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Road Trip!

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  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    The issue for some in Idaho may be less air service, much of it on commuters, and often requiring a change of planes at a hub.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yeah, but I like the smaller airports (El Paso's is even smaller). Easy access, easy parking and easy TSA lines. Smaller planes mean faster load times too.

    And you can return your rental car right to the counter inside the airport.

  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Going east from BOI is the main problem. You are likely to get stuck with DEN or ORD, both are problems.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited November 2016
    ORD was awful when I lived in the UP - all the puddle jumpers went through Chicago. I must have gotten to Atlanta from Boise somehow back in the day to visit my mom in Chattanooga, but I've yet to hit the Denver airport. Went through Minneapolis a lot (home of the wide stance bathrooms favored by Boise people).
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,397
    stever said:

    ORD was awful when I lived in the UP - all the puddle jumpers went through Chicago. I must have gotten to Atlanta from Boise somehow back in the day to visit my mom in Chattanooga, but I've yet to hit the Denver airport. Went through Minneapolis a lot (home of the wide stance bathrooms favored by Boise people).

    I hated changing planes at ORD.

    DIA is a great airport - lots of space for both planes and people.

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  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    DEN (locals call it DIA, but FAA symbol is still KDEN) is a nice airport, but its issue is weather and sometimes very long travels between connecting dates. Same goes for MSP. I'd take DEN over ORD, but might give MDW a shot if you don't mind the Southwest model. Doesn't have near the problems as ORD, probably because it has way less ground issues. btw, last time I was sat DEN it had some very long TSA lines. Hope that has been resolved. Just remember when you land there and it is cloudy, no you are not still in Nebraska B)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited November 2016
    The best route I ever had was a code share on Northwest using my Alaska miles and I would go to SeaTac to Memphis and puddle jump to Chattanooga. Grab a BBQ on the way to the gate in Memphis. That airport probably would be shuttered if not for FedEx.

    I never much liked flying into Atlanta but the last couple of times it was okay, and it's on the right side of the city, and I can catch a bus cheap enough to the Chattanooga airport if need be. Chattanooga finally added a bunch of flights so that worked well the last time.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I haven't been to MEM since the old Northwest days, but I do recall a very good BBQ joint in the airport. Wonder if it is still there?
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,397
    berri said:

    DEN (locals call it DIA, but FAA symbol is still KDEN) is a nice airport, but its issue is weather and sometimes very long travels between connecting dates. Same goes for MSP. I'd take DEN over ORD, but might give MDW a shot if you don't mind the Southwest model. Doesn't have near the problems as ORD, probably because it has way less ground issues. btw, last time I was sat DEN it had some very long TSA lines. Hope that has been resolved. Just remember when you land there and it is cloudy, no you are not still in Nebraska B)

    I'm not thrilled with the TSA arrangement in Denver, either. Hasn't been much of an issue for me in the past, as I've flown about once a year. This year, however, I've used the airport 4 times, with another trip tentatively scheduled for next month.

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited November 2016
    Probably not, nothing stays the same.

    Then there was this post I had to suffer through today. This job is a killer. :D
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    berri said:

    I haven't been to MEM since the old Northwest days, but I do recall a very good BBQ joint in the airport. Wonder if it is still there?

    I have flown into Memphis a couple times. Last was just a change of planes going to Savannah. It was about 15 years ago. The thing that stood out for me is they did not use pushback Tugs. The aircraft used reverse thrusters to back away from the gate. I have flown a lot and never seen that. I think Portland is my favorite Airport outside of Hawaii. When I had a late flight in and early flight out I preferred Portland over Seatac. PDX had more comfortable chairs to fall asleep in. Of course that all changed after 9/11.

    Have our first flight booked in over 8 years to Kona. Flying direct out of San Diego. Still had enough miles in the Alaska Airlines archives for first class upgrade. Going to spend about a month on the Big Island. Our favorite location, Kapoho. Our old place is owned by retired Alaskans. They no longer use it for vacation rental. This place is across the cove and looking forward to it. Prices are double what they were 8 years ago.

    http://www.hawaiiwego.com/rentals/allrentals/house-pahoa-large-wraparound-deck-lockable-doors-at-each-end-809/
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Northwest DC-9's often did that reverse move. It is within the design. But I don't recall Delta using it.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    berri said:

    Northwest DC-9's often did that reverse move. It is within the design. But I don't recall Delta using it.

    I don't recall which Airline. It was likely an MD80/DC9 aircraft. Whoever I could use Alaska Air miles on for 1st Class upgrade.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    edited November 2016
    Since it was MEM and some time ago, probably a good chance it was Northwest. Delta abandoned the hub after buying Northwest. Southwest has a decent presence there nowadays. I remember that Republic (North Central and Southern merger) also did that sometimes on their DC9's, but Ozark did not. I've never noticed that reverse engine procedure on an MD80 - aircraft might have been too long to safely do that.

    Funny that Seattle used to be dominated by Northwest and United, with some Alaska. Now it is Alaska and Delta, and Alaska occupies the North terminal that originally was built for United.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Much better airline too.

    Just don't tell that to my sister, the UAL retiree.. B)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Average speed coming back from the eating frenzy last night was 27 mph, and the diesel was lucky to eke out 33 mpg with lots of slow-and-go. Much of the trip was like this (although traffic was better after this irritating interchange):

    https://youtu.be/5r0OZfeeTsg

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Seattle traffic is bad. I don't think it is this bad.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38083341
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I enjoyed the "It's called the 405 for a reason: It takes you '4 o' 5' hours to get anywhere" quip.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Luckily we have a fraction of that population. Unfortunately, they keep moving north.

    405 is my local freeway too, and it's always a headache. That link looks like many roads here on a rainy Thursday evening commute. 2 hours from Seattle to Everett? Why not?
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,397
    My sister and her family were on the 405 in LA on Wednesday night - they flew in from Vancouver BC, then had to drive to San Diego.

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  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I enjoyed the "It's called the 405 for a reason: It takes you '4 o' 5' hours to get anywhere" quip.
    You've got to keep some humor about those highway messes. A couple of my favorites are Philadelphia's "Surekill" and Chicago's "Death Ryan". Sadly the latter now goes beyond car accidents to also include gangbangers shooting at you.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,965
    I drove the Surekill for a few years. Ugh, it doesn't get much worse.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Chatter about the chance of slushy lowland snow here in a few days. Can't wait to see how the local driving talent reacts to it.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Parks Canada to waive entrance fees in 2017 to celebrate Canada's 150th

    Here's the link to get your free pass. The site may be hammered as word gets out.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    stever said:

    Parks Canada to waive entrance fees in 2017 to celebrate Canada's 150th

    Here's the link to get your free pass. The site may be hammered as word gets out.

    Camping fees are not included with the Discovery Pass

    Kind of looks like they are encouraging Hillary supporters to move up to Canada.

    "Beginning in 2018, ensure that admission for children under 18 is free, and provide any adult who has become a Canadian citizen in the previous 12 months one year's free admission."

    From the comments the whole program is not setting well with the Canadians.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think US National Parks should be free to enter too. Well, a lot of them are already.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think you get a Golden Eagle pass at 62. Gets you into all the National parks and National Forest campgrounds.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    Got one of those on my birthday up at White Sands NM so it paid for itself the first day.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Saw this and thought of you living up there.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Our recent visitors from the UP brought me a loaf of homemade cinnamon bread from a one-café town up there. Great stuff, much better than pasties. Maybe I'd like the ones they make down in Hidalgo better.

    Going to ELP tonight to pick up my BIL. Then we're doing a quickie road trip to Santa Fe and Taos before coming back home to cook for Christmas. Remains to be seen what car we'll be driving, van may be ready today, may not be. We're in a rental Santa Fe this week so I suppose that would be appropriate for traveling north.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Who could resist taking a Santa Fe to Santa Fe? I bet they've never heard that joke before! :)

    Anyone going on a road trip for the holidays? I'll be headed out to the coast as usual, looking forward to the drive especially once I am off the interstate.
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,397
    fintail said:

    Who could resist taking a Santa Fe to Santa Fe? I bet they've never heard that joke before! :)

    Anyone going on a road trip for the holidays? I'll be headed out to the coast as usual, looking forward to the drive especially once I am off the interstate.

    Nothing planned here, though I'll be in the Bay Area on business in a few weeks.

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,688
    None here. My next planned road trip is returning the TDI on January 9.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,786
    Oregon coast for new years. A few runs to the slopes over the next week, I hope!

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    The Santa Fe is parked in Santa Fe. Kind of wish we'd rented a Yukon/Denali, but the weather today was bad enough, rain, with ice and a little bit of snow as we went from ~4,500 feet to ~7,000 feet. Doing the Alcan on rental rubber would be a tad ambitious perhaps. Maybe getting a Tucson would have been the ticket. B)

    Doing the plaza tomorrow and then on to Taos in late afternoon. Our Taos friends will probably be tele-skiing tomorrow unless the "holiday" lift rates have kicked in (they get local passes with holiday black-out dates).

    After doing the midnight airport run, my wife did a lot of the driving today while I napped in the back seat. In recent years I've enjoyed the driving part less and less, and I used to do 95% of it.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,786
    stever said:

    Our Taos friends will probably be tele-skiing tomorrow unless the "holiday" lift rates have kicked in (they get local passes with holiday black-out dates)

    There is this new invention called "Alpine Touring" bindings. And by new I mean twenty plus years ago. Their knees will thank them. :p

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    They are off to the hill tomorrow and always have the latest and greatest. She's probably a bit tentative still having suffered a tibial plateau fracture canyoneering last Spring, but she healed fast. I quit tele when I broke my fibula just standing around, kind of like Arnold S. did at Sun Valley. Embarrassing. Miss boarding and it's safer. :) Great Indian meal tonight a few blocks from the Plaza. Nice getting out of town.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016


    At the Standard Diner on Route 66 in ABQ.

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,723
    Kids are all here. Flight starting from Madison/Detroit/Hartford was a bit early.
    Other one made it from west to Cleveland to here is less than my average of 9 hours.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Out in coastal SW WA, very icy on the state highways this morning, a few dumdum drivers, but not too terrible. Sure is nice in heated leather seats on a cold winter morning :)
  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694
    fintail said:

    Out in coastal SW WA, very icy on the state highways this morning, a few dumdum drivers, but not too terrible. Sure is nice in heated leather seats on a cold winter morning :)

    Have a safe trip, Fin!

    And a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Thanks, likewise! Good time of year, and the weather is looking fine, might go out for a drive tomorrow.
    slorenzen said:


    Have a safe trip, Fin!

    And a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    Back to Puget Sound chaos. A lot more traffic late this morning, lots of slow and distracted drivers (I still love seeing the 1130-and-1230 death grip by an overcautious driver as they loaf along in the middle lane far under the flow of traffic, staring intensely ahead), averaged one cop about every 50 miles. At least the roads were clear as it was above freezing everywhere, and the snow of a few days ago has faded.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    edited December 2016
    Fin - now you can go back to being winter depressed by grey sky and rain. Sunshine is what - another 4 months away ;)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    Speaking of, my Seattle BIL is visiting and gave us this bamboo cutting/serving board:



    Tripping to El Paso tomorrow, if you can call an easy hour cruise "tripping".
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Man, people talk about confusing Seattle traffic and roads, but looking at that board after a couple of gin and tonics could make you dizzy B) Really, pretty neat and it took a lot of research and work to do it. He must like you!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    We get along good and he's multi-talented, but I'm afraid the cutting board is store bought. B)

    He used to have this great "Seattle in Motion" screensaver that was a lot of fun too (except that it discouraged you from leaving the house).
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    This is enough to make you want to stay in the house in Seattle, too

    Not exactly the easiest street grid and road management in the world. Lakes, bridges, rain, transplants, timid drivers, a fun combination.
  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 262,397
    fintail said:

    This is enough to make you want to stay in the house in Seattle, too

    Not exactly the easiest street grid and road management in the world. Lakes, bridges, rain, transplants, timid drivers, a fun combination.

    Not to mention ferries and half completed tunnels.

    A lot like San Francisco, NYC and Boston. Geography dictates a lot, with regards to traffic. The rest, IMO, is population density in urban areas. I've watched the population grow tremendously here in metro Denver. When I look at maps of Phoenix, where I went to college in the 80's, what used to be the edge of town is nowhere near that now. And, there are 8-10 freeways in that town as opposed to the 3 that were there 30+ years ago.

    More and more people are moving to urban areas, which stresses the infrastructure. Not enough money to build or maintain roads and bridges, and public transit is a hit or miss affair.

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,423
    And skyrocketing budgets combined with NIMBYism. I think a lot of these projects cost a lot more than they did 50 or even 30 years ago relative to inflation. Combine that with corrupt crony capitalism that in a just society would land people in jail (like the Seattle failed bikeshare purchase) and it is guaranteed to cost a fortune and go nowhere fast. I'd love to see a heavy tax on offshore money laundering real estate deals and use it to fund transportation.
    Michaell said:

    fintail said:


    Not to mention ferries and half completed tunnels.

    A lot like San Francisco, NYC and Boston. Geography dictates a lot, with regards to traffic.

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