Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 23:14:01 -0500
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Need suggestions for SW trip
In-Reply-To: <20050128152505.39067.qmail@web14609.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Are you doing this trip now? I think so, from what you said a while ago
about finding warm places.
The national parks in Utah - Bryce, Zion, etc. - aren't open in the winter.
Colorado is probably right cold too. You'll definitely want to go further
south to find warmth! Southern Arizona is warm, northern Arizona is not.
Make sure you pay attention to elevation - it can be awfully cold at 7,000
or 8,000 feet, even if it's reasonably warm at sea level! The north rim of
the Grand Canyon is closed now. The south rim is open, but it could be
cold. It snowed when I was there in November - but I've heard the worst of
the south-west cold comes early in the winter, so maybe it's nice by now?
You might have a look at my south-west postings on my website (URL below -
follow link to "south-west and back"). I won't bore everyone with another
shpiel about hot springs in Arizona and New Mexico, but they are great and
lovely and WARM!
Have fun!
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
****************************************************************
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Jeffrey Earl
:::Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 10:25 AM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Need suggestions for SW trip
:::
:::Dan wrote:
:::>> My honey and I are taking our 89 Westy 4speed on a
:::month-long trip to parts of the South and southwest.
:::We would appreciate any and all suggestions for places
:::to visit or avoid.
:::
:::
:::Dan,
:::
:::You may be interested in checking out "Southwest by
:::Westy", the travelogue of our visit to that region a
:::couple years ago.
:::http://www.vanthology.com/1Layout/Journeys/southwest1.html
:::In addition to such obligatory highlights as Mesa
:::Verde, Bryce Canyon and Zion NPs, we also found some
:::interesting and lesser known places along the way.
:::Giving yourself a month should allow you to find even
:::more. I understand that in the Durango/Gunnison region
:::there are many backcountry hot springs that are
:::natural and free (and I mean that literally and
:::figuratively).
:::
:::Of note to motoristsespecially those traveling by
:::Westyis the unique topography of southern Colorado
:::and Utah. It seems this entire region of the Southwest
:::is comprised of a series of tilted plateaus, now
:::carved by numerous rivers into a seemingly
:::never-ending landscape of canyons and mesas. These
:::require tight and twisty turns both to climb and to
:::descend, so one finds it takes much longer to get
:::around out there. Throw enough 25-mph switchbacks into
:::your day and it can really slow you down.
:::
:::The locals well know this, and will tell you that a
:::75-mile drive takes 2 hours. Believe them. We ended up
:::spending much more time driving than we wanted, with
:::less time to see our various destinations. Plan your
:::visits accordingly, and intersperse your long driving
:::days with days spent lounging in camp, hiking in one
:::of our great National Parks, or taking in a museum or
:::other attraction. You can always come back for a
:::second trip.
:::
:::On your way back to Wisconsin, be sure and swing in
:::off I-80 in Nebraska to take in the 2,000-ton pile of
:::burning cow manure.
:::http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/28/cow.fire.ap/index.html
:::
:::Have a great trip!
:::
:::
:::"OK, I'll leave it at that since I've already gone on
:::for far too long about something I don't know a whole
:::lot about ..."
:::
:::Jeffrey Earl
:::1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi"
:::http://www.vanthology.com/
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::__________________________________
:::Do you Yahoo!?
:::Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard.
:::http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
| 
