Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2017 07:00:41 +0000
Reply-To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Roadtrip advice for Southwest US trip
In-Reply-To: <CAFaJG5og5jfW9Jms0xj9FX6SF=4gsGu2ArNRHjxWsUo-ULgL+Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Dear Road Trip
The Crater of Diamonds in Murphreesburough Arkansas is a must see with camp
grounds attached -
Easy to spend more than a whole day there -
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_of_Diamonds_State_Park
Enjoy
On Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 2:57 PM Aristotle Sagan <killer.jupiter@gmail.com>
wrote:
North rim should be closed. I would spend some time going across New Mexico
(Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Taos ) to SE Utah, then down through the Monument
Valley, across to Flagstaff, then the South Rim. 10 days? Not unless you
are serious hikers. 2 days on the South Rim National park, a day or two in
the Indian reservation area to the west. A couple of days in Sedona area
including Camp Verde ( Cliff Dwellings). From there it is one day to the
Pacific coast. One long day.
Other points to look for... Zion National Park in Utah but that would be a
bit out of your way..
tim in san jose
On Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 1:35 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com>
wrote:
> It all depends on what you mean by "great places to camp," and what
> interests you. Regarding Santa Barbara, California has a pretty good
state
> park system, and Ventura County has quite a few county parks with camping,
> some of which are nice (don't recall names right now, but Google has it
> all). Both include sea shore locations, and there is a sea shore National
> Recreation Area south of Ventura. National Forest Service has lots of
> camping in the area, also.
>
> If headed to Death Valley from Santa Barbara, both I-20 and I-40 will take
> you to Mojave National Preserve. It has most of what Joshua Tree National
> Park and Death Valley have, without the crowds, plus some interesting
> natural history that is absent from both. At that point, you are only a
> couple of hours from Vegas. Google for BLM campgrounds in the area, also.
>
> Joshua Tree National Park is amazing, but on our visit this winter was
> overwhelmed with huge crowds.
>
> If nature is your thing, though you can't camp in them, there are several
> really interesting National Wildlife Preserves in western Nevada, just
> check out the maps. Ash Meadows is one of the best. You could park you
> rig at a BLM campground, and day trip to one or more preserves. Ash
> Meadows has a series of populations of pup fish, evolutionarily very
> interesting, exhibiting one of the classic species radiations. One of
them
> is the famous Devil's Hole Pup Fish, with the smallest native range of any
> vertebrate world wide. It lives only in a deep spring along a fault line,
> a few square feet in area.
>
> So far as how much time you need for the Grande Canyon, it depends on you.
> Most visits are for a day or so, but that just makes a point about
> Americans. North Rim is less crowded than South Rim, and more
> interesting. If you intend to venture into the canyon, you'll need a day
> minimum for the hike, and time to recover. Oops, just noticed that 5 year
> old. Shorter (less elevation difference) from South Rim to the river than
> from North Rim, still tough for a kid. I wouldn't attempt it with a 5
year
> old. For Grande Canyon, if you want to camp in the park, make
> reservations. If you are willing to boondock it outside the park on North
> Rim, there are beautiful locations with views of Marble Canyon, but your
> trailer might not make the roads (or it might even be restricted by the
> rental company from such). You could spend a month and just get started
> with Grande Canyon.
>
> North Rim may be closed (or certainly iffy) for winter still, just noticed
> your dates. Forest Service campgrounds I mentioned for Santa Barbara area
> may still be snowy, or closed for the season anyway.
>
> Death Valley and vicinity has had moisture this winter, so you may be in
> luck for the wildflower bloom.
>
> mcneely
>
> On Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 12:43 PM, Ned Savoie <ned@harbourlight.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > My wife, 5 year old son and I are doing a road trip, and would love to
> get
> > some advice on places to see, time needed, and any other words of
wisdom.
> > Unfortunately the VW's are going to have to stay home for this one.
> >
> > We are picking up a 25' RV in Chicago and we will have it for about 18
> > days. We need to drop it off in Las Vegas. We are leaving Chicago on Feb
> > 16, probably in the later afternoon, so not sure how far we will get
that
> > first day.
> >
> > My first thought was to head down to Nashville, Memphis, and then head
> > towards Austin, but my wife thinks we may want to spend more time out in
> > Arizona and the Grand Canyon and that those few extra days would be
> better
> > spent further west.
> >
> > How long do you think we need at the Grand Canyon? Some itineraries say
> 10
> > days. Is it going to be too cold to do a lot? What are must see
> > attractions?
> >
> > From the GC we will head to Southern Cal to spend a few days with
family.
> > From there, my hope is to head north on RT 1 to Santa Barbara, and then
> > head east across Death Valley (and hope our timing is right for the
> > wildflower bloom). Finally, we'll head to Las Vegas to spend a day, and
> > then return the truck.
> >
> > Any great places to camp around Santa Barbara and Las Vegas? Any advice
> > will be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Ned Savoie
> > Creative Director
> >
> > Harbour Light Strategic Marketing
> > Savvy Software, Inc.
> > 621A Islington Street
> > Portsmouth, NH 03801
> >
> > [Telephone] 603.427.2821 <(603)%20427-2821>
> > [Facsimile] 603.427.0938 <(603)%20427-0938>
> > [Mobile] 603.828.2400 <(603)%20828-2400>
> >
>
--
Where ever you are, there you be. Unless you're driving my van, in which
case, you ain't got there yet.
