US tour - southern states, 2013 |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Topic: US tour - southern states, 2013 Posted: 10 May 2013 at 1:57pm |
I've hinted on other threads about our big plans for this summer, I figured it was time to post the details. Two years ago we realized we only had about a half-dozen summers left with both of our girls, with the summer after 11th grade for our oldest being the last. The summer before she starts college I'm sure we'll have to stay local. So, Soviet-style, we made a 5-year vacation plan.
First up was a week-long cruise which we took last summer. Next up is three or four 3-week trips around parts of the US. When I was a kid my family did a big loop of the US in five weeks. That was too long in one car and we still didn't see everything we wanted to see (I wanted to see the Pacific Ocean but after coming within a day's drive we had to start heading back), plus as the principal pod driver I wouldn't want to do that much driving. Three weeks is going to be bad enough with several all-day slogs.
My wife will be attending a conference this summer in Atlanta, so it made sense to use that as our launching point for this year's trip. A nice perk, the travel expense we would have used to get her home will now go towards gas costs after I pick her up. Next year she'll be in Denver so we'll probably do a loop around the major attractions in AZ, UT, etc. The year after will probably be a northern loop (no conference that year). Going by memory, below is our itinerary for this year. A quick note that 1/3 of our night stops will be in Walmart parking lots (or similar, like Flying J) which adds to the adventure. I'm mounting a generator on the front of the TV to run the A/C on these stops which I'll post about later.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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ThePinoyPodders
Newbie Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Location: Ontario, Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 13 |
Posted: 10 May 2013 at 2:34pm |
This sounds fantastic!! After a vacation like that, I'm not quite sure you're going to enjoy the first day back to work. Take many photo's and enjoy making all kinds of memories :)
ThePinoyPodders (Wife)
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 10 May 2013 at 2:35pm |
A quick "local" note.. If you want hook ups at Mammoth Cave, the park doesn't have them.. BUT I highly recommend "Diamond Caverns" resort. It is on the park "parkway", about 5 miles from the cave entrance.
Campground has good amenities, 2 pools, mini and real golf, direct access to the hiking and biking trails at MCNP. Also since it is just down the road, the National Corvette museum is nice, even if it's GM.. LOL. |
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francoisfrogpod
Senior Member Joined: 24 Feb 2013 Location: Missouri Online Status: Offline Posts: 109 |
Posted: 10 May 2013 at 3:48pm |
Techntrek, that sounds fantastic. Your girls will have some wonderful memories. Be safe out there and post lots of pictures so we can all be jealous!
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Denny and Linda
2013 Pod 177 '08 Santa Fe |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 10 May 2013 at 6:39pm |
Very good to know. We found that out after making our reservation, and they don't do refunds. We were just going to rough it that night - and hope the temps fell low enough to be comfortable with a fan or two. I'll mention that campground to my wife, we might just eat the $17 loss at the in-park campground to have A/C. |
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 10 May 2013 at 6:41pm |
Definitely will have a ton of pics, my wife is an avid scrapbooker and has become very good with a full-sized SLR to fill her books up. She's done electronic scrapbooking a few times and says she may do it for this trip so she can start while we're on the road.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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TerryM
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950 |
Posted: 11 May 2013 at 7:03am |
Looks like a great trip!
Terry |
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RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Location: Mayville, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Posted: 11 May 2013 at 7:14am |
You have some great trips coming up, if you have one each summer for the next three or four years! Our oldest son was working full time the summer between Junior and Senior year, and didn't want to go on vacation, and the youngest was in love, went along anyway, and made the trip miserable. Enjoy vacation with kids while you can!
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
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P&M
Senior Member Joined: 13 Aug 2012 Location: Spokane, WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 454 |
Posted: 12 May 2013 at 3:45pm |
Wow, that looks like a great trip planned out! We are hoping to get a longer one in ourselves next spring and have started figuring it out, but this is amazing!
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P & M ... and Comet too!
2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
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Paige
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 23 Jul 2012 Location: Upstate NY Online Status: Offline Posts: 216 |
Posted: 14 May 2013 at 6:35am |
On our last big west trip, I kept a journal on my iPad. We saw and did so much during the trip that the journal really came in handy once we got home and tried to remember everything! I then made a Shutterfly digital photo album and included the journal entries so now we can sit down and relive our fun trip whenever we want!
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Paige and Pete
2010 177 - RPug 2012 Rav (six cylinder) New York & Florida residents |
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