Thanks guys. I think I agree with both of you. I only go before or after the tourist season. Last time I went to Yosemite, I wished I had not. It was bumper to bumper for 3 hours. That had to be in the late 1980s. I think the Denali bus tours would be the best way for the crowded NPs to let everyone see. Sadly I worked in Alaska 37 years and never took that bus trip back into the park. Of course I flew by the mountain every 3 weeks for 25 years. Sometimes the pilot would get us so close you could see the climbers on the mountain.
Well, a trip to Kantisna in your new diesel will solve that. Time it for the week or so in September when they open the road before the first snow. All you have to do is win the lottery (the odds are still good that you'd win a slot). Of course the lodges at the end of the road may be closed by then.
We went in one year on a private van to one of the lodges, and the van broke down somewhere on the 14 mile paved stretch before the restricted 75 miles of gravel start. While waiting for another van to come from Fairbanks, the driver grabbed his Mexico souvenir off the dash and put it in the middle of the road.
It was a big rubber iguana. Every car and bus slowed or stopped for the "wildlife" and lots of tourists went home with photos of what would be Alaska's only reptile, not counting sea turtles and unconfirmed accounts of garter snakes. Very entertaining way to pass the time.
The last few years in Prudhoe we had a LOT of tourists. I would pass the time in the evenings talking to many of them. They wanted to know about the Arctic villages etc. I would say at least 90% had taken the trip to Denali Park. Most were not that impressed. A big share of the time it is cloudy with no view of the Mountains. And seeing wildlife was very iffy. I saw enough bears, caribou, foxes and every kind of waterfowl to last a life time.
I flew into the Gates of the Arctic NP dozens of times to maintain the phones and cable TV system. Fished most of the streams around Anaktuvuk Pass. Alaska is grand and beautiful, best seen from the air.
I did drive most of the roads in the state. I don't think I will be going back. According to my son the fishing has gone down hill with the new laws favoring the commercial fisherman. We talked about it the other night. He said the last four years the King fishing was horrible. That was his main reason for staying in Alaska. He is really enjoying the better weather in Indiana. Says the bluegill and crappie are great eating even if they are more work. And his boys love fishing where it is warm. I hated getting cold and wet fishing.
Nah, it's the American Serengeti. By the end of the long bus ride back (if you go to Wonder Lake), you barely bother to wake up to see the next moose or bear or caribou. The mountain is just a bonus if it's out.
"If you wake up" is the clue to just how boring most people find the Denali bus trip.
The beauty in my last 25 years working in Alaska was my 3 weeks off out of every 6 weeks. I got to live in Mexico, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico & California. All of those states are more enjoyable for making road trips than Alaska. Mexico not as much. Too many crooked cops and Federale's for me.
We lived in Albuquerque. My folks, brother and sister all lived there at the time in the early 1980s. My sister and family still live there in Martinez. About 45 miles SE of ALB. I pretty much covered the state within a 100 mile radius of ALB. I had my home in Lake Havasu and a condo in Puerto Vallarta at the time. So I would fly to a different location and rent a car each 3 week R&R.
Don't you live in the UP? If so, how could it take a few hours, unless you count the time spent at the event, as distances within the UP aren't thatgreat.
Most all the roads up here are two lane blacktop, 55 mph speed limit and lots of deer. I could hurry and get to Alberta MI in maybe an hour but it's more likely to take me closer to 1.5 hours each way. So I figured three (a few) hours RT.
It takes us 5 hours just to get to the Mackinac Bridge, where civilization begins. :-) Or we can get a bit more than halfway to Chicago in 5 hours if we go the Wisconsin way.
Not sure how wide the UP is off-hand, but it's wide enough to enjoy two time zones. Reminds me of when I lived in Memphis and traveled to Chattanooga a lot - almost as bad as trying to cross Texas if you're in a hurry to get somewhere.
Yeah, I lived there back then. Don't remember if that was from Lamar Alexander or Ray Blanton's days. Pretty dumb slogan whoever came up with "Welcome to the Three States of Tennessee" on the road signs. Although "Welcome to Michigan" and "Welcome to Superior" could float my boat.
Looks like the distance between Memphis and Chattanooga is close to the width of the UP - about 320 miles give or take.
Was going to leave tomorrow, but we're packed, I'm caught up and it's beautiful out. This will give us a couple of extra hours in the morning to check out a blue highway along the Wisconsin River before my wife's weaving class tomorrow afternoon in Madison.
Did highway 14 and and 171 to Gays Mills Wisconsin; very scenic and then headed over to Ferryville with a great view of the mighty Mississippi. Staying a couple of nights in Decorah Iowa - nice city campground along Trout Run river with a bike path a mile to town.
Yeah, that was a good tank and probably could have made 400 miles before filling. But I didn't hit my "100 mile + quarter tank" benchmark on the most recent tank. Bit surprising since I was going mostly 50 on the backroads today without many hills. Not driving tomorrow but I'll keep you posted next tank after we get done with Chicago (and don't ask why we went to Iowa and will double-back to Chicago - it's a vacation after all. :shades: )
Land Rover had such a deal a while back. The idea makes no sense to me (although I'm happy to say I've had two nights camping in a row where I didn't have to hit the washroom at 2 am, much less negotiate a ladder getting there).
But often we set up camp and drive somewhere for dinner. The rooftop tent idea is a non-starter, as is the Aztek tent attached to the car idea.
Camping tonight at a Red Roof Inn in the Northbrook area of Chicago with a great check-in person by the name of Crystal. Miss watching the world go by though.
Other amazing factoid - we got to this motel in Chicago via Dubuke Iowa and Rockford Illinois without getting on a single Interstate. :-)
Theater tonight, botanic gardens in the morning, then an easy cruise to family in Chattanooga.
I didn't know the Red Roof chain still existed. Used to see a lot of them. I remember years ago staying at one in Detroit. There was a time when it was actually hard sometimes to find rooms in that town! What I recall was a clean, but pretty spartan room that made a military BOQ seem fancy. It was back around the time of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer got all excited about the new Kenny Rogers Chicken joint out his window. Anyway, the thing I remember most about my room was that it had this large rectangular electric heating coil mounted over the window, kind of like an oven broiler. I kept thinking I was going to wake up as a piece of broasted chicken.
This one was pretty nice - I've stayed in some fancy joints, but I like the cheaper places, and really prefer a Mom & Pop, but they are getting harder to find. Back in the day I used to cook in the room a lot and have fond memories of the Coleman stove falling off a narrow table in a cabin joint in Montana, having the gas tank separate and seeing gas flow across the wooden floor. How we managed not to burn the place down I don't know. :-)
Found a great road today TN 110 and 30 going from near Cookeville to Spenser to the north side of Chattanooga. Lots of curves and ups and down on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.
Good point. The expensive hotels are now like the airlines; less for more money with fees out the wazoo. In fact, this is happening at some of the mid priced chains too. The Embassy Suites now wants $12 or more per day for internet. You can stay at a Hampton or Comfort Inn for far less, get a decent mattress, free wi-fi and a basic breakfast buffet, along with way more cable channels. Cost equation doesn't make sense at the higher priced chains anymore unless you're on some great corporate rate, or have a humongous ego that craves perceived status.
Our nicest rooms on the last CC road trip were Hampton Inns. Country Inn & Suites are also nice. Though we did not stay in any this trip. I prefer a nice clean M&P motel where I can park my vehicle by my door. They are very hit and miss. Have to check out the room always before you sign on the line. Free WiFi and a waffle machine are both a must.
The Red Roof did have a bogus "in room safe" fee. They were happy to take the $1.50 off if you didn't use the safe but you have to tell them you want the refund. Useless pain point.
I used to stay a lot at the Red Roof Inn by SeaTac. It was fairly spartan but clean. Started out in the 1970s as a Nendels. Changed hands a few times and was a Red Roof my last trip to AK. I have never used a hotel safe. Don't carry anything of value that won't fit in my wallet. Never stay in big cities so don't have to be armed for safety. ;-)
The Country Inn & Suites are pretty decent. I think they are part of the Radisson hotel group. They started out primarily in the Midwest, but I've seen them recently in Texas and Florida. Another initially Midwest place that is expanding is Culver's fast food joints. Custard, burgers and a broader food menu. More expensive than McDonald's, but better food and selection. I've seen those in Texas and Colorado. I don't know the status of Red Roof right now, but I'm pretty sure they are, or were actually owned by a French firm.
We used to stay at Red Roof 20 or so years back. Then switched to Hampton and Fairfield if we had to. Hamptons have a better breakfast, but varies with the location. Best was a Hampton in south chicago near Cicero where we stayed a few times visiting the museums. They baked fresh muffins in the eating area in a portable oven. This was before the newer builds had a full kitchen for the breakfast nook.
Took a short trip to Pure Michigan
Thurs-Sun. We were gonna run by and see Steve but remembered he was on a _real_ road trip compared to our short stay in cool Michigan outside Detroit. At least traffic was light and the new 70 mph in open country on the interstates in Ohio was appreciated compared to the 65 we did have until June.
A hotel chain I used to see a lot of out west were Red Lions I believe (or something like that), but they were not cut rate back then. I seem to recall they were once particularly popular in the Pacific Northwest as I remember.
>Hampton in the Chicago area you referenced near Midway Airport?
No. It must have been Southland - Mattison, along Cicero Avenue... We were far out. I tried looking it up on the Hampton locator. But it's been a long time ago.
We saw new Hamptons going up in TX, NM and AZ. The two we stayed at were big rooms and decent prices, under $125 with taxes. Far better than most Best Western or Holiday Inn Express for about the same or more. The nicest room on the whole trip was the Hampton Inn Woodward, OK. Off the beaten path but avoided the interstate across OK. Shot down through Amarillo to Alamogordo NM and stayed in a very nice Fairfield Inn. Cheap gas and great Mexican food. I would take that route again in a heartbeat. Much better than crossing TX on I20
For chains, it seems the closest ones to Mom & Pops are the ones tied in with Americas Best Value Inn. There's a nice one in Las Cruses (big red chili pepper out front) that has a great southwest garden courtyard full of agave and yucca.
Had lunch at a BBQ joint just a few blocks off the Interstate in Ozark Arkansas; good meat but the sides, as the online reviews said, were just so-so. Using the vinegar sauce (a nice touch over the usual tomato based one) fixed the beans.
Road trips have changed. I used to do the haul between Memphis and Chattanooga a lot. Now, it's all four lane and the road bypasses all the cities and towns. That's fine if you want to save an hour on that drive, but we kept having to pull off to see the sights, like the courthouse squares in places like Scottsboro. Gassed up in Tupelo at a Kroger and wound up snacking on eel sushi in the grocery part (in the good old days, it'd be oatmeal burgers at Dudie's diner). Now every wide spot has all the same food joints, the same Walmart, Target and all the other homogenized mess.
The good part is that I've about got my wife used to looking stuff up online now, so we can avoid some of the lousy Mom & Pop food joints.
But I'm ready to head back to Canada or somewhere else for the next big road trip. At least only Canadian Tire and Timmy's look "all the same" up there.
We're doing a bit of a push to get to NM in a couple of days since we spent more time than expected visiting my family in TN and AL. It's an Interstate day today. Cell coverage for the net is good though! Still seems odd to be posting while riding along in the van at 70 mph.
Do you use a smartphone or tablet on the road to post? I have the 8.0 Note and typing with the stylus is better than using fingers on the virtual keyboard. I don't think I will ever give up a decent keyboard for a virtual one. Going from 50 WPM to 10 WPM is excruciating for me.
PS I like the vinegar based BBQ sauce. The best place we had BBQ the owner learned in Arkansas. Second best place was in Clinton's hometown in Arkansas.
We've never had a smartphone and that's one reason why we were slow adopting the "search while driving" technique. Got an iPad 3 with cell so I use that for my hotspot while typing this on the Lenovo ultrabook.
Been meaning to buy a stylus (well, a pack of them). My sister-in-law has a bit of arthritis and goes 90 miles an hour playing Razzle using a stylus on her iPad.
The iPad does let you use a "split" keyboard on the screen so it's could be worse. Still wouldn't want to do much real work on it, but the dictation is pretty good so I should try playing with that for posting. Boy, you think I'm verbose now....
Comments
Well, a trip to Kantisna in your new diesel will solve that. Time it for the week or so in September when they open the road before the first snow. All you have to do is win the lottery (the odds are still good that you'd win a slot). Of course the lodges at the end of the road may be closed by then.
We went in one year on a private van to one of the lodges, and the van broke down somewhere on the 14 mile paved stretch before the restricted 75 miles of gravel start. While waiting for another van to come from Fairbanks, the driver grabbed his Mexico souvenir off the dash and put it in the middle of the road.
It was a big rubber iguana. Every car and bus slowed or stopped for the "wildlife" and lots of tourists went home with photos of what would be Alaska's only reptile, not counting sea turtles and unconfirmed accounts of garter snakes. Very entertaining way to pass the time.
I flew into the Gates of the Arctic NP dozens of times to maintain the phones and cable TV system. Fished most of the streams around Anaktuvuk Pass. Alaska is grand and beautiful, best seen from the air.
I did drive most of the roads in the state. I don't think I will be going back. According to my son the fishing has gone down hill with the new laws favoring the commercial fisherman. We talked about it the other night. He said the last four years the King fishing was horrible. That was his main reason for staying in Alaska. He is really enjoying the better weather in Indiana. Says the bluegill and crappie are great eating even if they are more work. And his boys love fishing where it is warm. I hated getting cold and wet fishing.
Does look like a nice day today on TAT's web cam.
The beauty in my last 25 years working in Alaska was my 3 weeks off out of every 6 weeks. I got to live in Mexico, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico & California. All of those states are more enjoyable for making road trips than Alaska. Mexico not as much. Too many crooked cops and Federale's for me.
Didn't realize you actually lived in NM at one time. Near your cousins (?) or ABQ?
Wednesdays and Saturdays until bicycles only. Beautiful loop of road.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Wednesdays and Saturdays until 10 am, bicycles only. Beautiful loop of road. A friend ours did that trip and biked it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Henry Ford's 150th Birthday Bash Includes Celebration in the Boonies
It is a pretty neat looking area and I keep promising myself we're going to stop overnight on one of our trips south.
Maybe if I wore my Edmunds baseball cap, I'd get some benes but it sounds like everything is free this weekend anyway.
It takes us 5 hours just to get to the Mackinac Bridge, where civilization begins. :-) Or we can get a bit more than halfway to Chicago in 5 hours if we go the Wisconsin way.
Not sure how wide the UP is off-hand, but it's wide enough to enjoy two time zones. Reminds me of when I lived in Memphis and traveled to Chattanooga a lot - almost as bad as trying to cross Texas if you're in a hurry to get somewhere.
But Tennessee is 3 states wide. They used to have a promotion to that effect about the 3 parts of TN.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Looks like the distance between Memphis and Chattanooga is close to the width of the UP - about 320 miles give or take.
Enjoy.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I hope the guy in the photo reads the tide tables, though.
I already have the 2-bike rack.
problem is accessories for a MINI are very very pricey.
But often we set up camp and drive somewhere for dinner. The rooftop tent idea is a non-starter, as is the Aztek tent attached to the car idea.
Camping tonight at a Red Roof Inn in the Northbrook area of Chicago with a great check-in person by the name of Crystal. Miss watching the world go by though.
Other amazing factoid - we got to this motel in Chicago via Dubuke Iowa and Rockford Illinois without getting on a single Interstate. :-)
Theater tonight, botanic gardens in the morning, then an easy cruise to family in Chattanooga.
Found a great road today TN 110 and 30 going from near Cookeville to Spenser to the north side of Chattanooga. Lots of curves and ups and down on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.
Took a short trip to Pure Michigan
Thurs-Sun. We were gonna run by and see Steve but remembered he was on a _real_ road trip compared to our short stay in cool Michigan outside Detroit. At least traffic was light and the new 70 mph in open country on the interstates in Ohio was appreciated compared to the 65 we did have until June.
Wiki says Red Roof is owned by a Citigroup group and Westbridge Hospitality fund.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Roof_Inn
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
No. It must have been Southland - Mattison, along Cicero Avenue... We were far out. I tried looking it up on the Hampton locator. But it's been a long time ago.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Road trips have changed. I used to do the haul between Memphis and Chattanooga a lot. Now, it's all four lane and the road bypasses all the cities and towns. That's fine if you want to save an hour on that drive, but we kept having to pull off to see the sights, like the courthouse squares in places like Scottsboro. Gassed up in Tupelo at a Kroger and wound up snacking on eel sushi in the grocery part (in the good old days, it'd be oatmeal burgers at Dudie's diner). Now every wide spot has all the same food joints, the same Walmart, Target and all the other homogenized mess.
The good part is that I've about got my wife used to looking stuff up online now, so we can avoid some of the lousy Mom & Pop food joints.
But I'm ready to head back to Canada or somewhere else for the next big road trip. At least only Canadian Tire and Timmy's look "all the same" up there.
We're doing a bit of a push to get to NM in a couple of days since we spent more time than expected visiting my family in TN and AL. It's an Interstate day today. Cell coverage for the net is good though! Still seems odd to be posting while riding along in the van at 70 mph.
PS
I like the vinegar based BBQ sauce. The best place we had BBQ the owner learned in Arkansas. Second best place was in Clinton's hometown in Arkansas.
Been meaning to buy a stylus (well, a pack of them). My sister-in-law has a bit of arthritis and goes 90 miles an hour playing Razzle using a stylus on her iPad.
The iPad does let you use a "split" keyboard on the screen so it's could be worse. Still wouldn't want to do much real work on it, but the dictation is pretty good so I should try playing with that for posting. Boy, you think I'm verbose now....