Date:         Thu, 6 May 1999 15:15:43 -0700
Reply-To:     Ian Cameron <ianc@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ian Cameron <ianc@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      Southwest trip report
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Back from Fort Worth, via Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, NM,
Texas, NM, Arizona, Nevada, Calif, Oregon, Wash.  21 days, 10,004 Km, $545
in gas.  16.8 mpg with 20 to 40 mph winds every single day.  Observations:
Biggest difference between the States and Canada (still) speed limits and
gas costs.  Standard highway speed here: 50 mph.  There: 70 mph.  Gas here:
$2.40/gal.  There: $1.00 to $2.00/gal.  Or in $Cdn, $1.50 to $3.00.
Best tourist destinations:
Me                              Wife                    13 year old daughter

Carlsbad Caverns                Sonoran Desert  Ft. Worth mall
Chaco Canyon                    Carlsbad                Ft. Worth mall
Sonoran Desert          Klamath Falls Marsh     Ft. Worth mall
Klamath falls                   Chaco                   Carlsbad
Arches                          Same                    Same
Grand Canyon                    Same                    Same

Don't bother unless you're there
Canyon de Chelly

Don't bother even if you are there
Tombstone

Worst approach to a city
First prize:
El Paso from the north
Second prize:
El Paso from any other direction

Greatest ecological blunder:
Phoenix, which uses as much water on gardens as all of New Mexico does on
crops.

Best part of trip:
Only van problem was one flat tire, repaired on Route 66 for $10.
Bargain!!!  And the Demented Dometic worked perfectly.

Worst part of trip:
Hearing an NRA spokesperson explain that if the teachers in Denver had been
carrying guns, fewer people would have been killed.