Ok, retired on Friday and we are planning a summer road trip to several locations over about 3 to 4 weeks. We need your input.
Here is the tentative route:
Fenix to Moab, UT
Moab to Jelly Stone Park
Jelly Stone to Boise (visiting friends)
Boise to Glacier National Park
GNP to Seattle/Vancouver
Seattle to Portland
Portland to San Francisco "The City"
San Fran to Las Vegas
Vegas to Fenix
Hit me with your best shot of :
What to see
Where to Eat
Where to Stay
Arts, Music, Photography.........BajaBlanca - 5-5-2014 at 05:44 AM
Congratulations!willyAirstream - 5-5-2014 at 06:50 AM
Camping is terrific on Onion Skin road in Moab. Surreal views. Good hiking and biking.RnR - 5-5-2014 at 06:56 AM
Felicidades!
We retired about three years ago, currently living in Baja, touring the US in the summer, never looked back. Can't imagine how we ever ever had
enough time to work!
Get a National Parks annual pass. $80 covers all entry fees for a year. After about four park entry fees, you break even.
Moab is HOT in the summer. Of course, you're from Fenix......
Visit Canyonlands NP and take the graded gravel road back from Canyonlands to the Moab area. Spectacular. However, there is a small arch/tunnel to
pass through that only has about 9 ft vertical clearance.
Consider including Mesa Verde NP in your itinerary. Planned on a day there and wound up spending three.
Glacier NP - Logan Pass area is very scenic but the Highline Trail is even better. Head out two or three miles and return to your car at Logan Pass
or go 12 miles all the way through and catch a shuttle back to your car.
San Francisco to Vegas - via Lake Tahoe and then Hwy 95. Or, via Yosemite to Lee Vining, Hwy 395 to Bishop, Rt 6 to 95, to Vegas. There are also
several paved secondary roads that cross from 395 to 95, (rt 120, Benton crossing, etc). Choose any one, all are scenic. Probably not a good idea to
come across via Death Valley in the summer.
Are you camping, RVing, or hoteling?
Enjoy your retirement!!!!!
[Edited on 5-5-2014 by RnR]watizname - 5-5-2014 at 07:28 AM
If you're in the club, get a SENIORS lifetime pass to the Nat'l Parks. One time fee and lasts as long as you do. bajalearner - 5-5-2014 at 07:38 AM
Way, way, wait a minute. You got to slow your mind and body down to retirement mode. You are still in the 8 to 5 Monday to Friday thing. You
have to start planning things by the "what do I want to do tomorrow" mindset.
Retirement is having nothing to do today. And at the end of the day thinking you got most of that done. hahaha It takes time to adjust.blackwolfmt - 5-5-2014 at 08:31 AM
If your gonna hit GNP just make sure going to the sun road has been opened we had a heavy winter up here..enjoybajaguy - 5-5-2014 at 08:33 AM
".........San Francisco to Vegas - via Lake Tahoe and then Hwy 95. Or, via Yosemite to Lee Vining, Hwy 395 to Bishop, Rt 6 to 95, to Vegas. There are
also several paved secondary roads that cross from 395 to 95, (rt 120, Benton crossing, etc). Choose any one, all are scenic. Probably not a good idea
to come across via Death Valley in the summer........."
^^^^^^ This
I-80 east through Sacramento into the Sierras.
In Truckee, 267 south to Lake Tahoe
267 to 28 east, around the east shore of Lake Tahoe
28 to 50 east to Carson City and US 395
395 south to Bishop
Hwy 6 east from Bishop to hwy 95 south to Tonopah and Las Vegas
Things to see and do:
*Old town Truckee
*East shore of Lake Tahoe, Sand Harbor State Park
*Carson City....State Capitol self guided tour, State Museum, State Railroad Museum, Virginia City......great place to eat: Red's Old 395 Grill
*Gardnerville.....JT Basque Restaurant
*Topaz Lake
*Walker River Canyon
*Bridgeport
*Lee Vining/Mono Lake
*Mammoth, Convict Lake, Lake Crowley, Tom's Place
*Bishop......Schat's Danish Bakery, Laws Railroad Museum
*Tonopah.....Museum, (Old Tonopah USAAF base-east of town)
*Beatty
*Las Vegas.....yuk
When you get to Carson City, give me a shout out and we can meet for a cold one
[Edited on 5-5-2014 by bajaguy]
[Edited on 5-6-2014 by bajaguy]jbcoug - 5-5-2014 at 08:44 AM
Cortez,
Congratulations, looks like you have a real plan! When you come through Portland, swing out to the northern Oregon coast. Well worth the detour. Drop
me a U2U when you near Portland if you have the time, I'll buy you a celebratory drink. I've got 30 days to go.absinvestor - 5-5-2014 at 09:09 AM
How are you traveling? If in a motorhome are you taking a tow car? Certainly makes a difference when in Seattle, San Francisco etc. Congratulations on
retirement!!wessongroup - 5-5-2014 at 09:18 AM
Enjoy .... takes a while, but, you made it ... Udo - 5-5-2014 at 09:19 AM
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT!bacquito - 5-5-2014 at 10:50 AM
Enjoy!!CaboMagic - 5-5-2014 at 11:21 AM
Popping in to say congratulations CB .. wishing you the very best of everything .. enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, the beauty and the peace ...
unrushed and sans pressure!Kgryfon - 5-5-2014 at 05:21 PM
Enjoy! Sounds like a great trip : )danaeb - 5-5-2014 at 05:46 PM
That's an ambitious schedule. If you're planning on camping in the Nat'l Parks you're going to have a hard time finding spots in the summer. You
might want to check reserveamerica.com to check availability. Especially Yellowstone. People reserve months in advance. Nothing more frustrating
than driving all day to find "no room at the inn". I second Bajaguys recommend re Tom's Place. Iris Meadow is a beautiful campground at the Tom's
Place turnoff up the mountain and is right on a popular trout creek. The last campsite up the creek is awesome.
If you're going to do the southern Utah Nat'l Parks route, Kodachome Basin St Park is a gem and a good alternative (but close) to Bryce.
[Edited on 5-6-2014 by danaeb]Bob H - 5-5-2014 at 06:13 PM
Happy Retirement Blue! You will love sleeping in late, and doing whatever the heck you want every day!!
ConGrats blue
captkw - 5-5-2014 at 10:06 PM
Bajaguy is on the right track !! but have fun and be flexable...you earned it !! and do post some pics at your leaser...BTW if your looking at doing
any rivers/lakes/waterfalls plan that early !!! Calif Alta muy seco !! Bajafun777 - 5-7-2014 at 08:40 PM
I actually made a "Bucket List" and then started doing those things I could do and afford in the order of which one really kept me going back looking
at maps etc. on it.
Enjoy while you can, as we never know what tomorrow will bring for ourselves or family and friends issues that may alter our lives more than we know
today. Case in point my brother and I talked a lot about traveling in our RVs across the USA and then his wife got real sick along with his daughter
being killed so all plans went nowhere. He has to care for his wife 24/7 and his life has been forever changed. Not trying to put a damper on your
retirement, I guess what I am saying is don't put off what you can afford to do with thinking you have many years to do them.
Where you are currently planning to go are really nice places that have lots of interesting and fun things to do. May your first day be Fun and your
next days MORE FUN!! LOL Take Care & Travel Safe---"No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777Sweetwater - 5-7-2014 at 10:16 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by willyAirstream
Camping is terrific on Onion Skin road in Moab. Surreal views. Good hiking and biking.
Hey willyA......so close.......and yet so far.....we just had a wall painted Onion.....but I've ridden Moab quite a few times and the BLM camping is
on Onion Creek, northeast of Moab along the Colorado River.....outstanding spot I might add......I met my first retired couple who had ditched society
on that stretch around 5 years ago......you have nailed it otherwise, outstanding views and wonderful turf for biking, hiking, motos and
hanging....you just need a good source of brewskies cause Utard is a 3.2 state...of mind....
I'm hitting the Physical Therapy 2-3 x week and making good progress....I might put together a ride in late October with the area of Loreto north as a
loop....I'll be in touch and.......I'll be back.....acadist - 5-7-2014 at 10:25 PM
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