Author Topic: "Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread  (Read 145134 times)

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Online imref

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Not the edge of, I trust.... ;)   :D

https://taos.org/explore/landmarks/gorge-bridge/

we weren't aware of it, as we approached we saw a bunch of people parked along the side of the road and walking on/off the bridge. The bridge is at the same level as the road, so you don't feel like you are way up in the air even though it's about 700' above the gorge. It's very short and you can't really see over the edge when driving.

Offline English Natsie

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Looks good. Reminds me of when I drove across the Millau Viaduct, in France - world's tallest bridge, at 1,104ft high. Looking ahead, you can't tell much, but look to the side and you hope those really are 'stop at all costs' barriers!... ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct

Offline Count Walewski

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I think my backup plan re: the fires is to cut one of my 3 days in Santa Fe (enough stuff is on fire near Santa Fe to knock out an entire day worth of sightseeing), and make my roadtrip from New Mexico to Flagstaff a two day drive rather than a one day drive. We'd probably stay the night in Holbrook, AZ which is the city closest to Petrified Forest National Park. Means I would get one fewer day in New Mexico but much more time to explore the little Route 66 cities in New Mexico and Arizona including Grants NM, Gallup NM, Holbrook AZ, and Winslow AZ.

Online imref

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I think my backup plan re: the fires is to cut one of my 3 days in Santa Fe (enough stuff is on fire near Santa Fe to knock out an entire day worth of sightseeing), and make my roadtrip from New Mexico to Flagstaff a two day drive rather than a one day drive. We'd probably stay the night in Holbrook, AZ which is the city closest to Petrified Forest National Park. Means I would get one fewer day in New Mexico but much more time to explore the little Route 66 cities in New Mexico and Arizona including Grants NM, Gallup NM, Holbrook AZ, and Winslow AZ.

4 corners is kind of neat for an hour or so but probably out of your way.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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4 corners is kind of neat for an hour or so but probably out of your way.
but if you loop through 4 corners you can hit Monument Valley.

Offline Count Walewski

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4 Corners is a bucket list item for me but dang if it isn't in the damn middle of nowhere. It's not even a plausible day trip from any major population center. I don't know how people get there.

Online imref

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4 Corners is a bucket list item for me but dang if it isn't in the damn middle of nowhere. It's not even a plausible day trip from any major population center. I don't know how people get there.

Durango to Flagstaff takes you right through it.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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One really has to rent a big V8 sedan for driving in the desert.  Poor form otherwise.     

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Durango to Flagstaff takes you right through it.
I did it the opposite way, but yes. Grand Canyon south rim to Durango. 

Online imref

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I think my backup plan re: the fires is to cut one of my 3 days in Santa Fe (enough stuff is on fire near Santa Fe to knock out an entire day worth of sightseeing), and make my roadtrip from New Mexico to Flagstaff a two day drive rather than a one day drive. We'd probably stay the night in Holbrook, AZ which is the city closest to Petrified Forest National Park. Means I would get one fewer day in New Mexico but much more time to explore the little Route 66 cities in New Mexico and Arizona including Grants NM, Gallup NM, Holbrook AZ, and Winslow AZ.

Another massive fire:

https://nmfireinfo.com/2022/05/11/hermits-peak-and-calf-canyon-fires-may-11-2022/?fbclid=IwAR10Dd0a3p6hyHKXb9ePa1wV35_P0HC_frkJY62ExtQZ6aLSN1DY3k1ZPgI

Colfax, Taos, San Miguel, and Mora counties are all in evacuation watch.

Offline dracnal

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So I bought tickets for a round trip to Ottawa in the Fall to see a friend, and yesterday United sent me an email out of the blue that the flights were cancelled and they rebooked me from a direct flight from 8:30 to 10AM, to a flight that leaves at 6AM, stops in Newark for a couple hours, then gets to Ottawa at 11:40. The return trip went from a 7PM departure to a 9AM departure, basically cutting a day off my visit.

For the frequent travelers is this sort of thing normal? The tickets are refundable, so I can dump them and get different flights, but does anyone have recommendations on if I should wait to see if they add more flight times, etc? To say I'm a bit bummed out by this is putting it mildly.

Online imref

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So I bought tickets for a round trip to Ottawa in the Fall to see a friend, and yesterday United sent me an email out of the blue that the flights were cancelled and they rebooked me from a direct flight from 8:30 to 10AM, to a flight that leaves at 6AM, stops in Newark for a couple hours, then gets to Ottawa at 11:40. The return trip went from a 7PM departure to a 9AM departure, basically cutting a day off my visit.

For the frequent travelers is this sort of thing normal? The tickets are refundable, so I can dump them and get different flights, but does anyone have recommendations on if I should wait to see if they add more flight times, etc? To say I'm a bit bummed out by this is putting it mildly.

I've never seen anything like that in my nearly million miles of flying.  I would try and find a different flight.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Whoah.  I'd cancel or see if you can change flights to an Air Canada nonstop flight (they are both in Star Alliance).  Newark airport is worth avoiding and 6 am is really worth avoiding  :spaz:   

Offline Count Walewski

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I would complain to the airline on Twitter and threaten to call the Canadian Prime Minister.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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I'd complain to the UN and ICJ as well.  Newark airport is a human rights issue, especially when on an international flight through one of the terminals that doesn't have Pre-check (nothing like seeing people who have been in line for 90 minutes freak out when a huge roach scuttles across their foot)

Online Natsinpwc

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If the Canadian govt does not intervene threaten to boycott Tim Horton’s.

Online RobDibblesGhost

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https://taos.org/explore/landmarks/gorge-bridge/

we weren't aware of it, as we approached we saw a bunch of people parked along the side of the road and walking on/off the bridge. The bridge is at the same level as the road, so you don't feel like you are way up in the air even though it's about 700' above the gorge. It's very short and you can't really see over the edge when driving.

Walking that bridge is a cool experience. I’ve done it several times. I love New Mexico and want to retire there (though that’s a long ways off still).

For this summer, my trip starts with driving to southern Wisconsin to meet up with a friend and catch a Nats-Cubs game at Wrigley. Flying from there to Hawaii for a wedding. Two nights on the Big Island and then three nights in Waikiki for the wedding. Flying to Vegas, just one day there, then passing through Death Valley (staying in my air conditioned rental car!) and meeting up with a college friend in Yosemite for two nights (had a third night canceled because two of their lodges aren’t opening this year due to staffing challenges). After Yosemite, we’ll go to his place in Sacramento for a couple days. From there, I’m taking Amtrak’s California Zephyr to Chicago and then driving back to VA. I’m a huge train fan and I’ve done most of the long-distance route but I’ve never been further west than Salt Lake City on the Zephyr so I’m looking forward to that part of the trip.

Offline dracnal

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Looks like United has changed their nonstop flight from IAD to the evening and has doubled the cost. I can see why they cancelled my tickets if they're going to pull that crap. Living in Leesburg, I'm not super thrilled about flying out of DCA, but Air Canada is starting to sound like the better option. If nothing else, I'm glad I sprung for refundable tickets.  If nothing else, it sounds like once I get a new itinerary I shouldn't be worrying that it'll get tossed out the window again.

Online imref

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Walking that bridge is a cool experience. I’ve done it several times. I love New Mexico and want to retire there (though that’s a long ways off still).

For this summer, my trip starts with driving to southern Wisconsin to meet up with a friend and catch a Nats-Cubs game at Wrigley. Flying from there to Hawaii for a wedding. Two nights on the Big Island and then three nights in Waikiki for the wedding. Flying to Vegas, just one day there, then passing through Death Valley (staying in my air conditioned rental car!) and meeting up with a college friend in Yosemite for two nights (had a third night canceled because two of their lodges aren’t opening this year due to staffing challenges). After Yosemite, we’ll go to his place in Sacramento for a couple days. From there, I’m taking Amtrak’s California Zephyr to Chicago and then driving back to VA. I’m a huge train fan and I’ve done most of the long-distance route but I’ve never been further west than Salt Lake City on the Zephyr so I’m looking forward to that part of the trip.

that sounds like an awesome trip.  Where are you staying on the Big Island?

Online RobDibblesGhost

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that sounds like an awesome trip.  Where are you staying on the Big Island?

One night with a (not super close) relative in Hilo and one night in a cabin at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think my newest bucket list item is visiting every National Park.

Online imref

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One night with a (not super close) relative in Hilo and one night in a cabin at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think my newest bucket list item is visiting every National Park.

Volcanoes is amazing. Try to visit the caldera overlook at night.

Online imref

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Looks like United has changed their nonstop flight from IAD to the evening and has doubled the cost. I can see why they cancelled my tickets if they're going to pull that crap. Living in Leesburg, I'm not super thrilled about flying out of DCA, but Air Canada is starting to sound like the better option. If nothing else, I'm glad I sprung for refundable tickets.  If nothing else, it sounds like once I get a new itinerary I shouldn't be worrying that it'll get tossed out the window again.

Your not alone:

https://abc13.com/united-airlines-flights-to-italy-plane-tickets-why-is-airfare-so-high-right-now/11873883/#l3gq73fiyuchprc617b

Offline dracnal

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Your not alone:

https://abc13.com/united-airlines-flights-to-italy-plane-tickets-why-is-airfare-so-high-right-now/11873883/#l3gq73fiyuchprc617b

Interesting. Thanks for that, imref - I'm going to give it a week or two before I deal with it because I've got some other headaches that are more pressing. Sounds like Ali's suggestion of changing airlines may not be the worst call.

Online RobDibblesGhost

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Volcanoes is amazing. Try to visit the caldera overlook at night.

It’s on my list!

Online imref

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can't wait to ride one of these, unfortunately not before 2023 at the earliest - https://thepointsguy.com/news/first-look-new-acela/