"Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread

[DCFan]

omgosh I love the "Gump" photo comparison, awesome!

Yeah, finally some decent photos to look at.

[1995hoo]

Beautiful pictures!  That area of the country is definitely on the bucket list.

I HIGHLY recommend it. The scenery just kept getting better and better as we drove around and it was utterly unlike the mental image I had of a desert. The northern end of I-17 near Flagstaff felt more like being on I-87 between Albany and Montreal due to the pine forest, the sweeping curves, and the hilly terrain. As we drove south to Phoenix the climate kept changing and we finally started seeing hundreds of cactus as we passed the Rock Springs area.

Southeast Utah is miles and miles away from anywhere else, but that's part of what makes it worth the trip. One of the other couples at the B&B were from Belgium! They stayed four nights. We only had time for the one. If we're ever back in that area of Utah, as unlikely as that seems, I'd stay there again.

[mitlen]

I HIGHLY recommend it. The scenery just kept getting better and better as we drove around and it was utterly unlike the mental image I had of a desert. The northern end of I-17 near Flagstaff felt more like being on I-87 between Albany and Montreal due to the pine forest, the sweeping curves, and the hilly terrain. As we drove south to Phoenix the climate kept changing and we finally started seeing hundreds of cactus as we passed the Rock Springs area.

Southeast Utah is miles and miles away from anywhere else, but that's part of what makes it worth the trip. One of the other couples at the B&B were from Belgium! They stayed four nights. We only had time for the one. If we're ever back in that area of Utah, as unlikely as that seems, I'd stay there again.

Did ya visit all four states at Four Corners?

[1995hoo]

Did ya visit all four states at Four Corners?

Indeed we did. I just haven't gotten around to uploading those photos. It's a bit of a tourist trap given the $5 per person admission fee and the vendor stalls set up all the way around the monument except on the state lines, but who cares. At least for a tourist trap it's something unique and something those of us who are interested in geography find worth visiting. It has more tourism merit than, say, South of the Border (which is a lot less interesting since they got rid of the ethnic stereotype billboards, which may have been offensive to some people but were also funny).

[mitlen]

Indeed we did. I just haven't gotten around to uploading those photos. It's a bit of a tourist trap given the $5 per person admission fee and the vendor stalls set up all the way around the monument except on the state lines, but who cares. At least for a tourist trap it's something unique and something those of us who are interested in geography find worth visiting. It has more tourism merit than, say, South of the Border (which is a lot less interesting since they got rid of the ethnic stereotype billboards, which may have been offensive to some people but were also funny).

Five dollar admission is a new thing.    One more and I'll leave ya alone on this subject.     Did ya get to the Buckskin Tavern in Fredonia, AZ?   Just over the border from Utah on Alt Hwy 89 (south of Kanab, UT).    Buddy and I spent a long afternoon there in 1977.    I still have a tee-shirt touting it as "the longest bar in Arizona".    We headed toward Page.   We slept in our sleeping bags next to the road a few miles south of town.    Sometime during the night, we were awakened by a couple who's car had broken down.   They needed a ride into Page.   Since we are good citizens, we gave 'em a ride and then headed to the north rim of the Canyon.   Once there, we again threw out the bags and slept next to the car.   Woke up in time to see the sun come up over the Canyon.   Seems we spent the night in the parking lot of one of the hotels.       

EDIT:    Realized we didn't give the couple a ride.   They needed lights and wanted us to lead 'em back to Page.   They followed us down the highway  ...  at night  ...  pitch black.   I hung out the passenger's side window and held a flashlight so they could see the edge of the road.

PS   What a rip off on 4 Corners.   It was easy in and easy out when we were there.   Visited it again in '83 on our way to the Final Four in Albuquerque from SLC.   We slept in the camper in the Utah portion of 4 Corners.

[1995hoo]

One more and I'll leave ya alone on this subject.     Did ya get to the Buckskin Tavern in Fredonia, AZ?   Just over the border from Utah on Alt Hwy 89 (south of Kanab, UT).    Buddy and I spent a long afternoon there in 1977.    I still have a tee-shirt touting it as "the longest bar in Arizona".    We headed toward Page.   We slept in our sleeping bags next to the road a few miles south of town.    Sometime during the night, we were awakened by a couple who's car had broken down.   They needed a ride into Page.   Since we are good citizens, we gave 'em a ride and then headed to the north rim of the Canyon.   Once there, we again threw out the bags and slept next to the car.   Woke up in time to see the sun come up over the Canyon.   Seems we spent the night in the parking lot of one of the hotels.       

We didn't go in that direction, no. After we left the B&B and finished with the Moki Dugway, we drove down US-163 through Monument Valley to Kayenta, made a right on US-160, and followed that to US-89 (after a stop at a McDonald's in Tuba City for lunch). Made a left on US-89 and took that to Cameron (with a 20-minute traffic jam due to road construction), then took the first exit off the roundabout onto AZ-64 west to the South Rim. I had never been out there before and the South Rim was far more practical for our itinerary than the North Rim given how much further away the latter is. I'd like to go there on a future trip if possible, but it's a heck of a long way. As it is we drove 1032 miles in the rental vehicle, which doesn't include a couple of hundred more miles riding with my brother-in-law in their van (last Wednesday he drove us up to Sedona and we had a five-star dinner at a rural restaurant in the middle of nowhere, total surprise and a very pleasant surprise, and on Thursday we went to Prescott and Jerome).

[JCA-CrystalCity]

After I took the bar in '87, I did a crazy trip out west, first meeting friends in Dallas (day 1) then flying out to Phoenix, driving up to the south rim via Sedona (day 2), then up to monument valley and four corners to Durango (day 3), I think Durango to Boulder via Black Canyon of the Gunnison and monarch Pass (day 4), through Rocky Mountain National Park to Colorado Springs (Gallery of the G-ds) (day 4), down to Albuquerque via Taos and Santa Fe (day 5), then to Flagstaff through the painted desert / petrified forest (day 6), and back to Phoenix to catch up with a friend from law school (day 7). I forget if I took a red eye out that might, but I made sure I stopped by the site of a major public nuisance case out of AZ. 

[mitlen]

After I took the bar in '87, I did a crazy trip out west, first meeting friends in Dallas (day 1) then flying out to Phoenix, driving up to the south rim via Sedona (day 2), then up to monument valley and four corners to Durango (day 3), I think Durango to Boulder via Black Canyon of the Gunnison and monarch Pass (day 4), through Rocky Mountain National Park to Colorado Springs (Gallery of the G-ds) (day 4), down to Albuquerque via Taos and Santa Fe (day 5), then to Flagstaff through the painted desert / petrified forest (day 6), and back to Phoenix to catch up with a friend from law school (day 7). I forget if I took a red eye out that might, but I made sure I stopped by the site of a major public nuisance case out of AZ. 

Did ya stop in Winslow Arizona?

[1995hoo]

After I took the bar in '87, I did a crazy trip out west, first meeting friends in Dallas (day 1) then flying out to Phoenix, driving up to the south rim via Sedona (day 2), then up to monument valley and four corners to Durango (day 3), I think Durango to Boulder via Black Canyon of the Gunnison and monarch Pass (day 4), through Rocky Mountain National Park to Colorado Springs (Gallery of the G-ds) (day 4), down to Albuquerque via Taos and Santa Fe (day 5), then to Flagstaff through the painted desert / petrified forest (day 6), and back to Phoenix to catch up with a friend from law school (day 7). I forget if I took a red eye out that might, but I made sure I stopped by the site of a major public nuisance case out of AZ. 

Would the case be Spur v. Del Webb, perchance? My torts professor made a big deal out of that case (feed lot near Sun City) as an example of Posnerian economic theory of tort law.

We had dinner at the Stockyards Steakhouse in Phoenix on our final night, but those weren't the same stockyards at issue in Spur v. Del Webb.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Did ya stop in Winslow Arizona?

absolutely.  Apparently, there is one corner that you are supposed to stand on.  It is something like Winslow and whatever the Us highway through town is.  I missed it but have a picture from there. Also have a shot of my feet in all four states.

[mitlen]

absolutely.  Apparently, there is one corner that you are supposed to stand on.  It is something like Winslow and whatever the Us highway through town is.  I missed it but have a picture from there. Also have a shot of my feet in all four states.

We did it after the 1983 final (NC State/Houston) on our way to Vegas.   It was 3 AM.   I think all the girls and their flat bed Fords were already at home.    I think that highway is Route 66.   I love the inter-mountain SW USA.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

We did it after the 1983 final (NC State/Houston) on our way to Vegas.   It was 3 AM.   I think all the girls and their flat bed Fords were already at home.    I think that highway is Route 66.   I love the inter-mountain SW USA.

I remember the first time I flew into Phoenix.  I was getting near night fall. the plane flew in over northern arizona, or at least the side I was on had a clear view.  i remember thinking, "this place looks more like Mars than Massachusetts" with the red tint to the canyons and rocks. 

I popped in to do 3 interviews for clerkships out there.  One judge I interviewed with wrote the famous case I mentioned, Spur Industries v. Del Webb, I think.  That was brought by the developer of Sun City or whatever the big retirement development is down there.   They had set up northwest of town, north of a cattle ranching area.  Gradually, sun city expanded south, and the residents started to complain about the flies.  Del Webb sued to shut down the cattle ranchs.  The decision found the ranches to be a nuisance, but ordered Del Webb to buy them out rather than the traditional remedy, which would have simply been to shut down the nuisance.  The judge told me about how Del Webb would bus in the seniors from Sun City for the hearings, so one day the cattle guys all showed up with their cowboy hats etc...   This judge was on the state supreme court. The judge I really wanted to work for was in the intermediate court.  I met him at his office and we talked about he nature of intermediate courts of law.  He mentioned that the last judge to have his office before him was Sandra Day O'Connor.  I ended up getting an offer of a clerkship from a 3d judge, an northeasterner who transplanted down to Phoenix after law school site unseen like I was thinking of doing, but my dean talked me into a different clerkship in Massachusetts.  Roads not taken.

I have not spent much time out there since the post-bar trip.  Fell out of touch with my friend after she married.

[MarquisDeSade]

Two sentences, max.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Two sentences, max.

what does Scherzer have to do with this?  I guess he was drafted by Arizona.

[OldChelsea]

...leaving tomorrow for three glorious weeks in London...

[varoadking]

...leaving tomorrow for three glorious weeks in London...

 

[Natsinpwc]

...leaving tomorrow for three glorious weeks in London...

Cheerio. Have a blast. Are you taking in some Chelsea matches? 

[OldChelsea]

Cheerio. Have a blast. Are you taking in some Chelsea matches? 

Hoping to see their Champions League tilt against Porto on the 9th but my ticket hasn't turned up (there does appear to be a means of replacement of missing tickets though, in person at The Bridge - will have to check when I get there).

[Natsinpwc]

Hoping to see their Champions League tilt against Porto on the 9th but my ticket hasn't turned up (there does appear to be a means of replacement of missing tickets though, in person at The Bridge - will have to check when I get there).

Cool.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

booked my late December flights tonight.  Even though DCA is near the Krystalburg residence, had to do the BWI / BOS round trip to get decent fares.  I'm rolling the dice and miss the 12/20 Pats at Titans game, but this will give me a week in Boston and spare me train pains back and forth for the same money.

12/20 still looks inexpensive on Southwest if you have yet to book flights.

[imref]

Need a little help here in trying to book a mid-march spring break trip for the family.

Me - perfect vacation is a beach with the opportunity to get outside, do some hiking, see some cultural sites, etc.  Perfect spots in the past have included Corolla, Hawaii, Wyoming, and San Diego.  Would like some place relaxing to come home to and cook out/enjoy a patio.

Wife - wants to be able to go to a different museum/cultural attraction every day.  Not big on the beach.  Hates cruises.

Past spring break trips: Myrtle (meh), Charleston (loved it), Gatlinburg/GSMNP (loved it), and San Diego (loved it).  Wife doesn't want to return to a past haunt.

Current ideas:
- SF (I dread it as it's too crowded/busy and I go there a few times a year for work, but there's lots for the teens to do and wife wants to go there)
- Pensacola / Destin (beach plus Navy museum)
- Back to San Diego (my suggestion, wife wants to do something different)
- Arizona (Sedona/Flagstaff, not great weather in March)

Ideally i'd like to be somewhere within a day's drive as we save the flying for summer trips.  Budget is under $5k

Suggestions?

[KnorrForYourMoney]

If you loved Charleston, maybe try Savannah?  I've never been, but it's supposed to be a really nice little city that punches above its weight in terms of culture/stuff to do.  Don't know much about their different attractions, but just check out the city's tourism website and you're sure to find things.

[Mathguy]

Savannah was really nice when we visited.  We seriously considered retiring there.

If you loved Charleston, maybe try Savannah?  I've never been, but it's supposed to be a really nice little city that punches above its weight in terms of culture/stuff to do.  Don't know much about their different attractions, but just check out the city's tourism website and you're sure to find things.

[dcpatti]

Need a little help here in trying to book a mid-march spring break trip for the family.

Me - perfect vacation is a beach with the opportunity to get outside, do some hiking, see some cultural sites, etc.  Perfect spots in the past have included Corolla, Hawaii, Wyoming, and San Diego.  Would like some place relaxing to come home to and cook out/enjoy a patio.

Wife - wants to be able to go to a different museum/cultural attraction every day.  Not big on the beach.  Hates cruises.

Past spring break trips: Myrtle (meh), Charleston (loved it), Gatlinburg/GSMNP (loved it), and San Diego (loved it).  Wife doesn't want to return to a past haunt.

Current ideas:
- SF (I dread it as it's too crowded/busy and I go there a few times a year for work, but there's lots for the teens to do and wife wants to go there)
- Pensacola / Destin (beach plus Navy museum)
- Back to San Diego (my suggestion, wife wants to do something different)
- Arizona (Sedona/Flagstaff, not great weather in March)

Ideally i'd like to be somewhere within a day's drive as we save the flying for summer trips.  Budget is under $5k

Suggestions?

St Augustine, Fl has great beaches, a lot of historical sites, art galleries, fantastic shopping, lots of outdoorsy stuff to do, great restaurants and great b&b's. Personally I'd fly rather than drive (the last flight I booked to Orlando was about $130/person R/t)  but it is driveable, albeit a long long drive.

[HalfSmokes]

Savannah was really nice when we visited.  We seriously considered retiring there.

Lots of hiking around there and march is the best time for it. You might want to consider Cumberland island if you like Corolla