Date:         Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:54:18 -0230
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: Cross Country Travel Tips Wanted
In-Reply-To:  <13C15215-CFC4-4C93-8344-F546243BAAEC@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 1:12 AM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com>wrote:

> Joy,
>
> Thanks for all the great insights.
>
> I too am not so sure if believe that all rest areas are death traps. But I
> will have to make those decisions based on what I see at individual
> location.


For sure.

>
> I was trying leave NY and get to Northern California for a big music
> festival called the High Sierra Music Festival. Its a 4 day camping and
> music fest. I am not going to stress about making thought. I want to enjoy
> the journey and not worry about the destination...  I have waited 10 years
> to make this journey so I want to be about the experience of the people,
> places and the interactions along the way.
>
> As I am not a mechanic, I just tinker with the van and try to fix things I
> know I am capable off so I am trying to be sure everything is tuned and
> replaced way before I leave so I can test it out. Make adjustments and have
> a safe, enjoyable, worry free trip.


It's good not to have a fixed time schedule.  And if you do have mechanical
trouble, just take it in stride.  Look at it as a way to make an unexpected
detour, meet some nice mechanics, and hang out while they fix your van.
Make sure you download Larry's list of mechanics beforehand, so you don't
need to actually get on line to find the nearest person who can work on your
van.  And high-end AAA (100-mile tows for free) is essential if you can't
fix it all yourself.  I've met some delightful tow truck drivers in my time,
too!  Good fun chatting with them on long drives to the nearest vanagon
mechanic.  One phoned his wife to say he'd be late, she told him he had to
buy me dinner!

>
> I most definitely want to hit the national parks, yea I know it's going to
> be packed but the warm weather is the best time be there. Mind you it would
> have been nicer to be there when it was sweater weather but it will have to
> do. I could postpone the trip till the end of July or August but it would be
> even hotter then.


Just bear in mind that in places like Yellowstone all the camping may be
fully booked in July and August, and you can't stealth camp there.  So you
would have trouble staying there.  I was there in early June, and the
campgrounds were already pretty full.  And it doesn't even open earlier than
that, it's too cold and there's still snow.  But Yellowstone is astonishing,
even if you have to drive through on a day trip, it's worth it.  Though if
you're aiming for old I66, you won't be anywhere near Yellowstone!  You
won't be so far from the Grand Canyon, though.

>
>
> Did you ever have areas where there was no cell phone or internet service?


Sure, especially free internet.  There's cell phone in most places - not
necessarily with your provider, whoever that may be.  But of course if
you're out in the desert or a forest somewhere, there's a good chance there
won't be any.  There is in any town, though.

By "internet" I assume you mean wifi, or a way you can connect?  I don't
believe in paying for wifi - it would get expensive along the way to always
be paying.  These days most public libraries have free internet access -
sometimes only on their computers, though often wifi.  In small towns that
can be a challenge, because the library might only be open a few afternoons
a week, and you'll often see travelers sitting in front of the closed front
door with their laptops.  My strategy was that when on line in one place,
I'd google "free wifi xxxxx" - replacing xxxxx with the names of the next
few places I was headed to.  Usually you'll get a list of places where you
can connect, either libraries or coffee shops or sometimes other places.
Motels sometimes have it, but not necessarily accessible from the parking
lot - so if you're not staying there, you can't get on.  You could get one
of those wifi detectors that let you know if something is "in the air"
without turning on your computer - I think some of them may even indicate
whether a password is required.  I never had one, though.


Have a great trip!



Joy