (just up the road from Old Faithful) after dark, some of the best star gazing I've ever had the pleasure of observing. When I was there, every evening, a guy dressed like Teddy Rosevelt could come into the middle of the lodge and sing patriotic songs, and everyone joined in. My favorite was at Lake Lodge, if you're staying there in the afternoon around 4:00 they have a string quartet playing by the veranda. I fully expected to see the Great Gatsby walk around the corner with a hi-ball in hand. Here is a pix from a family trip out there in the early 50s. My dad jumped out to take pix of the bears, and when he turned around, he saw this one with his head in the car. Apparently, (I was only 3 at the time, so this is what I was told by my mother), I had a box of girl scout cookies in my lap and when my mother turned around to look at my brother and sister in the back seat, I took great delight in handing them one at a time to the bear as he stuck his head in. When my mother turned back around, the bear and she were literally face to face. My mom never let my dad forget that when she was screaming for his help, he paused to take this picture.

 

[Natch]

As for our family trip....we had booked tickets for a couple of weeks in Belize, my old stomping grounds. I wanted to show my wife where I did all the stupid things she's head about! But, when our only child announced she was pregnant with our first grandchild, all trips other than out to Virginia where they live were canceled. So driving the Chessepeak, helping them find a house to buy, and changing diapers are in my future.

 

[Brewdude]

You should love Yellowstone. I worked out there years ago and fell in love with the place. Not the "grand" landscape views of Glacier of Olympics, but the wildlife and geologic features are outstanding. If you happen to be there under a low moon phase, make it out to the Middle Geyser Bason (just up the road from Old Faithful) after dark, some of the best star gazing I've ever had the pleasure of observing. When I was there, every evening, a guy dressed like Teddy Rosevelt could come into the middle of the lodge and sing patriotic songs, and everyone joined in. My favorite was at Lake Lodge, if you're staying there in the afternoon around 4:00 they have a string quartet playing by the veranda. I fully expected to see the Great Gatsby walk around the corner with a hi-ball in hand. Here is a pix from a family trip out there in the early 50s. My dad jumped out to take pix of the bears, and when he turned around, he saw this one with his head in the car. Apparently, (I was only 3 at the time, so this is what I was told by my mother), I had a box of girl scout cookies in my lap and when my mother turned around to look at my brother and sister in the back seat, I took great delight in handing them one at a time to the bear as he stuck his head in. When my mother turned back around, the bear and she were literally face to face. My mom never let my dad forget that when she was screaming for his help, he paused to take this picture.

Mr. Natural, you are fortunate to still have your hands after that encounter. In one of Bill Bryson's books, he noted an incident where a mother with a small child saw that the bears were so "cute" eating out of tourists hands that she smeared her baby's hands with honey in an effort to get the bear to lick it off. Not understanding this gesture, the bear ate off the baby's hand!




Cheers,

RR

 

[Natch]

RR,

The summer I worked there I got to know several of the ranger/EMTs, we had a place for employees to have a beer and relax. One evening they were discussing a lady they had to restrain and ticket earlier that day. She had put peanut butter on her toddler's nose and pushed him towards a bear at the lower basin. She was indignant that they interfered with her "photoshoot", as the bears were obviously tame and there for photos. Her son almost had to pay for her ignorance. They indicated that this sort of thing happens a couple of times every summer.

 

[daveinlax]

Mrslax is getting her knees replaced this summer so other than a couple of weeks baking in the sun in SoAZ I only have long weekend pipe shows in Chicago, Columbus, KC and Las Vegas planned.

 

[Blackhorse]

Never been to a pipe show but would love to go. Sounds great.

Good deal on the new neez for mrslax. I’ve heard that’s a huge benefit.

 

[Blackhorse]

Natch…just saw your historical photo of the bear with its nose into the window. Is that a ‘k49 Ford Wagon WOODY? OMG. Bet you wish you still had that one!

 

[Jevverrett]

My wife and her mother are taking the kids out on a cruise to the Bahamas this summer. Provided the kids don’t need to be jabbed. They have a big credit with the cruise line from all the craziness when all the cruises were canceled they still haven’t used. The dog and I will be enjoying some quiet, peaceful evenings lol.

 

[Blackhorse]

Same deal with me and the Great Yellowstone Road Trip. Wife and kids go…I stay and keep the petstock company. Plus, though I’ve always loved a long drive my physical circumstances don’t match any longer for several reasons.

 

[eggman]

The wife and I have one camping trip planned so far. We are going to Nathan Bedford Forrest state park on the fourth of July weekend. we want to make a trip to New Orleans or Chicago and ride the train.

 

[Blackhorse]

Wow. Nathan Bedford Forrest, eh? I Googled him . Really interesting. He was a prominent Confederate General and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan…from 1867 to 1869. I guess the Park is the site of the National Stones River Battlefield. Lotta history there.

 

[eggman]

The park is on the banks and bluffs of the Tennessee River about 10 miles east of Camden Tn. New Johnsonville is right across the river there is a battlefield park there. Lots of civil war history and Forrest history in west Tn.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

Heading back home to Ohio for a week or so shortly. Haven't been back there in about 3 years I think.

 

[RSteve]

My brother and his wife live nine months a year in MN and three months in Houston during the winter. His daughter is a heart surgeon in Houston. Last spring my brother turned 80, but because of pandemic concerns he had no birthday party. In May, he and his wife celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughter decided to throw a 50th anniversary party, birthday party for her dad, and birthday party for her oldest son, all on a 3-day May weekend in Houston. My daughters, spouses, kids, my late sister's husband, and me, of course, were all invited.
I told my daughters to free up that weekend; that we are all going to Houston. I had never used the "points" on my most used credit card, one I've had for decades. The points pretty much covered nine round trip non-stop tickets to Houston and back. My travel savvy daughter rented a house for the time we are there and two cars.It's unbelievable how little out-of-pocket money this is costing me. It has the feel of a free trip, because I've already paid for it.
My niece has planned family meals for virtually the entire time we're in Houston. It should be fun.
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About seven years ago, my older daughter and I traveled to Houston to celebrate the birth of my niece's second son. I think we were actually in Houston for 1.5 days.We flew in Friday evening and home Sunday afternoon.

I took a radio gig in Houston, almost 50 years ago, that turned out to be blue sky and bulls**t. I was hired for morning drive because the station's long time morning drive personality had taken a similar job in Dallas with a station in the same ownership group. I started three weeks before he was to depart and was assigned the 7:00 pm to midnight shift to become 100% familiar with the format and equipment. That actually took about two days. On the Friday before the Monday I was to take over morning drive, I was informed that the current morning guy had changed his mind and was staying at the station. I was furious and damn near punched the station manager. I told him there was no f-ing way I'd come to Houston to work PMs. And, of course, his reply, "There's no way we're paying you the morning drive money you've been getting to work PMs." I was prepared to sue for breach of contract, but ownership quickly settled for six months pay and the cost of moving back to Minnesota.
Houston, since then, has always had bad juju for me.

 

[Jevverrett]

Same deal with me and the Great Yellowstone Road Trip. Wife and kids go…I stay and keep the petstock company. Plus, though I’ve always loved a long drive my physical circumstances don’t match any longer for several reasons.

Long drives are a great passion of mine too. I’d rather drive 20 hrs in 2 days than fly 2 hrs to get to the same place. The drive is half the fun of a vacation for me. I’m considering taking my boys to a camping weekend in Ohio for the Pathfinder gathering with Dave Canterbury this summer. Gas prices may make that impossible though.