Does anyone here travel? Is there an existing thread?

[Neighbor]

56 minutes ago, PeteBlaxton said:

In my military and civilian careers I've seen a lot of the states and a lot of the world. But it's just not that enjoyable from 35,000 feet or an airport terminal 

 

I say that all the time, then I get on the cheap flight to Knoxville  from out of Clearwater/St Pete. and am there in an hour ten minutes for a hundred fifty dollars. I also save time wear and tear on my vehicle by renting one at my destination. And I gain overall two days time at my destination. Nothing like slogging through Atlanta after five hours of driving, and thinking well if I can just get through here, it will only be a total of another four hours driving for  a total of eleven plus in this saddle and I will be "there". I will be dead on my feet tired the next day too. So though I do near hate the commercial air flights, they are hard to beat  for getting "there".

If the going along the highway is the fun, that is very different, one can hole up anywhere any time and just have fun along the way. The life mate  God blessed me with for so many years knew every back road in the land that led to any quilting supply store. We would take  a turn at her call to "turn Here!", and just drive. I always knew  that somewhere up ahead there was this store she would just happen to be remembering and we would stop there. I always enjoyed the adventure of getting there, which was usually in the middle of nowhere. Can't gain that kind of fun memory from an airplane flight.

[Neighbor]

I have  driven in the white out snows till the gas tank read empty along jeep trails and fire break trails lost in my travels in several different States. Always fun to see empty and snowing and nightfall coming wondering do I save some gas for heating and start building a hut or do I press on. 

[other one]

Fun ride about 25 miles northeast of Yellowstone.   Forest road.   first picture was kind of beginning of a 35 mile drive up into those mountains...   Problem was when we got to the top the snow was still there and as we started to approach the snow the light rain turned into snow and just over the top a ten foot deep snowbank covered the road....   off the road was mushy and even not in the snow was instant stuck if you got off the road...   It got kind of spooky so I stopped taking photos and consentrated on backing up a half mile to find a place to turn around as the ground started to get covered.....    and was at least 20 miles away from any phone coverage...

The kind of things we do on vacation.

 

[other one]

another fun road

[other one]

 

 

 

Grand Canyon and Crater Lake

[Debp]

10 hours ago, PeteBlaxton said:

I too want to train travel. Or group bus charter. Let them drive me around.

If anyone would like to visit Japan, they have a great, extensive railway system.   I often watch the interesting TV program, Japan Railway Journal; they show various areas of Japan and the trains to get there.    There are many interesting things to see and do in Japan.... including the hot springs areas.   One hot spring has the famous Snow Monkeys....they keep warm with their heads and shoulders sticking out of the water, in a Winter wonderland.   I loved the many gardens of Japan and the architecture.   The people are also very nice. 

[Kristin]

I drive a truck. In the United States I recommend Charleston, South Carolina. Florida is great. Boston was surprisingly nice. The Sierra Nevada mountains of California are amazing. Mobile, Alabama is on the coast and very cool. Storm Lake in Iowa has nice camping and fishing. I could go on all day. 

[triordan]

I love to travel and find that my work opens doors to experience some amazing places. I'm a writer, pastor, and speaker. I had the privilege a couple of months ago to speak at a pastors' conference in England. My wife and some of my children accompanied me. We visited Wales while we were there. I just hiked 230 miles on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. That was awesome. My ministry takes me to southern Mexico regularly, and I've done research in the Andes of Peru on unreached people groups. We spent two weeks backpacking through the region. We also visited Machu Pechu while we were there. It was an incredible experience. I always enjoy meeting people from around the world. I'm constantly awed to see how God is at work no matter where I go.

[Debp]

5 hours ago, Kristin said:

I drive a truck. In the United States I recommend Charleston, South Carolina. Florida is great. Boston was surprisingly nice. The Sierra Nevada mountains of California are amazing. Mobile, Alabama is on the coast and very cool. Storm Lake in Iowa has nice camping and fishing. I could go on all day. 

You mentioned Charleston, SC.   I've never been in the South but I think it would be lovely.   Anyone been to Savannah, GA?   Seems like a pretty Southern city....even the name is pretty.   My aunt passed through there and rode a horse drawn carriage.

[Neighbor]

34 minutes ago, Debp said:

Anyone been to Savannah, GA? 

Oh yes many times many many times. Lots of "experiences" there. From SCAD  Savannah College of Art and Design days for my offspring to Tybee Island and my trying to be a building contractor with a Boston accent in Savannah. Ha that didn't work.  Spent much of five years there.

The first experience was staying at an excellent large hotel  in historic downtown and going for  walk at ten p.m. coming back  just before midnight with my wife. The desk clerk looked stunned, said where have you been did you two go outside? I said yes we walking the squares and did "dog cemetery". (The people cemetery where dogs get to exercise during the day), and came back. He and the others on duty looked on bewildered and amazed, said, Are you to nuts! You don't go outside at night, not around here you don't. They were amazed we were in one piece.

Well the downtown has changed greatly over the years since then, as SCAD bought more and more buildings and restored them and grew a campus from the 700 students of that time period, with the then addition of brand new Architecture division to what SCAD is today. Yes Savannah is fun!

I once took the family there for dinner and drove back in one day to our Florida home on the Suncoast halfway down the State. My wife's aunt lived with us in a mother in law type suite we built for her. One Saturday afternon she said, I would like to treat  you all to dinner out, where would you like best to go? I said, well the Pirate Cove would be nice. She said fine, not knowing where it was. And so we all started out for Savannah Ga.,  ate a late dinner and then drove home. On the way home she said, aren't we going to stop at a hotel or motel? I said, no I don't want you to have to pay for that too after  picking up the large tab for such a fine dinner. She laughed and was game to ride all the way home. It became a running joke with  us all for years- want to go to dinner? What State you thinking?

She really enjoyed using that experience as her bit when talking with her older lady friends as they would decide where to go for lunch- well we could go to the pirate Cove, and she would tell her story of the time....